"Igniting Self-Belief Through Conscious Animation Filmmaking

In December 2019, my family and I—fondly known as the Soulify family—were invited by a charitable organization to facilitate a storytelling-animation workshop at a remote village school near Bodh Gaya, Bihar. The participants, young teenagers from Grades 7 to 9, wore their stories on their faces. Dressed in well-worn school uniforms, they appeared frail, a stark reminder that they might only have one meal a day. Yet, their eyes shone with curiosity and untapped creativity. We began the session by introducing them to the Story Rainbow Pedagogy, our unique framework for self-discovery and inner creativity, which we had lovingly developed in 2017. With their stories sketched out on the blackboard, I encouraged them to transform their ideas into a storyboard. However, they hesitated.

So, we adapted. Skipping the storyboards, I handed them a mobile phone and a tripod. As we shot their scenes, I guided them by asking questions based on their story, while they visualized the camera angles and actions spontaneously. Their natural instincts and creativity came alive in the moment. Using the Stop Motion Studio app for animation and InShot for editing, they brought their stories to life. This experience reaffirmed a powerful truth: great storytellers can be found in the most unexpected places, and creativity thrives when resources are scarce."

- Siddharth Maskeri

Behind The Scenes

Khoya Chappal (The Lost Slippers)

The Inspiration