Ashley Husain is a South Asian American, Chicago-based film animator whose work is deeply story-driven, focusing on world-building and exploring how characters interact with their environments. Whether through aesthetics or concepts grounded in reality, she emphasizes how the worlds characters inhabit shape who they are. She believes that identity is formed through both internal and external influences, and her storytelling reflects this philosophy—examining characters in depth, from their values and personalities to their visual design.
Drawing inspiration from various forms of media—movies, books, TV shows—as well as her day-to-day life, Husain finds the city of Chicago to be a significant source of influence, particularly in her approach to storyboarding. The city’s visuals and emotional atmosphere inform how she constructs scenes, ensuring that both the environment and character emotions feel authentic and immersive.
Specializing in pre-production, Husain works in storyboarding, character design, concept art, art direction, and screenwriting. Her creative process often begins with drawing—sketching a character allows her to explore and develop deeper narratives. Through screenwriting, she crafts character interactions; through storyboarding, she visualizes how they engage with their world and each other; and through concept design, she refines the aesthetics that shape their perceptions. She sees pre-production as the foundation of storytelling, where the raw essence of a narrative takes shape.
One of Husain’s animated films delves into a noir world of animal humanoids, following a mouse who is a reporter by day and an anonymous investigator by night. His editor—an elephant who secretly operates as a crime boss—works closely with him, each unaware of the other’s hidden identity. The story explores themes of duality and hidden selves, highlighting the ways in which alter egos collide. Infused with humor, emotion, and action-packed moments, the film is designed to resonate with audiences on multiple levels.
Husain is passionate about telling unconventional stories and bringing underrepresented narratives to the forefront. Her goal is to craft compelling stories that leave audiences inspired, moved, and entertained—building emotional connections through rich characters and immersive worlds.
