Created by Brandon Craig on his own using an AI production pipeline, the 3D animated show debuted April 5; next weekly episode streams April 11.
Brandon Craig and his WonderYard Studios LLC have launched DRAGGLiNS, a 3D animated children’s series created entirely by Craig using an AI-driven production pipeline, with the first of four completed episodes launched April 5 on YouTube and the next episode hitting the platform tomorrow, April 11.
The series follows six baby dragons, each with a distinct elemental power, living on a floating island world called the Draglands. The show targets children ages 4 to 8; Craig compares it to “Bluey meets PAW Patrol.”
Craig, an independent filmmaker and father of three with no formal animation training, developed the series by working early mornings before moving onto his full-time job and family commitments, including school and extracurricular activities.
The six central characters in the show are Kipi, a yellow lightning-powered dragon; Zuno, a fire-based character with a competitive personality; Nokka, a water and mist dragon with an empathetic nature and a goldfish companion; Talla, a wind- and magic-powered creative character; Brimm, an earth-based, easygoing dragon; and Flicker, a purple illusionist and prankster.
Enjoy Episode 1 and then read a bit more about Craig’s production process.
The production pipeline was put together without a traditional studio or team, using NB Pro for image generation, Kling 3.0 for animation, and ElevenLabs for voice synthesis. Craig completed four broadcast-quality episodes independently, while also launching a merchandise storefront and initiating a USPTO trademark filing for the property.
His production schedule reflects a balance between creative development and personal responsibilities. "I wanted to create something that had that same Saturday morning feeling — where parents who grew up in the 80s and 90s would sit down with their kids and just feel it immediately," said Craig. "And I wanted to prove that in this day and age, if you have the idea and the work ethic, you do not have to wait for Netflix or Disney to give you permission. You do not have to let them take most of your rights and hand you a bone. You can just build it."
Craig’s decision to release episodes on Saturdays reflects his own experience growing up with appointment-viewing children’s programming such as ThunderCats, Transformers, The Real Ghostbusters, He-Man, Gummi Bears, and DuckTales, a viewing ritual he continues to recreate in his weekly routine.
DRAGGLiNS represents Craig’s most ambitious project following prior independent film work, where he encountered delays tied to funding and approval processes. In this instance, he developed the series independently using accessible AI tools to manage all aspects of production, from visuals to voice performance.
Source: WonderYard Studios
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
