XZV Studio recently visited Dasein Academy of Art to brief students who will be contributing character and environment concept art for “Kappa”. During the session, we shared what the project is about, why it matters, and how the students will be involved as the collaboration moves forward.
The briefing wasn’t about handing out tasks or dumping reference folders. It was about alignment. We walked the students through what “Kappa” stands for, the goals behind it, and what we expect from their work. This isn’t a purely visual exercise. “Kappa” carries themes of autism awareness and animal welfare, and those ideas need to be understood before any design work begins.
To ground the work in real understanding, we shared plans to bring in a speaker from an autism center to Dasein. This gives students the chance to learn from lived experience, not assumptions. We’re also arranging visits to an animal shelter, where students can observe animals, spaces, and behavior up close. These details are hard to capture through images alone.
We also outlined how the collaboration will stay structured. Students were introduced to our dedicated pre-production site, which houses clear references for characters, environments, and props. The platform also includes a direct channel for questions to the XZV Studio team and our partners. All submissions will go through the same system, keeping communication clear and expectations aligned.
This session marks the starting point of a collaboration built on clarity, learning, and purpose. By setting expectations early and grounding creativity in real-world context, we’re creating space for work that’s thoughtful, responsible, and meaningful.
Want to see more updates on “Kappa“? Follow our journey in bringing this animated film to life on our Instagram, and you can find out more about the movie here!