![Scene progression swipe from Passion Pictures' '400 Boys' breakdown [Love, Death + Robots | Netflix]](https://dev.animationmagazine.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/400-Boys-Passion-Pictures-progressive.png "400 Boys Passion Pictures progressive")
This past month, 400 Boys — an animated short installment directed by Robert Valley and produced by Passion Pictures for Netflix’s anthology series Love, Death + Robots — won two Emmy Awards in the Television Academy’s Juried Awards for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation. Honors went to Daryl Graham for Character Animation and Robert Valley for Character Design.
Produced as part of Love, Death + Robots Volume 4, 400 Boys marks the third episode directed by Robert Valley and created in collaboration with Passion for Netflix and Blur, following their earlier works Zima Blue and ICE. Adapted from a short story by Half-Life writer Marc Laidlaw, 400 Boys is described as ‘a gang-fueled sci-fi epic rooted in cult influences like The Warriors, yet reimagined through Valley’s unmistakable visual language.’
In 400 Boys, Valley’s signature aesthetic — distinguished by his angular, elongated character designs and motion-driven storytelling — continues to evolve. While retaining the audience praised looks of ICE, the animation of 400 Boys takes on greater complexity and fluidity. By merging 2D character animation with 3D environments and camera movement, the team created immersive, cinematic sequences without sacrificing Valley’s hand-drawn aesthetic.
“Rob always wants to put a new wrinkle in his work,” said Christian Mills, Passion’s Creative Director. “With 400 Boys, it was the cameras. To achieve the depth he desired in specific shots, we combined 2D animation with 3D camera movement. That gave him a whole new dimension to play with, and an opportunity for a more cinematic feel in his shots.”
The animation team utilized TVPaint, After Effects and a suite of custom workflows built specifically around the needs of the director. This hybrid pipeline enabled sweeping camera shots and action choreography not previously seen at this scale in Valley’s work.
“The animation style had progressed massively from Zima Blue and ICE. It was all about supporting Rob’s vision, giving him the tools to go bigger while staying true to his style,” added producer Ellen Collins.
The film’s climactic battle sequence, involving dozens of characters, environmental destruction and layers of chaos, was the most ambitious the team had ever attempted, according to Passion. The challenge wasn’t just the scale, but making it feel grounded and hand-crafted, from the weight of chains hitting the ground to the atmosphere crackling with energy. Every department was pushed, from layout and CFX to compositing, as months of plotting out Valley’s vision were realized within a tightly managed production timeline.
“We had the fortune to work with incredible artists and CFX specialists who worked closely with Rob for months. It all came together thanks to our compositing team, who brought the final look to life with care and precision, each department adding their creative voice to the mix,” said Collins.
Mills noted, “We’ve built a studio that allows artists to explore ideas and bring their best work to the table. Supporting Rob’s creative vision meant giving our team the freedom to innovate, collaborate, and push boundaries.”
