Tī Rākau
Tī Rākau reimagines the nostalgic stick game of our childhoods for a contemporary audience
Client
Spark NZ
Year
2024
Summary
Tī Rākau is a functional game installation reimagining the traditional Māori stick game. Combining handcrafted rākau with a responsive digital portal, it allows rangatahi in different cities to play together in real time.
The explainer video was created as part of Tī Rākau’s marketing campaign. It draws on the nostalgic place the game holds for most that grew up in Aotearoa, before introducing how it has been reimagined for the modern day.
My Roles
Cel Animation
Storyboarding
Scriptwriting
Audio & Video editing
Team Credits
Jade Luke-Hurley | Motion Design
Liam Bennett | Graphic Design
Elijah Francis | UI/UX Design
Accolades
Best Awards (2025)
Silver : Student Animation
Best Awards (2025)
Silver : Student Digital
Development
Storyboard
The narrative was developed to appeal to the target audience of rangatahi aged 16–24, who are likely to have played the original tī rākau in primary school. The goal was to highlight the nostalgic place the game holds in their memories through a dreamlike sequence that calls back to other NZ childhood pastimes, such as a scooter or four square.
This first half was animated using hand-drawn cel animation, while the second half which showcases Tī Rākau’s suite of new features was animated in vector to reinforce the contrast between the two halves.
Styleframe to Final Product
In order to further reinforce the connection to a uniquely NZ subject matter, the scenery in the first half was developed further from the storyboard to feature the distinct flax, rush and sedge filled banks of NZ waterways. The hero shot featuring a hand reaching for the rākau was particularly inspired by the beautiful vistas of Milford Sound.
As a revision, I introduced the character entering the scene from the outset to strengthen continuity and visual interest. This choice also allowed me to add directional footstep audio, helping immerse the viewer more fully in the atmosphere of the scene.
Separated Layers of Animated Elements
Timeline Screenshots
Premiere Timeline
I recorded custom foley for clothing and foliage rustling and the clacking of sticks using household objects alongside the
voice-over. These sounds and additional royalty free effects were composited in Adobe Premiere.