Trooper Dan | A Clone Wars-Inspired Animation

POV: You’re working on a different video, but you get sidetracked and make this instead…
I wanted to practice that “floating” motion. So here we go.
The trooper’s name is Dan because a) this song is a version of The Blue Danube and b) my brain couldn’t come up with anything more creative than that.
Inspired by:
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Clone Wars - Season 1 (Malevolence Arc)
Star Wars Rebels (That episode where AP-5 ends up in space… that almost happened here…)
Note: Yes, I’m aware that it’s supposed to be a freighter that shows up at the end of the Malevolence episode, but I wanted to change it up. 😎
Tools: Procreate / Procreate Dreams
Audio: The Blue Danube - Epic Trailer Version (Hidden Citizens)

[@balthasar6091]

"Don't worry young one, the Pack got your back." A father of many sons

[@ferrumbellatorwarsmith3342]

Just drifting in space knowing you have a limited supply of oxygen left. All there is is the cold vacuum of space and the amazing view to comfort you. Clones are not expendable to us.

[@TealTrooper]

Yeah… what a way to go. I feel like these sorts of scenarios from sci fi shows/short stories have always stood out to me. (Like, what would that feel like? What would be running through your head in those moments??) Agreed. They are not expendable!

[@HyperEwok1]

love that there's clones like Rex, Crosshair, Hardcase, Fives, and Wolfe and then there's Dan

[@TealTrooper]

Yep. 😂

[@samueldoeswhatever7307]

I love the detail of slowly pushing the planet into the background while the debris is quickly moving around him, making you think he's starting to be pulled by the planet's gravity. excellent way to change the viewers expectations! good job!

[@TealTrooper]

Thank you so much! This was kind of an experiment for me to learn how to tell the “story” and play around with what’s really going on. Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@blackh9604]

BRO THE STORYTELLING IS ON POINT! Plo is a bro fr. You can draw armor from so many angles it is amazing.

[@TealTrooper]

Aw thanks! I was trying out some new things with how to unfold this story and I’m glad that it worked out alright! Agreed - Plo Koon is awesome.

[@UpsideDown-2983]

I was so scared Dan was gonna die out there alone. And then Plo and the others saving him, that’s was so beautiful And the quote, daaaang

[@TealTrooper]

It can’t be Star Wars without some hope in it, eh? Yeah that would be a downer if he just kept on floating away… 😳 So glad you liked it! I was trying to figure out what to do at that point in the music and then it hit me - that quote would fit well right here!

[@nchldmn]

Bro....based

[@TealTrooper]

Thanks! Seriously, your work is a huge part of what inspired me to get on YT in the first place. So this means a lot.

[@FrogStir4884]

Yes!!! I loved that plo koon saved him! Showing that he really does care. The words "we are meant to be expendable" is a phrase some people only that have thought would only be sent and dead just to be replaced, but in plo koon's eyes, they are people, not just clones. And that is true. Also loved the music! Went well with it. Dan was also flying around for a while. And this was my paragraph 😅

[@TealTrooper]

Yes that quote has really stood out to me. I think that’s one reason why the clone troopers are some of my favorite Star Wars characters - especially with how they overcame the adversity they faced. At first they were just viewed as expendable and as “property” but then they had to realize for themselves (and have others realize it too) that they are individuals and are valued as people, not objects. It’s a really important message. (Plo Koon is one of my favorite Jedi.) So glad you liked it! This was my paragraph too. 🙂

[@NoelBell-rl4ot]

I want this to be canon... so badly.

[@4Radi0]

I was thinking while the stars reflected off his helmet, "What a tragedy :(" I'm glad Trooper Dan made it to safety. I'm also glad, that Plo Koon decided to adopt Dan.

[@TealTrooper]

Yeah that would have been pretty sad if he just kept on floating. “Have you heard the tragedy of Trooper Dan…” sorry… I couldn’t resist a Palpatine reference… Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@thebrowneyesofmandalore]

I KNEW IT! I was thinking if only Master Plo would come and save him, and he did! I was so happy for the Clone! This makes me love Plo even more. Beautiful animation and cinematography!

[@TealTrooper]

Yes Plo is awesome! I love his voice, how calm and confident he is, and how he leads the Wolfpack. I probably have too many favorite characters, but he’s one of my favorite Jedi. Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!!

[@joshuahansen7018]

For the Republic [single tear rolls down cheek]

[@TealTrooper]

For the Republic 🫡

[@radapatada5502]

"Not to me."

[@TealTrooper]

And with those words, Plo Koon is forever in our hearts.

[@RavenSun12029]

Like a great neighbor, Plo Koon is there.

[@TealTrooper]

🤣This cracked me up.

[@Commanderbaggins]

The slow motion and animation is so well done! 1:09: Plo! My favourite Dad figure! Oh I loved this part. Thank you for making something with this character. He really is one of the best Jedi out there.

[@TealTrooper]

So glad you liked that part! Agreed, Plo is great. He’s one of my favorite Jedi. …Nice pfp of Plo, btw. 👍 And thanks! It was a lot of fun to try to figure out how to do “movement” in space and especially fun to add Plo, Boost, and Sinker riding in on that escape pod.

[@horseenthusiast1250]

Good job, vod, you made me cry :') There's something hauntingly beautiful and sad to me about the idea of dying in space like that; one little body, alone in vastness, with nobody to help you, nothing to keep you alive except your suit and the limited oxygen and power it holds. There's no grave to mark you; you simply float on until you are destroyed, turned back into the elements that you were made from. It's at once terrifyingly lonesome, and peacefully harmonious with the universe. And there's something even more poignant about it to me when a clone dies that way; he never would have been treated like he was valuable, like he was a precious individual arrangement of elements, as we all are, even though he was a precious individual. To be a clone is to never be alone, to never be counted as unique, so it's strangely, sadly poetic for a clone to die in such a lonesome way. But it's far more beautiful to instead see him be rescued, to have his individuality and value as a person, as his own individual life, affirmed. Man I love the clones

[@TealTrooper]

The way you described that is beautiful. Those type of scenes in movies or books that capture/imagine that feeling of being lost in space always stood out to me… it’s completely terrifying and existential, but perhaps peaceful (in a sad way). The message that people should be valued/respected as persons and not as objects is really important, and I’ve appreciated that that’s been a major theme in the clones’ stories. (That’s one reason why I love the clone troopers - they’re some of my top favorite SW characters.) Vor’e, thanks! (But, sorry it made you cry…)

[@SleepyBus-en7zu]

Clone trooper is in space.

[@saltysyd99]

this is spectacular. the use of blue danube is on point. those little kicking animations. the syncing. honestly this is gorgeous and I'm so glad you're sharing this stuff with us

[@TealTrooper]

Thank you so much!! I’m happy to share my attempts at art/animation. 🫡 (I mean, I have a lot of fun doing these but it’s really cool to know if/when someone else likes them too and it’s not just me 😂)

[@saltysyd99]

@@TealTrooper they're so cool!! i hope more people get to see this awesome work haha

[@antr7493]

Good ole Plo

[@AhsokaOnEarth]

Oh my gosh!!! I love this! I love Dan lol. Your animations are incredible!!! So much life to them!

[@TealTrooper]

Thank you so much!! This was a blast to make.

[@valmid5069]

Viewers: man youtube stuff is lame- Star Wars Content: *Hello There!!!*

[@TealTrooper]

😂 And of course SW fans respond: (in Grevious’ voice): General Kenobi!

[@that_1_guy_from_mars939]

And that’s why Plo is one of the best Jedi around

[@TealTrooper]

Yeah, Plo Koon is awesome.

[@duckguy8597]

FOR THE ALGORITHM!!! FOR THE REPUBLIC!!!

[@TealTrooper]

FOR THE REPUBLIC!! 🫡

[@halfabagelguy]

Plo koon is the GOAT

[@miraculousninja5255]

Yay! Dan LIVES! 🎉🥳 I was legit cheering when Plo Koon saved him! 🎉🎉🎉

[@TealTrooper]

He lived to fight another day 🫡. Glad you liked that part!

[@thevisibleconfusionist1784]

And this is why you never knock classical music ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 Dan is now one of my favorite characters 😂 Man, how you made everything so smooth and detailed just ASTOUNDS me!!! I love this so freaking much ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[@TealTrooper]

Classical music is just…. Classic. (I kind of grew up listening to a lot of it, so these sort of tunes are just engrained in my subconscious somewhere LOL.) Aw Dan now has fans! That’s cool. And thank you! I changed up the fps which I think helped make a lot of the movement smoother than some of my previous stuff! It’s fun to keep learning with all of this.

[@thevisibleconfusionist1784]

@@TealTrooper I grew up on some classicals, mainly the hits of the 50s, and a piano/cello team that combines classical and pop music lol 😆 YES! I shall start the Dan Fan Club 🤣 Cool!! How many did you use? 8-12? (I tend to try to use 12 fps to make it smoother, but sometimes I just can’t handle redrawing that many frames so I just bump it down lol)

[@TealTrooper]

@@thevisibleconfusionist1784 Nice!! Yeah, I like it when musicians do modern twists on classical pieces too! “The Dan Fan Club” …. 😂 I took a huge leap and set this video to 24 fps… That said, I am nowhere near a skill level (nor have the patience) to actually draw 24 fps. I think my usual fps for the drawings themselves is 5 or less. I’d like to bump that up sometime. BUT, it’s fun because I’ve been discovering that if I’m strategic about how I draw the scenes/characters and how I build/organize them in layers, groups, and tracks, I can sometimes get away with moving each of those different pieces without redrawing every single frame every time. So, for example, in the opening scene of this vid, the star field, planet, 3 or 4 groups of debris, and Dan with his head, torso, and each arm and leg, are all on different tracks and in different groups within groups. That way, I can rotate Dan’s whole body on one track while moving his individual arms and legs on separate sub-tracks within that group. That rotating motion then is at 24 fps even if I don’t have 24 different drawings. It really only works for lateral movement so that trick is kind of limiting (and I have to add drawings if I want to change the angles) but so far I’ve found it to be quite handy. …And that was WAY more information than what you asked about! *feeling embarrassed that I geeked out* Sorry… I realize I get excited when I talk about what I’ve been learning recently. 🙃 I don’t know if all animation apps have the layer/group/multiple track abilities that I mentioned, so I realize all of that everything I said may make no sense…. 😅

[@thevisibleconfusionist1784]

@@TealTrooper okay, first up, never apologize to geeking out in front of me because I’m an animator too so I LOVE THIS INFO!! 24 FPS?! I had to set my phone down when I read that 😂 So what you said about the different tracks (my app calls them “layers”) is absolutely true! I just…keep forgetting to separate my drawing into different layers because I get so caught up in it and I don’t actually think it through 😅 Also, it doesn’t help that my app FlipaClip is cheap, so it only goes up to three layers and if I want more I have to watch ads 🫤 aaaand with my horrible internet, the ads load soooo ssssssllllllllooooooowwwwwwlllllllllyyyyyy…. You get the picture 😆

[@TealTrooper]

@@thevisibleconfusionist1784 Okay 😂 Thanks, it’s fun to talk animation! Yeah it’s an adjustment to “think in layers”… I tried out FlipaClip briefly before splurging on Procreate + Procreate Dreams (I think it was $40 total) because I found that those apps just work better for how my brain likes to organize things. (If you ever get a chance, I do recommend it!) Thanks so much for taking the time to talk art/animation and for the encouragement!!

[@christianabraham6069]

How isn’t this viral by now?

[@TealTrooper]

Wow, thanks! (Glad you enjoyed it!)

[@bluewind7567]

This was beautiful keep up the good work

[@TealTrooper]

Thanks so much!!

[@A_Shrubbery1901]

this reminds me of that one ap-5 scene from season three of rebels

[@TealTrooper]

That exact scene crossed my mind when I was working on this! 😂I love AP-5.

[@A_Shrubbery1901]

@@TealTrooper AP-5 + Chopper > C3-PO + R2D3

[@TealTrooper]

@@A_Shrubbery1901 💯Agreed. I love that droid duo.

[@TheBudgieCrew]

This is so sweet 🥹 so glad Dan got saved! The animation is incredible!

[@TealTrooper]

Aw thank you!! It was fun trying to figure out how to do the floating animation and create a sense of movement in “space.”

[@TheBudgieCrew]

@@TealTrooper Well you did a fantastic job as always 👍

[@jeraldravenscroft2140]

Just watched this new Acolyte show and thought to myself that this was it for Star Wars. But man.. there really are some awesome content makers still present in this fandom!✨ I literally don't understand why you have so few subscribers. At least now you have one more. Really enjoyed your work there! Thank you so much for your existence.

[@TealTrooper]

Thank you for your kind words!! I just started doing art/animatic/animations not too long ago and so I really appreciate the encouragement. Each video is a new learning opportunity (for me) and it’s cool to know that others enjoy it too!

[@makvande576]

Funnily enough, this is how I thought Cade Skywalker should have taken out Darth Krayt when I a kid, Krayt lost, adrift in the nothingness forever.

[@sheevone4359]

That is beautiful

[@TealTrooper]

Thank you *looks at profile pic & name* Chancellor Palpatine! 🫡

[@sheevone4359]

"Palpatine's a politician. I've observed that he is very clever at following the passions and prejudices of the teal Troopers..."

[@TealTrooper]

@@sheevone4359 😂 I mean, ahem, the Chancellor is indeed very clever. 🫡

[@kaansu8207]

I don't have anything specific to say all I have to say is that this was wonderful to watch

[@TealTrooper]

That is so kind of you, thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@WarrinerAnimations]

LOVE IT!

[@TealTrooper]

Thank you!!

[@Skiddull]

Here before 1k views! Also, Plo Koon really is the greatest Jedi.

[@AbbieTheStarWarsStory]

That’s was fantastic!! Keep up the great work!

[@TealTrooper]

So glad you enjoyed it! And thanks so much for the encouragement! Much appreciated.

[@williamardis]

This is beautiful

[@TealTrooper]

Thanks so much!

[@Bedrocklover]

This is the best animation I've seen wow my mind is blown ⬛

[@TealTrooper]

Happy that you liked it so much!!

[@fantastic_fiona]

Bro what do you use to animate?! This is epic!!

[@TealTrooper]

Thanks so much! I’ve been using Procreate to do most of the drawings and then I import those into Procreate Dreams to animate. I’ve just been learning as I go, but it’s been a blast so far. If you have any other questions, just let me know!

[@gettysanimations]

Your animation style is genuinely incredible and you just earned a sub! I’m curious, what do you use to animate and do you haven any tips to a new animator?

[@TealTrooper]

Hey thanks so much!! I’ve been using Procreate Dreams. I’m actually pretty new to this and am learning on the go… but one thing that’s been helping me a lot is to storyboard and really plan out the video as much as possible (otherwise I end up spending a bunch of time on drawings/scenes that I cut out later). It also helps to figure out how many drawings I need to do for a motion/movement. 😅 What program do you use to animate? And do you have any tips/recommendations from your experience?

[@gettysanimations]

@@TealTrooper so I actually use a few. I used base procreate for frame by frame because it has a lasso tool and dreams when I want a really complicated final product because the layers and easy movement stuff with the record feature. And then the big one is Adobe animate. I use my iPad as a graphics tablet using easy canvas and that one is the like the peak of animation softwares. It has all the features and I honestly need a better graphics tablet soon to make better animations with it. My recommendation would be reuse as many frames a possible to save time and use a software with a lasso tool so you can make movements in characters or models really easily. But honestly I’ve animated for a long time and never really gotten any better, so I recommend finding someone else to take advice from lol. I’m probably going to try and take a class or something.

[@TealTrooper]

@@gettysanimations I’ve heard about Adobe animate. I’ve only ever tried Flipaclip (briefly) and Procreate Dreams so someday maybe I’ll try out different programs… I’m totally showing my lack of knowledge of technical terms because I had to look up what a lasso tool is and it’s like, aha so that’s what that button is called! 😂 Thanks for sharing, I’ll need to explore those features sometime. I feel ya, it’s like I’m just starting out trying animation and it seems so complicated. It’s hard trying to teach yourself how to do this sort of stuff. But, as long as we’re having fun, it’s worth it.

[@gettysanimations]

@@TealTrooper very insightful. Yeah, I would definitely agree, the learning curve is quite steep 😅. I think you’ve really got the hang of it though, the movements in this video were incredibly smooth!

[@TealTrooper]

@@gettysanimations I really appreciate the encouragement, thanks!!

[@AtomicF0x]

*_Bro Koon..._*

[@TealTrooper]

He is a bro. Gotta love Plo!!

[@pontifexmaximoose7433]

Is that From... Scavenger's Reign? ? ?

[@TealTrooper]

No, but glad that it gave those sci-fi vibes! (This was inspired by Clone Wars plus a version of The Blue Danube.)

[@pontifexmaximoose7433]

@@TealTrooper Man the slow piano 🎹 took me out of it for a second , reminded me of the show's opening sequence.. btw Wouldn't it be crazy if Plo Koon just zoomed in out of nowhere 🤣

[@TealTrooper]

@@pontifexmaximoose7433 Plo, casually force-flying around… 😂

[@user-yf5ek7ed8b]

Интересно какого это?

[@TealTrooper]

I do Star Wars fan art and animation. 🙂

[@ACloneOfThe501st]

I have a question, what is dans ct number and what is your ct number

[@ACloneOfThe501st]

Mine is CT -#######

[@TealTrooper]

I’m gonna say Trooper Dan’s number is CT-4114.

[@TealTrooper]

@@ACloneOfThe501st Cool! Mine is CT ##-####. 🫡

[@ACloneOfThe501st]

Cool

[@ACloneOfThe501st]

What's your opinion on the empire replacing us