Samuel Jerome Mason – Hornet | Mac Miller – Balloonerism

Award-winning creative studio Hornet has created a 22-minute animated film to celebrate the release of Mac Miller’s second posthumous album, ‘Balloonerism’. Directed by Samuel Jerome Mason, the CG odyssey spans five tracks and follows a group of children confronting their fears of adulthood. Building on the haunting and introspective style of Hornet’s previous collaboration with Miller’s estate on the 2021 music video ‘Colors and Shapes’, the film explores themes of innocence, self-sabotage, and the uncertainty of growing up. The project premiered theatrically and began streaming on Amazon Prime on January 17, 2025.

The film’s narrative was inspired by the album lyric, “But do you feel as big as your shadow?”, which became the story’s central thesis. Director Mason explains how the song ‘Excelsior’ introduced five distinct characters that he wove into the narrative: “‘On Fourth Street, the orphan children play on the jungle gym… Little Timmy broke his arm again on the monkey bars…’ These lines became the foundation for exploring childhood roles and the messy journey of growing into adulthood.” Mason sought to reflect not only the growing pains of youth but also the ways time shapes who we become.

Visually, the film combines fantastical metaphors with elements from Mac Miller’s life, including nods to Pittsburgh’s iconic Blue Slide Park. Its tone alternates between dark and whimsical, capturing the emotional complexity of Miller’s music. “In trying to fly, the children fall,” Mason shares, “but that messiness is life itself.” The interplay of gravity and light within the animation mirrors the balance of humor, humility, and honesty in Miller’s work.

The project is a heartfelt tribute to Mac Miller’s legacy, aiming to immortalize his spirit through art. Mason reflects, He captured how we all feel at times—lost, small, and uncertain—with such grace. This film is our way of honoring that magic.” Hornet’s team feels immense gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to Miller’s legacy, creating a work that reflects the beauty, chaos, and humanity that defined his music.

 


Production Co.: Hornet
Director: Samuel Jerome Mason
Executive Producers: Greg Bedard, Michael Feder, Hana Shimizu, Miller McCormick 
Producer: Heather Hardin
Animation: Director Daniel Callaby
Editor: Minseok Kim
CG: Supervisor Richard Kim
Story: Sam Mason, Roland Kennedy
Designers: Alejandro Diaz, Amalia Lage, JP Rooney, Kelechukwu Nwakudu, Laurie Herman, Margherita Premuroso, Matthew Corsillo, Mike Altman, Natalie Labarre, Sami Healy, Simone Noronha
Costume Designer: Karina Ochoa De Baker 
Design Intern: Paris Powell, Patrick Sholar
Graphic Designers: Intern Esther Yeseul Lee       
Storyboards: Soren Bendt
Storyboard: Editor Joseph Comar, 
CG Technical Artist / Render TD: Joseph Chen
Pipeline: Natalie O’Leary, Rui Zhu, Joseph Chen
Pipeline Development: Nikita Shtarkman
Character Lead: Frank Lee
Modelers: David Vardanian, Giovani Kososki
CG Generalist: Angeline Rivera


Titles
Animators: Jay Asava, Jin Jindawitchu
Lighters: Christina Ku, Jonathan Lee, Joseph Ibrahim, Laney Lai, Natalia Perez Melendez, Nicole Noel, Rui Zhu, Saad Moosajee, Sam Mason, Weichieh Yu
FX Artist: Joseph Chen, Stephen Hallquist, Sam Mason, Rui Zhu 
CFX: Natalie O’Leary
Groom: Lead Jesus Fernandez
Talent Coordinator: Jon Chun
Director of Production: Karen Lawler
Head of Creative Development: Kristin Labriola
Head of Production: Dez Stavracos


Wobbly Way – Animation & Modeling
Producer: Stephanie Demeautis
Previs Editors: Daniel Callaby, Milo Hustache-Mathieu
Previs Supervisor: Alex Gredzinski
Previs Artists: Hugues Daumail, Simon Diebold, Chloé Fabre, Milo Hustache-Mathieu
Animators: Alexandre Daumail, Alexandre Dumez, Simon Diebold, Nico Debon, Benoît de Geyer d’Orth, Kevin Ducrot, Chloé Fabre, Mikolaj Janiw, Steeve Manangou, Clément Pierre
Animation Intern: Andrea Resera, Mariia Taranova
Rigging Supervisor: Luca Amorosi
Rigger: Marguax Huve
Visual Development and Texturing Artist: Eloi Morlet–Decarnin
Character Modeling: Antoine Fromager, Julien Paris, David Vardanian
Set Modeling Supervisor: Aymeric Rondol
Set Modelers: Alex Gredzinski, Elliot Lequertier, Luc Belliard
Groom: Boris Watrin


Stim – Look & Development
Lighting Supervisor: Michael Larue
Lighters: Thomas Boileau, Andrea Laffont, Margo Lopez, Lucas Payet
Look Development / Surfacing: Max Soreau
Groom: Melissa Armangau 


Warner Brothers / 4 Strikes
Executive Producers: Remember Music, Warner Records, 4 Strikes
Warner Team: Tom Corson, Aaron Bay-Schuck, Jeff Sosnow, Akila Gray, TJ Landig

Thank you to Brunch Studio!