Blue Zoo has been creating critically acclaimed short films to hone its storytelling craft for the past 20 years. The latest animated piece to join the ranks of #BZShorts, Ada, a distinctive, atmospheric monochrome short set in the arctic has made its free online premiere on Vimeo this week.

Director Dane Winn rendered his new short Ada entirely in Unreal Engine, which is capable of rendering material many times faster than with traditional technology. “It was essential to tell her story the right way and that it was handled sensitively. That was the foremost focus before we got into the software,” said Winn. The Blue Zoo Shortform team came together to devise the film and tackle the new challenge and uncover the opportunities of real-time rendering in-house for 14 months.

Stranded on an arctic island with a dying man in 1921, an Alaskan seamstress must overcome her fears of the wilderness and find the strength to survive if she ever hopes to return home to her son. Inspired by the true story of Ada Blackjack.

Since its completion, Ada has been screened at film festivals across the world including Manchester Animation Festival and London International Animation Festival. One can watch Ada as well as other Blue Zoo shorts and commissioned projects on the studio’s Vimeo page.