A childhood love of animation has become an incredible opportunity for one Sachse High School student, with the support of her classmates. Anastasiia Zaleshina's stop-motion short film, The Magic Box, crafted from scratch, was selected to premiere on Animtoon, a YouTube channel dedicated to showcasing the best student films in the world. On March 11, her work premiered for animation enthusiasts across the globe, showcasing her unmatched talent and creative vision on a worldwide stage.

It all started with an idea. Zaleshina, a freshman, wanted to bring The Magic Box to life using stop-motion. Inspired by the mystery and adventure of Gravity Falls, an animated TV show for kids, she envisioned a tale of a boy who discovers a magic box in the forest and unknowingly unleashes something eerie.

“The story is about a boy who finds a magic box in the forest, and when he opens it, a ghost possesses him. Then, strange things start to happen,” Zaleshina explained.

Bringing that idea to life required patience and creativity. She meticulously designed characters, cut out each frame by hand, and animated them to create smooth, lifelike motion. Writing the script and storyboarding the scenes was the most challenging part, but perseverance helped the project come together.

To help her complete the project, Zaleshina enlisted the help of her classmates: Zachary Leach and Elisheva Pyles. Leach, a junior, composed the original score for the film, drawing on his musical expertise to complement the eerie atmosphere of the animation.

“I analyzed the film step by step, imagining how the music would flow with each scene,” Leach shared. “Here's a revised version of the sentence:

"I carefully selected the instruments and composed the score using Noteflight, a computer program, to build suspense and enhance the mood of the story.”

Pyles, a sophomore, provided the narration, guiding viewers through the unfolding mystery with her voice and shaping the film's tone. Reflecting on the experience, Pyles shared, “It was quite surprising and unexpected. I was just like, wow, something like this can get that big. It's exciting because I’m getting my voice out there and getting recognized. I’m also gaining credibility for the future.”

Under the guidance of their animation teacher, Bryant Varnell, the students refined every detail, ensuring that each frame, note, and word aligned perfectly to create the final product.

What started as a class project became an opportunity to reach a global audience. Animtoon, a YouTube channel created by Pencilish Animation Studios, features top student short films worldwide. The channel highlights the dedication it takes to complete a film and provides students a platform to share their work with a broader audience.

“It’s a huge honor,” Varnell said. “For these students to have their work featured on Animtoon reflects their unmatched talent and dedication. It’s not just a great achievement. It’s a major stepping stone for their future in animation.”

For Zaleshina, the excitement of sharing their work is just beginning.

“It’s amazing that so many people are seeing something we made,” she said. “I hope it reminds them of the magic they believed in as kids because that’s important.”

Zaleshina’s unmatched vision, combined with the collaboration of her classmates, has shown that creativity and teamwork can open doors to incredible opportunities.

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