East London’s Shotopop Premieres High-Energy ‘Passion Project’ Short ‘Workout Demon’

Shotopop, the renowned creative studio based in East London, has officially released its latest animated short, Workout Demon. Described by the team as a “love letter to exercise,” the film captures the raw, kinetic, and often spiritual transformation that occurs during an intense workout session.

The project was born from the personal experiences of the studio’s team, specifically inspired by the emotional shift that happens while “sweating it out” on an exercise bike.

Finding the “Emotional Core” of the Grind

Workout Demon follows a protagonist named Jordan, whose journey from a bad day to a state of endorphin-fueled clarity serves as the film’s narrative spine. Creative directors Carin Standford and Casper Franken noted that the goal was to showcase how a rigorous workout can impact one’s day-to-day mental state.

Because the short features minimal dialogue, the studio relied heavily on character movement and facial expressions to convey Jordan’s internal shift. The animation direction, led by Dipankar Sengupta, focuses on the nuance of physical struggle evolving into a “flow state.”

Watch it here.