Hello Reader 👋

When I first started dreaming about teaching animation online, I felt stuck.

Every idea I had seemed… already done. Animation Mentor, AnimSchool — the giants were already doing incredible work.
And there I was, sitting with my notebook, wondering:
​What do I have that’s different?

The only answer I could find was my own way of teaching.
And back then, it didn’t feel like enough.

I didn’t want to be a small fish in a big pond. I wanted to swim in my own little pond — where I could actually breathe.

But time is a funny teacher.

Because what grew from that frustration wasn’t just a course — it was a community. A place where animation is only the beginning.

Because here’s the truth:

Today, learning to animate isn’t enough.
You also have to learn how to live as an animator — how to find your voice, your audience, your way of making a living doing this thing we love.
That, honestly, should be the last lesson of every animation school.

And that’s where we’re heading with Animator NOW.

It’s why I’m so excited about September’s podcast with Kevin Parry — not just an animator, but a creator who’s built a life out of his art.
Looking back, I see now that I wasn’t stuck at all.

I was just too early.

Sometimes, originality doesn’t come from forcing it — it just… arrives, when you’re ready for it.

Now, on to this week’s issue 🌴😊

During our trip, I didn’t have much screen time — except for those quiet nights when my son was asleep. That’s when I’d catch up on a few films and shows.

​

One of them was a surprise gem: Candy Apple, a 2023 CalArts graduation film by Luke Liu.

And wow… what a beautiful ride.

I won’t spoil it for you, because it deserves to unfold on its own. Here’s the setup: Dante, the main character, is swamped with work. His son, Lucas, keeps tugging at him to go to the carnival. One moment of lost patience changes everything — and what follows is a story that hits deep, especially if you’re a parent.

You know I love films about the bond between parents and their children — but this one goes even further than I expected. It’s funny and light at the start, then shifts into something emotional and dramatic, and it does it beautifully.

The animation? Exquisite.

I especially loved Dante’s opening phone call scene: the way he grabs a cigarette with the opposite hand while juggling the phone and tucking the other hand into his pocket. Little acting choices like that separate good animation from great performance.
​
The opening moments are pose-to-pose and stylized, but as the story deepens, the animation finds another gear, bringing that emotional weight to life.

It’s a short, but it lingers — the kind of film that quietly stays with you after the credits.

Go watch it.
Seriously.🍿

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