The collaboration gave students the opportunity to apply their skills to a professional project while connecting academic training with Puerto Rico’s creative industries.
By Institutional Communications
Seven students in the 3D Animation program at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón’s School of Arts, Design and Creative Industries (EADIC) joined forces with Puerto Rican music group Plena Libre to create the animated music video “Ella Tiene.” The project brought a professional production experience into the classroom, giving students the opportunity to work with a real client and apply their skills throughout the creative process, from concept development to the final piece.
The collaboration began when Plena Libre’s musical director, LuisGa Núñez, approached Professor and Academic Leader Gerardo A. Pomales Ríos about developing a video for the song. Pomales Ríos mentored the project and selected seven students from the ADT-401 – Special Project course to bring the concept to life. The students had also established their own independent animation studio, Lambeojo Studio.
Under the mentorship of Prof. Pomales Ríos, as well as that of professors Christian Vélez Soto and Pedro Rodríguez Agosto, the production was directed and coordinated by 3D artist Alana Sierra Alicea. Josué Vega Colón served as art director and, alongside Sophia Ramos Jiménez, developed the project’s artistic vision, concept, and initial character designs. Valeria Moreda Latour, Alejandro Vázquez Vélez, and Christian Almodóvar Crespo worked on building and animating the three-dimensional world, while Cecilia N. Velázquez Pabón and Ramos Jiménez contributed to the visual development of the protagonist. Sierra, Vega, and Moreda also took on various stages of character development and animation.
Over four months, the team took the project from its initial conversations and conceptual proposals to the completed animated music video. The creative process also included research into Puerto Rican bomba and the sicá rhythm. The students held a Q&A session to gain a deeper understanding of the musical genre and recorded a percussionist performing the rhythm to use as a reference during the animation process.
“I remember telling the group that we were going to make a music video for this course, and in the end, that’s exactly what happened. We were able to bring together all the skills we had learned, including 2D, which was incredible,” said Vega Colón, the project’s art director. “Opportunities like this, through courses like these, are incredibly valuable for developing professionally as an artist,” he added.
“For us, building bridges between the university and Puerto Rico’s creative industries is essential. A collaboration like this gives students the opportunity to work alongside professional artists while they are still in training. At the same time, it allows organizations like Plena Libre to connect with a new generation of artists and animators. Learning happens precisely through that exchange,” said Prof. Gerardo A. Pomales Ríos.
Javier de Jesús Martínez, dean of the School of Arts, Design and Creative Industries, described the project as an example of the type of educational experience EADIC seeks to provide.
“We are deeply proud that our students are at the center of this experience. The final product demonstrates their talent and ability to take on complex production processes, while also highlighting the value of academic leadership in creating the connections that make these opportunities possible. Professor Gerardo A. Pomales Ríos’ leadership and mentorship helped establish a collaboration in which learning moves beyond the traditional academic exercise and becomes production, research, experimentation, and direct engagement with the industry. This is the kind of experience we want to continue expanding at EADIC,” said the dean.
“Ella Tiene” exemplifies how academic training can extend beyond the traditional classroom and become an opportunity for creative collaboration and professional growth, while contributing to Puerto Rico’s cultural landscape.