Neon Zoo | Life Up Close

"I'm moved by the thought that there's a value in an old tree."

A four episode animated docuseries based on The Atlantic‘s “Life Up Close” project, exploring life in all its multitude of forms. From poisonous mushrooms and tree poaching to wolf conservation and amber mining, each episode dives into a fascinating, unexpected story of life on our planet.

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Check out the initiative over at The Atlantic, and watch the full series below.

We kicked things off by working closely with journalists to bring their research to life in a new way. Since we had a tight budget (and this was pre-Zoom), we got scrappy—reaching out to local NPR stations to help record interviews. Shoutout to NPR for being the gems they are.

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From there, we handled the full documentary production, from editing to sound design to animation. We played with eerie, moody soundscapes for the Pacific Northwest, went full psychedelic for the mushroom episode, and tailored every style to fit the heart of each story. Every choice was intentional—always in service of the storytelling.

Press

The Atlantic‍

‍Stash Media

Credits

Series director & producer Elyse Kelly
Episode directors Ana Mouyis, Maya Edelman, Matt Reynolds, Lois de Silva

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Title animator (The Atlantic) Caitlin Cadieux
Editor Dan Fipphen
Sound designer & mixer Chris Mastellone