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Keeping animation old school since 2001

MEDITATING BUNNY STUDIO INC.

Meditating Bunny Studio Inc. is an award-winning boutique animation studio and children’s book publisher. The studio was founded in 2001 by Emmy® nominated and Webby award winning animation and documentary filmmaker Jeff Chiba Stearns after he graduated from the Emily Carr University with a degree in Film Animation.

 

From animated viral video ads and broadcast commercials for companies like Sharpie, 3M and Post-it Note, to short and feature films like “What Are You Anyways?” (2005), Yellow Sticky Notes (2007), One Big Hapa Family (2010), Ode to a Post-it Note (2010), Yellow Sticky Notes | Canadian Anijam (2013) and Mixed Match (2016), the studio’s work has broadcast around the world, screened in hundreds of international film festivals and garnered over 40 awards.

 

Recently, the studio has ventured into the world of publishing children's books and graphic novels for kids and youth. Mixed Critters (2018), written and illustrated by Jeff Chiba Stearns is the studio’s first children’s book. Jeff's latest children's book, Nori and His Delicious Dreams (2020), is now available in bookstores and online. Currently, Jeff just released his first graphic novel, an intergenerational Japanese Canadian story entitled On Being Yukiko (2021) with famed Japanese Canadian artist Lillian Michiko Blakey.  Currently, Jeff is working on two new graphic novels. All books can be purchased in the studio's web store

Jeff Chiba Stearns was also the creative director and showrunner for the hit pre-school puppet/animated music series The Treebees where he directed 60 episodes.  Since the show's launch in November 2021, The Treebees videos have amassed over 50 million views on YouTube and broadcast on the Knowledge Network. 

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COMMERCIALS & CONTRACT WORK

CLIENTS & PROJECTS

THE TREEBEES

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WHITEBOARD ANIMATION REEL 2012

WHITEBOARD ANIMATION REEL 2012

Various whiteboard videos directed and animated by Jeff Chiba Stearns for 3M International, Thinkable, Living Blueprint & UBC.

ODE TO A POST-IT NOTE - 3M CANADA

Stop motion branded viral video for Post-it Note's 30th anniversary. Directed and animated by Jeff Chiba Stearns.  

 

2011 Webby Award winner for Best Branded Entertainment

SHARPIE PEN COMMERCIAL - THE PROPOSAL

Broadcast commercial for Sharpie Pen produced by Draft FCB. Directed and animated by Jeff Chiba Stearns

ANYTHINK - ANIMATION 2010

Anythink (Animation 1) "branimation commercial ID" developed by Ricochet Ideas & Meditating Bunny Studio Inc. Directed and animated by Jeff Chiba Stearns, this classically animated piece represents the many things a doodle can become and the sparks of imagination available to anyone who visits an Anythink library.  

ANYTHINK - ANIMATION 2019

Anythink (Animation 2) created by Jeff Chiba Stearns - Meditating Bunny Studio Inc., is the second animation for Anythink Libraries in Colorado. Created to celebrate Anythink's 10-year anniversary, cut-out puppets were made using water color paper and animated directly under the camera. Puppet & BG design, direction, animation and sound by Jeff Chiba Stearns. 

GENERALI - FAKTEN LEBEN

Digital 2D classical animation created by Jeff Chiba Stearns for Generali Germany. Assets were created by Jeff in Adobe Flash and composited and edited by PI_group PRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL GmbH. Completed in 2011.

THE TREEBEES

60 episodes | Pre-School 2D Animation/Puppets

For Treebees I Productions Inc. / 2021 to 2023
Creative Director / Showrunner / Director: Jeff Chiba Stearns

Watch more episodes at The Treebees YouTube Channel

OPENROAD AUTO GROUP - INNOVATION

The first of a three spot series for OpenRoad Auto Group to promote their new branding Unlimited Possibilities Ahead. Concept by Living Blueprint. Directed and edited by Jeff Chiba Stearns created using pixelation techniques. Completed 2019.

Watch the second spot

Watch the third spot.

FILMS

Directed and Produced by Jeff Chiba Stearns

YELLOW STICKY NOTES

2007

YouTube viral video sensation with 2 million views. Winner of over a dozen film festival awards including the Prix du Public at the 2009 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and nominated for a 2011 Emmy Award for Human Interest - Feature/Segment

MIXED MATCH - TRAILER

2016

Multiple film festival award-winning feature length documentary. Broadcast on TVO and OUTtv. 

To rent of download please visit Vimeo on Demand

Multiple film festival award-winning feature length documentary. Broadcast on TVO and OUTtv.  

ONE BIG HAPA FAMILY - TRAILER

2010

A film festival favorite and landmark documentary on mixed Japanese Canadian identity. Broadcast on CBC Documentary, Knowledge Network, OMNI and KCTS 9 (PBS).

To rent or download please visit Vimeo on Demand   

KIP & KYLE

2000

Jeff Chiba Stearns' first animation.  Recorded in a kindergarten classroom, the film was animated using only a black ink pen.

"WHAT ARE YOU ANYWAYS?"

2005

An autobiographical traditionally animated short. Produced for the CBC show ZeD and winner of multiple film festival awards

YELLOW STICKY NOTES | CANADIAN ANIJAM

2013

Vimeo Staff Pick featuring animation from Academy Award nominated & Oscar winning Canadian independent animators. For more info please check out yellowstickynotesanijam.com

CATS

2014

A playful animated short film about cats created using only an iPad.

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CONTACT

For animated commercial and live action production inquiries, animation consultation, to organize a screening, distribution opportunities or to book Jeff as a speaker, please contact Jeff Chiba Stearns at Meditating Bunny Studio Inc. by directly by filling out the form below.

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