Joe Mateo’s Animated Short Blush’ Tells a Story

Emmy-winning writer, director and animator Joe Mateo has a personal story behind Apple TV Plus’ new animated short “Blush.”After losing his wife to breast-cancer, the story was born.

He struggled to return to work and found inspiration and therapy in sharing his journey of hope, healing, and being saved by love. “Blush” follows the journey of a stranded horticulturist-astronaut’s chances for survival after he crash lands on a desolate dwarf planet. Once alone, the lonely traveler realizes the joy in creating a new existence and the miracle of the universe.

Mateo explains, “We started with this planet that looks barren and boring. When the astronaut lands, there’s nothing there and he has a very limited supply of oxygen. When this visitor shows up, the music starts and we see this planet transform with color and vibrancy,”He said.

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“Blush”Concept art shows a burst in color and life on the planet following an astronaut’s meeting. “visitor”
Courtesy Apple

Mateo called Yuriko Senoo animation supervisor “a game-changer. I had very limited knowledge of 2D animation and that’s where she stepped in to bring this to life.”

Mateo was unable to control his emotions in a sequence where the visitor vanishes. “I remember just falling apart during that as we were discussing the animation of that,”He said.

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Concept art by “Blush”Joe Mateo is the director
Courtesy Apple

“Blush” celebrates Filipino culture and Mateo’s heritage by working many elements into the overall look and design. Senoo says the mango tree was of absolute importance to the film because it was his wife’s favorite fruit. “We started talking about Filipino mangoes and the mango tree is a symbol for growth and life in the movie,”Senoo.

She also noted the tree’s spiral movement, which she considered significant because it symbolized growth.

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Mateo’s sketches of characters and the planet as he struggles to overcome grief
Courtesy Apple

A subtle distinction was also made in the way they moved. The visitor was more outgoing than the astronaut. “had a lot of energy and movement. She also has a laugh that brightens the room,”Senoo notes “And we made blushing her thing.” It was a trait taken from Mateo’s wife that was a touching tribute to her.

Mateo runs at 14 minutes. “Blush”It will always be an animated short. He used music and visuals to tell his story, rather than using dialogue. “I wanted to keep this universally themed.”

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