In the animated film "Moonstruck," a little boy with no friends discovers an alien has crash landed in his back yard.

                Initially, the boy helps the alien build a machine, which he believes will be used to allow the being to contact his home planet.  However, the story ends with a twist related to the title, according to Sarah Sloyer, a Perkiomenville resident who co-directed the short film.

                "We wanted to make the viewer think one thing, then pull the rug out from under you," she said. "The whole thing is one long build up to the punch line."

                On May 13, Sloyer and Luz Batista – classmates at the School of Visual Arts in New York City – received an award for their creation.

            At the 2014 Dusty Film & Animation Festival and Awards, Sloyer and Batista captured the Outstanding Animated Film award from the school.

                Drawing has always been a passion for Sloyer, a 2008 graduate of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School in Towamencin. "When I was younger, it was the only thing I did halfway decent," Sloyer said.

                At the School of Visual Arts, she majored in illustration for three years, but shifted to animation when she "found out people could make a living doing it."

                The duo worked exclusively on the 5 ½ minute film – their senior thesis – for two semesters, according to Sloyer. 

"We spent the three previous years learning how to do this," said Sloyer, who earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in animation at the school.  "I was really happy with how it turned out." 

Sloyer said her partner handled the animation, while she took responsibility for the background and designs.  Every second of animation required 12 to 24 drawings, according to Sloyer. She said that once the animation lines were cleaned up, each frame needed to be colored.  "It was extremely arduous work," Sloyer said.

                The duo has submitted their work to many film festivals which accepts digital films, including the Ottawa International Animation Festival in Canada, scheduled for Sept. 17-21.   

                "We're hoping it gets accepted," Sloyer said.

                Sloyer is preparing for a possible move to California, where she hopes to break into the television side of movie animation. Ideally, she'd like to work in storyboarding. 

"My ultimate dream is to have my name in the credits of a TV show or movie," Sloyer said. "Animation is such a collaborative process."