Cardano Animated Series: Can we grow the value of Cardano's ecosystem by growing the value of its homegrown intellectual property (IP)?

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Jaymeon Jones

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

jjones@yaadlabs.io

Additional applicants

Alwayne White - Chief Creative Officer

Randy Burrell - Chief Technical Officer

Gashwayne Hudson - Head of Art

David Harris - Head of Operations

Richard Burnett - Head of Community

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

6

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

No Dependencies

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Project will be fully open source

[METADATA] Category of proposal

Other

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Our solution is simply a Rick and Morty styled animated short series aimed at firstly engaging the Cardano community and eventually growing interest from outside the ecosystem. The theory is, if we grow Cardano native IP through animated content, we grow the interest in Cardano and ultimately spur the "ADA economy". Here is a helpful anecdote - Pokémon the animated series is the reason Pokémon the trading cards was successful; and so too the videogame and Pokémon merchandise. Similarly, we are trying to explore the impact animated content could have on, onboarding people to Cardano.

The impact will be demonstrable in the interest in the series from the community (short term), then the interest in the series from outsiders (medium term), then the onboarding to Cardano - wallet, exchange, ADA, NFTs etc. This we believe is a very unique approach to growing interest in Cardano through media.

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

The challenge is intent on growing the ADA economy, and our solution, though exploratory in nature, is poised to do just that through attracting interest with animated content. This interest will come from both within and outside the ecosystem and from our experience could draw thousands to tens of thousands of viewers.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

We intend to measure success through reach, engagement, sentiment and uptick in project interest. The intent is to feature as many projects as we reasonably can, at least 16 in the first season where the content effectively acts as a funnel to JPG.store and ultimately the broader ecosystem. In the long term, if the series is well written, the implications are massive. A Pokemon level event or even a Pudgy Penguin level success would attract massive amounts of interest and liquidity to Cardano.

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

The outputs will be shared openly through catalyst based reporting mechanisms and the series as well as series content will be posted on Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Gify for all to see the results. The outputs will be shared with the community over a period of 6 months.

If the series does well, it would be a valid proof of concept that we could take to networks/content distributors for reach well beyond the initial scope of the project.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

Our team has been animating for over a decade and revered as pioneers in the Caribbean Animation industry. We have actually been doing a bit of preliminary test work with the Derp Birds publicly and have gotten great amounts of support from that community - thousands of views and a lot of engagement which signals that we are not only capable but could be onto something big if we involve more communities.

Keen to note too is that we've successfully managed funds from catalyst before. The intent is the following:

Step 1: Use the initial funding to complete the backgrounds

Step 2: After proving our use of funds/shipping the first milestone, take on a second tranche to animate the first 8 episodes

Step 3: After animating the first 8 episodes, complete at least 16 more to finish the scope of this proposal

Step 4: Analyze interest and scope the way forward for growth

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

Our main goal for the project is to explore if the animated series can in fact attract and hold interest - this will act as proof of concept and guide us as to whether or not the project is feasible and will have the desired impact.

The S.M.A.R.T objective is to attain at least 48,000 views over 24 episodes in 3 months.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Milestone 1 - Backgrounds (Roughly 36)

Tasks: Contract Artists, "Handover Story Boards", Sketch Backgrounds, Color Backgrounds, Complete Backgrounds, Review Backgrounds

Timeline: 2 months

Cost: 6350 ADA

Milestone 2 - Animated shorts (24 Episodes - 10 seconds long)

Tasks: Contract Animators, "Handover story boards, backgrounds, character designs, voice overs and script", complete "roughs", complete "rough in betweens" and lip syncing, color and clean up.

Timeline: 3 months

Cost: 53,600 ADA

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Our first milestone will produce the backgrounds needed to do accurate animation. We will create roughly 36 backgrounds to be shared with the community.

Our second milestone will produce the actual series. We will create roughly 24 animated shorts (roughly 10 seconds long each).

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Budget Breakdown

Backgrounds/BG Artists (2) - 6350 ADA

Animations/Animators (4) - 53,600 ADA

Miscellaneous - 12,650 ADA

NB. The quotes are below market value for background designs and at market value for animation. The miscellaneous line will cover administrative expenses, conversion fees and ADA to USD fluctuations. As at writing, ADA is .28 cents.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The cost represents great value for money all things considered, as a lot of the pre production work is already paid for and complete - (well over $28,000 USD). The background costs are well below market value by as much as 75% and the animation costs which works out to roughly $4,000 USD per minute are at market value for the level of 2 D animators assigned to the project.

This link can be used as a guide: https://animationjamaica.com/rates

If we execute well, the return to the ecosystem will outsize the investment.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept