Wander. Wonder. | The Magnus Archives Animatic

OH MY GOODNESS ITS FINALLY DONE!!! After over a month and 100+ frames later, I'M FINALLY DONE WITH THIS
Warnings: Body horror, flashing scenes, eye strain, jump scare, flashing scenes
This takes place during Michael's backstory in MAG 101 and shows his slow descent into madness inside the Spiral's hallways. I've never done an animatic before but this song just fit WAY TOO WELL for me to not do this haha (go listen to The Arcadian Wild pls they're way too underrated). This started off as a fever dream back in the midst of my exam season and now it's finally complete! And I'm so glad ahhhhh
Special thanks to my sister for dealing with me while I work through my shenanigans
Sources!
Song: Wander. Wonder by The Arcadian Wild || • Wander. Wonder.
Inspiration: The Magnus Archives || rustyquill.com/the-magnus-arch...
Programs Used: Procreate and Hitfilm Express
Find me on Tumblr at: / bassacaglia
None of the audio in this video belongs to me

[@trashynecromancer1155]

I can see Michael slamming his (now Spiraled) fists against a door screaming out for Gertrude and apologising for whatever he did wrong with what little sanity he has left.

[@rorygiambalvo2955]

Oh God no how could do now that's all I'm going to think about. I didn't consider he'd transition into being the Distortion like Helen and not have any idea what's happening. Do you think he tried to go back to Gertrude for help at some point for her to refuse him like Jon does Helen?

[@ephemeral_iist]

you said this and for WHAT

[@chloegibbs7204]

You had the option not to post this. You had the option to keep the angst close to your heart. And yet you unleashed Pandora’s box upon my weak heart. W h y

[@chloegibbs7204]

@@rorygiambalvo2955 I recently got to MAG 115 and heard that conversation, and the idea of Distortion!Michael trying to talk to Gertrude like that is HURTING

[@PANCAKEMINEZZ]

Why... Did you have to hurt the innocent boy even more? Why did you surplant this idea of him asking what he did wrong, is knowing full well this was what Gertrude needed.

[@annikedowney9825]

CATCH ME CRYING ABOUT MY BOY AND SON MICHAEL SHELLEY AT 1 AM

[@ellamcclenny589]

You come into my house, you make me cry over Michael Shelley, I swear this is so good

[@TiredLoaf]

Michael really deserved more, poor boi

[@bellringer53]

The whole 70s-90s crew deserved more..... rest in piece

[@jimmymagma8374]

catch me tearing up over michael, the poor baby. i love this about as much as i love him (a helluva lot) i love how the hallway swirls into his eye! I love the mirrors when he runs through him! I love the doors coming up to surround him! I love (d e s p i s e) the gertrude bit where she closes the door. i love the next bit especially! it just looks so dang cool!! i love your colour drawing of my boy!! im sorry for basically listing everything you've done here but i! Love! It!!!!!!!

[@bassacaglia9434]

Thank you thank you thank you so much for this!!! This animatic honestly took me so long and you have NO IDEA how happy your comment made me😭 It’s really nice to see all the effort you put into a piece of work being appreciated, especially when the people who sees it are so enthusiastic about it!

[@jimmymagma8374]

@@bassacaglia9434 your sibling u/Basura-Box recommended it to the TMA subreddit and I'm so glad they did! This has to be one of my favourite animatics from TMA, like tied for the top. Are you planning on making more TMA content? I'd love to see more of your work :D

[@bassacaglia9434]

J-K ing Around Haha yeah I am! Maybe not any more animatics any time soon but I am planning to do a couple of tma drawings for the next little while or so. I’m usually more active on Tumblr but I’ll see if I can get around to post on Reddit too next time

[@jimmymagma8374]

@@bassacaglia9434 that'd be great :DD

[@bassacaglia9434]

J-K ing Around Heya I just went back and dug up my old reddit account. You can find me at u/Beaverwithchainsaw

[@futurefastapproaches3318]

Oh my god this is so good! I especially loved how you drew Michael's transformation into the Distortion!

[@bassacaglia9434]

Haha thank you! That was one of my favorite parts to draw😄

[@dorktapus42]

*oh no it's too good i saw it was Michael-centric and knew it would be sad but it's just too good*

[@beansbees]

This is amazing! I’m losing my mind! your framing and shots are so innovative and creative!! I loved this!

[@bassacaglia9434]

beans bees Thank you so much!!!

[@chaosblitz56]

very nice! I especially liked that end image

[@bassacaglia9434]

Thank you!!!

[@CreatoroftheChibis]

BRB gonna CRY your Micheal Shelley HC is so good and precious! He looks so young, couldn't be more than 18-19 ;0; I love Distortion Micheal but this made me feel things for my child Micheal Shelley, too All the cinematography AND art was so good

[@voidbeetles]

oh i am feeling SO MANY THINGS. this song is perfect and your depiction of michael & the distortion is perfect!!! i especially love the part where the hallway spirals into his eye and when the four doors come up and surround him

[@bassacaglia9434]

Thank you so much!!! Those parts were honestly my favorite scenes to develop haha

[@maered9149]

This is so so so beautiful, I cannot get over this :(( you've captured the distortion and Micheal so well, that end frame with just a slight hint of pain and amusement at his own humanness, or whatever anchor remains.. i watched this 20 times in a row for every little detail. The slumping shoulders crushed me this was sooo good

[@bassacaglia9434]

Oh my goodness thank you so much!! To be honest it’s still a little bit surreal to me that the animatic isn’t just in my head anymore and people are actually seeing it haha

[@rorygiambalvo2955]

Michael tells this story as part of a horror show, but you draw it (and TAW sings it) like the tragedy it is

[@finni1569]

Oh my gOD Micheal deserved so much better. Bro you got me cryinggg

[@rarelypoetic]

Oh my god!!!!!!!!! This is SO SO SO GOOD. I want to pic a specific frame to gush over but honestly every single one had me 😍😍😍 the character design??? The way you depicted him eventually transforming???? The EMOTION on his poor little face when he has that anime closeup after gertrude closes the door????? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[@bassacaglia9434]

Thank you so, so much! 🥰

[@Numerous_geckos]

I’D BEEN THINKING SOMEONE SHOULD DO A DISTORTION ANIMATIC FOR THIS SONG AMAZING. So good, I love this.

[@c_carnelian]

the second i saw the title i got so excited bc the arcadian wild is my favorite band!!!!! and michael is one of my favorite characters so!!!!!!!!! you have simultaneously broken my heart and made my day with this!!!!!!!!!!

[@oliinorbit8019]

That final colored scene at the end!! Amazing job!

[@birb7353]

What a strange, stunning work of art. It perfectly captures Micheal's courage and fear as he wanders, hopelessly lost in impossible corridors, betrayed by his work grandma, and grotesquely distorted into something unrecognizable. I just wish I could reach into the screen and hug him. Was it worth it, Gertrude?

[@graywithoutu5506]

baby boy michael!!! this was really amazing, i really loved your take on the spiral corridors. that shot with michael reaching out to gertrude, aaah my heart

[@robirb_]

wow this was incredibly painful, thank you!!

[@anamaleth_ad]

This actually made me cry - incredibly painful and oh so well done!! I love it with all my heart! The way you depict movement and emotions is so beautiful!!!

[@bassacaglia9434]

AD I Anamaleth Awwwww thank you so much!!!!!! I’m really glad you like it

[@bethbroadwayanalysis]

Oh this *hurts.* This is gorgeous and it *hurts.*

[@Akidachi]

aaaa i really love the transitions!!!!!

[@bassacaglia9434]

Thank you!!! They were super hard to plan out and draw, so I’m really glad people like them haha

[@ionaadams6793]

ayyyy! This deserves far more recognition! Your art style is beautiful, and really conveyed Micheal's desperation beautifully! I always wanted to see what happened in those corridors, and this far exceeded any of my expectations!

[@distortionportion5455]

i am once again crying over michael

[@ellasterling3747]

perhaps i teared up a bit 🥺

[@Pr1nc3_R3my]

Watched this 4 times in a row and I keep crying...

[@bassacaglia9434]

Oh no are you alright? Hopefully the next animatic will elicit less tears (but who knows ;))))) )

[@lordbaphie]

This is so beautiful, I find myself replaying it 40 times a day. MICHAEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!

[@Amalgemotion]

Oh. Oh, this is amazing.

[@aaron2718w]

Gd! That was so beautifully done! I always like seeing Michael get more love

[@bassacaglia9434]

aaron2718 Thanks!!!

[@localspaceangel8199]

...i honestly have no words, this is just simply amazing! The frames are so pretty and so is your michael! I love this as much as it also hurts me :'-) (plz let me give this dude a hug)

[@bassacaglia9434]

LocalSpaceAngel Awww thank you! And yes I will permit one (1) hug

[@ladydizdain2895]

feeling so normal about michael right now (i love this animatic (tho it's so fluid it may as well be animation) so much)

[@emilycorvus8606]

HOW AM I FINDING THIS A YEAR LATER AND CRYING ABOUT IT

[@bassacaglia9434]

Haha thank you for finding this!

[@flighttohollis6001]

This song fits Micheal perfectly and the animation is beautiful and A+

[@navinderhundal]

Heck. Much wow. Such Talent :))

[@honintoman]

this is incredible, thank you so much

[@wherethefrickismygoat7161]

GOSH DARNIT THIS IS PERFECT. **cries in '"michael is my comfort character"**

[@sarelek895]

omg ur brain... this is amazing!!

[@bassacaglia9434]

Thank you hehe

[@bassacaglia9434]

I love your icon picture btw

[@sarelek895]

omg thank you 🥺

[@phrogge1495]

This is everything

[@moistpolenta1717]

this is so wonderful how does it not have more views. i love the feeling of movement especially with the corridors. this is so well done!

[@allofsam]

SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP /pos

[@hyde9528]

OH MY GOOODDD THIS IS SO GOOD AAA thank you for working on it thr,,, everything!! It's so pretty omg

[@IsabelLopez-fv2rm]

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS WITH WANDER. WONDER! I'm obsessed

[@theduotwins5545]

You are really good! Can't wait to see more when you are ready.

[@bassacaglia9434]

TheDuoTwins Thank you! I’m really hoping to make more stuff like this in the future as well

[@jiangwanyeehaw]

You succesfully made me cry 🥺 Michael Shelley and The Michael Distortion are my favourite characters in TMA. They deserved more 😭💖

[@taylorfowler1402]

*Holly Cow-* this is incredible

[@nathill7193]

Wow. I’m speechless. This is just- wow. This is so amazing, I don’t even know how to describe it. Just wow.

[@chiirple4206]

So I clicked on this video because its a magnus archives animatic and I will watch any that come across my recommendations without hesitation, only to discover that I had liked it already. The music kicked in and I remembered this video and now I’m sad again

[@_telling_tales_]

HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME CRY

[@tommcnab81]

This is my favourite TMA animation yet! Serious work and creativity here, awesome job

[@ericthebmo3433]

This was made ages ago, but im coming back to it. You introduced me to this lovely band and this animatic has a nice spot in my heart.

[@jaysflight.]

Woah, this is fantastic! I’m sad now :’D

[@faedemon]

this is gorgeous & sad & beautiully drawn & i love it so much

[@superawe]

THE TRANSITIONS!!!! THE DETAIL!!! THE ANIMATION!!! THIS IS SO FLUID AND I LOVE IT!!! IT JUST DISPLAYS THE VIBES PERFECTLY PLEASEEE

[@nightfallprince]

Oh stars alive I should not have watched this at 6 am . This is absolutely beautiful, and heart wrenching. This captures the blind faith Michael had, and the true and growing terror he must have experienced all perfectly. You did an amazing job with this thank you for sharing

[@larsmeridian4312]

Ohhhhhh! Oh poor og Michael Shelley, we hardly knew him... Your design made me fall in love with him instantly.

[@rana1614]

This is one of the few videos that I stop and watch literally every time it shows up on my feed. I love everything about it.

[@m.lilian]

this was so so good???????? i am literally in love,,,,, the animation was so smooth and well done and michael looks so desperate and it,,, broke my heart. and the last frame with the distortion looked SO stunning, i can't express how much i am in love with this!!!!!!

[@tinytiberia743]

This is making me cry over my boy all over again 😭😭😭 but i seriously love this it’s really well done and the song DOES fit, it’s a brilliant creation and the art is lovely so lovely and I love the way you drew Michael and the hallways spiraling, it does look like fractals of insanity!!

[@nepetaren1267]

OOOO I HAD TO WATCH THAT MOMENT WHEN MICHAEL STOOD UP *TWICE* IT WAS SO SMOOTH. THIS IS SO WELL DONE

[@unnecessarilyarty5553]

Lmglmgomg I love this song and I love Michael I cannot believe I haven't found this sooner omgomgomgkmg /pos

[@_seejane_]

A friend had showed me this song before but you gave it a whole new meaning and emotion! Everything about this is so creative and amazing!

[@alism9832]

This. This is INCREDIBLE. I just relistened to this episode last week and I'm so glad I found this!

[@Peeeachu]

Ahh Ive just finished the series and this is one of my favourite animatics I've seen. Everytime I watch it it guts me in such a good way 😭😭 so beautiful 🙌

[@driammadram]

oh my god this is so detailed and expressive???? I love this so much kudos to you

[@apebble3102]

YES!!! YESSS!!! Someone who listens to The Arcadian Wild AND TMA?!?!?! When I first heard this song I could only think of Michael so I AM SO HAPPY SOMEONE FINALLY MADE AN ANIMATIC WITH IT YESSSSSSS!!!!

[@Companion92]

All about this is wonderfully made. I love your animation style so much. And all the spiraling and twisting!

[@Bloodanna]

Oof, so good. Michael Shelley deserved so much more.

[@germanerd6148]

The month of work was truly worth it

[@pallasnelli1091]

This was honestly captivating and I loved every second of it

[@waywardzephyr258]

The composition! The quality! This is really good!

[@waywardzephyr258]

I would be more eloquent with this and describe what I like about it more but it's almost 4 am for me and I am running low on proper brainpower

[@bassacaglia9434]

Christopher Z haha no worries! That compliment is already more than enough :D

[@malaizze]

I wanna hold both his hands jghdhkdhg

[@reddragon4418]

I'm crying so much I genuinely adore this and Micheal

[@puddleduck9874]

So good!

[@bassacaglia9434]

Puddle Duck98 Thanks!!!!

[@Nkjin996]

This is so beautifully made, so touching, so much talent and work poured into this.

[@SeerOfTime577]

Michael deserved so much mooore.

[@angelrodriquez2318]

Wow. Just wow. Absolutely amazing.

[@tompetrecca157]

this made cry i love michael so much

[@leftbehindcrazed84]

tma animatic to my favorite song??? fuck yes i love this

[@kellymccarthy9625]

How have my eyes only just now been blessed with this animatic?? Everything about it is beautiful!! The hallways were so well drawn and Michael’s descent into the spiral was portrayed so well. I especially loved the bit where it went from white to colorful again, as well as the full on spiral Michael at the end. My replay button is going to break at this point

[@silverpomegranate8002]

my freaking HEART. This is gorgeously made and you captured this episode perfectly!!! Also song choice love Arcadian Wild so so much, I never thought of it in this context but now I’ll think of this every time I listen!

[@spawnofheck504]

Oh that was BEAUTIFUL!! I should really not be looking up TMA content when I haven't finished it yet but with animatics like these I've gotta risk it!!

[@tonyalighieri6613]

The angst! the alignment with the lyrics! The metamorphosis! The sudden burst of colour!

[@sprinklesprinkle5313]

Whoa!! My favorite podcast and one of my favorite artists, this is fantastic!!

[@samsherwood8332]

Love this! Just went to look at your other videos since your Ship in a Bottle animatic was great and saw this, with one of my favorite songs! Such a good song for Michael/the Distortion. The animation was so fluid and I loved the part where his hands got long!

[@AriAriOptenfree]

honestly I'm just glad to see The Arcadian Wild getting recognition

[@ashworldstudios859]

THIS IS AMAZING OMG YOU NEED MORE SUBSCRIBERS????????

[@WarriorTilTheEnd]

i'm already in pain and the video hasn't even started. read the description and am just mentally bracing myself for the sadness i am about to experience edit: my eyes are watering, oh my god, poor poor michael... op this is brilliantly drawn and you chose the perfect song.

[@thistleywistley681]

michael )))): *crying* this is really great tho omfg

[@Ch-4-lie]

uhg,, OP,,, this animatic is SO GOOD.

[@diceenthusiast2374]

i'm not very good with words but i love this a lot and i cried 3 times and watched it 4 times

[@maicey_t.]

My son ;^; How dare you create such a beautifully heart-wrenching piece of art

[@natf.5369]

i'm back for my Millionth rewatch and i think it is time to to write a fucking essay abt how much i love this first of all HHHRHHRGRH that SONG CHOICE my GOD... i'd never heard this song before but it's so beautiful and has exactly the kind of acoustic vibes i associate with mshelley, it's going in my character playlist immediately. also it just has like this melancholy energy hanging over it that fits him very well?? tbh seeing his story set to this song made me even sadder than hearing it in canon did... this animatic unlocked entirely new Michael Emotions for me which is saying something because i am Constantly michael shelley sadposting on main and as for the animation itself i just?? where do i start??? the biggest thing has got to be your framing, every single sequence is SO creative and perfect and makes this so enjoyable to watch, it's just such a good way of representing the spiral. when the hallways spiral into his eyes? the hall of mirrors (that's a LOT of reflections, major kudos for that)?? the three doors he opened and the way each one gets more tentative and uncertain? the ROTATION AROUND HIM WITH THE MAP.... that one's gotta be my favorite because just the rotating perspective is So Good and then the pan out where he looks so small is just like OUCH to the heart and THEN the doors rise up around him and THEN they swallow him and spiral out im just???? djbfjhdbfksskndgjknkjsf????? god and then gertrude closing the door, that one's especially painful with the lyrics set over it. AND michael's facial expressions throughout this, like the small scared little look before he punches the mirror.... w h e e z e also, i love ur michael design, his outfit looks just like how i picture him! idk all of this just sits very well with my headcanons... i've always imagined his spiraling as less of an All At Once Sudden Change and more of a gradual descent, like he just wanders the halls and is gradually pulled apart, barely even recognizing the pain until it's overwhelming... i can see a lot of that in this. i also love the way that like.. you can feel his Terror throughout the entire thing, but also, the strongest emotion in here isn't so much fear as it is deep sadness? like as much as there is terror he just seems so defeated and helpless after a while. that REALLY got me feeling some other shit. rly did almost cry over that OKAY GOD ANYWAY this is like, solidly my favorite tma animatic and i can't stop watching it. u have brought so much joy into my world, thank you for all the effort that went into this gorgeousness!!!

[@bassacaglia9434]

Hi there! I actually saw your comment a couple of days ago, but I was so happy from reading what you wrote that I had to spend a couple of days reeling from amazement/happiness. First of all, thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to write all of this. It really means a lot to me that someone found my work so inspiring that they were moved to write a freaking essay about it! (And as someone who can’t write for the life of her I appreciate it just that much more). I know that no amount of words I write can’t describe how thankful I am, but I hope you know how much I appreciate your comment 😭. And just to respond to some of the things you pointed out from the animatic: -The hall of mirrors was LITERALLY the most time consuming shot to draw and I spent nearly an entire day on it, so thank you for appreciating it! -I had a lot of fun drawing the map rotation scene! I spent a lot of time making sure all the angles were right and man it was worth it -The hallway scene with Gertrude was one of the very first scenes I came up with. It just kept replaying over and over again in my head and it’s honestly still a little surreal to see it out and animated haha And last of all, I’ve started plans to make another animatic recently (this one is about Martin hehe). No idea when I’ll finish it (considering how long this animatic took me) but I hope you enjoy it as much as this one!

[@dundee176]

absolutely fucking gorgeous. i can't believe how much work must have gone into this, i am so in awe of the shot with all the mirrors and that backwards camera dolly through the hall, everything about this is so precise and imaginative, like you were able to pluck the storyboard straight from your mind and lay it out as a video. EXTREMELY impressed, and a bit inspired!!!

[@bassacaglia9434]

Thank you so much!!! I'm hoping to make more stuff like this in the future haha

[@Liz-lq8hw]

I think this might be the best animatic I've ever seen... The motion, the cinematography, the art itself, Ugh I can't. This is the first Michael Distortion transformation that's actually made me feel anything

[@Jordan-sd6vp]

BROOOOO THIS IS I N C R E D I B L E

[@ShellKatz]

WOW THIS IS AMAZING!!!! I've already rewatched it like 5 times but I legit can't stop. It all looks so smooth, Michael running, the hallways twisting into a spiral, his fingers becoming longer and longer, and then his hair-- the scene where Gerturude turns her back at him without hesitation, proceeded by him him falling further into the twisting hallway bROKE MY HEART- This is absolutely *stunning*

[@jackietea]

I love this soooo much!! I keep rewatching again and again and it hits just as hard as the first time!!

[@FH-rp6zs]

So sad, so beautiful, so excellent.