Cuban Revolutionary Romance (loosely based on a true story) 

What would happen if you had to choose between fighting for your country's independence or being with your one true love for the rest of your life?

Eduardo's lifelong dream is to fight in the Cuban Revolution to overthrow the Batista regime. But one summer day, he meets the love of his life and has to make the sacrifice of going to war or being with his love for the rest of his life.

This story and multimedia motion graphic animation is loosely based on how my grandparents, who fled from the Cuban Revolution, met and started their lives in the United States. The challenge for this project was telling this story in just 100 seconds.

ROLES: I was the script writer, narrator, illustrator, audio editor, and animator.

SOFTWARE: Adobe Illustrator; Adobe Photoshop; Adobe Audition; Adobe After Effects.

Process

Story Notes

Below are my notes outlining the elements of the story. This includes premise, the protagonist’s motives, desires, goals, actions and weakness, as well as for the antagonist, and the revelation at the end of the story. The original story was going to be he decided to stay and fight for his country and lose the love of his life, but I realized that the protagonist leaving his country behind for love and family is more powerful and would resonate more with a greater audience, especially Cubans who grew up during that time of the Revolution. It makes the story come to life more and appear more realistic.

• Premise: A Cuban man meets the love of his life, but has to decide between love or fighting for independence from his country.

• Design Principle: The decision between love, and fighting for your country, and the consequences behind it.

• Weakness (protagonist): A stubborn, determined man who is a fighter, but up to a point. He uses his mind more than his heart.

• Action: He meets the love of his life, but then he sees his love has to flee Cuba and leave him behind.

• Change: The protagonist changes his mind, goes after his love, and uses his heart to determine what he wants.

• Potential questions to consider:

  • What is it about the revolution that makes it more exciting?

  • Why does he change his mind?

  • Is it too late for him to change his mind?

• Conflict: Fight for his country, or leave his country behind.

Storyboards

Below are the preliminary sketches of my storyboard with animation description.