Merlot · Jesper Vlietstra

Jesper Vlietstra 3D animator & generalist

My graduation film3D animated short · director, writer, animator

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Instant-Life

Blender addonAutomatic character animation

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Hippo
Creative Studios

Internship3D modeling · texturing · motion design

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Graduation film · 3D animated short · 2026

MERLOT is a short 3D animated film about a lonely grape. When Merlot discovers he isn’t alone in the world, he leaves his familiar surroundings in search of connection. What follows is an adventure far greater than he expected.

The film explores loneliness, longing and unexpected encounters, showing how much a small moment of hope can set in motion. It is my graduation film at Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht: I directed and wrote it together with Sil Roosenstein, and animated, rigged, lit, rendered and edited on it.

My role

Direction · Writing · Animation · Rigging · Lighting & rendering · Editing

Software

Blender · Premiere · Substance 3D Painter

Runtime

7 min 53 s

Completed

June 2026

Made at

Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht

World premiere

Blikvangers, Utrecht · 30 September 2026