John Michael O'Brien

The young teen protagonist, wearing a light blue shirt and dark blue hair, sits side by side with his friend, who has blonde hair and wears a red shirt, as they face away under a starry night sky surrounded by glowing stars and fireflies.

Statement

John Michael O'Brien is an Irish creator and animation student whose work explores memory, loss, adversity, and quiet transformation. Blending traditional artistry with digital techniques, his recent independent short film, Star Signs, offers quiet support, invites reflection, and opens a space for diverse perspectives on life's many experiences.

STAR SIGNS follows Samuel, a young man living with the absence of someone close to him. Moving through quiet moments of everyday life, he is left to confront what remains.

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John Michael O'Brien:: Image/Video

Images

  • The protagonist, a young teen with dark blue hair, tilts his head upward against a starry night sky.

    The protagonist, a young teen with dark blue hair, tilts his head upward against a starry night sky.

  • The young teen protagonist, wearing a light blue shirt and dark blue hair, sits side by side with his friend, who has blonde hair and wears a red shirt, as they face away under a starry night sky surrounded by glowing stars and fireflies.

    The young teen protagonist, wearing a light blue shirt and dark blue hair, sits side by side with his friend, who has blonde hair and wears a red shirt, as they face away under a starry night sky surrounded by glowing stars and fireflies.

  • A framed photo of two young teens smiling together, with their arms around each other, placed on a bedside table in a softly lit bedroom.

    A framed photo of two young teens smiling together, with their arms around each other, placed on a bedside table in a softly lit bedroom.

  • A corner of a bathroom with pale blue tiled walls, water streaks, and soft ambient lighting.

    A corner of a bathroom with pale blue tiled walls, water streaks, and soft ambient lighting.

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Course: animationVisualEffectsMotionDesign

Year: 2026

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Photography: Seán Daly