Animation Collab

Illustration:
*Adult and juvenile Moho braccatus* (1893)
by John Gerrard Keulemans

Calling all animators and visual artists!

* Deadline to apply: August 31, 2026 *

This year’s ‘Artist-in-Residence’, Louis-Gabriel Pothier, has composed “The Last Call of the ʻŌʻō Bird”, a musical composition that integrates the original 1987 field recording of the last ʻōʻō with a piano arrangement.

We’re inviting animators and visual artists to be part of a collaborative creative team that will work “in parallel” in order to create a short animation film using this composition as the soundtrack.

Forest Calls Animation Collab: “The Last Call of the ʻŌʻō Bird”

This animation project is a central element of the larger ‘Forest Calls’ initiative. Your work will help us bridge the gap between scientific data and emotional resonance, providing a visual narrative for a call that went unanswered and a reminder of why we must protect the voices still singing today.

Press ‘play’ to hear the musical composition.

Project Background

The Last Song of the Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō

In 1987, on the island of Kauaʻi, a biologist named David Boynton captured one of the most poignant recordings in natural history: the song of the last living Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō. A vocal specialist, the male ʻōʻō (Moho braccatus) was singing a mating duet, pausing in the places where a female would have responded. But there was no response. He was the last of his kind. With his death, an entire evolutionary lineage that had existed for millions of years vanished.

Ground Zero for Extinction

The story of the ʻŌʻō is not an isolated tragedy. We are currently living through a global biodiversity crisis, and nowhere is this more visible than in Hawaiʻi. Often referred to by scientists as “Ground Zero for extinction,” Hawaiʻi has lost more species than any other region in the United States. Of the more than 50 species of unique Hawaiian honeycreepers that once filled the canopy, only 17 remain, many of which are facing the same silence that claimed the ʻŌʻō.

The ʻŌʻō and the ʻAkikiki: A Race Against Time

Today, the ʻAkikiki (Oreomystis bairdi) stands where the ʻŌʻō stood forty years ago. As of 2026, the ʻAkikiki is on the absolute brink of extinction due to avian malaria and habitat loss. By telling the story of the last ʻŌʻō, we aim to shine a light on the critical state of the ʻAkikiki and other forest birds. The ghost of the ʻŌʻō serves as a haunting reminder of what is at stake, but also as a catalyst for the protection of the species that still have a chance.

Overview of the Creative Collab

“The Last Call of the ʻŌʻō Bird” will be broken into eight parts of roughly equal lengths. Each part will be given to a different animator / visual artist, who will then proceed to create an animation with their own creative vision, style and technique.

These eight parts will be stitched together to create one complete animated film. The project will be supervised by an animation lead to insure narrative continuity.

Each artist will be given total creative freedom for their respective part.

You can apply to this project as an animator / visual artist, animation lead, or both.

The final edit of the animation collab will be showcased on October 11^th 2026, during the Live Performance of “The Story of the ‘Akikiki” in Cincinnati.

The final edit will also be integrated in the “Into the Realm” VR experience and screened at various events and distribution platforms (e.g. Forest Calls Interdisciplinary Symposium, travelling and educational exhibits around the country and worldwide, television broadcast, etc.).

All animators who are part of the collab will be invited to attend the October 11^th Live Performance and ceremony.

Deadline to apply: August 31^st 2026

Details

The “Forest Calls Animation Collab” is open to all creators worldwide.
Participation is free of charge and open to people of all age.
We welcome all creative approaches, including but not limited to animation (2D, 3D, stop-motion), experimental / abstract, and photo montage / Ken Burns style.
To insure visual / technical continuity, we are asking for 4K or Full HD (1080p) resolution, with a 16:9 (horizontal) aspect ratio.
All submissions must be appropriate for general audiences.
Derivative or copyrighted material is not permitted. All content must be 100% original. No use of copyrighted characters, worlds, or storylines is allowed. No recognizable brands or intellectual property may appear without explicit permission.
Participants retain the full copyright of their respective original visual work. Ownership and copyright of the musical composition “The Last Call of the ʻŌʻō Bird” remain exclusively with the composer, Louis-Gabriel Pothier.
By participating in this creative collab, animators / visual artists grant Reflection-icu an irrevocable, unlimited, non-exclusive license to use, screen, and distribute the film for the “Forest Calls” project, including the VR experience, live shows, television broadcasts and promotional materials.
Questions and/or comments about the creative collab should be directed to the official “Forest Calls” Contact Us page. Responses will be provided within 72 hours during business days.

Submission Process

• Stage 1: Participants must provide a direct link to their online animation portfolio (hosted via a personal website, YouTube channel, or portfolio platform) within the submission form.

• Stage 2: Participants must complete registration at the official Creative Collab Submission Webpage. All required fields of the submission form must be entered in order to be considered.

• Stage 3: All animators / visual artists will be contacted directly by the animation supervisor for more details and “next steps”.

Additional Resources

Cornell Lab Macaulay Library – Kauai Oo – Moho braccatus

DLNR DOFAW – Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō / Moho braccatus

eBird – Kauai Oo – Moho braccatus