The Cowgirl Project: Handmade Charm Meets Virtual Production Wizardry
At Plume Films, we believe the most compelling stories start with character and craft. For our latest short film, The Cowgirl, we partnered with the technical pioneers at Racquet Studios to explore a big, exciting question: how do you take the tactile, handmade world of props and 2D animation and bring it into the vast, three dimensional space of Unreal Engine? The result is a project that we feel opens up a whole new chapter in visual storytelling.
The Story of The Cowgirl
At its heart, The Cowgirl is a two minute fable about a quietly determined young girl and the rather troublesome cloud that shadows her. Written and directed by Chris Lewort, the story follows our ten year old heroine on a journey of courage to confront her fears, armed with only her rocking horse and a hand shaped pistol. Set in a surreal, handmade world of cardboard towns and papier mâché horses, the story unfolds somewhere between a dreamscape and a showdown. It’s a short film for anyone who’s ever carried a cloud of their own and decided it was time to face it.
A Visual Language Unlike Any Other
The film’s unique aesthetic was born from the story itself. The world needed to feel as though our young protagonist had built it herself. Led by the art direction and prop design of Richard Jackson, we used paper, cardboard, and papier mâché as the core materials. These handmade creations, full of charming imperfections, were then scanned using photogrammetry and rebuilt as entire worlds inside Unreal Engine by the team at Racquet Studios. This process of hybrid filmmaking allowed us to blend our tangible, low fi art direction with cutting edge technology, creating a cinematic landscape that feels both immense and deeply personal.
Behind the Scenes: Collaboration in Action
The Cowgirl Project is a true testament to collaboration. The journey from concept to screen was a fluid partnership, with each studio bringing its unique strengths to the table.
Pre-Production: Plume Films led the creative direction, developing the original concept and script, crafting moodboards, and hand making all the physical props that would define the film's look.
Production: On set, the two teams worked as one. Plume led the on set creative decisions, including direction and cinematography, while Racquet’s Unreal Engine virtual production specialists managed the complex technical workflow, ensuring the shoot ran seamlessly.
Post-Production: In the final stage, we edited, graded, and layered in bespoke 2D animation and sound design, a final touch to blur the lines between physical craft and virtual world building.
Creative Tools and Technical Power
Bringing this vision to life required a synthesis of traditional filmmaking craft and state of the art technology. The film was shot on an ARRI ALEXA Mini LF with vintage Cooke Optics lenses to achieve a warm, cinematic feel.
On the virtual production side, Racquet Studios deployed an impressive suite of tools, including an LED Volume from ROE Visual and Brompton Technology, Stype RedSpy for camera tracking, and of course, Unreal Engine as the core of the virtual world. This combination of high end cinematic gear and advanced virtual production techniques allowed for incredible flexibility and real time creative decision making on set. For more information on the specific technology, you can explore the resources from Unreal Engine or ARRI.
The Future of Filmmaking?
We believe this hybrid model signals a new era for both commercial and independent films. It proves that you don’t have to choose between the authenticity of beautiful, handmade craft and the limitless possibilities of cutting edge filmmaking. By bringing these two worlds together, we can create truly unique visual stories that are emotionally resonant and technically groundbreaking. The Cowgirl Project is our first step into this new landscape, and we couldn’t be more excited about the stories we’ll be able to tell.
For a closer look at our evolving style, you can explore our portfolio. If this project sparks an idea for your next campaign, please drop us a line, we would love to have a chat.
Credits, Crew & Links:
Production: @plumefilms
Virtual Production: @racquetstudios
Director: @chrislewortfilms
DoP: @robwilton_dp
Starring: Lyla Calf @youngactorsagency
Crew and Equipment:
Head of Production: @jr_lewis_films
Head of Technical: @robertruardy
Art Director: @plumefilms
AD: @ctingols
Gaffer: @ironhandfilmlighting
Spark: @bogdan.roth.robert
Props Assistant: Dave Hipperson
Camera Operator: @davidcawleydop
1st AC: @maxedmed
2nd AC: @danziggFgarr
Sound Designer: @zai.tangent
Floor Manager: @jgr6.6
Trainee Spark: @duqueephoto
Equipment & Software:
Camera: @arri (ALEXA Mini LF)
Lenses: @cookeoptics
Camera & Lens Kit: @vmi.tv
Lighting Kit: @ironhandfilmlighting
Camera Tracking: @stype #redspy
IBL: @litepanels / @quasarscience
Stabilisation: @egripment_camera_support
LED Volume: @roevisual @bromtontech @videoscreenservices
VP Engine: @unrealengine
Photogrammetry: @capturingrealitycom
IBL Software: @assimilateinc
