THE COWGIRL. DIRECTOR / WRITER / EDITOR

LO-FI CRAFT MEETS

HI-FI TECHNOLOGY

CLIENT. PLUME FILMS & RACQUET STUDIOS

BRIEF. Create a short film that would showcase the creative potential of virtual production, not as a technical demo, but as a cinematic story. A film that would feel personal and tactile, while using cutting edge technology.

APPROACH. The story itself acts as a metaphor for growing up with autism, using imaginative worlds to reflect the symbolic journey of the main character. As writer and director, my role was to develop a story that could naturally connect the different visual worlds we wanted to build; from deserts to cardboard cities.

The result was The Cowgirl: the story of a young girl who confronts the cloud that haunts her, in a world she’s built from cardboard and papier mâché.

A young boy wearing a cowboy hat and a red jacket with a cartoon dragon pattern, standing at night in front of colorful blurred city lights.

WATCH THE FILM

We combined virtual production on Racquet’s LED stage with motion capture and 3D scans of the actor to blend live action and CG. 2D animations, integrated both into the VP environments and later in post, gave everything a handmade feel.

To make that world feel like it came straight from the character’s imagination, the team at Plume Films hand built every prop and set from paper, card and glue.

These handmade creations were then 3D scanned and brought into Unreal Engine 5 by Racquet Studios, turning craft into fully realised virtual worlds.

A young girl dressed as a cowboy, standing and talking to an older man with curly hair and glasses, who is kneeling and holding a script. They are on a stage with film equipment and large lights in the background.
A person operating a professional cinema camera on set, with various filming equipment and monitors in the background.
A movie director holding a clapperboard and filming a scene with a young girl dressed as a cowgirl on set. The setting is a street scene with dramatic lighting.
Behind-the-scenes view of a film or TV production set with crew members working amidst cameras, lighting equipment, and backdrops, with a cityscape projected on a screen in the background.
Poster for the film 'The Cowgirl' showing a young girl wearing a cowboy hat, standing in an open field with a cloudy sky and a blurred cow in the background.
On a film set, a man with curly hair and glasses dressed in a beige jacket and jeans is instructing a young girl dressed as a cowboy, wearing a cowboy hat, a western shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots. The girl is standing in front of a lighting setup fa
A man with curly gray hair operating camera equipment on a black platform in a studio with lighting and backdrops.
Two crew members working on film equipment on a dark studio or stage with various lighting and technical gear in the background.
Film production set with a green screen background, large lighting equipment, two crew members, and a person sitting on a prop horse.
A film crew filming a scene with a person at a desk in a dimly lit room, with a bright window in the background.
A director films a young girl in a Wild West costume sitting on a rocking horse in a studio with professional filming equipment.
People setting up lighting and camera equipment on a studio stage with a black backdrop, preparing for a shoot or performance.
A young girl dressed as a cowboy with a beige shirt, jeans, a cowboy hat, and a sheriff badge, standing in an alleyway at night with blurred buildings and lights in the background.
Behind-the-scenes view of a film or television production with crew members operating camera equipment, a monitor, and an actress on a set that appears to depict a colorful, animated street scene.
Clapperboard and a film slate on a metal and wood surface, used on a film set for 'The Cowgirl', with director and date information

OUTCOME. A visually rich, emotionally grounded short that mixes craft and innovation in equal measure.

The Cowgirl shows how virtual production can be used for poetic storytelling, creating worlds that feel handmade yet limitless.

The film now acts as a flagship for both studios, proving that technology can serve creativity, not overshadow it.

A film slate, also called a clapperboard, resting on top of a metal case and wooden surface. The slate has the film title "The Cowgirl" and scene number 1, shot 1, take 1, with director Chris Lewort and director of photography Rob Wilton. The date is March 25.

Interested in working together? Get in touch.