THE LINE Launches Anime-Inspired ‘Warframe: 1999’ Short

BAFTA-nominated animation studio THE LINE has released a new cinematic short for the video game Warframe: 1999, now live on the @playwarframe YouTube channel. Titled The Hex, the anime-inspired film helmed by Venla Linna (Heavenly Vessel; animation lead on Gorillaz’ “Song Machine”) in her commercial directing debut.

For The Hex, Linna focused on six Protoframes as they face off against a Technocyte infestation. The short offered the director a chance to delve deeper into the lore of the updated title from game developer Digital Extremes.

Taking cues from The Matrix and Ghost in the Shell, The Hex blends a muted color scheme with intense visuals and a moody soundtrack to take a more introspective angle on this story universe.

“I was really inspired by the wider Warframe universe, and above all, the dedication and love the Digital Extremes team has for their characters,” shared Linna. “I really wanted to meet this love with an equal amount, so I spent hours watching videos about the stories in the game. Both the client and I really wanted to represent these characters as human beings, not just Warframes. They are individuals with histories and emotions facing a future of losing themselves to the infestation, forced to work together with people they don’t necessarily trust.”

Leading up to the short’s premiere on December 5, THE LINE and Digital Extremes kept fans updated with exclusive behind-the-scenes sneak peeks through their social media feeds. In the coming weeks, THE LINE will also share never-seen-before concept art and animation breakdowns across Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

thelinestudio.com