Dust Buster 2021
- Apr 8, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 11, 2025
Project Overview
Dust Buster 2021 is a 2D animated mini-series produced for the Health Impact Assessment Bureau under Thailand’s Department of Health. The goal was to educate young children (ages 6–12) about the dangers of PM2.5 air pollution and how to protect themselves, especially during a period of extremely high pollution levels in the country.
Client: Health Impact Assessment Bureau, Department of Health
Format: 2D Animation Mini-Series (4 Episodes, 3 Minutes Each)
Target Audience: Primary school students (Ages 6–12)
To make the message both accessible and memorable, I proposed storytelling through cartoon characters because insights revealed that this age group is most receptive to learning through animated stories. I developed three concept directions:
A comedy approach
A heroine figure who acts as a wise older sister
A spy mission theme, where characters act as peers and friends to the audience
After reviewing with the client, we chose the spy theme: a light-hearted school-based mystery featuring Toy and Lisa, agents from the Dust Buster unit, who protect their school from dust monsters and uncover the hidden causes of pollution.
My Role
In this project, I took on multiple roles:
Creative Director: Conducted insight research and developed the campaign concept, content, and storytelling strategy
Project Manager: Managed cross-functional teams, liaised with the client, and oversaw the project timeline and budget
Motion Graphic Artist & Animator: Produced animation and visual effects
Editor: Handled editing, compositing, and post-production
Voice Talent: Voiced supporting characters
Creative Process
🧠 Story Development
Due to the limited time, scripting and design were developed in parallel:
✍️ Plot ➝ Script ➝ Storyboard ➝ Animatic
🖼️ Character Design ➝ Scene Design ➝ Key Visuals
Each episode balanced storytelling with educational value, without overwhelming children with facts.
Episode Breakdown:
Ep.1 – The Deadly Dust Demon
• Key Story: Introduces main characters, mission, and the dust monster
• Key Message: The danger of PM2.5 pollution
Ep.2 – Don’t Give Up
• Key Story: The dust monster attacks the school; Toy and Lisa protect their classmates
• Key Message: How to protect yourself on high pollution days
Ep.3 – The Clean Shelter
• Key Story: The kids retreat to a safe room; Lisa joins to help defeat the threat
• Key Message: How to remove dust and purify spaces
Ep.4 – Everyone’s Responsibility
• Key Story: The dust monster is gone — but it may return if people keep polluting
• Key Message: Causes of dust and how to prevent it long-term
Once the plot was finalized, I developed it into a script and screenplay
and created a storyboard to visualize the narrative flow more clearly.
Design & Visual Development
The three lead characters were designed based on their traits and roles in the story:
Toy: A bold, impulsive gamer boy who’s brave and fearless
Lisa: A smart, calm girl who supports the team with reason
Mr. Tineidae Dust: The villain inspired by Clothes Moths/ Bagworms that carry dust around
Click to view character design details and development process.
After that, the next step was scene design
and the creation of key visuals for client presentation.
Pilot & Animatic
An animatic was created by stitching the storyboard with temporary voice-over, music, and sound effects to preview pacing and emotional beats — streamlining production for the full episodes.
Sound & Voice Production
Tanudan Studio handled professional voiceovers
Kritti Hancharoenwanaphusit (Pete), guitarist from the Pancake band, composed the soundtrack
The animatic helped distribute production tasks without waiting for linear completion, improving speed and clarity across teams.
Production & Post-Production
Thanks to strong pre-production planning, we minimized bottlenecks during the animation phase. I broke down assignments using storyboards and animatics to delegate tasks efficiently while continuing to animate myself.
In post-production, I handled editing and compositing — syncing visuals and audio based on the animatic guide. This led to a smooth final delivery of all four episodes.
What I Learned
This project taught me how to translate dry technical information into engaging, emotional narratives — especially for young audiences. It challenged me to balance educational accuracy with creative storytelling.
It also reinforced my ability to lead multi-role creative production while maintaining a clear, consistent message across every step of the process.
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