Underground MISAdventure: Zombie Fungus

Creative Direction · Exhibition Animation · 2026

For this year’s Halloween-themed Underground MISAdventure: Zombie Fungus, we wanted to create an animation that felt spooky, strange, and a little bit gross—but also fun.

Working with SpringShoe Animation, our team created a short animated story about an ant who begins noticing something very wrong in her home. As the insects around her start behaving strangely and the effects of the zombie fungus become more apparent, she turns to visitors for help uncovering what’s happening.

The creative direction drew inspiration from the playful horror of ’90s television, particularly Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark? We wanted that same sense of mystery and suspense, while keeping the experience approachable for a museum audience.

Finding the Look

I led the creative direction for the animation’s visual style, including developing the color script. I wanted the world to feel noticeably different from the natural environment visitors might expect from an insect exhibition.

We developed a palette of deep blues, greens, and purples to create a spooky nighttime atmosphere inspired by our ’90s horror references. The colors also gave us room to have some fun with the more unsettling moments—from the glowing fungus spores emerging from the ant’s head to the strange, exaggerated behavior of the other insects.

The result was a visual style that could be creepy and gross without taking itself too seriously.

Collaboration & Production

I worked closely with SpringShoe Animation to translate the creative direction into the final animation. Throughout the process, I provided feedback on the visual development and color direction, ensuring that the animation maintained the tone established by our references while working within the larger exhibition environment.

The animation plays on a large monitor inside the exhibition's lab environment. Surrounding the screen are insect specimens, fungus imagery, containment equipment, and projected elements that make the space feel like an active research facility.

The placement was intentional: the animation helps establish the story and atmosphere before visitors continue deeper into the experience. The character on screen becomes part of the larger visual world rather than feeling like a separate piece of media.

The Final Experience

The completed animation combines character-driven storytelling, horror-inspired visuals, and humor to create an approachable introduction to the world of zombie insects. Rather than simply explaining the science behind the exhibit, the animation gives visitors a character to follow and a mystery to investigate.

The result is a short piece of exhibition media designed not only to entertain, but to build anticipation and establish a sense of place and story before visitors enter the experience.

Credits

Creative Direction & Color Script — Latoya Flowers
Animation — SpringShoe Animation Exhibit Design — Sarah Daley
Exhibition Developer and Script Writer — Anastasia DeMaio
Field Museum Exhibition — Underground MISAdventure: Zombie Fungus