U.S. HISPANIC Versión en español
Morgana Studios: Working on the YugiBao NFT Series, the film Diamante, and a project on the Dominican mythical figure, La Ciguapa
30 de octubre de 2024
Daysi Cruz, the studio's Projects and Development director, also referenced Morgana Studios’ involvement in the animation of Capitán Avispa by Juan Luis Guerra, which recently debuted in Spain.
Morgana Studios, a small creative animation studio based in Madrid, started developing its IP two years ago. Its first project was a collection of NFTs titled YugiBao, which achieved great success by selling out completely within four hours. This allowed the studio to secure the funds to continue growing, as explained by Daysi Cruz, the studio’s Projects and Development director, during MIPCOM.
Cruz mentioned that, as a small studio with little experience, it was difficult to obtain funding, but they managed to do so with the NFT collection, creating 1,600 NFTs.
“When we saw the impact, the connection, and the community that developed around the project, we created an IP called Baoverse. This is a comprehensive 360-degree project with several verticals: video games, toys, collectibles, comics, graphic novels, a series, and a film, depending on how the brand expands. The idea is to start with a video game because it helps build a significant fanbase, and our target audience is quite broad,” Cruz explained.
They are developing the video game with Drakhar Studios from Tenerife, which has experience in the genre.
ANIMATION FOR CAPITÁN AVISPA BY JUAN LUIS GUERRA
Cruz also referenced Morgana Studios’ involvement in the animation of Capitán Avispa by Juan Luis Guerra, which recently debuted in Spain.
“That’s our connection with the Dominican Republic, in addition to the fact that I’m Dominican, and one of Morgana’s creative partners is also from the island. We’ve always intended to enter that market, and what better way than by providing animation services for Juan Luis Guerra. We did an amazing job over three years,” she said.
OTHER PROJECTS
Morgana Studios also has two other ongoing projects: one about the mythical figure of La Ciguapa, a woman who guards the forests of the Dominican Republic and has clubfoot. In this story, La Ciguapa loses her magic after someone steals a stone from her, and she starts to become normal.
Another project is the film Diamante, about a boy’s passion for baseball and his dream of becoming a major leaguer. “We are finalizing the funding now. It’s a collaboration with ReachStar Entertainment, and this film has a large budget. We are going to tell the story of Luisito, which is a love letter to the Dominican Republic, showcasing its beauty, beaches, and traditions. It’s like Coco but set in the Caribbean. We are super proud of it. We showed the film, and people immediately fell in love with it. Filming will begin soon.”
She concluded by saying they are in a very exciting phase, “creating projects that are closely aligned with our Latin essence, telling Dominican stories, and maintaining that connection. We want to open studios there.”
