𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 is a weekly newsletter for animators. Every Sunday, I share short film reviews, animation tips and personal notes from life as an animator and creator. Inside, you’ll find curated shorts, animation tips, reflections on craft and career, and ideas to keep your animation and creativity alive.
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I’ve never worked on something this meaningful.
Published about 1 month ago • 5 min read
Issue #70 | October 19th, 2025
Smear frame from the Spider Verse
Hey Reader 👋 Since I announced the opening of Animator Now (coming October 24th!), things have somehow clicked into place. Everything is starting to move faster — a little chaotic, yes — but in that good, electric way when a dream starts turning into something real ⚡ Right now, I’m finishing the website design, and two amazing guests are lined up for the podcast — Kevin Parry and Cory Williams — with hopefully a third one that I won’t reveal just yet (but trust me, if I can get her on the pod… it’ll be perfectly aligned with what Animator Now stands for). And here’s something new: the podcast episodes with creators and animators will be exclusive to people inside the community.
The only public episodes will be my solo talks — the ones where I ramble about animation, creativity, and content creation.
You know, I’m not even stressed about it. Which is weird. When you launch something like this, there’s always that fear: What if no one shows up? What if no one cares?
But this time, the anxiety’s gone. The hardest part — starting — is already done. And that somehow took the pressure off.
Because once you start, there’s at least a chance of something happening — good or bad. If you never start, there’s nothing. Just the void.
And that’s what should really scare you.
If you’re hesitating to start your next project — your short film, demo reel, online class, YouTube channel — stop waiting to “be ready.” You’ll never feel ready.
Start doing something. Anything. The growth happens once you’re in motion.
Some people seem to be born with that mindset — they don’t question their worth, they just create. For the rest of us, mindset is a muscle. You can train it. Every time you do something that scares you, you grow stronger.
So if you’ve been waiting for a sign — here it is. Start the thing. 🌱
And if you want to do it together, come join us in Animator Now when it launches on October 24th. The first week only, you’ll get 60% off the Starter tier — the founding member offer. Want to make sure you don’t miss that first-week 60% discount? Just sign up for a quick launch reminder — I’ll send you a heads-up the moment doors open. 😊
This week, I want to share something very different from what I usually feature here — an animated short from India called Wade, created by the collective Ghost Animation.
It’s set in a near-future Kolkata, flooded and collapsing under the weight of climate change. A family of refugees navigates the drowned streets… until a tiger appears.
That’s the pitch — but Wade is so much more than that.
I’ll be honest: the character design and animation style aren’t exactly my cup of tea. It’s rough, bold, almost graphic-novel-like — not the polished or stylized look I usually gravitate toward. But despite that, I couldn’t stop watching. The story, editing, cinematography, and sound design are so powerful that they pull you in from the first seconds and don’t let go. Every cut feels intentional, every silence loaded. The opening sequence, showing the flooded streets and ruins of Kolkata, reminded me of one of my all-time favorite shorts — Peripheria by David Coquard-Dassault. Both share that haunting, post-apocalyptic calm before chaos — a quiet observation of a world slowly reclaiming what humans built. 🌆
And the writing… wow. There are moments that truly take your breath away — not in a comforting way, but in that “I can’t believe that just happened” kind of way. It’s not a family-friendly film by any means. It’s dark, intense, and brutally honest about what survival might look like if our planet keeps heading where it’s heading.
The background paintings are exquisite — incredibly detailed, almost photographic at times. You can feel the humidity, the smell of stagnant water, the eerie stillness between the chaos. Whether it’s all matte painting or composited from photos, it just works.
What makes Wade special isn’t only its craftsmanship — it’s its courage. The directors, Kalp Sanghvi and Upamanyu Bhattacharyya, don’t romanticize Kolkata’s future. They confront it. It’s a story born from fear and love for a city that might one day drown.
If you care about environmental storytelling, or if you just want to see what happens when independent animation pushes into darker, riskier territory — give Wade your time. It’s not easy to watch, but it stays with you. 🌊🐅
The Job Fair
2D Animator - Akelius Languages Online We are developing a language learning application for children and adults.It is used by non-governmental organizations worldwide. We are looking for a creative and skilled Animator with strong experience in 2D character animation for educational or storytelling projects.
Multiple animation positions - Twine Join a high-impact project focused on delivering a cinematic 3D animation that brings to life the foundational ideas of innovation, humanity, and infrastructure. This role centers on crafting a visually stunning narrative for a flagship initiative, utilizing immersive world-building and AI-powered storytelling. The animation will feature a sophisticated Apple Vision Pro-inspired aesthetic, with a gold, blue, and purple neon palette, and an epic orchestral soundtrack. The goal is to create an emotional and inspirational experience that communicates a visionary ecosystem to investors and collaborators.
2D Flash/Animate Animator - Atomic Cartoons Inc. Atomic Cartoons Inc. is an award-winning animation studio with locations in Vancouver's Mt. Pleasant Animation District, Ottawa's Hintonburg neighborhood and Los Angeles. Since its inception over 25 years ago, Atomic Cartoons has created and produced numerous 2D and CG animation productions including Princess Power and Last Kids on Earth. Atomic is well known for its artist-friendly culture and flexible work environment. We are always looking for artists of all levels to join our team!
2D Animator- Rawr Pictures Rawr Pictures is an award-winning animation studio based in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, known for crafting bold stories and stunning visuals that engage audiences worldwide. Specializing in 3D and 2D animation, high-quality visual effects, and bespoke content, our versatile team delivers exceptional animated experiences across TV, film, social media, commercials, and branded projects.
I watched “A Complete Unknown” — the Bob Dylan biopic with Timothée Chalamet. I’m a huge fan of this guy. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a single bad performance from him. Whether it’s Beautiful Boy or Call Me By Your Name, he just disappears into the role every time. And here, as Dylan? Unreal. He barely smiles, his whole energy shifts — it’s like watching a completely different person. The film covers the era from ’62 to ’65, leading to the famous Newport concert. If you love Bob Dylan or just great acting, go see it. It made me want to dust off the guitar and play Blowin' in the Wind again
I also watched “The Woman in Cabin 10” on Netflix— with Keira Knightley. It’s got that Agatha Christie meets luxury yacht kind of vibe. A bit predictable here and there, but still a really fun watch if you just want to chill out after a long day. Definitely a solid late-night decompression film. Now...the truth is I have been secretly in love with Keira Knightley since Love Actually 🤣
I started reading The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett. I honestly thought it would be about podcasting, but it’s way deeper than that. Each chapter (or “law”) digs into mindset, self-awareness, and what it really takes to build something meaningful — in business and in life. I started listening to the audiobook while driving… then bought the physical copy just so I could take notes. It’s that good. Highly recommend it if you’re into personal growth, creativity, or entrepreneurship.
PS. Some links in the newsletter are affiliate links. PSS. Was this forwarded to you? 👉 Subscribe here PSSS. Hit reply any time. I reply to every single email.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 is a weekly newsletter for animators. Every Sunday, I share short film reviews, animation tips and personal notes from life as an animator and creator. Inside, you’ll find curated shorts, animation tips, reflections on craft and career, and ideas to keep your animation and creativity alive.
Issue #74 | November 16th, 2025 Smear frame from the Simpsons Hey Reader 👋This week was tough. The kind of tough where you wake up and wonder if you ever actually slept. Our 17-month-old is in a no-sleep era, and let me tell you—nothing tests your endurance like parenting on a sleep deficit while trying to keep up with client deadlines, building a community, and growing a business with half of a functioning brain 🧠🔥. Still… I made it through. And not just barely. We hosted our second live...
Issue #73 | November 9th, 2025 Smear frame from the Iron Giant Hey Reader 👋Something’s shifting. Not all at once—but quietly, steadily. And it kind of started with the vlog. There’s something raw about it. I turn on the camera, talk straight into the lens, press publish—and that’s it. No editing, no polishing. Even the thumbnails and titles get about 30 seconds of thought. It’s not strategy. It’s therapy. And weirdly enough… it’s working. By letting go of control, by staying loose, I started...
Issue #72 | November 2th, 2025 Smear frame from Lego The Movie Hey Reader 👋I’m writing this with a smile on my face. For the longest time, I feared the launch of Animator NOW would be a total flop. You know, one of those ghost-town launches where nobody shows up and you start questioning every life choice that got you there. But… a couple of people showed up. And somehow, we now have a real community forming — slowly but surely. 🎉 I didn’t expect much, to be honest. In the entrepreneurial...
