---

Issue #81 | January 4th, 2026

Hello Reader 👋
​​
So… here we are.
First Sunday of 2026.

Quick note about the thumbnail at the top: since September, I’ve been starting each issue with a fun smear frame—but lately, they’ve been harder to find (it’s mostly The Simpsons out there 😅). So from now on, I’ll feature standout frames from animated films more broadly. It keeps things fresh, and the possibilities feel endless. If I find a great smear, I’ll still throw it in!

Hope you like the new direction. And as always, if you spot a great frame—send it my way 👀
​
Now, I’m back on the West Coast, sitting at my desk, listening to Harmonielehre by John Adams, and waiting for the week to start. February and March will be big ones—renovation on the house begins, and with it, the first bricks of the new studio. I’ll be documenting that journey and sharing it with you, of course.

And while I don’t have anything wildly exciting to announce this week, I’ve been thinking a lot—and sometimes that’s enough to start writing.

This year, more than any before, I hope this newsletter reaches more of you—and means more to you. Not because I’m chasing numbers, but because helping people get closer to their creative goals is something I’ve come to love deeply. Building Animate Now has shown me just how powerful that can be. I didn’t expect to care this much. But now I do.

What surprises me most? People keep telling me I’m an inspiration. And I always find that… a little funny. A little weird. Because trust me—my path hasn’t been smooth. I’ve made hard choices. Money choices. Family sacrifices. I became a parent at 28, juggled toddlers with career pivots, said no to safety nets. And yet, for the past few years, something has felt right. Like things are finally aligned.

So if you’re feeling stuck—or lost—or like the fire hasn’t arrived yet—I just want to say: it’s okay. You’re not broken. You just haven’t found it yet. That thing that lights you up. It might be animation, it might be cooking. It might be something else entirely. Doesn’t matter. Passion is passion, whether it’s keyframes or sourdough.

I’ve always been someone with too many sparks and not enough buckets. New obsession every month. But the moment I locked into one thing—this business, this community, this dream—I started seeing real change.

And yeah, I know: social media is full of “follow your dream” cliches. But the truth is, they’re only cliches because we want to believe them… and we often don’t. We assume those stories aren’t for us. That we’re too late. Too busy. Too tired.

Let me tell you: you’re not.

What matters most isn’t talent. It’s not even discipline. It’s showing up. Day after day. No matter what. You can’t beat someone who keeps showing up.

So whatever you want to achieve in 2026—be kind to yourself. Don’t try to conquer it all in 6 months. Big dreams take time. Years, even. Pixar didn’t pop up overnight. Neither did Amazon. So why should your breakthrough?

What you can do is start. Today. A few minutes a day. Sketch. Animate. Read. Reflect. Repeat.

And one more thing:
Don’t be the person who says “tomorrow” every night and “maybe tomorrow” every morning.

Because that person?
They never move.
And you’re not them.
​
Let’s check back in December. Let’s see how far we’ve come.😊

Now, on to this week’s issue 👇

---

The Spotlight

Okay, I’ll be honest. I was looking for a stop-motion short to kick off 2026—something handmade, textured, and a little off the beaten path. Benigni came up… and well, I didn’t expect this.

It’s gross. Let’s start there. It has that raw, slightly off-putting, visceral quality that might turn some people away. And yet—I couldn’t stop watching.

​

There’s something deeply naïve and oddly charming about it. Beneath the surface weirdness, the craftsmanship is undeniable. The rhythm is spot on. The editing is sharp. The camera angles? Surprisingly elegant. If you really pay attention, the cinematography is way more thoughtful than you’d expect from a film with this kind of tone.

The story is basic—one man’s deep loneliness leads him to discover an unexpected companion… growing under his arm. Yep. It’s strange. But also funny, weirdly touching, and somehow works.

Small side note: when he plays the metallophone at the beginning—yes, my OCD musical brain kicked in—they totally set it up the wrong way. The high notes are on the wrong side. Not a big deal, but once you hear it, you can’t unsee it 😅

Still, there’s a twist at the end that hits this beautiful mix of funny, dramatic, and bizarre. I won’t spoil it, but let’s just say: it sticks with you.

It’s not a film I’d normally feature. But this one? It deserves the spotlight. For the craft. For the surprise. And because sometimes, animation gets under your skin—literally.
​​
​🎬 Credits
​​
​Directors: Elli Vuorinen, Pinja Partanen, Jasmiini Ottelin​
​​
Writers / Screenplay: Elli Vuorinen, Pinja Partanen, Jasmiini Ottelin​
​​
Country / Year / Length: Finland, 2009, about 8 minutes​​
​
Main voice (man / protagonist): Pentti Halonen​
​Music: Eerikki Heurlin​
​
​Cinematography / Camera: Shared by the three directors as part of their animation work (stop‑motion / puppet animation production credit is typically attributed collectively).​
​​
Sound design / Recording: Credited within the Finnish production crew alongside Heurlin, with a small sound team listed on festival and database entries.​

---

The Job Fair

• ​Blender 3D Character Animator - Pirogy Studios
  ​Young indie animation studio from Czechia. Working on 2D/3D projects with stylized graphics, mostly MOHO and BLENDER. We're looking for a mid-senior 3D character animator with experience in Blender3D, for a feature movie project "War with Salamanders" (VFX live-action with stylized CG characters, produced by In Film).
  ​
• ​Lead 3D Animator - A5 Labs​
  A5 Labs is looking for an experienced Lead 3D Animator to drive the creation of stylized character and prop animations for real-time games in the iGaming space. This role focuses on high-quality keyframe animation, technical integration(Unity 3D), and leading the 3D animation team. All animation work is done in industry-standard DCC tools (Maya or Blender), with export and integration into Unity.
  ​
• ​Senior Motion Designer - Alma​
  As Senior Motion Designer within the Brand team, you will be the driving force behind Alma's animated visual storytelling across all touchpoints. Your mission is to create compelling motion design and video content that brings our brand platform to life, engaging both merchants and consumers across Europe. With exceptional operational excellence, you'll manage projects end-to-end, maintain clear stakeholder communication, and consistently deliver on time to meet ambitious deadlines.

---

The Random Stuff

📺 Streaming Catch Up - My wife decided it was time to rewatch Desperate Housewives—so we’re knee-deep into season 4 right now. In parallel, I started something on my own that totally surprised me: Fallout. If you’re a gamer, you probably know the name already. I didn’t expect much, but wow… it’s seriously good. Gritty, weird, cowboy-meets-post-apocalyptic, with ghouls, gory scenes and dark humor—I’m hooked. Can’t wait to hit play again tonight 🤠💥

---

📝Note-taking rabbit hole - I’m still looking for the perfect note-taking setup. I love the feel of pen and paper—there’s a charm to it—but I live too deep in the digital world to go full analog. So I’ve been eyeing the Kindle Scribe (especially the newer 2025 color version) as a possible middle ground. The Remarkable 2 and Paper Pro also look good, but they’re pricey. If you’ve tried one and love it (or hate it), shoot me a message—I’d really love to hear what works for you.

---

🎹 Dream synth alert - I’ve had my eyes on the OP-1 from Teenage Engineering for years now. It’s a beautiful little music workstation—portable, quirky, and insanely versatile. Bon Iver used it heavily, and I’m just dreaming of making my own little soundscapes with it… someday. It’s not in the budget yet, but hey, 2026 is a long year 😉

​

---

Philippe Duvin​
Founder, Animator NOW

Follow Me

Follow Animator NOW

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.