Hello Reader 👋

This week, I had a funny little revelation while watching the new TV series Mr. & Mrs. Smith on Prime Video.

At first, I was caught up in the story — Maya Erskine and Donald Glover were incredible, the writing sharp, the acting so natural. Then it hit me. Donald Glover is also Childish Gambino. The same guy whose music I’ve been a huge fan of for years. I knew it, of course… but sometimes you don’t connect the dots until you see it right in front of you.

That realization unlocked something for me. Donald Glover isn’t “just” an actor or “just” a musician. He’s both, fully. Two avatars, one person. It got me thinking about us as animators.

We often lock ourselves into a single identity — “I’m an animator.” But what if animation is just one of our avatars? What if your other self is a storyteller, a musician, a writer, a YouTuber, or something else entirely?

I’ve been reflecting a lot on this for Animator NOW. At its core, yes, it’s about learning how to become a strong animator in today’s shifting industry. But it’s also about more than that — it’s about learning how to live as a creative. To explore, to reinvent, to adapt.

History shows us that those who evolve survive. I still remember when Disney made the leap from hand-drawn to CG with Chicken Little. Many animators struggled, but those who adapted went on to shape an entirely new era. That’s what I want for us: to stay open-minded, to embrace the shifts, and to carry more than one creative avatar with us.

Because you never know — the “other you” might just change everything. 🌱

This week I want to bring you a short that’s equal parts tender, poetic, and deeply human: Late Afternoon by Louise Bagnall (Cartoon Saloon).

The film follows Emily, an elderly woman slipping in and out of her memories as she drifts between present time and her younger self. Sunlight dances across the screen as moments of her childhood, motherhood, and love resurface — blending in watercolor-like swirls that feel as fragile as memory itself. It’s a visual language that speaks straight to the heart. 💫

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What I love most here is how the film captures the texture of memory. Scenes don’t arrive in neat sequences — they dissolve, overlap, and reappear, just as our own memories do. And the art direction makes every moment glow with warmth: soft edges, a pastel palette, and transitions that flow like brushstrokes in water. And also, the simple fact that the characters have no neck. 😂

Once again, animation proves itself as a medium that can tell stories in ways no other art form can. I’ve always been a huge fan of Song of the Sea and, in general, the worlds Cartoon Saloon creates. Late Afternoon is another piece that shows just how powerful and original animation can be.
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The 2D animation work here is exquisite — not just in character acting, but in the way camera changes are animated. The lines flow beautifully, especially during transitions between sequences. At times, the imagery expands into these wide, lens-like perspectives that pull you into Emily’s shifting world. It’s stunning work.

Louise Bagnall, who’s also directed at Cartoon Saloon (Song of the Sea, Wolfwalkers), manages to tell a universal story in just nine minutes. There’s no heavy exposition, no forced sentimentality — just pure, distilled emotion. The short was nominated for an Academy Award in 2019, and it’s easy to see why.

For me, Late Afternoon is a gentle reminder of why we animate: not just to entertain, but to connect with what makes us human. It’s about memory, family, and the fleeting nature of time. And maybe, it’s also about holding onto the little sparks of light even as everything else fades.

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