.png){kind=logo}
2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Whale 52’ Director Daniel Neiden (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO)
Renowned animator Bill Plympton brings his signature hand-drawn style to ‘Whale 52,’ elevating this tender, magically real tale of connection.
Interviews
2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Pow!’ Director Joey Clift
‘Pow!’ blends three animation styles: 16-bit pixel art, hand-drawn 2D digital watercolor, and a unique sequence inspired by Plains ledger art.
Director Alex Woo On The Visual Guidelines That Hold ‘In Your Dreams’ Together Through Its Most Surreal Turns (EXCLUSIVE)
The director explains how childhood anxieties, dream journals, and a unified design language informed the film’s surreal yet cohesive aesthetic.
‘We Wanted To Show Why This World Was Worth Saving’: Showrunner Adam Muto On ‘Fionna and Cake’s’ More Grounded, City-Based Second Season
A more grounded, real-world setting in Season 2 meant higher personal stakes for the show’s characters and more detail-oriented work for its crew.
2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Black Man, Black Man’ Director Frank Abney
Pixar, DreamWorks, Sony vet Frank Abney’s ‘Black Man, Black Man’ transforms a personal poem into a powerful visual meditation on identity and healing.
2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Hairy Legs’ Director Andrea Dorfman
Canadian filmmaker Andrea Dorfman’s ‘Hairy Legs’ turns a teen’s choice not to shave into a bold, artful, and very funny story of identity and self-acceptance.
In Mike Roth’s ‘Bat-Fam,’ Prime Video’s ‘Merry Little Batman’ Gets The Series Spinoff It Deserves
Showrunner Mike Roth discusses how ‘Bat-Fam’ builds on ‘Merry Little Batman’s’ charm with a family-first approach to Gotham’s super-chaos.
2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘The Girl Who Cried Pearls’ Directors Chris Lavis And Maciek Szczerbowski
The hauntingly beautiful stop-motion short follows a poor boy who discovers a mysterious girl whose tears transform into luminous pearls.
When Animation Work Slowed, ‘Animaniacs’ Showrunner Gabe Swarr Built His Own Game Studio
Swarr says more animators should try game creation: “The tools and communities are here; it’s never been more accessible.”
First Look: Sámi-Swedish Director Oskar Östergren Njajta On Bringing Sámi Culture To Global Audiences In ‘Saajve’ (EXCLUSIVE)
A mythic animated adventure rooted in Sámi folklore, ‘Saajve’ explores identity, nature, and heritage in director Oskar Östergren Njajta’s debut feature.
Hyundai’s ‘Japanese Drift Master’ Promo Shifts Gears With Bold Manga-Style Animation
Animator James Martin brings manga-inspired energy to Hyundai’s ‘Japanese Drift Master’ promo with bold, high-speed 2D animation.
2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘On Weary Wings Go By’ Director Anu-Laura Tuttelberg
DOK Leipzig winner ‘On Weary Wings Go By’ is a 16mm stop-motion poem about the Nordic winter, where porcelain beings wander through fading light.
Cult Anime Legend Takeshi Koike Reflects On The Legacy Of ‘Lupin III’ And ‘Redline’: ‘The Key Word For Me Is Dynamism’
Koike discusses bringing intensity, style, and motion to Lupin’s world, and why collaboration drives his boundary-pushing anime vision.
‘A Movie Shouldn’t Be Something The Audience Fully Understands After Just One Viewing’: Yasuhiro Aoki On The Layered World Of ‘ChaO’
Director Yasuhiro Aoki reflects on crafting humor, rhythm, and visual contrast in ‘ChaO,’ a futuristic love story between a human and a mermaid.
Heartland Animation: Sarah Schmidt’s Independent Route To Adult Swim (EXCLUSIVE)
Chicago-based animator Sarah Schmidt proves mainstream animation doesn’t have to come from Hollywood with her Adult Swim ‘Gassy’s Gas ‘N Stuff’ shorts.
2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘The Night Boots’ Director Pierre-Luc Granjon
Annecy Cristal winner ‘The Night Boots’ features expressive monochromatic pinscreen animation that makes it one of the year’s most unforgettable shorts.
2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Wednesdays With Gramps’ Directors Chris And Justin Copeland (EXCLUSIVE TRAILER)
‘Wednesdays with Gramps,’ is a vibrant DreamWorks short that celebrates gaming, family bonds, and finding connection across generations.
2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Trash’s’ Team Of ESMA Student Filmmakers
ESMA’s sharp CG short ‘Trash’ follows a rat and pigeon through a decaying city, blending dystopian tension with striking artistry and sometimes hopeful beauty.
Director Mike Johnson On 20 Years Of ‘Corpse Bride’: ‘Proving Stop-Motion Could Be As Smooth And As Fluid As Computer Animation’
Mike Johnson discusses how ‘Corpse Bride’ reshaped stop-motion, proving the medium could match CG in fluidity and ambition while keeping to its handcrafted roots.
2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Murmuration’ Directors Janneke Swinkels And Tim Frijsinger
A nursing home resident finds himself suddenly transforming into a bird. Although he is still accepted, he feels it may be time to join a new flock.