Private Project

Cell Buddies

Sam, a grumpy raccoon is stuck sharing a cell with Bob, a sweet but dim manatee. Sam hatches an escape plan. In their chaotic jailbreak Sam’s hardened edges soften as Bob’s loyalty shines.

Cel Buddies is a whirlwind of humor and heart, Will they escape? Maybe. But together, they’ve already cracked something bigger: trust.

  • Melle Windig
    Director
  • Hidde Alberts
    Director
  • Miguel Reyes
    Director
  • Jurgen de Smit
    Director
  • Arjen van der Plas
    Director
  • Miguel Reyes
    Writer
  • Hidde Alberts
    Writer
  • Jurgen de Smit
    Writer
  • Arjen van der Plas
    Writer
  • Melle Windig
    Writer
  • Sint Joost School of Art and Design
    Producer
  • Paul Moggré
    Story Assistence
  • Jasper Kuipers
    Story Assistence
  • Martijn Rook
    Story Assistence
  • Annemarijn Ingelaat
    Story Assistence
  • Sander Schreuders
    Story Assistence
  • Melle Windig
    Moving Storyboard
  • Jurgen de Smit
    Production set
  • Arjen van der Plas
    Production set
  • Miguel Reyes
    Production set
  • Melle Windig
    Production set
  • Arjen van der Plas
    Production puppets
  • Hidde Alberts
    Production puppets
  • Miguel Reyes
    Production props
  • Jurgen de Smit
    Production props
  • Melle Windig
    Production props
  • Paul Moggré
    Technical Support
  • Henk van Alphen
    Technical Support
  • Hidde Alberts
    Main animation
  • Melle Windig
    Main animation
  • Jurgen de Smit
    Additional Animation
  • Arjen van der Plas
    Additional Animation
  • Miguel Reyes
    Additional Animation
  • Miguel Reyes
    Sound design
  • Melle Windig
    Key Cast
    "Sam"
  • Hidde Alberts
    Key Cast
    "Bob"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Cel Maatjes
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    comedy
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 11 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 29, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    0 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Netherlands
  • Country of Filming:
    Netherlands
  • Language:
    Dutch
  • Shooting Format:
    Stopmotion 3840x2160
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Sint Joost School of Art & Design
Director Biography - Melle Windig, Hidde Alberts, Miguel Reyes, Jurgen de Smit, Arjen van der Plas

Studio Brute Beesten consistis of Melle Windig, Hidde Alberts, Miguel Reyes, Jurgen de Smit and Arjen van der Plas. This film was made for the minor Stopmotion Animation at Sint Joost School of Art and Design, Den Bosch Netherlands

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Director Statement

In a world that often feels rigid, Cell Buddies is a playful story about two misfits who discover that freedom isn’t just about breaking out, but breaking open.

Sam, the grumpy raccoon and Bob, the manatee with a heart too big for his cell, embody the messy magic of opposites: grit meets goof, schemer meets saint, and irritation melts into unexpected kinship.

Stop-motion is the perfect medium for this tale. It’s raw, tactile, and alive with imperfection—much like our oddball duo. Every frame was sculpted by hand, a labor of love (and caffeine) by our crew of five art school students. We bent wire, painted wood and rigged manatees in the dark, chasing that alchemy where chaos becomes art.

The process mirrored the story itself: a reminder that connection isn’t found in polished edges, but in the glue, grit, and glitter of collaboration.

Sam and Bob’s jailbreak is a circus of clumsy escapes and slapstick mishaps, but at its core, this film is about the walls we don’t see. Trust doesn’t come easy to a raccoon who sees the world as a lock to pick, or a manatee too gentle to realize he’s already free. Together, they’re a reminder that friendship isn’t something you plan—it’s something that happens, often in the least expected places (like a jail cell).

The Cell Buddies Crew