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Issue #68 | October 5th, 2025

Hey Reader 👋
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​September has been… a lot. Exciting, yes. Full of change, definitely. But also pretty challenging.

We’ve just moved into a smaller apartment, and right now my “studio” is basically a tiny desk squeezed into the corner of our bedroom. After years of having bigger spaces, that’s been hard to swallow. I know it’s temporary — and I keep reminding myself of that — but in the moment it feels tight, both physically and mentally. At the same time, it’s forcing me to be more disciplined, more intentional with how I use the space I do have. It’s getting better, slowly. I’m not fully there yet, but I think October will be the month when everything starts clicking back to 100%. 🍂

Newsletter & LinkedIn Momentum

What’s been really uplifting, though, is seeing this newsletter and my presence on LinkedIn grow. For the first time in a while, I’ve been focusing on one thing at a time — making it better, pushing it to the next level — and it’s paying off. The reach is going up, conversations are happening, and I feel more connected than ever. That’s fuel.

Next on the horizon? Launching the community. Whether it’s packed with content from day one or not, I’ve realized what matters most is creating a space for people to come together. It’s not about stockpiling tutorials — it’s about synergy, conversation, and being surrounded by people who get it.

Getting Comfortable on Camera

On a personal note, I’ve also been filming a lot lately — pretty much every day. At first, I used to freeze in front of the camera. Now, I don’t care so much about the perfect lighting or the flawless shot. What matters is the message, and I feel like I’m finally reaching that “MVP version” of the community: raw, alive, and good enough to move forward.

Life in Survival Mode

Of course, all of this is happening while running on very little sleep. Our son hasn’t been having the best nights, which means neither have we. Some days, it feels like survival mode. But we’re adapting, and October feels like it might bring more balance, more stability.
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​A Guitar Break 🎸

And one last fun thing: I’ve been picking up my guitar again — every day, 15–20 minutes, just to play, to unwind. I even started a TikTok account to share small licks and jams. It’s nothing serious — just a game, a way to experiment, learn, and have fun outside of animation. If it grows into a side income someday, great. But right now, it’s just refreshing to play for the sake of playing.

If you’re curious, you can check it out HERE.

So—let’s dive into this week’s issue. 🚀

And always, thanks for being here ❤️

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The Spotlight

Let’s be honest: Coffin is not the kind of short I would usually click on. It’s not a “funny cartoon,” not something stylized or playful. In fact, visually, it’s very far from my personal taste. The film goes for hyper-realism — everything is packed with texture, detail, layered backgrounds that almost feel live-action. The walls, the objects, the city outside… it all feels heavy, and very deliberately so.

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The story is simple: a man comes home after work, just wanting to sleep. But his roommates have other plans. A toilet flush, a TV game show, someone snoring — all these little sounds grow louder and louder until they’re unbearable. The film builds like a crescendo: what starts as small irritations quickly spirals into madness. It’s suffocating. The confinement of all these people stacked together in “coffin homes” is so palpable, you can almost feel the walls pressing in.

And yet… as oppressive as it is, it also made me laugh. Because it’s so absurd, so relentless, that at some point it tips into comedy. You find yourself chuckling at how far it pushes the annoyance. That balance — between discomfort and absurdity — is what makes it stick.

What impressed me most is how the directors (Yujie Shao, Yaqi Shao, Hanyang Xu, and Yichi Chen, all students at Gobelins) use animation to translate feeling into imagery. The sound design is key here: each noise isn’t just heard, it’s visualized. The TV doesn’t just blare — it becomes a stadium. The flush of a toilet isn’t just background noise — it floods the room. Everyday disturbances transform into monstrous, cinematic events. That’s what makes the whole thing work: we’re not just watching insomnia, we’re living it.

It’s not an easy film. It’s not a “feel-good” short you’ll want to replay ten times. But it’s one of those projects that shows how powerful animation can be when it leans into atmosphere and emotion. It takes a tiny human frustration — not being able to sleep because of noise — and blows it up into a full-blown experience. Oppressive, absurd, and strangely funny all at once.

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The Job Fair

• ​Remote 2D Animator - Unlikely Sweets
  ​We strive to work on original and atypical projects, experimenting as much as possible during pre-production to refine the projects that we're most passionate about.We believe that good mechanics need a test bench to shine. We're looking for motivated talent to start creating vertical slices that could become our next big projects. We work completely remotely .
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• ​Motion Capture Animator - DON'T NOD​
  With a strong focus on memorable characters and meaningful choices, the Montreal team leads the development of in-house titles such as the critically acclaimed Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. As part of the DON’T NOD family, the Montreal studio is committed to creating innovative and inclusive games that resonate with players around the world.
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• ​3D Generalist - Think Shift​
  As a 3D Generalist, you thrive on variety. One day you’re sculpting clean, precise hard surfaces; the next you’re shaping organic forms with texture and grit. You know how to light a scene with mood, dial in materials that feel touchable, and render frames that punch like finished campaign art. But you don’t stop at stills, you bring it to life. You animate, you play with timing and rhythm, you make things move in ways that feel human, cinematic, or delightfully strange.You’re not afraid to experiment with particles, atmospherics, or wild simulations, anything that makes the work sing.
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• ​2D Character Animator - Cloudberry Animation Studio​
  At Cloudberry Animation Studio we are known for bringing our expertise in scripted show animation to the world of marketing. We release weekly episodes, creating an animated universe that elevates and encapsulates a brand's story and mission. Our team is made up of top-tier professionals including a head writer from Rick and Morty, and animators from Netflix and Adult Swim. With 450 five-star reviews, our studio has a proven track record of creating animated content that captivates audiences and drives engagement.

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The Random Stuff

• This week, I shared a bunch of new posts on LinkedIn — one of them about the incredible Cory Williams, the animator who once turned down a $5 million offer. Wild story. Come check it out​
• This week, I spent way too much time editing videos 😅 Since I can’t hire an editor right now, I’m doing everything myself — which is a bit of a challenge.
  But I found a tool that might save me: Descript. It’s an all-in-one editing app with some smart AI features, and honestly, it’s the first one that really sticks. Hopefully it’ll help me create more content for you in the long run.
• A couple of weeks ago, I got access to Comet, the new browser from Perplexity. I didn’t plan to switch from Arc… but it’s now back in my dock right beside Arc.
  The way it structures search results is just incredible — fast, clear, and conversational. After 20 years of “Googling,” I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I barely use Google anymore. If you haven’t tried Perplexity or Comet, you should — it’ll change how you search. 🚀

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Philippe Duvin​
Founder, Animator NOW

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