Sorry Miyazaki, This One’s Handmade - Promise

Clubcamping: In a world where we’ve probably annoyed poor Miyazaki one too many times with AI-generated 'Ghibli-style' selfies, we thought it was about time to share the process of a project that approaches his legacy with a little more… care, heart and actual brush strokes.

Clubcamping had the joy of working on a series of short films that was meant as an homage to Studio Ghibli, and instead of just borrowing the “look,” we aimed to channel something deeper: a creative philosophy we hold close, and one that aligns beautifully with Sensei Miyazaki’s own.

We dove headfirst into what makes the work so spellbinding and not just aesthetically, but narratively. Ghibli has a way of turning the mundane into the magnificent. That grandiosity of everyday life isn’t just a stylistic choice, it’s a worldview. And that’s what we wanted to honour.

Our approach? We deconstructed what makes this era’s visuals so emotionally rich and reinterpreted them through our own storytelling lens. We drew inspiration from a time of simpler, analogue animation, where limitations birthed charm.

For the backgrounds, we built cosy, cluttered, lived-in spaces. Think magic-hour light, lots (and lots) of carefully placed objects, and so many textures you can practically feel. Some elements are treated in soft, line-free watercolour. Others have clean outlines with subtle line modulation, embracing imperfections only human hands can deliver.

And speaking of human hands: this piece was brought to life by a dream team of 11 insanely talented artists, with background design led by the incredible Bruno Ferrari. To support the process, we created a custom brush pack and even a tutorial for the team, so everyone could immerse themselves in our hand-painted universe.

Now, listen. We get it. It’s fun to see yourself turned into a Ghibli character via AI. We’ve played with those filters too and we’re always open to integrating some AI tools into our process. But there’s a soul in the originals that can’t be replicated by algorithms, one that lives in every tiny brushstroke, every lovingly crafted imperfection. That’s the real magic. And that’s why we do what we do.

So while the internet keeps AI-Ghibli-fying cats and coffee dates, we’ll be over here with our pencils, brushes, and slightly obsessive attention to detail, painting our way into worlds where the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

We hope you enjoy this little peek into our process, and we promise, Miyazaki-san, we’re trying to make you proud.