Issue #82 | January 18th, 2026 Probably my favorite Pixar movie: Ratatouille Hello Reader šA couple of folks reached out on LinkedIn this week. Simple messages. Kind words. You probably donāt realize how much that matters. Because sometimes this whole thing ā building Animator Now, writing this newsletter, teaching, freelancing, trying to grow something from scratch ā it can feel like a monologue. Youāre sending stuff out into the void and hoping someone out there is nodding, or at least...
9 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read
Issue #81 | January 4th, 2026 The Secret of Nihm Hello Reader šIām back on the West Coast, and itās that time of year where everyoneās supposed to be on fire. New year. Fresh start. Big energy. Big resolutions. And the truth? I felt super shitty.š„ŗ Tired. Heavy. Unmotivated. The kind of week where you sit in front of your computer and your brain justā¦ refuses to cooperate. šµš« And part of it is simple: Iām juggling two worlds right now. On one side: Animator NOW, my baby, the thing I care about...
16 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read
Issue #81 | January 4th, 2026 The Maleficent dragon fight in the Sleeping Beauty Hello Reader šSoā¦ here we are. First Sunday of 2026. Quick note about the thumbnail at the top: since September, Iāve been starting each issue with a fun smear frameābut lately, theyāve been harder to find (itās mostly The Simpsons out there š
). So from now on, Iāll feature standout frames from animated films more broadly. It keeps things fresh, and the possibilities feel endless. If I find a great smear, Iāll...
23 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 6 min read
Issue #80 | December 28th, 2025 Smear frame of Daffy Duck Hello Reader šThis weekās Animation Sunday starts with a full stop. This is the last newsletter of the year. And honestly? It feels kind of great. Not because 2025 turned into some magical āovernight successā storyā¦ but because I did the thing I told myself I would do: I started, I built, and I stayed consistent. I wasnāt expecting big revenue for Animator NOW in 2025. That wasnāt the mission. The mission was simpler (and harder): show...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read
Issue #79 | December 21th, 2025 Smear frame from The Simpsons Hello Reader šThis week, Iām writing to you from Marseille. And wowā¦ I forgot how loud a big city can feel when youāve been living with the ocean and the pine forest as your daily soundtrack. š²š Even driving here feels like Iāve chugged eight coffees in a row ā traffic jams, horns, that constant rushā¦ I literally felt a pressure on my chest the other day. š
About a year and a half ago, I moved from Marseille to the southwest coast,...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 6 min read
Issue #78 | December 14th, 2025 Smear Frame from Cuphead Hello Reader šThereās something about the end of the year that makes everything echo a little louder. Conversations linger. Projects hang in the air like dust in golden light. And suddenly, you realize: itās time to pause. Thatās where Iām at right now. 2025 was a big foundational year for me. Animator Now, the vlog, the podcast, the communityā¦ Iāve been head-down, heart-in, laying bricks all year long. But when youāre too close to the...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read
Issue #77 | December 7th, 2025 Smear frames from Sponge Bob Hey Reader šDonāt Put All Your Eggs in One BasketYouāve heard the saying. We all have. But when I really think about itā¦ thatās what most animators are doing.Theyāre putting all their hopes, time, and creative energy into one very specific skill: animation. Often in one software. Sometimes in one style. Thatās it. Thatās the whole basket. Obsession vs. OpportunityAnd listen ā thereās beauty in mastery. Thereās power in obsession. I...
about 2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read
Issue #76 | November 30th, 2025 Smear frame from Tarzan Hey Reader šThe Week the Vision Got Clearer This week felt like a soft shift ā not loud, not dramatic, but steady and deep. A few days ago, we welcomed new beta members into the Animator Now community. Itās a small thing on the surface ā just a few people joining ā but the impact has been huge. More feedback, more honest answers, more shared hopes. That form you filled out? Iāve been reading every single one. And one word keeps showing...
about 2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 6 min read
Issue #75 | November 23th, 2025 Smear frame from Ice Age Hey Reader šIām wrapping up this week by signing a second big client contract, which is kind of wild and honestly pretty amazing. It gives me a ton of financial breathing room to slow down that āfreelance panic brainā and really double down on building more for Animator Now. Just having that space to breathe and build feelsā¦ seriously, so good. š„³ Designing the Next Studio And speaking of buildingā¦ Iāve started designing my next studio....
2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 7 min read