Boy and
the Dinosaur.

Film & TV / Preschool animation

An ordinary boy. An extraordinary friend.

Dinosaur holding Boy upside down with trees behind them

The project

The story.

Boy wishes for a very unusual pet—and an enormous orange dinosaur arrives. Created from an original concept by MOVE founder Jason Harding, this preschool series combines visual comedy, music and everyday discovery.

A wider team of directors, producers, artists, animators, writers and musicians helped bring the idea to life.

Format: Animated preschool series
Treatment: Original concept / Character development / 3D animation

Boy jumping above Dinosaur’s back for Boy and the Dinosaur

Building the world

Designing Boy and Dinosaur.

Boy’s curiosity and creativity sometimes run ahead of his confidence. Dinosaur is affectionate and expressive, communicating through movement and sounds rather than sentences. Their contrasting sizes make even simple activities an opportunity for comedy.

Early sketches exploring Boy’s character

Early dinosaur head and expression sketches

Meet the characters

Boy.

Curious, inventive and full of ideas, Boy loves exploring nature. Sometimes his imagination gets ahead of him, but Dinosaur is always there to share the discovery.

Boy character colour studies with different hair and clothing colours for Boy and the Dinosaur

Boy clothing and colour variations for character development for Boy and the Dinosaur

Boy sleeping and making a thoughtful face in 3D character poses for Boy and the Dinosaur

Boy doing a forward roll and standing in blue pyjamas for Boy and the Dinosaur

Boy holding a yellow bucket and a wrapped present for Boy and the Dinosaur

Boy painting at an easel and reacting with surprise for Boy and the Dinosaur

Meet the characters

Dinosaur.

A dinosaur as a child might imagine him: affectionate, playful and wonderfully expressive. His rumbles, delighted squeaks and physical comedy say more than words could.

Early Dinosaur colour design with Boy hanging from his curved neck for Boy and the Dinosaur

Boy sitting on Dinosaur’s head in an early character illustration for Boy and the Dinosaur

Close-up of Dinosaur’s smiling face in 3D for Boy and the Dinosaur

Meet the characters

The family.

A busy, creative household surrounds Boy with warmth. Between work, music, school and a very active baby, there is always something happening.

Early line drawing of Boy’s family for Boy and the Dinosaur

Pencil concept sketch of the family together for Boy and the Dinosaur

Family character lineup in colour for Boy and the Dinosaur

Alternative colour lineup of the family characters for Boy and the Dinosaur

Mum character portrait in a red cardigan for Boy and the Dinosaur

Meet the characters

Mum.

A composer and music teacher, Mum fills the house with creativity. She encourages Boy to try things, offering new activities when his energy needs a different direction.

Mum character turnaround with front side and rear views for Boy and the Dinosaur

Mum character gesture and expression sketches for Boy and the Dinosaur

Mum character action poses including gardening for Boy and the Dinosaur

Dad character portrait with glasses and a green jacket for Boy and the Dinosaur

Meet the characters

Dad.

Dad works in a vintage bookshop and shares Boy’s dreamy streak. The things he brings home can be the beginning of a new adventure.

Dad character turnaround with front side and rear views for Boy and the Dinosaur

Dad character pose sketches with a newspaper and tea for Boy and the Dinosaur

Dad character action sketches for animation for Boy and the Dinosaur

Meet the characters

Big Sister.

Sporty, resourceful and brilliant at inventing games, Big Sister is growing out of make-believe. But when she joins in with Boy, her affection for him shines through.

Children’s character gesture sketches for animation for Boy and the Dinosaur

Children’s character action and pose sketches for Boy and the Dinosaur

Meet the characters

Little Sister.

A gleeful bundle of crawling chaos, Little Sister is discovering how to move—and rarely stays still. She adores Dinosaur and the glorious mess he brings with him.

Little Sister facial expression sketches for Boy and the Dinosaur

Little Sister action and pose sketches for Boy and the Dinosaur

Building the world

Designing the house and garden.

Home and garden provide a reassuring setting, full of family life. Through imaginative play, familiar spaces can become somewhere extraordinary. The garden’s wilder corners and treehouse give the friends room to explore, before every adventure returns them safely home.