# WeAnimate Magazine > WeAnimate Magazine is dedicated to all the people who animate and make things, lines, and ideas come to life, with a special focus on the Danish and Nordic animation community. We focus primarily on in-depth portraits of the people behind the scene and secondarily we try to keep the community updated with relevant information from Denmark and the Nordics. The magazine is founded by The Danish Animation Society. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### About URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/about/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T18:04:58.000Z WeAnimate Magazine is dedicated to all the people who animate and make things, lines, and ideas come to life. The magazine is founded by The Danish Animation Society, but the editorial board runs independently. --- ## **Supporters** ### WeAnimate Magazine is financially supported by: The Danish Animation Society The Animation Workshop / VIA University College --- ## **Company information** ### **Business ID / CVR** DK39657597 ### **ISSN** 2596-7312 ### **Address** Kasernevej 8 8800 Viborg Denmark ### **Contact** e. [hello@weanimate.dk](mailto:hello@weanimate.dk) w. weanimate.dk ## Posts ### The Heart of the Machine with Søren Bendt URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/the-heart-of-the-machine-with-soren-bendt/ Last updated: 2026-09-19T17:15:41.000Z *WeAnimate met Søren Bendt at Arsenalet in Viborg. Just last week, The Concept Art Association CAA nominated him as a Live-Action Storyboard Finalist 2026 for his work on Spider-Man: Brand New Day. For nearly 20 years, Søren Bendt has worked as a storyboard, VFX, and concept artist on some of the biggest projects in the world, with credits like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, and, most recently, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. He has recently returned to Denmark and started an office in Viborg. In this remarkably candid interview, he talks about his journey from The Animation Workshop to feature films, his approach to storyboarding, and his experiences in the industry.* **SB:** I’m not usually interviewed. I’m just a guy in a machine room, down here with a wrench. There’s nothing very high or pretentious in my role. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/IMG_3684.JPG) **WA:** Let’s just talk a bit about your journey from being an animation grad to being a storyboard artist for live-action films. **SB:** Yes. I studied at The Animation Workshop, doing 2D and 3D animation. At that time, I was really inspired by *Star Wars*, and wanted to be a director. Honestly, I wanted to direct the next *Star Wars* movie, but I also just wanted to know what it would be like to work on really big projects. I got an internship in San Francisco, at a game studio called Double Fine. I loved it. I was an animator on a video game called *Brutal Legend*, and it had Jack Black in it, and it was so cool. I always found 3D to be an amazing tool, but when I saw people doing concept art I really felt like that was what I wanted to do. I had a lot of ideas around concept art, and they were receptive to my ideas. One of the great things about that studio is that they didn’t really pigeonhole people, so there was room to move around and explore. They had quite a few people from Pixar who had left for exactly that reason: they had been pigeonholed and wanted to branch out more. That was really informative for me; the idea that a studio could allow you to move and grow. Everything at Double Fine went really well, and they were talking about how perhaps I could work there, and I was so excited to go work in San Francisco. But it turned out that I couldn’t get the green card. I was just out of uni and didn’t have a lot of experience, so they couldn't really argue that there was a compelling reason to hire *me*, rather than a local. So that didn’t happen. But I still had this urge to go - I always felt a kind of calling to leave Denmark and go somewhere else. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/spider-man-brand-new-day-reflection-teaser-poster-4x5-only-in-cinemas-july-31-1776161820582.jpg) @Marvel Studios So I was really disappointed when I didn’t get the visa, and felt like maybe I had missed my shot. Previously, I had done a little test at A. Film, and it’s not that I didn’t appreciate the idea that I could have a job in animation here in Denmark, but I was just so enamored with the idea of traveling abroad and working on big international projects… There was a whole sense of adventure that was inspiring. And I felt like if there was a time, that was the time to do it. So I didn't work with A. Film, and I got into a bit of a slump. Then one of my classmates, Rasmus Møller, reached out. He had gone to London and was working for Cartoon Network, and I think perhaps he had enough of my whinging. So he sent me a list of like 40 companies that he had made, and told me that I had to send an email to all of these companies. Eventually I very reluctantly did it, grouching the whole time. I only got one reply. Framestore was doing a feature at the time called *The Tale of Despereaux*, and they were looking for a rough layout artist. The Animation Workshop taught us a lot of different skills, but I think today there is much more awareness of all the different disciplines within filmmaking. At the time, I didn’t really know exactly what a layout artist was, but I did an interview with a guy named Brad Blackburn, who I think was also doing some layout supervision on *Shrek*, and that was the kind of project I definitely wanted to try. > **I wanted to know what it was like to be behind the scenes and work on huge films, and find out how they do it. The answer, of course, is that they do it exactly the same way as a tiny production, with the same problems. It’s always the pipeline and those kinds of things. But I got into the 3D rough layout department, and it was actually a really good place for me in terms of later becoming a storyboard artist.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Unknown.jpeg) In rough layout, we would get the 2D storyboards and do a basic breakdown of what they might look like in 3D. So you’re interpreting the storyboards, but you are also choosing very specific things, like lenses. I had never done photography, and hadn’t really done anything with lenses; in my own short film I had changed the lens, but just kind of intuitively. I never had a cheat sheet, like “for *this* kind of emotional impact, choose *this* lens,” so a whole new world opened up. In *The Tale of Despereaux,* the characters we had were all rats and mice, so their noses were really long, which actually doesn't look very good with a wide lens, because their eyes get small and their faces less appealing. Generally the characters needed to be shot with long lenses, to compress their faces a bit. But the long lens also flattens the backgrounds, and they wanted the world to feel very big, because these are small characters in a large space. So the backgrounds need to have a wide lens, so you have to figure out how to make these lenses work with the emotional impact. That was super informative, and I learned so much from Brad, making the camera work more like a real-life camera does. > **All these camera skills tend to go under the radar when you are studying animation; you don’t always create things that really feel cinematic. In 3D it’s possible to make the camera move in ways that are kind of uncanny, doing things the physical world wouldn’t allow. You end up needing to think of the camera as a character, and making it move more like it does in a film. Unless you want to call that into question, and start to change the language of film around camera decisions, which a new generation may want to do.** So I did rough layout at Framestore for about a year and really enjoyed it. There was a lot of talk about how Universal was going to build a new partnership with Framestore and we were going to make a second film after *Tale of Desperaux*… but as the film was starting to wrap up, the next one wasn’t starting up, and where were all the people who worked on it supposed to go? When you are fresh out of uni, you are more focused on the present, jumping into every opportunity, and you aren’t really aware of these kinds of changes. So they let us all go from Framestore very suddenly, and I learned the hard way that that’s just how the industry goes. Later I would learn that there are about 3 or 4 major VFX houses in London, and senior people just bounce around between these companies in a kind of cycle. So a friend of mine got a job at MPC and recommended me, and I got a job there too. Although I wanted to work on something big, and I wanted a peek behind the scenes, to find out what it’s like to play my trumpet in a big orchestra (it turns out that it’s a lot like playing the trumpet in a small orchestra; there’s just a lot more trumpets around), I didn’t want anything specific in terms of my role. It was just exciting to learn all these new things. Of course my inner ambitious 12 year old still wanted to direct the next *Star Wars*, but I really just wanted to be part of it. I really liked rough layout, and sometimes I would try to do a bit of animation, but my animations just weren’t as good as the “real” character animators. I could tell that I had more skill for cinematography, for staging, and I would kind of run out of stamina with animation. > **I’m not that great of an animator, actually; it was pretty hard for me. The sheer drawing skills required for good solid 2D animation are just so demanding, and my craftsmanship just wasn’t there. I was struggling to learn animation, but I was honestly struggling to simply *draw* the thing I wanted to animate. I think that’s where 3D helps sometimes, if you are wrestling with perspective *and* anatomy *and* animation on top of it. That’s why you start with a bouncing ball. But if you are ambitious, and want to also do the acting, it’s very tough.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/IMG_3681.JPG) Also, when I was doing an animation, I would usually have a sense for whether it was good enough or whether it was how I wanted it to be. Then, if someone told me to change the eye blink by 2 frames, it would make me really furious. Taking feedback on animation just didn’t work for me. It felt a bit like a personal attack. If I’ve animated something, I have done it, and that’s how it should be. Also it was really difficult for me, so I don’t want to change it. It’s hard to just try this or try that: it takes a whole day of watching playblasts. Whereas in layout, everything is kind of rough, so if someone suggests making a change or something, it’s easier to just try doing it that way. It feels less personal. Working on long sequences in layout gave me a sense that I was actually making a movie, which fit better with what I can do and what I like to do. Then I got into previs. Previs is kind of like doing a storyboard in 3D, but it has a lot more technical aspects to it. And I had gotten good at Maya, but it started to become clear that either I had to learn programming and scripting, or I had to get back toward art. My job was turning into math, and, like a lot of artists, I drew so much as a kid because math was not my thing. But I realized that my craftsman skills were too far from where they needed to be in order to do what I wanted to do. I needed to get back to basics. So at MPC they had a life drawing class once a week, and I would go. And I started going other places to do life drawing. Life drawing life drawing life drawing. Then the guy who arranged the life drawing left the company, so I got the contact info of all the models, and I started sending the email, and I became the guy who arranged the life drawing. It really became my thing. > Life drawing life drawing life drawing. > – Søren Bendt ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/1000_postits.JPG) > **Of course the journey to improve your skills never ends, but all that drawing really propelled me forward. Drawing the gestures just gives me something special. It’s physical, on paper, away from the computer. The computer is magical, but sometimes you think, “Am I doing this to the computer, or is it doing it to *me*?” Whereas with the paper, it’s me doing it with the paper.** Unfortunately, I also suck at color, so my concept art was struggling. An email went out at MPC looking for people to join the concept art department, and everyone in my layout team prodded me, because I had become the guy who spent every lunch break painting something, and doing life drawing and sketch crawls after work. > **One thing I learned during that time is that you really have to show what you want to do. You have to be honest and verbalize these things, which can be scary, especially if you are young and inexperienced, because it comes with the possibility of rejection. If you ask someone to let you do something, they can always say no. I ran into a lot of people at those life drawing classes who wanted to be concept artists, but nobody ever knew. So I kept my sketchbook around and surrounded myself with those things, which made it easy for people to understand what I really wanted.** I was nervous about trying to be in the art department, but they told me I could just go and sit there and learn how it worked. I sat with some really great artists, and got a little taste of it. And even though I wasn’t as good as those guys, I felt like I could do that. I could make contributions that bear fruit. My drawings went into dailies, and that was a huge boost for me. But then I was kicked back into layout when that was done. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/1763457071104-Rebekah-Villon.jpg) Then my old boss Brad reached out and said that he was starting a new previs/development type of thing at Double Negative. He knew what I was working toward, since I was open about it and kept a blog and everything, and he was always very much into drawing little thumbnails and very encouraging of drawing. I kind of felt like I had reached a dead end at MPC, and I wanted to try something different. So we started this previs thing at Dneg, and at the time it was very bare bones. But that was a neat little place for me to be, where I was drawing and I did a lot of different things, mostly focused around previs. I think *Dark Knight Rises* was the first project we did, and I was so excited to be working on a Batman movie. I mean, that’s part of it for me: meeting these directors, talking with them, seeing it all take shape - it’s so exciting. **WA:** You’ve worked on some huge movies. **SB:** Yes, it’s kind of amazing looking back on it. I am thinking a lot about this, because I just got an office at Arsenalet, and I’m back in Viborg a couple days a week. And it very quickly puts me back in my student shoes, from like 20 years ago. It’s such whiplash. We went and saw *Spiderman* there, and it felt like I worked on it in some other life, some other Søren in the UK. It’s so hard to connect that, standing with my two feet in Viborg, and thinking about what I’ve really done. > **For me, the big turning point was *Captain Phillips*. I was leading the film’s previs team on these sequences, and we were exploring these ships, figuring out how to film various shots. Because Brad and I both come from animation, everything was always focused on a sequential workflow: you’re not just solving the technical problem of mounting a camera on a boat, you are focused on telling the story. But once you have one shot and another shot after it, you have to start making story decisions. As soon as you create a sequence of things, and shots start matching up, some options start to be eliminated.** It was also technically complicated to allow people to work on sequences, so it was always one artist for one shot, and nobody had any context, or any way to judge how things were working. It was very technically challenging, and we were running really low on time, so we started focusing on the workflow. I found that the easiest way for me to delegate the work and make things more efficient was to start drawing storyboards on post-it notes. I drew the whole sequence and went over it with Brad, and then we could all stand together and look at it. And because it was just a post-it note, I could pull it down, make some changes, and put it back up. It was very exciting for people to understand what was going on, and they also started coming up with their own ideas, so even people who didn’t draw still felt like they were part of it. Then we could distribute the post-it notes, and everyone knew how their shots fit into the whole. We had these big walls with all the sequences on them, and we could move them around depending on what we are working on, going from storyboards to previs. We started to have a little kind of animation-ish pipeline. It helped grow us as a team, and made us excited about the story, and gave us a lot of momentum. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Old-Guard-1-Rebekah-Villon.jpg) When the editor on *Captain Phillips* came in and saw all these walls and walls of post-it notes, he would suggest that perhaps it should go like *this,* and he would edit the walls. And that’s awesome, because now he’s collaborating and taking ownership. It stops being the thing that *I’m* doing and becomes the thing that *we* are doing. > It stops being the thing that ***I’m*** doing and becomes the thing that ***we*** are doing. > – Søren Bendt Then what happened is that we couldn’t previs the whole thing - it was just too big. And the day came to present it to Paul Greengrass. And they really liked that we had the whole sequence in place, but a lot of it was just still scanned post-it notes with arrows on them, cut in with playblasts. > **In the past, editorial always replaced missing shots with a title card that said something like “Wide Shot of Ship”. I had noticed that whenever we had clients or directors reviewing a sequence, as soon as those title cards popped up, they would look away. The spell is broken. The text is informative and useful, but even the crappiest sketch is more visually engaging than text on the screen. So Brad suggested using the drawings instead of the title cards. I was so nervous, because now my drawings, instead of being in the little safe haven of my team, were going out there to be seen by everybody** So when Brad had the big meeting with Paul Greengrass and some of the company leadership to review the sequences, he suggested that I come along. So I got to meet the director, and he was so sweet. You could see him thinking about his whole movie, because we were kind of offering up a version of it, in the way we were solving some of the technical challenges. But I think also because they were just on post-it notes, just little scribbles, it didn’t feel like we were taking over the movie. And he said, “Let’s just do the drawings.” I was so surprised, because the drawings were an excuse for the missing shots, but he was satisfied with the drawings. So they asked if I could do it, and of course I immediately said yes. That was the first real moment of change. After the meeting, I was no longer leading the previs team: I was suddenly storyboarding the movie. They handed me the full script, and it was huge. But everyone really liked visualizing the whole film in that way, rather than just focusing on the VFX shots. It was more inspiring. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/IMG_3685.JPG) > **Ultimately, I think my job a lot of times is bringing these gifts to the director, hoping that they like them. When I said I wanted to direct the next *Star Wars* movie, I didn’t really understand what directing a movie was. It’s so demanding. The luxury of just enjoying the story barely exists for them, because they are managing so many things, and operating on a whole other level. So here are my innocent, exciting little post-it notes.** **WA:** What is the difference between working on big movies and small movies? **SB:** I never worked much on small movies. I’m actually curious about that, because I’ve come back to Denmark now, and I’m wondering if I will work in the local industry or not. I’m not entirely sure. > **Of course you run into the same exact problems, as I’ve said. The pipeline *never* works. The pipeline is always a mess. The script is never locked in, because someone always has a new idea. And for a long time I was very focused on that kind of thing, trying to understand how I could fix it, trying to pinpoint the problem, and make things more efficient. But that IS the process. And I’ve learned that I actually really like this process, often more than I enjoy the final result. I like the aspect of exploring and imagining, rather than just executing on a deadline.** I’ve talked with my Danish animation friends, and it’s amazing that we always end up kind of moaning and bitching about the exact same things. And as long as there are humans involved, it’s always going to be that way. So much of the problems are in how people communicate. Collaboration is the key. Every movie is different because every director is different. Every time I have a meeting for a new project, it’s not even really an interview. It’s more like we are feeling each other out, to see if we can work together. And yes I would like the job, because I want to work, it’s important for existing, but there is an element of needing to feel a click, feeling like you understand them. So I do a little presentation about how I tend to work, but I also point out that every director is different, and also different sequences are different. Maybe one sequence has a lot of motion or energy, or maybe they want a different workflow, and you have to feel it out as you go along. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Spiderman-1-Rebekah-Villon-1.jpg) @Marvel Studios Storyboarding can be so many things: it’s not just 4 panels per page. It might be pages you tab through, but it might also be a diagram. It could be blocking - that’s also storyboarding. So you just learn to adapt, and that’s another important skill, to feel that out as you work with someone. > **It’s so easy for people to understand a drawing, what it is and who did it. We have so many visual things that are so complicated that it’s hard for someone to understand what any one person actually did. Did you do lighting, did you do the models, did you do the camera? But here. It’s a sketch. It doesn’t have all the information in it. It doesn’t tell you exactly the distance that something is traveling, it doesn’t tell you how long it happens. But it helps people focus on what it *is* doing. It's telling the story. Is it telling the story or not? Is that the shot or not? It’s obvious that it’s an idea, it’s not committed, what other things can we do? It helps to narrow down everything.** Working on the Marvel movies, for example, as opposed to working on Edgar Wright films… Edgar does his own thumbnails, which is amazing. He locks in his script, and then you execute it, almost like an animation, and I think that’s why his style is so strong. Whereas on, like, *Spiderman*, it’s almost like every department is making almost a separate movie, and the director needs to walk around and communicate with each department individually, telling them over and over again what the movie is, but in their own language. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Spiderman-2-Rebekah-Villon-1.jpg) @Marvel Studios **WA:** What’s the best part of your job? **SB:** The best part of my job is when you feel like you’re watching the movie together, or watching what the movie could be. When someone is talking, the movie starts playing in your head, but when it’s in your head you’re never quite sure if it’s the same movie or not. The sketches help all that to synchronize, and OH MY GOD we are watching the same movie in our heads. That connection is so amazing, and it generates all this excitement, and *that’s* what we’re doing and *that’s* what we like. And I think that energy carries forward into the finished movie, into what we see on screen, so that hopefully the audience can have a similar experience and be equally excited. Feeling that synchronization is the best feeling. > **Another great part of my job is that I get to be involved in all the creativity of it, but the responsibility is off my shoulders. I can creatively come up with all kinds of things, I can make a fun little play room where the director can explore things, but I am completely shielded from the consequences.** You’re kind of attached at the hip to the director, which puts you pretty high in the hierarchy, and at the same time nobody really knows who you are. And then you just go and sit and draw. You really are deep in the machine, working with all the oils and getting all gunky, and showing up a little bit crazy after a couple days of no sleep with some great ideas. It’s kind of a cheat code for the director to explore a script that doesn’t exist yet. It offers some options where they can explore, and it’s fairly cheap and fairly fast, and can exist in its own little world. And I feel very at home in that world. > You’re kind of attached at the hip to the director, which puts you pretty high in the hierarchy, and at the same time nobody really knows who you are. > – Søren Bendt **WA:** And what’s the worst part of your job? **SB:** The worst part of my job is that the industry is what it is. You’re a freelancer. It’s great when you are working, and worrying when you aren’t working. When you’re working you think of all the other things you would like to be doing, but when you aren’t working you don’t do those things because you are worried about not working. You can never feel comfortable in it, especially as you get older. > **So I’m happy that I have done the things that have gotten me to where I am now. You have to be kind of young and overly ambitious and a bit naive to keep doing the work, and I’m grateful for that now. But it’s very hard to achieve job security, to feel safe. You have to constantly push away the insecurity and take a deep breath and remind yourself that you’ll be okay, that you’ve been in this position before. It’s just part of the industry, and it’s not a sign that you have somehow failed. Because of course it feels like failure, going from all the adrenaline of production to suddenly sitting on the couch and feeling like it’s all over.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Spiderman-3-Rebekah-Villon-1.jpg) @Marvel Studios **WA:** What are you working on now? **SB:** I’m currently working with Paul King on his next project. Of course it’s under an NDA, so I can’t talk about it much. A lot of the work is very loose and rough so far, but I think it was Brad Bird who said “Not all shots are equal”, and that’s also true for storyboards. You find moments that really stand out as an exciting picture, and set the tone for the whole sequence. I always try to keep that initial approach of the post-it notes, to keep it rough and nimble, but of course you get better and better over time, and of course I *want* to get better and better over time. If I’m never given enough time to do a good drawing, to capture a sense of the emotion, a sense of the lighting, then it’s hard to create something that gets me excited for the sequence. So I need to create those key moments in order to have a balance. You can see that in Edgar’s thumbnails, for example: *here* he isn’t really committed, it’s just some vague scribbles. But *here* he is really committed, he has a clear vision of it. So that’s the drawing I really focus on, because it’s the anchor point for the sequence, and I can marry everything into it. Another advantage of drawing is that you can almost do it live. I’ll be sitting with the director and we’ll be screensharing or I’ll have a piece of paper, and we’ll just do it in real time together. The very best thing is when the person picks up a pencil, and they contribute themselves. They also get a little respect for the craft of drawing, for figuring out how to visualize something. So yes, the drawing is important, but the communication around the drawing is more important. See Søren Bendt's website for more info: [https://sorenbendt.com](https://sorenbendt.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) Søren's nomination as 2026 Concept Art Association Finalist : Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Images: ****Courtesy of the rights holders** Photo****: WeAnimate** wam#177 ### Winners of the Viborg Animation Festival 2026 URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/winners-of-the-viborg-animation-festival-2026/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T11:18:57.000Z ### On Friday, September 11th, 2026, it was Award Time at Viborg Animation Festival once again. See all the animation winners here: Viborg Animation Festival (VAF) was held from September 7 to 13 and is the go-to event for Nordic animation. The festival combines professional screenings with talks, workshops, a pitching competition, exhibitions, and much more. It's the most important animation event in Denmark and the Nordics, not least due to its proximity and collaboration with the world-renowned animation school The Animation Workshop (voted #3 animation school in the world by the Animation Career Review, 2026). The winners were announced at the award ceremony Friday night on September 11. --- ### **Audience Award** *Please*, Anna Mantzaris (Sweden, France, Czech Republic, Norway, Finland) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Please-1.webp) --- ### **FVV Danish Talent Award** *Nothing Will Die,* Rasmus Sølvsten (Denmark) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Nothing-Will-Die-Poster_04--1--1.jpg) *Read the article about Rasmus Sølvsten and his film Nothing Will Die:* [The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Rasmus Sølvsten and Nothing Will DieWe are sitting in a bird’s nest, the style is 2D animation in what appears very hand-drawn. You get a sense that the world is dangerous and ominous. Chicks fill the nest, and a big bird swoops down. You take in the world and begin to wonder what it’s all about.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-42481b7b-3753-4820-80e9-7e6f0030ac1f.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/PORTR--T-01-1-80b516d6-c4db-4e0c-8003-63343b9ae4ba.png)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-rasmus-solvsten/) --- ### **Best Graduation Film** *Ball Face*, Laurence Thérien (U.K., Canada) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Ball-Face.jpg) --- ### **Best Experimental Film** *Venezia Diorama*, Nicolas Piret (Belgium) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Venezia-Diorama.webp) --- ### **Best Short Film** *God Is Shy*, Jocelyn Charles (France) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/God-Is-Shy.webp) --- ### **Children’s Choice Award** *The Epic of Enkidu*, Mike A. Smith (U.S.) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/The-Epic-of-Enkidu.jpg) --- ### **Zeitgeist Award** *Please*, Anna Mantzaris (Sweden, France, Czech Republic, Norway, Finland) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Please.webp) --- ### **VAF Talent Jam** *The Religious Quest of Saint Kjeld & His Slightly Questionable Use of Coffins* Created by: - Alex Weigelt Rasmussen, The Animation Workshop CG Arts - Andreas Kamp Hansen, VIA University College – Software Engineering - Marius Noah Jegbjerg, VIA University College – Software Engineering - Max Dymaretska, VIA University College – Software Engineering - Simon Jakobsen, VIA University College – Software Engineering --- ### *Cirkeline Award* *Sponsored by The Danish Animation Society* *Jannik Hastrup and Hanne Hastrup* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Cirkeline.png) *Read the article with Jannik Hastrup:* [Vital attitudes with Jannik HastrupThrough a lifetime’s work, animator and director Jannik Hastrup has stood up for the weak and at risk, with his buildable, poetic, funny, and dramatic stories for children - from Circleen, Benny’s Bathtub and Samson and Sally, to War of the Birds, HC Andersen and The Long Shadow, and![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-76f02901-b09f-4807-9686-b82e17c68f92.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/KimWendt-1390_2-6d95fd45-54fc-4fcf-aa66-77659dc4ce89.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/jannikhastrup1/) More about the Cirkeline Award (sponsoret by The Danish Animation Society WAU) (in Danish) [Danish article about the Cirkeline Award ](https://viborganimationfestival.dk/nyheder/cirkeline-laegger-navn-til-ny-dansk-haederspris-hanne-og-jannik-hastrup-bliver-de-foerste-modtagere/?utm%5Fsource=ig&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fcontent=link%5Fin%5Fbio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAadBNGrY%5FewkyqoajpYm4yh1KILq1lWPnNKCorYeLic3V4upN1NQW1Ffk0ztBw%5Faem%5FNh4gpqzftOcCgU81Y6J21A) --- Check the Viborg Animation Festival here, and make sure to mark your calendar for the 2027 edition: [https://animationsfestival.dk](https://animationsfestival.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****WeAnimate** wam#0178 ### Animation winners at Odense Film Festival 2026 URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/animation-winners-at-odense-film-festival-2026/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T07:35:15.000Z ## On Saturday, August 29th, 2026, it was Award Time at Odense Intl' Short Film Festival once again, and once again Danish animation had a front-row seat. See all the animation winners here: **BØRGE RING AWARD** Awarded to the best Danish or international animation short film in program. The award is Oscar-qualifying and as sponsored by The Danish Animation Society. The winner receives a cash prize of DKK 15,000 + a beautiful bronze statuette designed by Joana-Malin Davis and based on Børge Rings Oscar winning short film "Anna & Belle". ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Photo-2-Stills_TOURISTS_03-1024x576.jpg) ****WINNER** ****Tourists (Turisti)** ****Dir.:** Mária Kralovič (Slovaka, France, Czech Republic ) - Nominees: - Corpus Christi, dir. Bea Lema (Spain) - Sensual, dir. Tanja Nuijten (Germany) --- ## **BEST DANISH ANIMATION AWARD** Awarded to the best Danish film in the program and typically to a new and upcoming talent on the animation scene. The award is sponsoret by The Danish Animation Society and the winner receives a cash prize of DKK 10,000 + an award statuette. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-2_GladenVedAtVaere-1-02-33-21-1024x768.png) ****WINNER** ****Glæden ved at være (The Joy of Being)** Dir.: Emma Bruun Ruus (Denmark) Read more about Emma and her film here: [The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Emma Bruun Ruus and Glæden ved at væreFlickering blue lines and a camera that jumps around in a strange way. Slowly you realize that we are seeing the world through the eyes of a small child. And the film then becomes this life-affirming experience of diving into the child’s ways of seeing.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-e5002bd4-7166-424b-ba67-edf6933e3ff8.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/1B3A3646-1-03dd00b1-d09a-435a-a2e2-2bb0f5715a2f.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-emma-bruun-ruus/) - Nominees: - Subharmonics, dir. Marcell Mostoha (Denmark, Hungary) - Yesterday I Lived Forever, dir. Simon Macko (Denmark) --- ## **PITCH ME BABY** Pitch Me Baby is a competition where selected filmmakers get to pitch their short film idea to a highly qualified jury consisting of: director and actor Christian Tafdrup, director, screenwriter and actor Zinnini Elkington, composer Sune Kølster, screenwriter Sara Isabella Jønsson & film producer Morten Kaufmann. The Pitch Me Baby competition is sponsored by Danish Film Directors and The Danish Animation Society. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Fotograf-Cosmin-Cirstea_Torsdag_Pich-Me-Baby-531-1024x682.jpg) Photo: Cosmin Tiersta ****WINNER** Niels Riisgaard for the idea for **A sea full of fish*. Second place Neesha Dewa for the idea for *AURA*. --- See all the winners from Odense Film Festival 2026 here: [https://filmfestival.dk/her-er-alle-vinderne-ved-off26/](https://filmfestival.dk/her-er-alle-vinderne-ved-off26/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****WeAnimate** Photo: ****Cosmin Tiersta** and **Line Svindt** wam#0169 ### A New Chapter of Viborg Animation Festival with Karoline Nederby URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/vaf26-karoline-nederby/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T07:17:05.000Z **Karoline Nederby worked as a producer and production manager on Danish Broadcasting Corporation shows for many years, working her way up through the industry. Last year she made the big leap to become the director of Viborg Animation Festival, ushering in a new phase for herself as well as the festival. In this interview, we get to know Karoline, and learn more about her approach to the festival and her hopes for the future.** **WA:* To start off with, tell us a bit about your background* **KN:** I worked in the media industry before the festival, so I’m very comfortable behind the scenes, and not so used to giving interviews myself. It’s quite a change. [VAF 2026 - 7-13 September 2026 - visit the festival](https://viborganimationfestival.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) I studied communications in university, and my first job was at a production company called Deluca Film. I was then offered a job working for the most listened to radio show at the time, Café Hack, which aired on DR. I was a production manager on Café Hack for three years, and a lot of that job was calling famous people and asking them to be on the show. Based on that experience, I was offered a job helping to cast celebrities in various lifestyle content. Over time I did more and more work for DR, eventually becoming a producer for these lifestyle programs. I did a lot of different roles during that time, working on both the practical side of television production, as well as creative development as a series producer. > After a while I started looking around and wondering if this is all, is this going to be my life, is this who I am? And even though I really loved my job, and had the best colleagues in the world, and it was so fun, I realized that I wanted new challenges. I wanted to see what else was out there. > > \- Karoline Nederby ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/1-327-VAF---d.-11-sep.-2025_.jpg) Karoline Nederby in front of the VAF logo at Viborg Animation Festival So when I saw a job posting for the festival director at Viborg Animation Festival, I felt a kind of tingling in my body. It sounded really fun, and I thought I would just apply since I didn’t have anything to lose. When they called me for an interview, I thought I would just go and see what happens. And after another interview, they actually offered me the job, and I thought “Oh shit! I’m doing this!” So I started at VAF a year and a half ago as the festival director, and since then it’s been a very steep learning curve. I’ve had to learn about the festival and the animation industry, along with what we do and how we work, trying to make everything happen. **WA:* What’s your connection to Viborg?* **KN:** I moved here in 2018\. At the time, I was working for DR and commuting to Aarhus and taking care of five children, so I didn’t have a lot of time to get to know the city. Of course I liked it; it is a beautiful place with lots of nature, but it’s only been recently that I’ve started to build roots here. So I have spent a lot of time asking questions, getting to know the city and getting to know the festival, trying to find out what it means to all these different people. Some people in Viborg felt that VAF didn’t really involve them, so one of our challenges is to open up and invite the community to feel more included. > VAF has activities for all kinds of people. We invite kids and people from Viborg, who may not know much about animation, to see the films and participate in the activities. We have activities for students and artists; we have talks and industry events… How can we frame our communication to appeal to all these different people, inviting everyone to be a part of it? > > \- Karoline Nederby ![1 006-VAF---d.-11-sep.-2025_](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/1-006-VAF-d.-11-sep.-2025_.webp) Karoline in converstation with Thorbjørn Christoffersen at VAF 2025 I was really inspired by Birgitte Weinberger, the former director of Odense Film Festival. She said that the people of Odense are their honorary guests: the festival may be all of these different important things internationally and externally, but we are really doing it for the local citizens, and we would be nothing without their support. That seems like a great way to balance our ambitions while remaining relevant to our community. **WA:* What’s your biggest challenge so far?* **KN:** I think it’s the complexity of the festival. We have a lot of people invested, sometimes literally with their money, and we have to deliver on multiple agendas, and be lots of things to lots of people. So it’s a challenge to balance our resources and figure out what is necessary and what is important, creating clarity and communication for something so complex. I feel like VAF is a tree that grew organically into something with a lot of different branches, and all the leaves are very beautiful, but they are all going in different directions. We have to be aware of the limits of our resources: we are a small core team with limited resources, so delivering on all these different agendas, and making sure that it’s a joyous and inspirational activity, while also guarding our resources, is a challenge. **WA:* What’s the most fun aspect of the job for you?* **KN:** I really do like a challenge. I like the diversity of it all. > When I was working for DR, I thought that doing television was a job where no two days were the same, but looking back I see that it was always just television. It was like playing one octave of a piano, and now I have the full piano to play on. I have films, events, workshops, talks, different venues; I get to be involved in the strategy and where we are positioning ourselves and where we are going with this festival; I am responsible for the funding; I am involved in communication… It's so broad, and it brings me so much joy to be involved in so many different things. It’s so alive and dynamic. > > \- Karoline Nederby ![1 792-VAF---d.-12-sep.-2025_](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/1-792-VAF-d.-12-sep.-2025_.webp) Karoline on stage at the VAF Awards 2025 **WA:* What can people expect from VAF this year?* **KN:** Oh, that’s a difficult question! There is so much I would like to mention. But there are a few especially exciting things this year. First, the films. We have a really strong programme this year, with short films from all over the world as well as a selection of international feature premieres. Personally, I’m very excited that we are screening *We Are Aliens*, an impressive debut feature by Japanese director Kohei Kadowaki. It’s a moving story about friendship, very original and beautifully told. Visually, it’s absolutely stunning. For people from the animation industry, we have the Industry Days on Thursday and Friday, September 10-11, with Danish and international guests sharing their artistic work and their perspectives on where the industry is heading. Flóra Anna Buda, our VAF Artist this year, will give insight into her work and artistic practice, while other talks explore things like the creator economy, and how creatives can build careers and make a living across different platforms. I’m particularly looking forward to Keld Reinicke’s keynote on Friday morning. He’ll take a broader look at where the media industry is right now, and what the next five years might bring in terms of opportunities and challenges for people working within the animation industry. I think that will be really interesting, also for people with a broader interest in how our media landscape is currently changing. I’m also very excited about VAF Land, which is something new this year and aimed particularly at families and the local audience. From Thursday to Sunday, we are transforming Paradepladsen in the centre of Viborg into a festival space, with a huge skyliner, a big outdoor screen, local food stalls and lots of creative activities. Together with DR, we’ll have a special screening of FredagsTamTam featuring premieres of new Danish animation series. Wulffmorgenthaler will perform a show with their quintuplets (Femlingerne), and throughout the four days there will be outdoor animation screenings and creative activities inspired by the films. With VAF Land, we really want to invite people to come and explore the world of animation and show that animation is for everyone. I want people to come, and be a part of it. I wish that more people would give animation a chance; it can be a very niche area for the general public, and I would like for more people to take a peek into the world of animation and see how much is in there. **WA:* Where do you see the festival evolving in the future?* **KN:** We have a lot of goals ahead, but I don’t necessarily see us adding more and more events in the years to come. For the industry programme, for example, I would rather focus on making our events as relevant as possible, so that professionals feel that coming to Viborg each year is a must for them. > I’m thinking a lot about how we make sure that VAF has a lasting positive impact on the lives of our guests. How do we bring inspiration and how do we create value? Whether that’s acting as a resource and an inspiration for professionals, or helping kids learn about animation and giving them a way to tell their own stories, or just inviting people to the cinema to see something that moves them in some way, I’m really concerned that the things that we do need to matter to people. > > \- Karoline Nederby Not that what we already do doesn’t matter, but I want that to guide our path forward. And even though I’ve been here for a year, I still feel very new, and I reserve the right to continue to learn and develop things as we go along. We're going to grow VAF one small step at a time, just like they did in Odense with OFF. I'm really focused on taking those steps in a meaningful direction, day after day and year after year, and building it into something really impactful. [Follow Viborg Animation Festival on Instagram](https://instagram.com/viborganimationfestival/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** wam#0079 ### Coming Full Circle with Kasper Kruse URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/vaf26-kasper-kruse/ Last updated: 2026-09-22T07:53:43.000Z **For the past few years, Kasper Kruse has been the director of The Animation Workshop in Viborg. It has been a very dynamic time at the school, in the industry, and in animation as a whole. We recently spoke with Kasper, learning more about his animation career, coming full circle back to Viborg, and his hopes for the future of TAW and Danish animation.** **WA:* Tell us a bit about your background in animation* **KK:** I was born and raised just south of Viborg, and I was interested in drawing and comics from a very early age. As I got older, of course, I was told that I couldn’t make a living as a comic book artist. In the 9th grade I interned at Den Blå Bil, a comics studio, and some of the people who are big names today worked there, like Henrik Rehr, Morten Hesseldahl, Rune Fleischer, and Bjarne Hansen. So I got a sneak peek at actually living and working as a comic artist, but the fact was that they also had a retail store out front to help make ends meet. In the 80s, the animation industry in Denmark was tiny. But when the movie *Valhalla* came out in 1986, you started to see things happening. A. Film started up, The Animation Workshop opened, and I met Morten Thorning. So I started to get interested in an animation career. Also in the late 80s, there were something like 300,000 unemployed young people in Denmark, and nobody could figure out what to do about it. So they started a program where you could take a course, and at the end of the course you qualified for social benefits. All the municipalities came up with all kinds of courses, crazy courses, so that you could participate in the program and transition to benefit funding. I think a lot of creative people my age were able to use that system to figure out what they really wanted to do, or to refine their art or music, or study theater or whatever. It was a big boost to art and creativity, and in that sense it was really good. Because of it, I took the one-year course at TAW, which shaped the course of my whole career. After that I moved to Copenhagen, where the Danish Film School offered a degree in animation. It was a very limited program that only accepted 6 students every 2 years. I applied to the program, and I made it all the way to the very final interview. I was told that only 4 applicants had made it that far, so I really felt that, even though I had one more interview to go, I was already in. > This (the rejection from The National Film School in Copenhagen) became one of my biggest and most important life lessons. I still think about it… perhaps not daily, but quite often. I went into this interview absolutely certain that I would be accepted, and so full of myself, that I was a complete asshole. I acted like an absolute caricature of an auteur, speaking about myself as though I had already made all these very important features, as though I had already changed the history of film. So I was very surprised afterward when I received a letter saying that I had not been accepted. I learned a very important lesson from that, and it forced me to become a more humble and reflective person at a very young age.Kasper Kruse ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kasper-Kruse-TAW.-Fotograf_-Adam-Liebach-44.webp) Kasper in front of The Animation Workshop main buildings in Viborg After that rejection, I worked as a freelancer, primarily in illustration, although I still did some comics. I also did some tiny animation jobs: not for films, but the internet was growing, and people wanted little animations for CD-Roms and little games and things. At the next enrollment period, I was too embarrassed to reapply for the film school, but by ‘98 I had shed my humiliation and reapplied, and I got in that time. So I went to The Danish Film School, and graduated as a Director of Animation in 2002. After that I was very serious about being an animation director. I had a little studio, together with Sara Koppel and Christian Kuntz. Christian and I had worked together on my final project at the Film School and we wanted to do features… But then reality hits. It’s just very very difficult to finance a feature, and there are only a couple animated features that get DFI funding every year. Christian and I got work as storyboarders on *The Ugly Duckling and Me*, and Christian could find freelance work as an animator. But for myself as a director, it was extremely tough. I did a few title sequences, LEGO stuff, that kind of thing. Then I became a father for the first time. When you have a child you are really looking at a totally different economy, and I had to find a way to make things more sustainable. I was very lucky that one of my good friends had just been made Creative CEO of a company that wanted to revolutionize e-learning. My friend had been doing computer games, and he pitched some ideas around gamification of learning, and convinced Maersk, Vestas, and some other big companies to invest in it. So we had these huge budgets to do real proper animation, and develop proper gaming solutions, and I could build a studio and make a nice living there. That ended up becoming the vast majority of my professional animation experience, in the applied animation and e-learning industry. After a while, my then-wife was finishing her education at The Animation Workshop, so we moved back to Viborg. Of course I had visited Viborg over the years to see my parents, and kept in touch with Morten Thorning and other people from TAW, but the plan was to stay for a year or two and then move back to Copenhagen. The plan was never to stay in Viborg. But what I realized once I had moved back was that the whole environment here is just vibrant and inspirational, and there are so many things happening. ![1 Kasper Kruse, TAW. Fotograf_ Adam Liebach-12](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/1-Kasper-Kruse-TAW.-Fotograf_-Adam-Liebach-12.webp) Kasper reading "Get Naked" is an Eisner-nominated anthology by Steve Seagle — one of the creators behind Ben 10 — who teaches as an external instructor here. He used graduates and students from Graphic Storytelling to draw the individual episodes. > Weirdly, in Viborg, I felt closer to the whole international animation community. We have so many people attending the school from all over, and all the guest teachers coming in, and you hear all the languages being spoken, and everything going on at Arsenalet, and it feels so dynamic.Kasper Kruse Then I was offered a job at a marketing agency that I had been working with. They offered to make me head of a department, and to cross-train and upskill me… To be honest, I had never been attracted to the idea of working for someone else. I had big issues with authority, and one of the main reasons I had become an entrepreneur was to be my own boss, and to try to be as good a boss as possible to the people who worked for me. So I was torn. But they offered me a three-month trial period, so I had nothing to lose. So I decided to try it, and I ended up staying there for a couple years. A couple years later, when I had a new relationship and a new baby, the logistics of commuting to that job became too difficult. I wanted to try to better balance work and home. And I thought that if I started my own company again, it would really be a lot of work, and I couldn’t get better life balance that way. So I was really lucky that a position came up at the municipality in Viborg, as the project manager for Viborg Municipality’s animation strategy, which gave me a very easy path into the whole public sector. It was another thing I had never before considered doing. Eventually the municipality placed me at Arsenalet, where my boss wanted me to help organize things there. **WA:* You’re describing a career that covers everything that most animators do at one time or another: freelance, online, little games, education, title sequences… it’s not thought of as a typical animation career path, and yet it’s a very common experience.* **KK:** In my animation career I’ve done all these different things, many of which were frowned upon. It was frowned upon to work in applied animation, it was frowned upon to work in the public sector. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kasper-Kruse-TAW.-Fotograf_-Adam-Liebach-18.webp) A bunch of Kaspers old illustrations and comic books Various illustrations and comics made by Kasper throughout his career. > But I have always needed to support my family, and been motivated by the desire to make a difference. The education I got when I did that horrible interview at the film school, where I realized that I need to have a more humble approach to the world, has really shaped my career. I definitely have a big ego, but I needed to learn when to bring it into play. I only bring it into play when it’s absolutely necessary, when there’s a clear purpose for it. But the main goal is really to make a difference. I know it sounds like a cliché, but I really am driven by purpose and by my values, and by trying to make the world a better place.Kasper Kruse I think a lot of people in animation, even though it’s a cutthroat industry, are very caring and very kind. We have this common love of animation, and we can get very interested in tiny details, like whether you use an HB or a 2B when you’re sketching, and being fascinated by looking at the work of other people. When I was working with Christian Kuntz, we were still working on paper, and there’s the sheer joy of taking one of his scenes and flipping through it. His keys are incredible, and you can see the timing just by flipping through it… I’m getting goosebumps just talking about it. And it’s so nerdy but it’s also so wonderful. **WA:* From there, you became Director of The Animation Workshop.* Yes, there were a lot of changes at The Animation Workshop, so I got the job as director here. I actually just celebrated my six year anniversary, since I started in June of 2020\. It was so weird, because my whole career began by meeting Morten and going to the workshops, and then coming full circle. It was really emotional. Since I’ve been here, I’ve focused on making the organization more professional. The Animation Workshop was always professional in the education, but we needed some work on “the boring aspects” of the school. We needed to take care of the compliance and balance the economy, all the administrative stuff that is necessary in order to have the freedom of creativity in the classroom. So we have rearranged things to be more in sync with compliance, and created more structures around salary negotiations and competence development, and that kind of thing. But aside from all the things that happened internally, there are a few things that people may notice externally. For example, we now have more internal faculty, in addition to all of our guest teachers. It used to be that 80% of the teaching was from guest teachers, but now it’s more like 50/50\. One of the big reasons is that we weren’t building as much institutional knowledge as we could, and we wanted to retain more of that knowledge within the school. So we started focusing on research and development, in order to build our own knowledge base. This is especially important right now, when there is so much rapid change in the industry. **WA:* What lies ahead for you and for The Animation Workshop?* **KK:** Looking into the future… it’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? I wish I had a crystal ball to give you the answer. And if I could predict how everything would turn out in the next couple of years, I would quit TAW and start a company and get rich off my insight. ![Kasper Kruse, TAW. Fotograf_ Adam Liebach-29](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kasper-Kruse-TAW.-Fotograf_-Adam-Liebach-29.webp) Kasper in the notorious Høgni Pub at The Animation Workshop > Ultimately, we have to be relevant for the industry. That’s our core assignment: to prepare students to enter the film industry or the game industry. So we are trying all the time to understand what is going to happen, and we are talking a lot with the animation industry, as well as with colleagues at other educational institutions.Kasper Kruse Clearly, what's top of mind right now is how generative AI will influence animation. It's still very hard to know where things will land. At the moment, we're primarily exploring the possibilities, trying to understand the implications, and staying in very close contact with industry partners. At the same time, we're developing a set of principles to guide our approach, so that our decisions are based on critical reflection and long-term considerations, rather than reacting to the latest headline. Animation and technology have always gone hand-in-hand, and animation people are very interested in technological changes and advances. But today we see so much rage and fear, which makes it hard to have the proper conversation. > We need to find out how to talk productively about the future. At the moment it’s kind of difficult to have a good debate about AI, because it’s very divisive. But I am not that pessimistic. I believe that the fundamentals of animation: the ability to draw and to understand composition, color, staging, timing, storytelling… I have a hard time thinking that these skills will disappear and will not be in demand. But we have to consider how it might change the education here at TAW, and include more entrepreneurship. I think entrepreneurship matters a lot, because some people, when a door closes, only see a closed door. When someone is a bit entrepreneurial, they are able to look for another door that is open. It limits your fear and panic, because you are also a little bit curious.Kasper Kruse ![Kasper Kruse, TAW. Fotograf_ Adam Liebach-19](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kasper-Kruse-TAW.-Fotograf_-Adam-Liebach-19.webp) Kasper looking through his old drawings, illustrations and comics I think new ways of financing projects, finding new markets, engaging with an audience, that kind of thing, will add to how the industry will develop. I also think that we should talk about how we define originality, creativity, craft and so forth, to find out what is undeniable human competencies and what could possibly be handled by an AI. The future I have no interest in is the kind of society in *WALL-E*, where humans have degenerated into having very short fingers because they never use them, and robots handle everything. We can do better than that. ![Kasper Kruse, TAW. Fotograf_ Adam Liebach-6](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kasper-Kruse-TAW.-Fotograf_-Adam-Liebach-6.webp) Kasper in front Arsenalet Keep in touch with The Animation Workshop: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/animationworkshop?ref=weanimate.dk) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-animation-workshop?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon and WeAnimate** Photo: ****Adam Liebach** wam#0080 ### Raising Your Voice with Marie Jørgensen URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/wau-marie-jorgensen/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:38.000Z **Marie Jørgensen is a motion graphics artist, illustrator, and compositor who graduated from The Animation Workshop and worked in the Copenhagen animation industry for many years. Her line of Yoga Prints illustrations is quite popular online. As an ANIS board member, Marie has focused on how animation professionals can unite to improve working conditions for everyone, and her signature straight speech has galvanized a movement. In this interview, she shares her experience and her insights on the Danish animation community.** **WA*: You have a pretty extensive resume as a freelance animator, but you’ve been through a few transitions in recent years. Can you talk a bit about why you got into animation, and what you’ve been doing since then?* **Marie Jørgensen:** I think my story is really classical, in the sense that I got into animation because I had been drawing since I was a kid. When I watched Aladdin I thought the Genie was hilarious, and just knew that was what I wanted to do. So I wanted to be an animator from a very young age, and I always pursued it. I was very happy to get into The Animation Workshop. It felt like the right place for me, with the right kind of people. > Animation people are wonderful. We have the same kind of brainwaves, and can always click with each other. Even if we go our separate ways for years, we can always connect like that again. It’s so lovely to be a part of. And the beauty of animation production: it’s not just the glory of one artist. It’s all of our artistic hearts and professional hands that can all just click into each other, and do these very complicated processes together.Marie Jørgensen ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ANIS-13.webp) The "Union group" of The Danish Animation Society I think that’s something really incredible about the industry and the people in it. The systems we have set up to do these projects are quite elaborate and quite amazing. Looking at it from the outside, it’s clear that we all know a lot more than just drawing and our craft, which is a lot in itself. But we also have to know these systems that support it, otherwise we would not get anything done. I’ve been around the industry for so many years, and I’ve worked in big productions, TV series, feature films, and smaller projects. I’ve done visuals for musicals, artistic stuff, and also commercials… The last animation job I had was for a small production company that did explainer videos and corporate films. I was a one-woman animation department, so I did all the animated films and other people did video, editing, and sound. **WA*: What motivated all that diversity in your work? Were you interested in all those different types of projects, or were you just trying to make a living?* **Marie Jørgensen:** Definitely both. The biggest focus career-wise and in my profession was design. Background design, and color work, were the things I focused on the most. But it wasn’t possible for me to go from production to production to production. I didn’t succeed, in that sense. And it was also super stressful for me from the very beginning to have that life where you are constantly on the lookout for work, and you don’t have any continuity. I mean, you do have continuity in experience, because you keep building your experience and your skills, both hard skills and soft skills and organizational skills. But the thing that frustrated me was that experience doesn’t translate into a better position on the next job, or in higher pay, or anything. Not just for me personally, but for a lot of people. You don’t seem to advance, and that started to bother me. In the beginning I was just like bam, bam, bam, one thing after another, and that can be really fun for a while. But then you start growing up and having a family, and it gets less fun. It starts to take a toll on your health, and mental health, and your family. > It’s hard to market yourself all the time, and that has become an important part of life as an artist: it’s part of the job description. There is often a story about how someone got stressed out and depressed, and then they started drawing and creating in a new way, and people liked it, and so they ‘rose from the ashes’ into new success and appreciation. And that’s a very compelling story, but it’s not a true story. It’s not a way of life. I mean, some people have the skills and the stamina to market themselves while remaining true to their art, and becoming a brand and keeping it rolling for a whole career. But for many artists, marketing and branding is the complete opposite of what your heart wants to do. I personally think it’s counterproductive to ask people to be both an artist and a marketing expert.Marie Jørgensen ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ANIS-8.webp) Cathrine, Claus and Marie I tried it myself. At one point I was burned out with being a freelancer, juggling projects and work and expenses and everything, even before I had kids. I was so stressed, and I was doing yoga on the side, and I thought that I just needed to do manual work, something not on a screen. So I started doing yoga illustrations. I put them on Instagram and people seemed to like them. It felt super nice for my ego and my self-esteem, and it was genuinely fun, combining my interests in art and illustration and in yoga. I thought that perhaps I could create something out of these illustrations that was just mine, because I was tired of doing other people’s work. So I made a website and a series of posters, and had a webshop and a physical shop in Copenhagen, and I did that for a number of years. It was interesting and fun, and I learned a lot and did some genuinely good work. I’m very proud of it. But my big lesson was that I could *not* carve out a little corner of the industry for myself that was sustainable. I got recognition online from it, and I still have the webshop up and make a few sales from it, but I could not make a sustainable living from it. In order to be a seller, and to keep the pot brewing all the time, I ended up having to do a kind of work that felt super icky to me. And I can do many different tasks in a production, but I’m not a search optimization person or a marketing expert, and I hate being on social media. So the account still exists but I’m not active on it. And I haven’t met one person in the Danish animation industry who isn’t stressed out. Everyone I know has considered changing lanes at some point. Some people decide to go into teaching instead. I just met up with a former colleague who has gone into healthcare now and works in a laboratory. And she is so happy about it: she has a good salary, a pension, and some of her animation-related attention to detail and meticulousness is actually useful now in her medical career. ![ANIS-30](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ANIS-30.webp) **WA*: A lot of people want to get a “normal job”, so that in their free time they can just explore their art and creativity, and it doesn’t have to do all that heavy lifting of fulfilling the needs of other people and also earning a living for their family.* **Marie Jørgensen:** That’s actually what I’m investigating right now. The film industry has had such a bad time lately, and a couple years ago the studio I was working for was about to go bankrupt, and I was let go. So I was looking for work, and I knew I wanted something steady, because freelancing is so stressful. But every time I looked at a regular animation industry job, it required you to also be an amazing editor and good at text design and also a graphic artist and to do everything, and I just felt like: “No thank you.” I mean, I could say Yes to many of those things, but I can’t say Yes to *all* of them. And maybe there are some people who can do everything, but I can’t, and I won’t. And the thought of sitting in front of a screen for 8+ hours every day… I just can’t any more. > But I needed work, and I got a tip to work in social homecare. I go to people’s homes and help them with practical tasks, so they can live independently. I had done it for a while when I was younger, before animation school, so I already knew I liked it. It’s inspiring, amazing work, and I get so much self-esteem from it. And I actually feel like there’s so many skills from animation that can be used in this line of work. Observing how people behave, of course, but also the ability to connect with people. In animation you really connect with and inhabit your character and the art you make: you need a lot of empathy to be a good animator, which is also so important in social care.Marie Jørgensen These are all discussions that would be good to have with other animators. I have missed having a conversation that is more existential and philosophical, about what is it that we do, and why do we do it, and what do we get from it? I think the fact that I’ve actually stepped away from working in animation is really relevant for the work that I’m doing now with ANIS. **WA*: On that subject, let’s talk more about your work with ANIS* **Marie Jørgensen:** I’ve been a member of ANIS and attending the yearly meetings and events since I was in school. I’ve really enjoyed participating in it, and ANIS has really been good about having people meet up and network and learn new things about the industry and each other. It’s how we often talk with each other: letting off steam, being excited about what we do, but also talking about the shit. And I have had so many discussions with my animation colleagues and friends about how we need some backup, we need to support each other. We always have an annual assembly of ANIS, where we talk about the budget, and then we eat food and watch films, and it has always been social; more like a networking event. But a few years ago some people started asking about why we moved so quickly over the budget and the organization part of it, and is this only about food and beer and hanging out and saying nice things to each other… ? And that comment really struck me. I, too, missed having time to discuss the more difficult aspects of the industry, and how we are organized or not organized, and what are we really doing, and what do we really want? I was in a different arts association with other creatives, and while working with them I really learned what it meant to be in an association and serve on a board. There were a lot of responsibilities, but also a lot of options and a lot of possibilities. So I started thinking, if ANIS is an association and has a budget, a board and a membership, then we can choose what we want to do with it. We can decide what it is together, as a board and as members. > ANIS is actually whatever we want it to be. We have some funds, and we have the people, and we can shape it into whatever we need. It’s totally fine to just do networking events and social events, and we want to continue doing that: it’s our foundation. But we have the power to do more if we want to.Marie Jørgensen ![ANIS-27](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ANIS-27.webp) So I’ve been on the board for two years, and I got on the board because I said that I want to explore the possibilities of doing more, and finding ways to make things better using ANIS resources. I want to build ANIS into a structure that can actually negotiate and create better conditions for our members. And last year we got Cathrine on board, who is also very energized and excited about it. So Claus, Cathrine, and I are the core group that are really working on how we can form a union. And the constellation of the three of us has been really good, because we have different personalities and abilities, and our strengths fit well together. **WA:* What are some of the challenges ANIS is facing right now?* **Marie Jørgensen:** Animation people are so agreeable and like each other so much, and we don’t want to create conflict. That’s an important quality to have in this industry, because we all have to work together so closely, and we all meet each other again and again. You can’t have 15 drama queens. You just can’t make beautiful work that way. We can’t all be directors: we have to be able to take direction. But I think we have to stop confusing being nice as a person and as a coworker, with being overly agreeable when it comes to working conditions, rights, pay, and pension. > There’s so much in the identity of being an animator (and I say animator, but it could also be a character designer or background artist or whatever), and there is so much in being a busy one. When you are on a production you are so so busy, working day and night. You are just immersed in the adrenaline/cortisol soup in your brain, and constantly riding that wave up up up where you’re handling it and doing everything, and we’re all in this together busy busy busy and then it ends like - crash! And you can get addicted to doing this thing, working on a team and we just crunch and crunch and crunch, and when it’s over you suddenly start to wonder who you really are without it.Marie Jørgensen If companies are content to let people burn out and then replace them with new graduates, that actually doesn’t make a lot of sense. It’s a lot of work for them to recruit and set up a whole new team. They really do want experienced people. And the way that they have to set things up, where they have to apply for funding every time, and they’re constantly worried about cash flow and the projects and resources to keep the staff… that’s nobody’s fault. The studios are doing what they need to do, and I understand that: they aren’t out to take advantage of animators and deprive them of rights. They have their own interests first, as they should, and we can’t yell at them for that. But it’s about time that we look at ourselves, and realize that no one is going to hand us our rights, no one is going to give us better pay and pensions and protection. We, as creatives, have to do that work together. > At some point we have to say that we are professionals, with a highly estimated education behind us, and years of experience. We do work that is extremely difficult. We have all these artistic skills, but also organizational skills, and communication skills. We are the ones that make these films come alive. It is us. And we have to start saying that we are worth more. We have to start saying goodnight at 4 or 5 and going home to live our own lives. We need to be able to take care of ourselves, now and when we are old. And that means we really have to get out of our comfort zone and stop being so nice.Marie Jørgensen I mean, we can be nice and pleasant people, and empathic and emotionally intelligent, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t say No. We have to start negotiating. And that’s totally normal: the studios do it, everyone does it. I’m fine with saying all the controversial things, I don’t mind having difficult conversations, and I don’t mean it personally. But I really hope that we can *all* start having more direct discussions, not just in the bar or between friends, but also in the media, at the festivals. **WA:* What do you hope for the next steps of ANIS?* **Marie Jørgensen:** You know, when I was younger I was very quiet, very focused on my internal world, not an outspoken person. I was shy and super scared to talk to other people and stand up and speak in public. I always thought other people were more clever and more organized, and sounded so clear and so intelligent, and I’ve always been a bit awkward. So it has been a very good lesson for me, not just in ANIS but in life, to just start saying things out loud. Start talking with your real voice, even if you don’t speak perfectly. Because it is just as important to hear from shy people. People with all kinds of experiences have opinions that really matter, and if we don’t say anything, then it’s only the very outspoken people, who are used to always taking the lead, that get to be heard. We need to hear from everyone. > And nobody is handing you the microphone, nobody is waiting for you to say your opinion, it’s not going to happen like that. You have to say things and find out what happens. And my experience is that it’s awesome. You connect with new people, you have a say in important things, you make a big difference. It’s so important. And the reason I say this is that I hope that people, even if they are shy or have no experience, I hope that they will consider being part of this work. You don’t have to know how to be in a union or be on a board. None of us are experts, but we know about the industry and our experiences. If you have a desire to help, then the knowledge you need will come.Marie Jørgensen I really hope that ANIS can be super clear in our communication about what we want and why we want it. We’ve done a lot of work to make this happen, and if we get a Yes from our members, it really is like pushing a button and we can transform into a union. There has been so much work going into that, but we need people to back it up and want to become members. We really can do it together. ## Text: ****Rebekah Villon and WeAnimate** Photo: ****Siri Lake** wam#0078 ## More about the Union Group from The Danish Animation Society [Cathrine Baab Holm and the Power of Believing in YourselfCathrine Baab Holm is a freelance character and creature animator living in Copenhagen whose skills also include effects animation and project management. She has worked for Mint, Hydralab, Qvisten and more, on a diverse range of projects. She is also currently serving on the board of ANIS. We recently spoke![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-e6a565ec-bf94-4d5a-b597-c711ccedbaba.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/ANIS-48-df62d0bf-f1ba-42f5-8d61-45575a07a589.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/wau-cathrine-baab-holm/) [The Most Agreeable Animator: Getting to Know Claus DarholtClaus Darholt is a senior 3D character animator and previz artist who has worked on most of the notable Danish projects in recent memory, including the Checkered Ninja series, Krølle Bølle, Ninjago, and Qvisten’s Captain Sabertooth and the Countess of Grel, among others. He is also the current chairman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-cac8325c-fa34-4d1b-993d-f719d1b990fb.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/ANIS-15-ecd79614-9253-4128-bdb3-6805eda0812d.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/wau-claus-darholt/) ### Cathrine Baab Holm and the Power of Believing in Yourself URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/wau-cathrine-baab-holm/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:38.000Z **Cathrine Baab Holm is a freelance character and creature animator living in Copenhagen whose skills also include effects animation and project management. She has worked for Mint, Hydralab, Qvisten and more, on a diverse range of projects. She is also currently serving on the board of ANIS. We recently spoke with her about her career, her hobbies, and recent developments at ANIS.** **WA*: To begin with, tell us a bit about how you transitioned to animation after starting with degree in business.* **Cathrine Baab Holm:** Like a lot of people, I had the childhood dream of drawing for Disney. I was so immersed in animation and fictive worlds as a kid. I didn’t like dolls, but I loved stuffed animals, and animals of all kinds, and then there were animal characters in movies! It beat everything. But I grew up in a very practical household, and once I got older it seemed like drawing wasn’t a realistic profession. I still wanted to do something creative, maybe with creative problem-solving, so I went to business school, as a means to become an entrepreneur. I think I wanted to have some kind of design business, and maybe I would be able to go abroad or something… I wanted to try it. Then I went to an educational fair, where a lot of different educational institutions presented their programs, and saw a presentation from The Animation Workshop. I thought it was really interesting, so then I went to an open house in Viborg. And I just felt so at home, even though I actually had very little contact with anyone while I was there. The people and the environment of the school felt very open and authentic. It really resonated with me. It was so different from how I felt studying business, even though I liked the subjects and thought it was interesting. So I went to the Drawing Academy, testing out the environment and getting to know people. I did Open Workshop and prepped my portfolio, and I was lucky enough to get into The Animation Workshop the second time I applied. So it was a lot of different random circumstances that got me there. > I am still the person that went to business school. I still have a side of me that really loves Excel sheets, planning, organizing, and structure, so perhaps I differ a bit from other animators. But it’s also a benefit to bring those skills to animation, for my own time management and to offer different types of support if needed. I initially started incorporating excel and general organising during school projects to rein in the chaos for myself, and found that others were benefiting too, and it gave me a lot of joy to help others with something that I found so natural and fun. I’m very happy that these two skills could merge, and it has reaffirmed that every life direction teaches you something. Nothing is wasted.Cathrine Baab Holm ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ANIS-13.webp) **A:* You do a lot of animation with animals and creatures. What is the appeal of creature animation?* **Cathrine Baab Holm:** I think it ties back to spending so much time with animals as a child. I was a horse girl, and there have always been pets in the house, whether it’s been cats or dogs or guinea pigs or fish…. And of course bingeing nature documentaries, even as a kid. So the movement of a creature or an animal feels very intuitive to translate, even if I can’t necessarily mimic it with my own body; it just feels very natural to me. It can also be a bit of a challenge, because suddenly there are a few more limbs and parts that need to tie together. The voice actor is such an inspiration for a character animator. If there is any dialogue at all, the timing just sits better and feels better. You don’t have that with most creature animation, which may make it seem more difficult. Of course there is always a brief of what the creature is supposed to do, but there’s still a lot of freedom in how you express that. I find it very intuitive, perhaps because of all that time I’ve spent looking at animals. I’ve always had a fondness for the subtle. But it’s also nice to get the challenge of performing something that is wacky and weird. I think as long as there is time to do good work, and space for exploration, it’s really good. **WA:* You’ve done a huge variety of projects, from features and shorts to commercials and education. Is that deliberate, or is that just part of trying to make a living?* **Cathrine Baab Holm:** I think it’s a bit of both. As a person trying to get into the Danish animation industry, there’s not a lot to pick from. I’ve been fortunate to get all these different types of gigs, and that people have trusted me. After graduating I was lucky enough to work at the same place for almost two years, but when that ended I had to go out and build the network I needed, especially in Copenhagen. That was a bit scary but it worked, and I’ve been very fortunate that I haven’t had a lot of down time. I also try to stay open minded, and don’t put myself in a box. I could have decided to only do one specific type of animation, but it doesn’t seem like being picky is the right decision for me. I really believe I can do most things. I mean, impostor syndrome is real, but I’m not going to make the choice to limit myself. So if people are choosing to contact me about something, or if I am reaching out and they are considering me for something, I can be transparent about my experiences. I can say “Okay, well I haven’t worked with that software before” or “I’ve only lightly touched this specific skill.” But if they don’t feel like that’s an issue, who am I to say that it is? That’s a mindset, and it’s helped me not lump myself into a box. > I mean, why would you ever put yourself down? Why eliminate yourself from chances? New things may be challenges, they may be an opportunity to decide if something is for you or not, but you don’t have to exclude yourself from possibilities.Cathrine Baab Holm I’m a firm believer that if you want something enough, it’s not about *if,* it’s about *when*. And that kind of became my mantra, ever since I started to apply to The Animation Workshop. I met so many people who knew how hard the application process was, and who would say “Oh, but what if you don’t get in?” And that just rubbed me the wrong way, because if someone wants something bad enough, they are not going to give up on it. You only fail if you give up. Going into things with a positive mindset helps you not to close doors on yourself. It’s also a very conscious decision to have that mindset, and it is something that requires upkeep. **WA:* You also have a lot of creative and crafty hobbies on the side.* **Cathrine Baab Holm:** Yes. Creating things from scratch just gives me such a dopamine kick. I have three different knitting projects going on right now. I’ve done lace, I’ve sewn a little bit, I do leatherwork, I might be painting DnD miniatures, or making paper flowers… anything I can do with my hands. > There’s a whole vortex of having a screen or staring at your phone, but if your hands are covered in glue from paper mache or something, you’re not going to reach for your phone. It's really freeing, and you also engage some of your senses beyond just the visual. Making something is like going for a walk in the sunshine without your headphones on. Or sitting on a stone and staring at the ocean. Just being present, and with handcrafts you almost don’t have a choice but to be present. I think it should be possible to get that sense of presence without having all these hobbies, but I get the dopamine from making, from creating. It just feels good.Cathrine Baab Holm ![ANIS-35](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ANIS-35.webp) I also think that perhaps a toxic trait of mine is the idea that, “Yeah, I can do that. I haven’t tried it, but I would probably be pretty good at it.” I haven’t done ceramics before, for example, but I think I could probably do it. **WA:* Do you have any advice for young animators?* **Cathrine Baab Holm :** Don’t be afraid to ask questions, but also don’t be afraid to believe in yourself. I think you can ask questions and still believe in your ability to get the job done. Ask questions to clarify, ask questions to understand, and be open to the answers. Also be open to constructive criticism. That’s something I really had to learn; not to see it as a criticism of my skill or ability, but to receive feedback with curiosity. I would also circle back to the idea of not being the one to say no to yourself. Leave it to other people to say no, and most likely they *won’t* say no. Most people are actually really interested in helping out, and want to help each other. When I was looking for an internship, I wanted to look at different places in Copenhagen, or at least places that I could commute to, and see what the vibe was like. So I sent a bunch of messages like “Hi, I’m in town and interested in getting to know more about the studio. Do you have time for me to come by for a coffee?” And most people were really interested and eager to find out if we could connect. So I didn’t have to worry too much about actually applying for an internship when the time came, because I had already made these contacts. So make your face more than an image online, because human interaction is so valuable. **WA:* Tell us more about what you’re doing with ANIS.* **Cathrine Baab Holm :** In the beginning, I honestly didn’t know much about what ANIS was. I joined it when I was in school. I've been interested in getting better working conditions for animators and creatives in the industry for a long time. It’s something I've been very vocal about. Last year Claus convinced me to raise my hand when they were electing new people to the board, so I did. They basically said that they really want new people below the age of 40, and I thought “Perfect! I’m not 40 yet!” For me as a junior animator it felt like there was a lack of transparency in the industry, especially around pay. I also want stronger protections for people in the industry. I don’t want anyone to feel like they are being run over by the industry, and I want people to feel like they can talk to each other. Because everyone is good friends, everyone knows everyone, and I’m sure no one is actually trying to fuck each other over. But I can also see how being more organized, being unionized, would give us more power to create boundaries that would benefit everyone, including the studios. So that’s really what got me into ANIS in the first place, and I’m super motivated to work on it now. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ANIS-42.webp) > I also want to make sure that people aren’t lowballing each other. Some people might be motivated to take very low-paid work because that’s what they want to do, and that’s fair, but it can also affect the rates of everyone else in the industry. Because there are people who really want to be animators, but who also really want to be able to earn a living and have a family and have some work/life balance, and that can undermine it. Passion projects are great and I hope we all get to do that, but it does tend to set a standard that is very low. I think if we set a standard together, hopefully it could lift us all up a little.Cathrine Baab Holm Of course the dream is to get higher budgets, but a big part of that comes down to a lack of funding, and an industry that’s not being treated like an industry, but more like a culture and passion project. In commercials, it’s more of a business, since it doesn’t rely on funding but clients, but as an animation creative commercials are more unstable than a 6-9 month contract on a film or tv series. It’s a conflict between instability with better pay vs. better stability with lower pay. We have lots of different people in ANIS. We have directors and producers and so on, because it’s an industry forum, and it should remain that way. So when talking about transforming ANIS, we need to set up a structure where people can be part of ANIS without being part of the union, which we are working on now. > The Danish animation industry is unique and great in so many ways: the flat hierarchy, the flexible working hours, and the sense of community. Unionizing is not about making it more stiff or rigid. It’s about creating transparency and community. Fortunately a lot of Danish companies really want to support Danish animators, because they are part of the same ecosystem. We really have it pretty good, but there are some things we should improve.Cathrine Baab Holm **WA:* What are your long-term plans?* **Cathrine Baab Holm:** I am still in exploration mode in terms of what I want to do long term with my career. I have this side of me that is very organized and likes to solve problems, so I still wonder if I should transition to the production side of the business, and if that would give me more satisfaction. Part of me really likes that sense of control, the feeling of having a grip on something, because constantly jumping from one project to another can be quite hectic. That’s the hard part of all these small, short-term contracts. It’s always nice to have longer-term work, so that you also have time to take a breather from very high-paced productions. > I really like where I am right now as an animator, and I feel that the organizational aspect of my personality is fulfilled through my work with ANIS, so I get my needs met on both sides. I don’t necessarily know my long-term direction right now. As long as I feel a bit of a challenge and can learn something new… that’s what tickles my brain.Cathrine Baab Holm ## Text: ****Rebekah Villon and WeAnimate** Photo: ****Siri Lake** [Follow Cathrine on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/baabholm?ref=weanimate.dk) [Read more about ANIS](https://anis.nu/fagforening/?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0077 ## More about the Union Group from The Danish Animation Society [Raising Your Voice with Marie JørgensenMarie Jørgensen is a motion graphics artist, illustrator, and compositor who graduated from The Animation Workshop and worked in the Copenhagen animation industry for many years. Her line of Yoga Prints illustrations is quite popular online. As an ANIS board member, Marie has focused on how animation professionals can unite![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-f2e56267-15ab-4b18-883a-817b9945b87f.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/ANIS-34-c0d305b9-d518-451a-a843-4ebba3c4f5bb.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/wau-marie-jorgensen/) [The Most Agreeable Animator: Getting to Know Claus DarholtClaus Darholt is a senior 3D character animator and previz artist who has worked on most of the notable Danish projects in recent memory, including the Checkered Ninja series, Krølle Bølle, Ninjago, and Qvisten’s Captain Sabertooth and the Countess of Grel, among others. He is also the current chairman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-cac8325c-fa34-4d1b-993d-f719d1b990fb.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/ANIS-15-ecd79614-9253-4128-bdb3-6805eda0812d.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/wau-claus-darholt/) ### The Most Agreeable Animator: Getting to Know Claus Darholt URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/wau-claus-darholt/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:39.000Z **Claus Darholt is a senior 3D character animator and previz artist who has worked on most of the notable Danish projects in recent memory, including the Checkered Ninja series, Krølle Bølle, Ninjago, and Qvisten’s Captain Sabertooth and the Countess of Grel, among others. He is also the current chairman of ANIS, the Danish animation society. As a working animator, illustrator, and CG artist, Claus is well-connected to the community, and has a fascinating insight into the industry. In this interview, he shares his perspective and his ambitions for Danish animation.** **WA*: How did you get into the animation industry?* **Claus:** I actually come from a family of butchers. I’m the black sheep, but they always supported me. My godmother still has some of my early life drawings on the wall. I honestly wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for the help and guidance of my family, friends, and colleagues. I wasn’t that good a reader as a kid, so I was drawn more to visual stories. I used to spend the summers with family in Slagelse who had Sky Network and cable TV that we didn’t have at home, and from 6am I was the first one in front of the TV, watching cartoons. One day I saw *An American Tail*, and I watched it again and again, to the point where I could see it in my mind and hear the music and the dialogue. So I was very curious about animation, and got more and more into the idea. Then in about ‘94 or ‘95, there was an open talent night at A. Film, and I went and showed them my drawings. They said that I had a long way to go, and suggested the school in Viborg. That was how I found out that there was actually a school where you could learn animation. Later, my middle school art teacher Niels Christensen wrote to tell me that there was an animator coming to the school to do stop-motion, and that I should be there. That’s how I met Hanne Pedersen from the Open Workshop. And the fun part was that I had just been in the military, at Vordingborg military base, and I was later re-drafted for one week, and our entire company was moved to Viborg. It made me feel like it was kind of meant to be. Hanne invited me to see the school, and I stayed with her and her partner Uffe Danielsen, was a key assistant animator on *Quest for Camelot*, and an inbetween artist on *Balto*. They let me stay in their heated shed, which was also his workspace, so there were drawings all over the place, and it was just magical. > I knew what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be. I just didn’t know how to get there. I think I had a dream that people would somehow find me and contact me to work in the industry, but of course how could they contact me if they didn’t know who I was? So I had to move to Viborg, which was a really big change for me, in order to show people who I am and what I stand for.Claus Darholt ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ANIS-13.webp) The "Union group" from The Danish Animation Society Finally I applied for The Animation Workshop, and didn’t get in. So I took the Drawing Academy for half a year. Our main teacher went on maternity leave, and another teacher named Artem Alexeev took over. He didn’t like animation at all, so it was just life study and life drawing every single day from 8-12\. It was actually really good for me, because my drawings lacked anatomy and understanding of how the body should be connected. So that was another lucky thing for me, and I learned a lot from him. After that, and another half year of self study with a friend, I was accepted into the school. And it was then that I realized how much I still had to learn. \[laughs\] After I graduated, I contacted A. Film again and asked Jesper Møller for an internship. He connected me with Michael Helmut Hansen, a talented 2D animator, and I got to work a bit on a German film called *Jester Till*, under Michael’s guidance, where I did roughs on two shots. While I was there, A. Film was also doing 3D animations for a game called *Black & White 2*. There was a free CGI computer, so I asked if I could try some of it. They gave me a lion and I animated a sneeze, and suddenly I was doing 3D animation on that game. I was also lucky to sit by an animator named Thomas Fenger, who showed me the most important features in 3D Studio Max, which was what we were using at that time. So that was how I got started in 3D animation. I had always found it quite difficult to do 2D animation, because you have to think of all the movements at once. That’s also why I have the biggest respect for stop motion animators: they are the gods of animation, knowing what has to move in every frame and making it work perfectly… I mean, I know they do a lot of takes before filming, but still! So I felt very empowered by 3D, because I was finally able to tweak my animation. > When I was in school, Kyle Balder was one of our guest teachers, and I did some 2D animation of a guy. Kyle said, “That’s great, but it would be better if you just offset the arm by about 4 frames,” and I had to erase everything and start over. So later, when I was working in 3D, I found that I could rely on the software, and have more fun with the animation. Everything is possible, but you have to know the tools.Claus Darholt **WA*: You’ve worked on nearly all the big Danish features in the past 10 or 15 years. What do you think of the animation industry here?* **Claus:** I think I came into the business at a really lucky point, because I was part of *Terkel in Trouble*, which was the first CGI animated movie in Denmark. At the time, I was an intern at A. Film, so I didn’t get paid, but I did animate a sequence in that film and got my first credit. That was one of Thorbjørn’s films, and, as he has said himself, he likes to surround himself with people he knows and can rely on, so that led to other projects with him and his team. What appeals to me about the Danish animation industry is that you need to have a high output, so you never get stuck in a sequence. Most high-end Danish films, like *Checkered Ninja*, we have to animate about 20-22 seconds a week. On *Journey to Saturn*, it was 45 seconds a week. But I like that limitation, because I’m not that fond of over-animated animation. I am not that fond of getting into the big curves; I like to approach everything more realistically. I think the most stylized thing I’ve animated was *Karlas Fantalasticke Klasse,* where we animated with stepped keys, so it was almost kind of stop-motion-ish, which was fun. But I do like the more normal, grounded animation, especially when there is a lot of emotion. > My favorite kind of animation is when there is dialogue, because you get a lot from the dialogue and from the voice actor. I think the hardest shots for me are when there is no dialogue, and you just have 100 frames to do something or feel something, because of course anything is possible. The storyboard can help you out, but you still don’t have a lot to work with. I like working with the dialogue and finding nuances in it, and making it feel right. I’m never sure exactly what I’m going to do when I do it; I act it out and tweak it a bit and playblast a lot until I feel like it works. Of course a shot can always be better, but I like working more quickly, while still being happy with what I’ve done.Claus Darholt ![ANIS-24](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ANIS-24.webp) *Terkel in Trouble* also changed things because it was made for only about 10 or 12 million crowns, so for many years that kind of set a boundary for what a film ought to cost. But it feels like budgets are getting a bit higher now. Some studios might try and push the quality higher, which can be enjoyable but also difficult, because then you have to reach a higher bar within the same time frame. I’ve been really fortunate just jumping from film to film. It’s really fun to have a trilogy on my CV, working on some of the highest grossing Danish animation films ever. And of course they are also the most fun projects to work on, with Thorbjørn and the whole team. Thorbjørn really relies on you to just do the work, and he only comments if something really isn’t working story-wise; he’s very generous like that. It’s also so fun. Even on *Journey to Saturn,* where there were only about 6 animators and it was crazy. I animated 15 minutes of that movie, and it was really insane but also so fun. **WA*: You also do some illustration and other projects on the side.* **Claus:** Yes, I have done illustration on a few children’s books. Animation is my normal daytime job, but I also work on book illustrations or do a commercial in the evenings or weekends. It’s mainly a desire to get some of my own stuff out there. > When you are working in animation you are part of a bigger team, so it’s nice to have something extra just for myself. It’s very satisfying to just do what I like to do. I also worry that if I don’t drive myself, then perhaps I will just sit around and look at a screen, so I want to create something instead. I also do sculptures, and I have a lot of projects. I like to try out new things.Claus Darholt You are never certain what’s going to happen to you in this industry. I had a really long stretch, maybe 15 years, where I just moved from one project to another, but just recently I had a couple of months where I didn’t have work. Although I still had a commercial in the evenings and worked a bit on the book, it was nice to have time to relax a bit. But I’m also trying to get a little bit of passive income, where I can earn some residuals. I have a short film I would like to do, and that means I would need to take some time off, so I have a little plan to hopefully someday do something of my own. **WA*: One really notable aspect of your LinkedIn is how many people say you’re a pleasure to work with.* **Claus:** I always try to be nice to work with. My girlfriend and I, and now our kids, all have a “pleasing genome”, where we like to make people happy. > Being agreeable is also part of my approach to the industry. I want to help create a nice work environment, and I like being happy. It makes the work easier, right? So maybe people will just keep Claus on because he can do the work and he’s not being an asshole. I may not always be the best, but I always want to do my best.Claus Darholt Before I came into the animation industry I worked at a warehouse pulling orders, taking things down and sending them. And it wasn’t giving me anything. I may as well be sick. So I came into animation feeling like it was worth taking a pay cut to do something better. And luckily I was able to end up earning more money doing the thing I love. **WA*: You’ve also been involved with ANIS for a very long time.* **Claus:** Yes, I’ve been a member of ANIS for almost 25 years, but I’ve only been on the board for 2 years. It’s very exciting right now because we are doing big things. We are focused on trying to make the work environment more safe, especially for new animators. Hopefully we can change something, like maybe helping people get paid for overtime. Right now in many of the contracts it states that you may have to do extra work for no pay, which isn’t very nice. So we are working towards forming a union for animation artists in Denmark. But we want to move slowly, because of course we want to strengthen the industry, not add more pressure. The money that productions get from DFI and from the networks is barely enough as it is, so if artists come in and say “We want extra payment and higher salaries”, then they’ll just move production to a different country or not hire people. These new tax incentives might bring more money to the Danish animation industry, so maybe we can make the working conditions better. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ANIS-8.webp) Cathrine, Claus, Marie > I asked the other board members to let me be chairman for a while, so that I can try to put as much of myself into it as possible. I want to do it because I know enough people in the industry, and I have a good reputation, and everyone knows I try to do my best, so hopefully that will make it easier for people to listen to what we have to say. I want to try to do something for the industry, because it’s an industry I really love, and I love all the people.Claus Darholt Everyone knows that there has to be a change, even if it changes slowly and with small increments. Really, we all want the same thing: good working conditions, and being good to each other. **WA*: What are the next steps for ANIS and the animation union?* **Claus:** It feels like the right time for a union, especially if we can build on the strengths the industry already has. Firstly, we want to let people know that we are here and that we care. We need lots of communication and dialogue. We would really like to establish some kind of A B C system, where if you have a sequence with more characters you get more time. So far animators just make these time frames work by focusing on the main characters and not moving a character when it’s not necessary, and getting through it somehow. But it seems reasonable that more complex shots need more production time. Another thing we want to do with ANIS is be more connected to The Animation Workshop. I’ve had some good talks with Kasper Kruse about how we might help students become members and perhaps do some mentoring or answer questions about the industry. **WA:* Do you have any advice for young animators?* **Claus:** School often doesn’t prepare students for how much they have to deliver every week; that is a big thing in Denmark. That is also why when I was in school I wanted to get out and start working; I felt like I spent too much time on my scenes, and wasn’t really getting to what’s needed of you in the business. When I talk to interns, I tell them that the most important thing is that people like you. That’s always been my approach. If people like you and they like to work with you, you may not be the best animator, but they want to work with you anyway. Of course you have to actually do the work, but being liked makes everything easier. And when you get comments on your animation, of course you can explain why you made the choices you did, but if they don’t like it then just say “okay” and change it. Don’t get upset with all the comments; they might find a more agreeable animator the next time. A positive attitude is pretty much the best approach to anything. ![WA_ClausDarholt_#0076](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_ClausDarholt_0076.webp) ## Text: ****Rebekah Villon and WeAnimate** Photo: ****Siri Lake** [Follow Claus on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/clausdarholt/?ref=weanimate.dk) [Read more about ANIS](https://anis.nu/fagforening/?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0076 ## More about the Union Group from The Danish Animation Society [Cathrine Baab Holm and the Power of Believing in YourselfCathrine Baab Holm is a freelance character and creature animator living in Copenhagen whose skills also include effects animation and project management. She has worked for Mint, Hydralab, Qvisten and more, on a diverse range of projects. She is also currently serving on the board of ANIS. We recently spoke![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-e6a565ec-bf94-4d5a-b597-c711ccedbaba.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/ANIS-48-df62d0bf-f1ba-42f5-8d61-45575a07a589.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/wau-cathrine-baab-holm/) [Raising Your Voice with Marie JørgensenMarie Jørgensen is a motion graphics artist, illustrator, and compositor who graduated from The Animation Workshop and worked in the Copenhagen animation industry for many years. Her line of Yoga Prints illustrations is quite popular online. As an ANIS board member, Marie has focused on how animation professionals can unite![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-ec6772fe-1a2b-465f-9734-a97d34053233.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/ANIS-34-4caf00eb-18d2-4ef8-bd68-f14bea37ac11.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/wau-marie-jorgensen/) ### A Bumper Crop: The new Animation Directors from The National Film School of Denmark URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-gunnar-wille-introduction/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T19:31:00.000Z This new animation director graduates from The National Film School of Denmark come as a big and positive surprise. Naturally, it's always exciting when a new class of directors emerge because their body of work always holds signs for where the world is going. As a peer, my eyes are peeled for common traits and for technological experiments. We live in a time where the evolution of animation production is making enormous headway. Naturally, omnipresent AI springs to mind, but also the use of computer game programs for shoots that make it possible to track individual characters as they move around. And while the use of technological advancements of course is important, it's the content that matters when all is said and done. What is it all about? And what's on the directors' minds? As it turns out, these directors have a lot they want to share with the world. These are films about discovering the world. When they open, we're caught in the middle. It's confusing, puzzling, like arriving in a pristine and unknown place. Slowly, contours show themselves and we begin to realize what's at stake. And then the graphic style becomes the compass, the key, because that's how it is with animation: the style is integral to the story. These graduate films reflect a common desire to challenge traditional dramaturgy, and although there are traditional developments in the stories, the general structure is different with its revelations instead of following more traditional arcs of resistance and confrontations. The films invite you to discover, to piece the elements together, find out what it's all about and finally enjoy the redemption. This is a common thread in these films. They are stories about searching and discovering yourself and discovering the world. And that's good because they are films that are attuned to where the young directors are in their lives. These are not films that give us certain answers, but films that ask questions and challenge us. I can't wait to see what the future holds for these animation directors. Words: ****Gunnar Wille** wam#170 --- ## Read about the films and graduates here: [The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Kauli Green and En Jeg SerCasual is a sensual short about negotiations of intimacy and monogamy in casual relationships. Our two protagonists share the sweet thrill of peeking into a stranger’s intimate life, but are confronted with the question; Which is more vulnerable to talk about, sexual desires or romantic dreams?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-0a882ac4-405b-42b9-9d46-88bfd80679fc.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/1B3A4153-083c3839-43dc-47f9-96a8-32d6a17c78f0.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-kauli-green/) [The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Nor Bülow Jørgensen and Acts of Slime and StoneA stop-motion film in a strange sticky cave-like place. A searching character, who seems to be disintegrating, creates another slimy creature. We are taken on a journey that allows for many interpretations and although it may sound strange, it is both interesting and exciting to be absorbed.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-126f49b6-0301-46d7-9752-4c7c40713239.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/1B3A3680-1-2da9fc12-d93d-48fc-8778-8feb03e9b209.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-nor-bulow-jorgensen/) [The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Rasmus Sølvsten and Nothing Will DieWe are sitting in a bird’s nest, the style is 2D animation in what appears very hand-drawn. You get a sense that the world is dangerous and ominous. Chicks fill the nest, and a big bird swoops down. You take in the world and begin to wonder what it’s all about.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-a0aa9d55-0d68-4ac0-a7b1-13c78cad9cca.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/PORTR--T-01-1-d60227f4-6463-4022-bbc7-0b1a54dfd5c8.png)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-rasmus-solvsten/) [The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Emma Bruun Ruus and Glæden ved at væreFlickering blue lines and a camera that jumps around in a strange way. Slowly you realize that we are seeing the world through the eyes of a small child. And the film then becomes this life-affirming experience of diving into the child’s ways of seeing.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-6babd029-3f30-425b-824f-4ca2d291419d.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/1B3A3646-1-abfa31ac-65a9-47fe-a6f6-6cfbb1277f79.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-emma-bruun-ruus/) [The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Lin Jo Skytte and Korean BloomA Danish-Korean woman runs a spa on the Danish westcoast. We experience everyday life there, but at the same time a reality merges with memories and dreams. A graphically simple universe that supports the emotional story![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-13810a54-e4e8-424b-a92e-4d0bec1cbdf0.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/LinJoSkytte_foto_AmandaB--dker-1-c060f702-509a-4205-88e5-5977490f1b0a.JPG)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-lin-jo-skytte/) [The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: David G. Raaberg Wedel and The Sound of Letting GoAn animated musical about breaking up a failed love affair and moving on in a new one. A mix of animatic and drawn animation that gives a clear picture of what awaits us with the finished movie.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-036344a6-c56a-4590-9413-1e2a48e038ec.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/David-Raabjerg-Wedel-portr--tfoto-3d6b1622-8ef6-47b7-9675-77c21ad04b7d.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-david-g-raaberg-wedel/) ### The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: David G. Raabjerg Wedel and The Sound of Letting Go URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-david-g-raaberg-wedel/ Last updated: 2026-10-06T12:23:07.000Z This article is part of a series of 6 focusing on the recent graduates from the National Film School of Denmark's animation program. See the other articles in the series [here](https://www.weanimate.dk/tag/film-school-graduates/). > An animated musical about breaking up a failed love affair and moving on in a new one. Amix of animatic and drawn animation that gives a clear picture of what awaits us with thefinished movie. > > \- Gunnar Wille ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/LydenAfAtGiveSlip_Poster_v1.jpg) David Wedel's "The Sound of Letting Go" was inspired by his love of animated musicals, and a desire to use that medium to tell a more sophisticated, adult story. Wedel says that this film is about love lost, and a story about being insecure when faced with one's past, being lost in nostalgia, and saying goodbye to a side of yourself you can not return to. The hand drawn animation style is suitably emotional and nostalgic, with some really lovely transitions and camera moves that contribute to the slightly fantastic feel of a musical. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_3958-1.jpg) Talking further about the film, Wedel says: > Why must animated musicals always be aimed at either children, or filled with R-rated content? Animation has a long and storied tradition with musicals, and even though "The Lion King" and "South Park: The Movie" are phenomenal films, there seems to be space available to challenge the genre. When I started working on the film, I was spending a lot of time between Copenhagen and my maternal home of Jutland. That clash of past and future created a perfect situation for strong emotions of nostalgia, which I knew then and there, should be the basis for my graduation project. The hope is that, in the end, it turned into a relatable film for anyone who has ever been in a relationship where they lost a part of themselves; and the bittersweet, melancholic feeling of saying goodbye to it. The next project I dream of directing, is a feature film aimed at kids, that delves into the difficult subject of losing a friend. It's a very personal story that I hope can be a conversational starter for families experiencing the loss of a child in their community. Since the film features them so prominently, it's worth mentioning Sanne Raabjerg Wedel, Marco Twellmann, and Casper Belmaati, who were responsible for writing and composing the songs. The songs struck the right nostalgic tone without becoming sappy, and were well-matched with the visuals and story pacing. We look forward to seeing more from the talented team behind "The Sound of Letting Go." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-1-Lyden-af-at-give-slip---still_01.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-1-Lyden-af-at-give-slip---still_02.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-1-Lyden-af-at-give-slip---still_03.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-1-Lyden-af-at-give-slip---still_04.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-1-Lyden-af-at-give-slip---still_05.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-1-Lyden-af-at-give-slip---still_06.png) Stills from the film ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/BTS_01---2125-A-7-1-Lyden-af-at-give-slip---tidlig-model-af-cafeen.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/BTS_02---2125-A-7-1-Lyden-af-at-give-slip---Marco-Twellman--Casper-Belmaati-og-Frej-Levin-i-studiet---fotokredit-D.-Wedel.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/BTS_03---2125-A-7-1-Lyden-af-at-Give-Slip---tidlig-animation-i-Odyssey.png) Behind the scenes ****The Sound of Letting Go** ****Pitch** Why must animated musicals always be aimed at either children, or filled with R-rated content? Animation has as a long and storied tradition with musicals, and even though The Lion King and South Park: The Movie are phenomenal films, there seems to be space available to challenge the genre. **The Sound of Letting Go* does this, by telling a personal and melancholic story about love lost - a story about being insecure when faced with one's past, being lost in nostalgia, and saying goodbye to a side of yourself you cannot return to. wam#174 --- [A Bumper Crop: The new Animation Directors from The National Film School of DenmarkThis new animation director graduates from The National Film School of Denmark come as a big and positive surprise. Naturally, it’s always exciting when a new class of directors emerge because their body of work always holds signs for where the world is going.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-8e2f1c27-008c-4133-bcd3-b350078d9a5f.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3948-1-25175354-c4e4-47e7-8588-1feb80c08513.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-gunnar-wille-introduction/) ### The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Rasmus Sølvsten and Nothing Will Die URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-rasmus-solvsten/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T13:32:37.000Z This article is part of a series of 6 focusing on the recent graduates from the National Film School of Denmark's animation program. See the other articles in the series [here](https://www.weanimate.dk/tag/film-school-graduates/). > We are sitting in a bird's nest, the style is 2D animation in what appears very hand-drawn.You get a sense that the world is dangerous and ominous. Chicks fill the nest, and a bigbird swoops down. You take in the world and begin to wonder what it's all about. > > \- Gunnar Wille ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_3958-1.jpg) Rasmus Sølvsten's "Nothing Will Die" is a 2D animated film executed almost entirely in greyscale, devoid of color, which is extremely suitable for the dark nature of the subject matter. Although the creature design emphasizes the cuteness of our protagonist birds, the story is anything but cute, focused on the sometimes brutal fight for survival. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Nothing-Will-Die-Poster_04--1-.jpg) Talking about the inspiration for the film, Sølvsten says: I wanted to portray the true darkness of nature, all the pain and suffering, but also underline the incredible willpower and strength that all animals possess. I was in a dark time of my life, when I realized that we humans, at least in my part of the world, take things for granted and fail to realize how much worse things could be. Personally, it really helps me get through stuff, to think about my pain being shared, not only with other humans, but all living things. It seems that pain and death are the only things we all have in common across culture and even species. The world is a brutal place, no matter what form you arrive here in. And I feel we often forget that. When the birds are chirping, a great drama is taking place, much greater than we think. It might seem cosy and nice, when we hear the baby birds from the nest and see their parents bring them food, but it is a constant battle for survival, from the second they are brought into the world. As a director, I find some comfort in the fact that we all share something across species. A wish to continue. And the pain that comes with that wish. The title "Nothing Will Die" refers to the beautiful poem of the same name, written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. A poem which the movie itself reflects. I find it optimistic and hopeful in a confusing and often depressing world. Nothing will die. And nothing would live, if it wasn't for the sunlight that reaches our planet in about the time it takes for you to watch this movie. > As a director, I find some comfort in the fact that we all share something across species. "Nothing Will Die" is a visually striking film, and indicates a promising future in animation for Sølvsten and the rest of the student team. "Nothing Will Die" was selected for OFF 2026 and VAF 2026 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/01.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/02.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/03.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/04.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/05.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/06.png) Stills from the film ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/23065ca5-9eac-4598-89c9-8c8ff59a2cc5.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/570573db-4f63-410f-a839-1cac9339117c.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/fb8beec6-9b23-44a7-b0cb-dd6571ef6a43.jpg) Behind the scenes ****Nothing Will Die** ****Logline** **A young blackbird fights against nature and its siblings to survive as they grow up in a nest* ****Synopsis** **Five baby birds are born into a threatening and overwhelming world. As their mother struggles to protect them from merciless predators, the baby birds fight their own battles for her attention. A story of survival, the cycle of life, and hope amidst the unforgiving realities of nature.* wam#175 --- [A Bumper Crop: The new Animation Directors from The National Film School of DenmarkThis new animation director graduates from The National Film School of Denmark come as a big and positive surprise. Naturally, it’s always exciting when a new class of directors emerge because their body of work always holds signs for where the world is going.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-6bb406b0-2d68-41a3-8469-b2cc5577d617.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3948-1-313e21fe-f1e7-4e5f-b29a-698d5467320e.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-gunnar-wille-introduction/) ### The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Lin Jo Skytte and Korean Bloom URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-lin-jo-skytte/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:46:15.000Z This article is part of a series of 6 focusing on the recent graduates from the National Film School of Denmark's animation program. See the other articles in the series [here](https://www.weanimate.dk/tag/film-school-graduates/). > A Danish-Korean woman runs a spa on the Danish westcoast. We experience everydaylife there, but at the same time a reality merges with memories and dreams. A graphicallysimple universe that supports the emotional story > > \- Gunnar Wille ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/A3_OFF_KoreanBloom.jpg) Lin Jo Skytte's "Korean Bloom" is a 2D animated film about alienation and belonging. The sketchy, textural quality of the line work, careful frame composition, and lean color palette enhance our focus on the main character, who experiences a range of emotions and transformations during the film. Skytte's synopsis describes the film as taking place in a luxurious spa near the seaside, where the Danish-Korean owner, Mina, tends her guests, along with a staff of mystical creatures. As she experiences questionable and discriminatory behavior, her hair grows uncontrollably, expressing emotions she struggles to hide, until an unusual guest arrives. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_3958-1.jpg) Skytte goes on to say: > This is not a film about feeling different. It's a story about *being* different. Throughout my life, people have always had an opinion on my hair: "Don't cut it" or "Black hair can't be coloured." I am adopted from Korea and grew up in Denmark. My world has always been white. In the summer of 2024 I travelled to Seoul. On my first subway ride, I felt something new. Every person around me had dark, straight hair and eyes like mine. For the first time, I could mirror my face in every person around me. "Korean Bloom" is about the longing to be surrounded by people who look like yourself. It is my intention to show the racism towards a minoritized ethnic group, which exists in Denmark. I want to remind us of the strength of recognisability and cohesion, which is what creates meaning and value in life. In this film's universe, hair can riot and people step out of paintings. The peculiar brings me joy. And by using magical realism, it makes space to explore heavier themes. I hope to create an understanding of how it feels to be a minority, when you are unable to mirror yourself due to appearances. This is me cutting my hair - because I am my own. Written and directed by Skytte, and co-produced by Maja Foss Hagerup and Rosa Flindt Riis-Hansen, "Korean Bloom" appeared at Odense International Film Festival, and won the 2026 Robert Award for Best Short Fiction/Animation. With so much recognition early in her career, we are sure to hear more from Skytte, Hagerup, and Riis-Hansen in the coming years. Korean dream has been selected for VAF 2025, FAF 2025, Blon 2025, Copenhagen Shortfilm Festival, and won the Danish Animation Talent Award at OFF 2025 and won Robert 2025 for Best Shortfilm. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/00_MAINSTILL_NovaWesterholtHansen-IdaLiljaJensen-----stor.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/01_NovaWesterholtHansen-IdaLiljaJensen-----stor.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/02_NovaWesterholtHansen-IdaLiljaJensen-----stor.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/03_NovaWesterholtHansen-IdaLiljaJensen-----stor.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/04_NovaWesterholtHansen-IdaLiljaJensen-----stor.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/05_SimoneKrogh-IdaLiljaJensen-----stor.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/06_NovaWesterholtHansen-IdaLiljaJensen-----stor.jpeg) Stills from the film ****Korean Bloom** ****Pitch** In a spa near the seaside, imagination and reality become one. Mina, a Danish-Korean woman, feels a new longing bloom, when an unusual guest checks in. The film is a poetic reflection, about looking differently, and it lets the audience witness universal emotions in a magical universe. wam#173 --- [A Bumper Crop: The new Animation Directors from The National Film School of DenmarkThis new animation director graduates from The National Film School of Denmark come as a big and positive surprise. Naturally, it’s always exciting when a new class of directors emerge because their body of work always holds signs for where the world is going.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-3433eccd-3366-42ea-86a1-1e82ec1c697e.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3948-1-e40f5254-c990-4c6b-901e-69833d908a51.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-gunnar-wille-introduction/) ### The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Kauli Green and En Jeg Ser URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-kauli-green/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:45:30.000Z This article is part of a series of 6 focusing on the recent graduates from the National Film School of Denmark's animation program. See the other articles in the series [here](https://www.weanimate.dk/tag/film-school-graduates/). > Casual is a sensual short about negotiations of intimacy and monogamy in casual relationships. > Our two protagonists share the sweet thrill of peeking into a stranger's intimate life, but are confronted with the question; Which is more vulnerable to talk about, sexual desires or romantic dreams? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/CASUAL_STILL2_300dpi_ShortFilm2025_Dir_-Kauli-Green_Copyright_NationalFilmSchoolOfDenmark.jpeg) Kauli Green's short film "En Jeg Ser"/"Casual" premiered at Annecy in 2025, and has gone on to appear at the Copenhagen Short Film Festival, Odense International Film Festival, Queer Film Festival Berlin, and more. Green is a multi-media filmmaker who works in animation, documentary, and other formats. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_3958-1.jpg) "En Jeg Ser/Casual" is a film about the sometimes difficult questions and conversations that arise around intimacy. The sketchy line quality, shifting camera, and expressive color palette of the visuals emphasizes the vulnerability and uncertainty of the characters as they navigate these experiences. Green describes the film as a sensual short about negotiations of intimacy and monogamy in casual relationships. They say: "Our two protagonists share the sweet thrill of peeking into a stranger's intimate life, but are confronted with the question: which is more vulnerable to talk about, sexual desires or romantic dreams? The film centers trans bodies and experiences, honouring queer lives and loves. With a combination of cel animation, carefully guided AI and rotoscope, the experimental form of the film is itself a queer statement of evolving and transitioning." Talking about their inspiration for the film, Green goes on to say: > With "Casual", I wanted to make a film about casual queer dating, and of course intimacy: emotional as well as physical. It was important for me and the crew that the queerness itself wouldn't be part of the conflict in the film, but rather the natural starting point for a story about negotiations of casual dating, and which armor we each bring into that intimate space. "Intimacy, not romance" became a catchphrase that guided all creative decisions; from working with the amazing film crew, actors and intimate coordinator, and onto the animation process; exploring contrasts between hand drawn cell-animation and the abstractions offered by carefully guided AI. I dream of directing feature films and longer format shows, both live action and animation. I recently finished my first live action documentary, "Elsker det for dig", which inspired me a lot. Next time I hope to be merging the lived experience of live action documentary with the magic of animation, and explore new techniques. With such an auspicious premiere on the Danish film scene, we will certainly be seeing more of Green's work in the years to come. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/CASUAL_STILL1_300dpi_ShortFilm2025_Dir_-Kauli-Green_Copyright_NationalFilmSchoolOfDenmark.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/CASUAL_STILL2_300dpi_ShortFilm2025_Dir_-Kauli-Green_Copyright_NationalFilmSchoolOfDenmark-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/CASUAL_STILL3_300dpi_ShortFilm2025_Dir_-Kauli-Green_Copyright_NationalFilmSchoolOfDenmark.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/CASUAL_STILL4_300dpi_ShortFilm2025_Dir_-Kauli-Green_Copyright_NationalFilmSchoolOfDenmark.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/CASUAL_STILL5_300dpi_ShortFilm2025_Dir_-Kauli-Green_Copyright_NationalFilmSchoolOfDenmark.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/CASUAL_STILL6_300dpi_ShortFilm2025_Dir_-Kauli-Green_Copyright_NationalFilmSchoolOfDenmark.jpeg) Stills from the film ****Casual** ****Synopsis** Casual is a sensual short about negotiations of intimacy and monogamy in casual relationships. Our two protagonists share the sweet thrill of peeking into a stranger's intimate life, but are confronted with the question; Which is more vulnerable to talk about, sexual desires or romantic dreams? The film centers trans bodies and experiences, honouring queer lives and loves. With a combination of cel animation, carefully guided ai and rotoscope, the experimental form of the film is itself a queer statement of evolving and transitioning. wam#176 --- [A Bumper Crop: The new Animation Directors from The National Film School of DenmarkThis new animation director graduates from The National Film School of Denmark come as a big and positive surprise. Naturally, it’s always exciting when a new class of directors emerge because their body of work always holds signs for where the world is going.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-6d6fa95b-f4e5-4ccf-a93f-14c8845f8137.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3948-1-4638ddf2-80e6-4faf-8f3a-7817b9c8d26a.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-gunnar-wille-introduction/) ### The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Nor Bülow Jørgensen and Acts of Slime and Stone URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-nor-bulow-jorgensen/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:45:15.000Z This article is part of a series of 6 focusing on the recent graduates from the National Film School of Denmark's animation program. See the other articles in the series [here](https://www.weanimate.dk/tag/film-school-graduates/). > A stop-motion film in a strange sticky cave-like place. A searching character, who seems tobe disintegrating, creates another slimy creature. We are taken on a journey that allows formany interpretations and although it may sound strange, it is both interesting and excitingto be absorbed. > > \- Gunnar Wille ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/POSTER-PRINT-2025.jpg) Nor Bülow Jørgensen's "Acts of Slime and Stone" has a claustrophobic atmosphere and a distinctive, surreal style. The distinctive pacing of each act of the film, the occasional insertion of weird live action shots, and the hollow, aquatic sound design keep the viewer off balance, creating a feeling of uncomfortable intimacy. While Jørgensen says the film is about a break-up, the story is highly subject to interpretation, and it may be better to watch it and decide for yourself. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_3958-1.jpg) Talking further about the inspiration for the film, Jørgensen says: I wanted to make a film about the relationship with yourself after saying goodbye to a very important person in your life. It feels empty to lose someone, and even emptier not to be able to share that loneliness with them afterwards. Facing it alone is very difficult - and very universal. We are used to finding all the answers in relation to something else. Films are created in contact with the audience, love is something that exists between me and \_\_\_. To arrive at conclusions alone - and for that to change something internally - feels to me like trying to make a spoon fly by the power of thought. So, being allowed to "playout" or "pretend" that a blob of slime is your ex-partner makes it a little easier. Even if it's your own version of the ex, and thus, in reality, yourself. I am dreaming of directing fantastic, crazy, surprising, silly films that are deeply tied to reality when it comes to emotional conflicts and topics. I think it's important to dwell on the emotions in films. We rarely get as close to people in real life as we do in film, so I believe it's so important to make it count when we get the chance. > To arrive at conclusions alone - and for that to change something internally - feels to me like trying to make a spoon fly by the power of thought. Directed by Jørgensen and produced by Kamma Bay Eriksen, "Acts of Slime and Stone" was an official selection of the Odense International Film Festival. We wish them much success in their animation careers! "Acts of Slime" was selected for OFF 2026 and VAF 2026 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/01-ACTS-OF-SLIME-AND-STONE_credit-Nor-Bu--low-J--rgensen-----stor.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/02-ACTS-OF-SLIME-AND-STONE_credit-Nor-Bu--low-J--rgensen-----stor.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/03-ACTS-OF-SLIME-AND-STONE_credit-Nor-Bu--low-J--rgensen-----stor.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/04-ACTS-OF-SLIME-AND-STONE_credit-Nor-Bu--low-J--rgensen-----stor.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/05-ACTS-OF-SLIME-AND-STONE_credit-Nor-Bu--low-J--rgensen-----stor.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/06-ACTS-OF-SLIME-AND-STONE_credit-Nor-Bu--low-J--rgensen-----stor.jpeg) Stills from the film ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/01-ACTS-OF-SLIME-AND-STONE_credit-Nor-Bu--low-J--rgensen-----stor-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/02-ACTS-OF-SLIME-AND-STONE_credit-Nor-Bu--low-J--rgensen-----stor-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/03-ACTS-OF-SLIME-AND-STONE_credit-Nor-Bu--low-J--rgensen-----stor-1.jpeg) Behind the scenes ****Acts of Slime and Stone** ****Synopsis** Lost in a Dungeon, O is looking for their ex, T. But the deeper they go, the softer their bodies become, melting both physically and emotionally. In a state of loneliness and despair, O begins to project T into a pile of slime. Together, the two of them move through the dungeon, revisiting fragmented memories of the past relationship - not only with T, but with themself, and the story they've built around who they are. Acts of Slime and Stone is a story about falling apart after a breakup and picking up the pieces of yourself. wam#171 --- [A Bumper Crop: The new Animation Directors from The National Film School of DenmarkThis new animation director graduates from The National Film School of Denmark come as a big and positive surprise. Naturally, it’s always exciting when a new class of directors emerge because their body of work always holds signs for where the world is going.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-ad1e7054-089a-49f8-bdc5-b24addd478e2.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3948-1-49db09ca-e32e-4c12-ab89-f452703f0c8e.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-gunnar-wille-introduction/) ### The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Emma Bruun Ruus and Glæden ved at være URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-emma-bruun-ruus/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:44:38.000Z This article is part of a series of 6 focusing on the recent graduates from the National Film School of Denmark's animation program. See the other articles in the series [here](https://www.weanimate.dk/tag/film-school-graduates/). > Flickering blue lines and a camera that jumps around in a strange way. Slowly you realizethat we are seeing the world through the eyes of a small child. And the film then becomesthis life-affirming experience of diving into the child's ways of seeing. > > \- Gunnar Wille ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/glaedenvedatvaere_A1_3mmbleed_UK.jpg) "Glæden ved at være" is a peek at life from the perspective of a child. Using natural audio and the curious, restless motions of a toddler, this film combines rotoscoped animation with stylized art direction that reflects and exaggerates the shifting attention and focus of the tiny cinematographer. A stripped-back color palette and minimalist framing lead the eye through the film, with careful pacing that allows us to inhabit each moment. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_3958-1.jpg) Directed by Emma Bruun Ruus and produced by Emma Lind, "Glæden ved at være"/"The Joy of Being" is a poetic exploration of everyday moments, seen through the curious, carefree, and magical eyes of a child. Emma Bruun Ruus says: For the past four years, I've been deeply interested in the intersection of animation and documentary. My ambition and dream is to keep exploring how traditions from the both can be combined to create new ways of portraying reality. In "The Joy of Being", we follow Balder and his first encounter with the world. Balder has just taken his first steps, and suddenly the world has opened up to him. He has discovered that you can eat raspberries off your fingertips. He has just learned to clap along to music. He has found out that smiles are infectious and that draping a blanket over your head can make you invisible. Through Balder's curious eyes, everyday life transforms into a poetic journey of discovery, where every sound, shadow, and touch is met with wonder. A sensory and abstract drama that invites the audience to sense, feel, and rediscover the world as if for the first time. The film stems from a desire to find meaning in my own motherhood, in a world that feels vast and uncertain. The film is a search for peace, for hope, and for a gaze not yet shaped by fear and expectations. A gaze that sees everything for the very first time, and perhaps, for that very reason, sees more clearly. It's a poetic exploration of what it feels like to be, before we become and I hope the film can inspire others to meet the world with the same awe and curiosity as a child. > The film stems from a desire to find meaning in my own motherhood, in a world that feels vast and uncertain. "Glæden ved at være" was nominated for Best Animation at the 2025 Ekko Shortlist Awards, won the Danish Animation Talent Award at OFF 2026, and was nominated for the best short at Robert 2026. [Animation winners at Odense Film Festival 2026On Saturday, August 29th, 2026, it was Award Time at Odense Intl’ Short Film Festival once again, and once again Danish animation had a front-row seat.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-211b022b-9760-4bd9-bd96-2889080cb444.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/FotografLineSvindt_Loerdag_Vinderbilleder-6-1280x1920-1-1-229f51be-aaa9-4694-8935-52209cea2c29.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/animation-winners-at-odense-film-festival-2026/) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-2_GladenVedAtVaere--1-00-57-06-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-2_GladenVedAtVaere--1-01-26-05-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-2_GladenVedAtVaere--1-01-40-13-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-2_GladenVedAtVaere--1-02-33-21-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-2_GladenVedAtVaere--1-03-30-00-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2125-A-7-2_GladenVedAtVaere--1-04-26-23-.png) Stills from the film ****Glæden ved at være** ****Logline:** “The Joy of Being” is a poetic exploration of everyday moments, seen through the curious, carefree, and magical eyes of a child. ****Pitch:** **In "The Joy of Being" we follow one-year-old Balder and his first encounter with the world. With his curious, carefree gaze, everyday moments become a poetic journey of discovery, where each sound, shadow and touch is filled with wonder. But behind the curiosity lie moments when the world becomes too big, too close, and too overwhelming all at once. "The Joy of Being" is a sensorial and life-affirming drama about the beauty in the imperfect and a quiet tribute to the present, to life, and to the world.* wam#172 --- [A Bumper Crop: The new Animation Directors from The National Film School of DenmarkThis new animation director graduates from The National Film School of Denmark come as a big and positive surprise. Naturally, it’s always exciting when a new class of directors emerge because their body of work always holds signs for where the world is going.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-3d8b9915-0973-4646-9f5f-f0981e6990fc.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3948-1-80706a3c-2749-47b9-8756-e7678158a8ff.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/nfs26-gunnar-wille-introduction/) ### Animation that Moves You: Liane-Cho Han and Little Amélie or The Character of Rain URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/little-amalie-liane-cho-han/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:39.000Z **Little Amélie or The Character of Rain was one of the most celebrated animated features of 2025, winning the Audience Award at Annecy and securing nominations at the Annies, Cannes, Golden Globes, and the Academy Awards.** It’s a remarkable film, based on the semi-autobiographical novel The Character of Rain by Amélie Nothomb. We recently spoke with Little Amélie’s co-writer and co-director Liane-Cho Han about the film, his work in animation, and his life in Denmark. **WA*: In another interview, you mentioned that you first read The Character of Rain at 19, and have wanted to make it into a movie ever since then. Tell us more about that.* **Liane-Cho Han:** Yes, it’s true that I read the book like 23 years ago, when I was 19\. At that time, I wasn’t really a bookworm; I was more into pop culture, like Japanese animation and video games, but I was so moved by this book. The story of a 2 year old Belgian girl, born in Japan, who believed she was God… what a crazy concept! I was really amazed at the idea, and her relationship with Nishio-san was so moving. I remember having tears in my eyes at the end, and that was the first time that had happened to me. And of course it was set in Japan, a country and a culture that I really loved, and set in post WWII… Three years before this book, I had discovered an animated movie called *Grave of the Fireflies*, and when I saw it I was just shocked, and I cried for a couple of hours, I was so moved by it. So when I read this book I thought it had all the ingredients to make a wonderful animated film. And why an animated film? Why animation? Because in the book, during the beach sequence, Amélie walks on the water like Jesus, but I thought, even then, that she should part the sea like Moses instead. ![Kenneth Eriksen - LILLE AMELIE - DANSK PLAKAT](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kenneth-Eriksen-LILLE-AMELIE-DANSK-PLAKAT.webp) The poster of "Little Amélie" Of course at that time making the movie was just a dream, a fantasy, and I thought it would never happen. But then a lot of years passed, and I gained a lot of experience in the industry. I started to work with Maïlys Vallade \[co-writer and co-director of *Little Amélie or The Character of Rain*\] 14 years ago on a movie called *The Little Prince* by Mark Osborne. We were both junior storyboarders, and our head of story was Bob Persichetti, who is now one of the directors of the *Spiderverse* films, so it was an amazing way to start as a storyboarder. Later on we collaborated a lot with our friend the french director Rémi Chayé on the movies *Long Way North* and *Calamity*, where we were both storyboarders, and I was later an animation supervisor. Maïlys and I worked on those films with Rémi and most of our artistic family, including Eddine Noël, our co-screenwriter and also our production designer. It was all the beginning of a big collaboration, and once we were a team I started to feel like it was time to do the Amélie project. > At that time Maïlys had already had a daughter, and I had just also had my son. He was a very difficult baby, and I realized that it’s not only Amélie who believes she’s god: every kid believes they are god! Of course Amélie is very special, but we all go through this transition where we believe that we are the center of the universe, until we realize that, no, we are just part of it. So it’s a big transition from early childhood to childhood. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kenneth-Eriksen-Little-Amelie-Still-4.webp) Still from "Little Amélie" We know these other transitions from a child to a teenager, from a teenager to adulthood, from adulthood to midlife crisis, to pensioner… but this first transition is actually very hard for us, because we are just little children. It also hasn’t been treated very often in movies, in animation or in movies in general, so we felt that we should try to move forward with the adaptation. And of course it has all these great, mature themes that Maïlys and I love, because we grew up with Japanese animation, which always has very mature themes. You can watch Japanese movies that speak to all ages, the young as well as the old, and that was definitely the kind of movie we wanted to do. So I wrote a letter to the author, Amélie Nothomb, without really believing that she would actually answer, and we pitched it to some producers, and everyone was very positive. We didn’t get an answer from the author, but we got a reply from the book editor, and they were very excited about the project. From that moment actually everything went pretty smoothly, at least in terms of the rights and the financials and stuff. **WA:** Did you work with the author on the script? **Liane-Cho Han:** Actually, no. Amélie Nothomb usually says something like “My books are my children, and adaptations of my books are my grandchildren, and I never interfere with the education of my grandchildren.” So she just let us be totally free. So free, in fact, that it was the opposite, and she didn’t interfere at all, even though we sometimes asked. We requested some pictures, extra information, that kind of thing, but she didn’t want to be involved at all, so we had to find it on our own. We sourced material from the internet. There was a great documentary in 2005, *Amélie Nothomb: une vie entre deux eaux,* where they filmed her going back to Japan after so many years, going back to where she grew up, and at the very end of the documentary she meets Nishio-san again for the first time after all those years. It was a very moving moment, because of course Nishio-san was then very very old. In the documentary you can also see some pictures from the past, and our production designer was actually able to find where the house was by using the documentary and then Google maps. So we didn’t have any help at all from the author. She discovered the movie at the very end, during the last day of final mixing. We had a big screening with all the partners and the book author and editors and everything. We actually made two versions of the credits: one said “adapted from” the book, and the other said “inspired by” the book, so if she liked it we could call it an adaptation, and if she didn’t we could say it was inspired by. But she loved it, and she was very moved. She had lost her father a few years before, and she said that we had revived her father for her. During that screening we actually didn’t know that she had lost both of her parents, so of course for her it was very emotional, and she said it was the best adaptation of any of her books. ![Cho & Poher-1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Cho-Poher-1.webp) Liane-Cho in conversation with Jonas Poher Our movie talks about universal themes, like acceptance. Accepting that everything is ephemeral, that everything has an end. And that, despite the challenges we meet in life, like disillusion or even death, life is still worth living. We should open ourselves to the world, rather than being closed to the world because we are scared of suffering, or too angry to let go. It’s also about empathy, that maybe empathy for kids can help to solve even the worst conflicts. And I’m saying that because the message in the book is totally opposite. The last line of the book is “After three years of age, nothing happened.” It’s like the author is stuck in the happiness she had as a baby, and nothing was worth living for after that. But of course we couldn’t communicate that kind of message to the audience, especially to young ones, which is why we made those changes. Especially Kashima-san, who has a very different role in the book than in the movie. In the book she’s pure evil, at least from Amélie’s point of view, and the author let her die in the end. But we love nuances in characters, and if you think of Miyazaki’s movies, there are no evil characters: there’s always an explanation, always a nuance. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kenneth-Eriksen-Little-Amelie-Still-3.webp) Still from "Little Amélie" > Because no matter who you are, where you come from, what kind of person you are, in front of war, we are all losers. We lose the people we love, even our own children, and we wanted to explain this grudge and how people can get stuck in this grudge. At the end, after they have this argument, Kashima-san sees that she made Amélie cry, she sees that she has hurt the little girl, and that causes something to happen in her mind, it causes her to change. So empathy for small kids can have the power to solve the worst conflicts in the world. All those things: disillusion, acceptance, can be experienced by children but also as adults, so both ages can see and understand these feelings. ![Cho & Poher-4](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Cho-Poher-4.webp) Liane-Cho in conversation with Jonas Poher **WA:** As you mention, *Little Amélie* does have very mature themes. Who was the audience for the film? **Liane-Cho Han:** We really wanted to make a film that could reach both targets: the very youngest and the very oldest. Because the book is for adults, of course, and even though it is talking about early childhood and it can seem a bit naive, the themes are very strong themes, and there are some graphic moments, much more graphic than the movie. So we wanted to make a movie for both ages, and, as I said, people have different opinions about what a kid can handle. But we believe that kids can understand more than we think; we just have to find the right approach for those things. Of course movies today have to be targeted to a very specific age, and it was very hard sometimes to convince people that it would work. But then you go to some of the screenings, which are full of kids, and they love the movie. There are 3 or 4 year old kids, which personally I think is pretty young to go to the cinema, but they are just amazed and entranced, because of the colors and the images. And of course all the kids won’t understand all the information, all the layers of meaning, and maybe they won’t understand the concepts and situations of WWII, but that’s the beauty of a movie: you can rewatch and watch it later and understand different layers of it, and the adults understand the different layers as well. > That was one of the biggest challenges of our movie, actually. Everyone has a different opinion about what a kid can understand in a movie, or what a kid can handle. That scene with the arguing, some people said that we should cut it, because kids don’t understand WWII. But that’s crazy. How could we cut that moment, because how else could people understand those characters? And it doesn’t matter if kids don’t understand WWII, they can still feel the tension, that first layer of emotion when they are arguing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kenneth-Eriksen-Little-Amelie-Still-2.webp) Still from "Little Amélie" In the movie there is a voice over, and the role of the voice over was firstly to create structure in general, but also to offer a different point of view about what we are seeing in the image. It’s a step to the side to see a different angle, and of course sometimes the voice over is using complicated words, because we tried as much as possible to use the beautiful writing style and humor of the book author. And maybe the kids won’t understand it in an intellectual way, but they can feel the rhythm of the voice and not really have a problem with it, which is what we see at the screenings. Sometimes I watch a movie that was made in a different language, and I don’t understand it, but the images, the rhythm… it carries you. **WA:* The character animation is very realistic. Did you use your own kids as reference?* **LCH:** Absolutely. We also tried to remember our own childhoods as well, because, while memories can be a bit blurry, there is always an emotion, a sensation that remains in your mind. So we asked the whole team for some of their memories, and Simon Dumonceau had a very specific memory of a spinning top made of lychees cut in two, so we used that in the movie. I also remembered how sometimes when I was a kid my parents argued because of money, and as a kid of course you don’t understand those things, but you feel the tension and it stays inside of you… We did that in the movie too, when the two Japanese women argue, and of course Amélie doesn’t understand because she never learned about the war. > Maïlys and I grew up on those types of movies. The Japanese movies, Miyazaki for example, are very layered and have lots of different meanings. So we believe that you don’t have to make movies for just one target or another: you can make movies that speak to both. Because those hard subjects shouldn’t be hidden from children, like we shouldn’t talk about death because it is too difficult or they are too small to understand. Actually they are craving to understand, it’s almost the first question they ask, the first thing they want to understand, and if you don’t give them a proper answer they will seek it elsewhere, and then we don’t know what they have learned from it. We need to find the right way, the right angle, the right balance. So this movie was a lot about balance, finding a way to talk to both groups. ![Cho & Poher-9](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Cho-Poher-9.webp) Liane-Cho in conversation with Jonas Poher As I mentioned my child was very difficult, and this movie made me think about how to approach early childhood, you know? I come from France, with a Chinese background, and the way we treat children is very different from Denmark. We are very confrontational, full of conflict, saying No! No! and scolding. And my wife has a very different approach, to distract, to move the child’s attitude to something else. The left part of the brain and the right part of the brain start to connect, from about 2 years old until about 7, so of course a child’s brain works very differently from ours. So no matter how you scold them when they are small, it just doesn’t work. It doesn’t make them scared. You have to be creative instead. I learned a lot from this movie, and I hope that other people can see it as well. So we referenced our own children a lot, but also our own memories. **WA:* I’ve read that you used an Adobe Animate pipeline on the film, where storyboard images could just eventually be used as frames in the film. Where did that workflow come from?* **LCH:** The pipeline comes from Rémi Chayé on *Long Way North*. We have worked in Flash/Animate ever since, on *Long Way North* and *Calamity* and now *Amélie*, even though of course after every movie the pipeline evolves a bit. It was a style without outlines, a style that Maïlys and I like, because it suits our drawing style, which is more sculptural, painterly. And of course I love Animate. For me, it is the best animation software in the world. But to use it you need people who make scripts for you. You can’t ask Adobe for anything: they won’t do anything for you. They already tried to close it down and discontinue the software, but then they realized that there was a huge community who insisted they keep it. We don’t need technical support or anything, just keep it going. So yes, it was a pipeline that we had already. For *Amélie* it was a bit different, of course, because it was a different story. It was about childhood, so we wanted more warmth, rounded shapes and rounded characters, and it’s a bit more realistic as well. You can see the texture around the characters, and it’s a bit more intense, pastel texture compared to the previous movies. We also added a lot of blur/focus/out of focus effects, because we are looking through the gaze of this little girl, and sometimes she can be very close to things, to have some macro shots, and we used a lot of transparency as well. So it’s similar to the other two films, but also different as well, because this is a different movie and we are different directors. But the pipeline does come from those other two movies, so huge thanks to Mr. Chayé. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kenneth-Eriksen-Little-Amelie-Still-1.webp) Still from "Little Amélie" **WA:* You keep the camera mostly at Amélie’s point of view, which creates a lot of very exaggerated perspective shots, which then transition into kind of fantastic scale shots in the film...* **LCH:** Which makes sense, right? Because when you are a kid, you believe things are so huge. Like the garden, which we tried to make into this enormous, unlimited garden, but of course when you come back in a few years you realize that things weren’t that big at all. So we tried to mimic that in the film. Also keeping the camera at her eye level as much as possible, to see the world from her point of view, which has to do with camera placement. But we’re also trying to capture the sensation when she touches something, when she breathes… also with the colors and the lighting, we tried to really follow her emotional states. When she was just born, the light was very over-exposed and very bright, because that’s how you see when you are just born and the light is too strong. But of course when she starts to discover the beauty of the world, the colors are much brighter, more saturated. And later, when her world collapses underneath her feet, of course the colors become more dull and toned down. And then back again to very bright at the end of the movie. And we did a lot with the sound as well, so that we really feel like we are in her point of view. We also follow the seasons, because the movie takes place over the course of one year, so she comes out into the view of the world in spring, and then the world collapses under her in the fall, and there are also nice bright lights in winter… so we go through these transitions. Our production designer Eddine Noël also came up with the idea of having one color palette per character. For example, Amélie is green because of her eyes, and Nishio-san is the warm yellow of the sun, and Kashima-san is purple, the color of the aristocracy, and each member of the family has their own color. And when she loses her bearings and her world collapses, all those colors change, so we push even more the idea that she’s disoriented. ![Kenneth Eriksen - Little Amélie - Still 7](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kenneth-Eriksen-Little-Amelie-Still-7.webp) Still from "Little Amélie" **WA:* On a personal note, did you always want to be an animator?* **LCH:** I don’t think I wanted to be an animator at the beginning. As I mentioned, I grew up with Japanese animation, but also with video games, and I think that at the beginning I wanted to work in video games. And people said that then you have to learn to draw, so I started to draw very late. When I was 18, after I got my bachelor's, I was trying to figure out what to do, should I be an engineer, or work in computers or something… But my sister was already doing some magazines for manga and stuff, already quite popular, even though she’s 7 years younger than I am. And I thought, “Oh, that’s what I want to do - I want to draw!” So I went to drawing school, and I still had no idea what animation was. I wasn’t great at drawing, because I started so late, and it wasn’t natural. But after a few years I went to an evening animation course, in some basement in Paris with the sewers and everything, and it was taught by this old French Vietnamese guy who talked to us about animation, and I could feel… You know how when you are drawing for animation, and it’s a bit rough, you are just drawing to feel the movement. > One of the first pieces of advice he gave me, as my first animation teacher, was “Don’t try to impress people. Try to move them.” And this advice has stayed with me all my life, and hopefully onward into the future, because I was moved by Grave of the Fireflies and those kinds of very emotional films. So for me emotion was already the most important thing, and I could feel that I had this connection with movement, with emotion, with acting, trying to communicate emotion through characters, and later on trying to communicate emotion through storyboards, through using panels and camera placement to show emotion. When working as a storyboarder, Maïlys and I are the kind of storyboarders who don’t just focus on our own sequence. We want to think about the whole movie, thinking about how to enhance character arcs and build the story over the whole film. And we write as well, so for *Amélie* we wrote the script. So I started with animation, but really it was about communicating emotions through story. > Since I have had my kid, I started asking myself why I have this job, why animation? Should I be more useful in the world, by being a farmer, a nurse, a teacher, a climate engineer? But somehow I am able to find a purpose, a message, a meaning that I can communicate. So it’s not just pure entertainment, although of course it has entertainment. But I love to watch things where there is some depth, something that makes you think. So that can be a way for me to find purpose. **WA:* And what brought you to Denmark?* **LCH:** I am in Denmark because when I was working on *Long Way North*, it was a co-production between France and Denmark. I was a storyboarder and animation director on that film, and I had been working for three years in a row without any holidays or breaks at all. I had also had a breakup after 10 years of a relationship, so I had really focused on work. By the time we were almost at the end of production, I was getting burnt out, and I couldn’t take a holiday because we were still in the very rushed part of production. So I suggested to Rémi that I should work a bit more closely with the Danish team. I thought a trip to Denmark would feel a bit like a holiday. He said “Yes, great idea - let’s send you there!” So the first place I went was to Viborg, to see Nørlum, and that’s how I met my now-wife. I was there for just a few days, but we made a connection, and when I went back to France we kept in touch. After the movie was finished I went back to Denmark to see her again… and that’s how it all started. I fell in love with a Danish woman and started my life in Denmark and now we have a son together. There was a lot of back-and-forth in the beginning when we lived in both countries, but when it was time for our son to start school we thought we needed to be a bit more stable. So we settled down in a city called Aarhus. It’s a beautiful place. ![Cho & Poher-17](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Cho-Poher-17.webp) Liane-Cho **WA:* In a previous interview, you mentioned the value of simplicity, of focusing on the essentials, which sounds a lot like the Danish animation philosophy. Is that consistent with your approach to filmmaking?* **LCH:** As you mentioned, we’ve done a lot of coproductions, and the movies I’ve worked on with Maïlys and Rémi, they aren’t very high budget movies compared to big studio films. So we need to place the camera, to storyboard, in a way that ensures that it doesn’t cost too much. But we are also very inspired by Japanese animation, and in Japanese animation they have a way of expressing the most with the least. We also love close up shots, or playing with the sound. Sometimes using sound can be stronger than actually showing the action, so of course we are trying to do that. Sometimes with the constraints you can actually communicate more emotion than actually showing everything you want. And that’s what we love to do, and why it’s great to do storyboarding in Adobe Animate. Because we know that everything we create is going to be moved into production, so we always try to choose the right angle and make good decisions, because we know how much it costs to do redrawing, to change shots. > As far as the Danish industry, they have an even lower budget, and there’s a lot of focus on efficiency. So of course it’s the same on the projects I am working on now: trying to keep it simple but not simplistic. And that also goes back to the advice of my animation instructor back in the day: simple but not simplistic. So that’s our approach, because we don’t have the money to do crazy things. And sometimes when you don’t have the money to do crazy things, you can get even closer to the emotions. **WA:* And what’s next for you? Will you take some time to relax?* **LCH:** Unfortunately, or fortunately, no, there’s not much time to relax. It’s actually very exciting. Right now I am working on Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s next film, as a storyboarder and also as an animation director. It’s my first Danish job, on a Danish movie with a Danish director. It happens that the studio is in Aarhus, so that’s very convenient for me, and I don’t have to go back to work in the basement; I can finally just bike to a studio. It’s a great movie, it’s an adult movie, and it’s the first time I’ve worked on a very adult movie, so that’s great. And of course in parallel I have a new project. It’s very different from *Amélie*, although it’s also an adaptation. It’s an adaptation of *The Clan of the Cave Bear*, by Jean M. Auel, and it’s set in prehistoric time. I am working on adapting it as an animated TV series for young adults. Because, as I mentioned, I discovered *Grave of the Fireflies* when I was 15 or 16, and I also discovered *Princess Mononoke* around that time. I watched *Princess Mononoke* 12 times in one week. Same thing with *Grave of the Fireflies*: I watched it 6 times in one week. At that age, you are mature enough to deviate from your parent’s tastes, to develop your own opinion about what you want to watch, but you are still a bit immature, because you haven’t experienced much of life. So everything you see that strikes you is really impactful: it builds your personality and identity into the future. I was not the same person after those movies. I could feel it. I could feel how it changed the course of my whole personality, and changed my vision of the world. ![Cho & Poher-26](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Cho-Poher-26.webp) Liane-Cho Han and Rasmus Poher in Copenhagen > So for this project I am really aiming for this kind of target audience, because it’s really a project about us. Not us as individuals, or as a community, or even really about us as a civilization. It’s about us as a species. It’s about how resilient we are, how we can adapt to almost any environment, and about how determined we are to shape things the way we want. And how all this makes us so unique, so capable of the best but also of the worst. And it’s also a coming of age story. I read *The Clan of the Cave Bear* when I was actually much older, just a few years ago. And you know at my age it’s really hard to impress me, because I have seen, watched, felt a lot of things, but when I read this book, I felt that same strong emotion from when I was 16\. It really struck me inside of my core, so I felt really strongly that I need to try to adapt this into animation. **WA*: Do you see it in your head?* **LCH:** Absolutely. I read a lot of books, like *Foundation* by Isaac Asimov, for example, and I love that series and his *Robot* series. I love reading it, I love the story. But when I read those books, I just can’t *see* it. For some reason, maybe it’s individual, because everyone has a vision of a book while they are reading it, but I had this connection with *The Clan of the Cave Bear,* and I could see all these pictures and scenes and situations, so it felt very natural for me to want to adapt it. I hope this adaptation will also help people have a new observation, a new perspective on who we are as a species. Because we are capable of the best as well as the worst. And people sometimes say that we are an invasive species, but all the species are invasive: the ants, the bacteria, the mushrooms. But we have something which is very different. > Jean M. Auel says that we are different from animals because we create art. I’ll go a bit further and say that we are different because we dream. We dream about something bigger, we dream about going beyond our limits, about understanding the world and trying to understand god, trying to create god, trying to be god, always with this energy to create something new and try to understand what we see. And that’s why we create all these wonderful things out of nothing, all these very sophisticated things. Today we forget all that. We think that if we want shampoo we just have to go buy it at the supermarket. But everything comes from something, everything has an origin in nature… so for this project I would like to help people understand that again. You see all these movies about some catastrophe in the future, about war between two civilizations, and there’s always an enemy, always someone to fight. But for this project I would like to think of us as a species, because we are all coming as a species. When we arrived in Europe and met this other human species that had lived there for more than 400,000 years, they went extinct because of our species. So I think about us, you know, about what we are. It’s fascinating, and something I would like to explore in this project. **WA:* So you’re on a mission to change the world, one movie at a time?* **LCH:** \[laughs\] I don’t know if you can change the world. That’s just how the world is. Of course it’s the very beginning of the project and things can always go wrong, so for now let’s see how it goes. so let’s see what happens. [View concept art here](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/series/liane-cho-han-animated-series-earths-children-256334.html?ref=weanimate.dk) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kenneth-Eriksen-Little-Amelie-Still-6.webp) Still from "Little Amélie" ![IMG_9216](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_9216.webp) Liane-Cho Han Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photo: ****Siri Lake** [Liane-Cho Han on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lianechohanjinkuang?igsh=MTNjY28yNGRsMmRkNg==&ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0075 ### Sunit Parekh on Culture, Scale, and Making Small Teams Look Big URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/krollebolle-sunit/ Last updated: 2026-08-30T07:45:03.000Z **At the 2025 WeAnimate Day, one theme kept resurfacing across talks and conversations: how do we build animation studios that are both creatively ambitious and structurally sustainable? Few speakers articulated this question as clearly—and as personally—as Sunit Parekh, founder and owner of Hydralab.** In his talk and interview, Sunit offered a candid look behind the scenes of running a modern animation studio, where artistic identity, collaboration, and business realities constantly intersect. His core argument is deceptively simple: culture is not a soft value—it is a production tool. 🗓️ Save the date for the next WeAnimate Day: ****May 22nd 2027** ## AN ARTIST FIRST, A BUSINESS OWNER BY NECESSITY Sunit is open about the duality that defines his role. “I am probably an artist at heart. So I have always been a bit ambivalent about being a businessman, but I’m at that age where I have to accept that I’m also a businessman.” That tension—between creative instinct and commercial responsibility—is familiar to many studio founders. What makes Sunit’s perspective notable is that he does not attempt to resolve it by choosing one side. Instead, Hydralab is built precisely in the overlap between the two. This mindset shapes everything from project selection to team structure. Rather than separating creative and business decisions, Sunit describes the studio as a place where those considerations are intertwined, and where creative safety is treated as a prerequisite for high-end results. ## CULTURE AS INFRASTRUCTURE When Sunit speaks about Hydralab’s internal culture, he does so in concrete, operational terms. “Today I’m going to talk about our culture at the studio, and how we have a space that is about collaboration and fostering innovation and creating a safe environment for people to be creative, and how that’s a benefit for how we make animation and how we make film.” In practice, this means actively designing workflows and team dynamics that support trust and openness. Hydralab operates with nimble, multidisciplinary teams where responsibility is shared and communication is direct. Smaller teams, when empowered, can have a disproportionate impact on the final work. Whether the task is high-end VFX, animation for features, or mission-critical software development, Hydralab’s approach allows each contributor to understand how their work fits into the whole. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/stillsForestLog_comp_r1C.webp) Still from "Krølle Bølle", courtesy of Nepenthe Film ## SCALING WITHOUT LOSING THE BOUTIQUE MINDSET Growth is a recurring challenge for successful studios. For Sunit, the question is not whether to scale, but how—and how far. “The whole mentality at the studio, at Hydralab, is to try to bring our boutique mindset to a larger scale.” This boutique mindset is defined by close collaboration, flattened hierarchies, and a strong sense of shared ownership over projects. Hydralab is already applying this approach on feature films, but Sunit is clear-eyed about the limits of growth. “I think there’s some limitations to how big we want to get in how short a period, in order to keep that same sensibility.” Rather than pursuing rapid expansion, Hydralab prioritizes continuity and cohesion. The goal is not to become big for its own sake, but to remain effective, adaptable, and creatively grounded as projects increase in scope. ![hydra_team](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/hydra_team.webp) Crew photo from Hydralab ## NORDIC ROOTS, GLOBAL RELEVANCE Sunit also situates Hydralab’s culture within a broader Nordic context. Limited budgets and small home markets have historically forced Nordic studios to do more with less, but he sees this constraint as a creative advantage. “The Nordics are impacted by the low budgets that we work with, the small audiences that we have. So I think it comes out of necessity that you have to do more with less.” This necessity has helped foster a consensus-based approach to decision-making. “The Nordics have a very consensus based approach to decision making and to working together… without having a real push towards hierarchy.” In an international industry often defined by scale and specialization, this way of working offers an alternative model—one where agility, trust, and shared authorship become competitive advantages. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/stillsCave_comp_r0B.webp) Still from "Krølle Bølle", courtesy of Nepenthe Film ## MAKING SMALL PROJECTS LOOK BIG The title of Sunit’s talk, How to Make Small Projects Look Big, is less about visual spectacle and more about process. For him, scale is not measured solely in budgets or headcount, but in clarity of vision and coherence of execution. By flattening hierarchies, investing in culture, and maintaining a strong creative identity, Hydralab enables small teams to deliver work that carries weight well beyond their size. It is an approach that resonates strongly in a European animation landscape where flexibility and resilience are becoming essential. Interview: ****Cecilie Holmfjord Jonassen** Text: ****Rebekah Villon and WeAnimate** Video produced by: ****CPH Family** **WeAnimate Day 2025 and the WeAnimate Day video interviews are organized by The Danish Animation Society ANIS in collaboration with The Danish Film School and with support from Danish Film Institute, MEDIA Desk Denmark, The Producers Association of Denmark, FAF, Danske Dramatikere and VIA University College/The Animation Workshop* wam#0073 --- ## Other WeAnimate 2025 interviews [Jakob Sabra on the Future of Danish AnimationHead of R&D at The Animation Workshop on why community, curiosity, and cross-disciplinarity will shape the next decade of animation WeAnimate Day guest speaker Jakob Borrits Skov Sabra heads the Research and Development Department at The Animation Workshop/VIA University College in Viborg. At this year’s WeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-0fd3bf50-916a-4880-9704-072b2bf9e023.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/COVER-JAKOB.B.SABRA_.TAW_.WEANIMATE-07-dd921b73-7ae4-4a7c-b5d1-3a039e067c14.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/jakob-sabra-on-the-future-of-danish-animation/) ### Jan Rahbek: The Magic of Krølle Bølle URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/krollebolle-jan-rahbek/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:40.000Z **Krølle Bølle is a little troll who emerged from the pages of a children’s book to become the beloved mascot and symbol of Bornholm. This month, 80 years after Bornholm native Ludvig Mahler published the first Krølle Bølle book, the character premieres on the big screen, in a lovely family-friendly Danish animated film.** WeAnimate spoke with director Jan Rahbek about the challenges of bringing Krølle Bølle to life in a hybrid film that mingles animation with live action. In this fascinating interview, he shares his process, his inspiration, and some of what makes this movie magical. ![KB_NepentheFilm_Stills_Car0110_comp_r0.1001 – stor](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/KB_NepentheFilm_Stills_Car0110_comp_r0.1001--E2-80-93-stor.webp) Curtsey of Nepenthe Film **WA:** Most filmmakers tend to work either in live action or in animation, but you seem pretty comfortable in both genres. How did that happen? **JR:** Well, I grew up in a fairly small town called Vamdrup in Jutland, and in that town there was a small movie theater. It was driven by volunteers, where everyone worked together for free to run the theater. My parents were in the group that started the theater, so I hung out there from a very young age, and later worked there a bit as a projectionist. In that group was also a guy named Bo Hovgaard, who had a small film studio just outside the city. It was actually the first motion control studio in Denmark, back in the late 80s or early 90s, called Bastrup Trickfilm. He and I became really good friends, so my two hang out places were in the theater and at this studio. I thought it was so fantastic, and as a film fan it was a great place to grow up. Bo was kind enough to let me use some of the equipment, so I started making short films at the studio. I also made short animated films on the computer at home. They were really primitive, using a software called Kid Pix 2; it had a feature where you could create slideshows, but I actually used it to create animation. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MAIN1_WEANIMATE_JAN_RAHBEK_EMF_V092.webp) > **At that point, I was equally interested in both film and in animation. I was honestly interested in movie-making in general. I have a pretty wide taste, including documentary and other genres, because I just love the medium.** Ultimately, I just had so much fun making those early short films, it made me want to keep going. In my early 20s I went to the European Film College and did some animation there. I then stumbled upon the fantastic Københavns Tekniske Skole. It was a place where you could go and have all these different creative classes, like watercolor painting, photography, or After Effects. For me, it was like a hidden paradise. I did some short films there, and then I applied to the film school for the animation department, and went to the National Film School of Denmark. ![WEANIMATE_JAN_RAHBEK_EMF_V143](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_JAN_RAHBEK_EMF_V143.webp) > **One of the things I love about animation is that you can do just about anything you can imagine, and live action is a bit more locked-down; you need to be in a real location and so on. So if you want to do something more fantastic, animation is the obvious choice for that.** There’s also something with animation where it’s easier to portray emotions. There’s a more direct connection for the emotions to the audience. **WA:** Your graduation film was animated, and it was very well received, winning the Odense Talent Award. Can you talk a little more about what film school was like for you? **JR:** Being at the film school was such a great place. It felt like you were in a little bubble, in a good way. In school, you have the freedom to do exactly the film you want to do, without thinking at all about things like the target audience. So my graduation film looks like a kid’s film, but it’s also pretty violent, but I didn’t have to think about that kind of thing at all. After film school I realized that the reality is that films have to have an audience, and of course you have to think about the business. People are not necessarily interested in you and your vision; they are interested in what they themselves can get out of a project. Which makes sense, of course, but it’s something to consider. You often have to fight for your vision and do a lot of convincing. That is probably my least favorite aspect of making a film, and at film school I was spared most of that. **WA:** What were the origins of the Krølle Bølle film? **JR:** Our producer, Nina Lyng, grew up on Bornholm. She had the idea of making a film about Krølle Bølle, and approached me with the concept. To be honest, at the beginning I thought that Krølle Bølle was an ice cream, and I didn’t know the story. But then I learned about the character and read the books, and got really interested in the project. One of the things I liked about adapting Mahler’s books is that the story is fairly basic, so there was a lot of room to add things and create our own take on it. Our movie characters and setting are based on those in the books, but our story is very different. I also really liked the character of Krølle Bølle himself. He’s kind of a troublemaker, although I like the Danish word *ballademager* better; it sounds nicer. But he is always getting into trouble, and he’s a bit of a black sheep. Always doing everything wrong, according to his family, but he’s actually really sweet and naive, and has a lot of energy. I really like this character, and it’s a good basis for a story. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_JAN_RAHBEK_EMF_V002.webp) **WA:** Could you tell us a bit about the design process? **JR:** Of course we have the original illustrations from the books, which are charming and work well in 2D, but we wanted to translate it into 3D. If we were to take it literally, , which wasn’t really what we were going for. We wanted him to look younger, to be childlike, and to work better in 3D. Our character designer, Julie Hauge Pisanu, did a great job, and I was really pleasantly surprised how well the 2D drawings were translated into 3D designs. ![KB_NepentheFilm_MAIN_Still_Drn0790_comp_r2.1001 – stor](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/KB_NepentheFilm_MAIN_Still_Drn0790_comp_r2.1001--E2-80-93-stor.webp) Still from "Krølle Bølle", courtesy of Nepenthe Film > **For the environment, we needed to be able to move our story from CG into the real world, so our backgrounds needed to be designed and stylized, but also needed to have realistic textures and look like something that could exist in the real world. The whole look and feel of the CG environment turned out so much better than I expected. It has a lot of mood and atmosphere.** A big source of inspiration for me was *Minuscule*, where the animated characters are pretty rough and primitive, but they get so much mileage out of those backgrounds. There is a lot of production value in the way they handle the live action plates, and that was very inspiring. I also really wanted the troll characters to be small. A bit inspired by *Minuscule* again, but I think it helps to have small characters in a live action plate; I think it’s more convincing. It's also fun to take the camera down and see things from their perspective. It makes everything a bit more fantastic. **WA:** Could you explain your approach to hybrid filmmaking? **JR:** Although this is technically a hybrid film, it’s an animated film first and foremost because the main characters are animated, and we see things from their perspective. So to me it’s mostly an animated film. Of course, the process of making animation is very different from making live action, but it was really fun to do. In a way it reminded me of all the short films I used to make when I was younger. ![WEANIMATE_JAN_RAHBEK_EMF_V120](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_JAN_RAHBEK_EMF_V120.webp) > **To me, the biggest difference between live action and animation production is that in animation you can focus on one thing at a time. You can focus on the camera and get it how you want, and then move on to animation, and then lighting… Because everything is separate you can really focus on each thing. Whereas when you are doing live action it’s everything at the same time: you have to get the acting and lighting and camera and sound and everything all good at once.** You also can't really fix mistakes in the same way you can with animation, where there is a long period of time where it’s possible to go back and make changes. We divided the shots into three categories: fully live action with actors, fully cg in the animated world, and the hybrid shots with both live action and animation. The challenge for us was that there were so many shots: most films with visual effects only have a few shots here and there, but we had so many. We had a fairly big live action team because we needed so much set up for light and sound and everything. For the live action hybrid shots without actors, we had a fairly small team to shoot the background plates. We had little printed out models the size of the characters, and we would place them in the scene and play it out, almost like playing with dolls, framed and focusing on them, and we filmed that as reference. Then we would take out the characters and shoot the background plate again, and then shoot it a third time with a classic VFX setup with the chrome ball and everything. When you are doing a fully cg film, it’s a more straightforward pipeline and you can make it run really smoothly. But here, where so many shots were hybrid, there were also a lot of shots that had something different or specific about them, so they had to be handled in unique ways. So it was also a challenge to handle so many of these special shots. **WA:** How was it collaborating with Hydralab? **JR:** It was really great working with Hydralab. I had them in mind from the very beginning, thinking that they would be a great fit for this kind of project. It was fantastic working with Tonni and Sunit. They are so talented, and contributed tremendously to the project, and it would be great to work with them again at some point. ![WEANIMATE_JAN_RAHBEK_EMF_V182](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_JAN_RAHBEK_EMF_V182.webp) > **When you are working on a film, you have an idea of what you want it to be, but it always turns out a little bit different from what you expected. It has its own life in a way, which also makes it exciting. It feels like it almost wants to be itself, that it wants to come out into the world. And of course with so many people contributing, everyone brings their own little something to it.** **WA:** What was your favorite part of making this movie? **JR:** The most interesting aspect to me is seeing the characters come to life. We are talking a lot about technical aspects, but it’s important to remember that all of that is really there to serve the story. > **Telling the story and making the characters come to life is most important to me. I love when I am watching a scene and I forget everything about how it was made, and just look at the characters and follow the story and get interested in what’s happening. And I really felt that way many times during this film, that these characters really came to life and really felt like real living characters with real personalities. It feels like they really exist in the real world, and when that happens, that’s the magic.** ![WEANIMATE_JAN_RAHBEK_EMF_V138](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_JAN_RAHBEK_EMF_V138.webp) I hope that kids who see the film can relate to Krølle Bølle and his sister. I think they will, because like I said he’s a bit of a troublemaker, and his parents don’t understand him, and I think a lot of kids can relate to that feeling of being misunderstood. I can actually relate to him myself, but then I feel like I can also relate to his parents. I have three boys, and they can also be very Krølle Bølle-like and make trouble. And I’m sure that, as the grownup, I can sometimes misunderstand their world and their interactions; I’m sure they have stuff going on that I don't understand all the details of. So perhaps parents will find themselves also relating to both sides of the story. But I also really hope that people can just enjoy the adventure of the story. It’s an opportunity to open the door to a secret magical world, to see into the hidden underground universe of the trolls, and I hope people enjoy it. [Watch film trailer](https://youtu.be/rVP7shIwkmw?ref=weanimate.dk) ![KB_Stills_19 – stor](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/KB_Stills_19--E2-80-93-stor.webp) Still from "Krølle Bølle", courtesy of Nepenthe Film ### Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Emil Monty Freddie** [www.montyfreddiestudio.com](%28https://www.montyfreddiestudio.com/%29) wam#0072 ### For the Love of It: The Story of A. Film and When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant, Sten Mesterton URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/mumbojumbo-sten-mesterton/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T19:47:24.000Z **This month, the film adaptation of Jakob Martin Strid’s beloved *When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant* finally hits Danish screens. This eagerly anticipated animated film is a loving homage to the book, with a beautiful visual style and a charming story that families will adore. Produced by veteran Danish animation studio A. Film, WeAnimate has conducted a series of behind-the-scenes interviews about the studio and the movie.** A. Film has been producing animation in Denmark since 1988, and is responsible for many of the country’s most successful films and shows. Simply maintaining an animation studio for 37 years is a huge accomplishment, but A. Film has also created a company culture where passion for animation and respect for animators remains a driving force, even after all this time. As we get to know the artists and creators behind this film, we also have an opportunity to explore how deeply the team at A. Film love their work, love animation, and loved creating this film. Sten Mesterton has been with A. Film since their first forays into CG animation, working in the art department on every one of their features. Although he is usually credited as an art director or a production designer, A. Film’s process involves quite a bit of flexibility and overlap in roles and responsibilities (they all refer to it as “wearing many hats”). He explains more about the studio, his process, and the unique challenges of *Mumbo Jumbo* in this interview. ![WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V029](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V029-1.webp) The creative team from A. Film behind Mumbo Jumbo, Steen Mesterton, Stine Buhl and Karsten Kiilerich **WA:** Your LinkedIn says that you have a background in architecture. How did you get involved in animation? **Sten:** Well, although I was educated as an architect, I really studied production design. That was my goal; I wanted to work in movies, making environments. That's my big interest: the surface, the props, the plants… Making the best image. Back when I was in architecture school, there was one computer and nobody could use it. It was so expensive and futuristic. But a few of us realized that we needed to know more about it, so we started using computers, doing AutoCAD and Photoshop and so on. After I graduated, there was no work in my field, so I ended up getting a job teaching AutoCAD and Photoshop and 3D Studio Max. I started with 3D Studio MAX when it was very new, back when the whole movement for this kind of technology was taking off. So I was teaching engineers and people who needed to know how to make 3D drawings and how to paint them. But I always wanted to work in animation, because I was always in love with animation: old Danish animated movies, and Disney, and things like that. So when I got the opportunity, I went down in salary just to be able to work at A. Film, back in 2000, thinking they would fire me in a couple of months or something. But I had to do what my heart told me, and I’ve been doing it ever since. I’ve been at A. Film this whole time, with a few small breaks here and there. I’m now working on my 21st feature film. So I’ve been in the business a long time, but I haven’t been very many places. We only do low budget movies in Denmark, so there are always very few of us working on a movie. Therefore you have to have a lot of skills, and I fit in because I was kind of schooled in the built environment: how do you make a house, how do you make a street, why do you react a certain way to narrow streets? For me, it’s always been the goal to make the image that works best for the story. I think a lot of younger people are in it because they think it’s cool to make a model, but that’s not our approach. Our approach is always to make the image that tells the story, and all the rest is “how do we get there?” **WA:** That’s a great segue into my next question. Could you talk a bit more about the A. Film production process? **Sten:** We have been doing movies basically the same way ever since *Terkel in Trouble*, and that’s very hard-won knowledge. Other Danish studios have to invent how to make movies over and over again every time, because they only ever make a few feature films. The guys I am working with, we have done it so many times that it’s now kind of in our backbone. We have the feeling inside. Most people have no idea how many objects have to be in a scene in order to make a movie, and we have to build or find and place them all. There are about six of us on the image side: one of us is doing comp and some effects, and another doing effects, two on lighting and one or two people working on props, and me mostly building sets. As the core team we all have to have a lot of hats on. You can’t just say “I did my part” and walk away. Each of us has to take full responsibility for the scene. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MumboJumbo_FilmStill_00015.webp) Still from "When Mumbo Grew Giant" > **I'm inventing, building, shading, assembling all the parts, and sometimes I’m also doing art direction, but I have the same thoughts no matter what I'm doing: I'm always building for the image. When I start to build a set, I look at the animatic and start placing cameras nearly from the beginning. Because it’s all about what you actually see in the movie: *is it a better image? Is it telling a better story?* Nothing else matters.** We are also always thinking about what is the best way of doing things. We only introduce one new technology in every movie, so we are careful not to shake the boat too much. That’s a lot of knowledge in just a few key people, and that’s very important. You can’t just go out and get another guy to do that job, because he won’t have the same knowledge. Of course it’s also a way of saving money. And we can’t easily scale this system up. If someone said “okay, here’s more funding, now you can have four times the number of people”… we wouldn't be able to do that without changing our way of communication and everything. **WA:** How have things changed over the years? **Sten:** When I started here, we used to have all the polygons in the scene. We didn’t have proxy systems or anything; we were shading by looking at the scene and then picking shaders. That has the benefit of letting you see the overall picture. Now we have a separate asset for everything, and that’s very smart in many ways, but the problem is that you are sitting and looking only at that asset, and sometimes people don’t even know what they are creating shaders for. You are ripping apart the image, and then when you put it back together you realize that you can’t see all that work at all; it’s in the back or out of focus. And if a new person starts and they are assigned this and this and this, so they are just sitting there with an object and another object and another object, that’s the wrong way to do things… There’s the potential to make them too complicated, or in the wrong style, or spend too much time on it. They need to be able to see the whole image. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V036-1.jpeg) Of course you can always make the assets really good and re-use them, but a lot of them aren't actually reused because each movie has its own unique environment. When we do reuse assets, every single time I think “Why didn’t we make it better in the beginning?” \[laughs\] But I want to have an overview all the time, so I’m rendering all the time, with the cameras set up in the scene, so I can see everything. And I do it again and again for everything I’m working on, so I’m not in a fragmented, pixelized view of the scene. I start by building the sets so they are just good enough, and then send them to animation. When they come back, we notice what the shot still needs and make a final adjustment before we go on. We’ve learned that it’s better to get it 80% done in the beginning and then do a little polish at the end, rather than do 100% at the start and then not have any budget left to make adjustments later. It’s actually cheaper to have me do it on both ends, because I know how to quickly make those adjustments. It's kind of a puzzle. **WA:** Was that your process for *Mumbo Jumbo*? **Sten:** For *When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant*, we did a test a couple of years ago, and then it was on hold for a long time. Then it got funded, and we reached an agreement with the publisher. Then I worked on it for about a year in total, jumping back and forth between it and *Checkered Ninja 3*. **WA:** How funny! Those movies couldn't be more different! **Sten:** That’s part of what’s great about my job: what’s the design, what’s the audience, what’s the story? In *Mumbo Jumbo* we stuck very closely to the style of the images in the book. A while back we adapted Strid’s *The Incredible Story of the Giant Pear*, and in that book there were nearly no images of the city where everything starts, so we had a lot to design. In this one, we have so many images of what is going on. The benefit of having an illustrator with a distinctive style is that you can make something more unique, as opposed to always making very similar characters and everything. Of course that’s not international, Pixar-type style, but we only have to worry about the Danish market usually. We don’t earn money internationally, so it’s actually better to do it in a very Danish style. The *Checkered Ninja* is very Danish, and Anders Matthesen is very good at finding the Danish tone and humor for young people. It’s relatable; it’s funny, and it also conveys something about what it’s actually like to be a kid in Denmark. My daughters have grown up with these movies, from *Terkel in Trouble* to *The Checkered Ninja* series. They are adults now but still like them. ![WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V018](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V018.webp) > **In Denmark, we don’t worry too much about material things; we worry more about happiness. So we don’t have to show off wealth with fancy things. If I had kept working as an architect, I probably would have a lot more money, but I am a lot more happy doing what I’m doing. I have the best job in the world.** **WA:** Although you worked closely with Strid’s illustrations, there was still a lot of design that had to happen for the film. Could you talk more about the design of Mumbo Jumbo? **Sten:** When you see the books, Strid is perhaps drawing things from his childhood; old chairs and things like that, things that have been worn and reused. All their chairs are little and fat, fatter than real chairs. In *Checkered Ninja*, the style is more realistic. The first *Checkered Ninja* especially was supposed to have very realistic proportions in the sets and everything. But in *Mumbo Jumbo* we really stuck to his drawings of chairs and plates and everything, creating the impression of a nice little world where the characters are having fun together. *Mumbo Jumbo* is a very nice, sweet story for children. I like that cozy feeling. Everything is very sweet, even when some of the characters are a little bit crazy. They live in a little Christiana, a little place with no fences, no hedges, no private gardens: a green world where you go where you like, and they have these little houses that you could build yourself. There are no roads, just a big grass carpet, with little worn paths where they walk. It helps to create the feeling of community, and makes a nice environment. Although it’s very cosy, it’s still a big story. They are traveling from somewhere that might be in Denmark to somewhere in Siberia, so they are on the road and moving, and they talk together. Although it’s for young children, there are still a few scary parts… Not too scary, you know. It still needs to feel very nice. Mumbo Jumbo himself is so big and has so little detail, that it was hard to set up his shots. It’s much easier to have a character that is more defined with clothes and things. But if we stick to the simple shapes, the way he’s drawn in the book, then he can’t be a normal hippo with normal skin and detail. He has no folds or anything, he’s just a big concrete guy, and grey is kind of the worst color. So his shading is very subtle. In the beginning, Karsten said it should be a widescreen film, as usual. But I was really worried about that, because of the scale of the character. You could never get all of him in frame, and we would only see parts of him at a time. I think it’s better that we didn’t go with a widescreen aspect ratio. **WA:** What’s next? **Sten:** Now we are just running on to the next movie, as usual. Although we do work a lot, we almost always work normal hours, and very seldom have to do overtime. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MumboJumbo_FilmStill_00007.webp) Still from "When Mumbo Grew Giant" > **I know that when some companies are making their first feature, they go all in and work like crazy. And maybe afterward everyone goes their separate ways, or the company may even dissolve. But we are making movies time after time, for a long time. So we really try to keep it on budget, and consider the structure, making sure that we are really doing it right.** We should be proud that A. Film has been producing the highest-selling Danish movies for a decade now. A lot of people think of animation as not “real” movies, and the Robert Prizes always go to live action movies. But they may have gone on location for three weeks, but we worked on the film for a half year, and sometimes much more. It's a long task to make a feature film, and you have to be as fresh at the end as the beginning. **WA:** Final question! What is the best part of your job? **Sten:** \[smile\] I like every part of my job. I have the best job in the world. ![WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V015](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V015.webp) ## [Watch trailer here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qPxdt5O2s8&ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Emil Monty Freddie** [www.montyfreddiestudio.com](%28https://www.montyfreddiestudio.com/%29) wam#0071 --- ## The creative team from A. Film behind Mumbo Jumbo [For the Love of It: The Story of A. Film and When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant, Stine BuhlThis month, the film adaptation of Jakob Martin Strid’s beloved When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant finally hits Danish screens. This eagerly anticipated animated film is a loving homage to the book, with a beautiful visual style and a charming story that families will adore. Co-directed by Karsten Killerich![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-111c698e-091a-4c2f-91d2-3fd5b3205280.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V035-6abfe6d1-1c7e-4893-bd51-42dadf00cc79.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/mumbojumbo-stine-buhl/) [For the Love of It: The Story of A. Film and When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant, Karsten KiilerichDanish audiences are eagerly awaiting the animated adaptation of Jakob Martin Strid’s beloved When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant. This beautiful film has been carefully crafted by A. Film’s Oscar-nominated Karsten Kiilerich, who wrote the screen adaptation and co-directed the film with Stine Buhl. Join us for![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-d303edfc-032c-474d-b280-3c56f4a7c722.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V033-fe238533-ec14-46a9-9548-50209b8ef896.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/mumbojumbo-karstenkiilerich/) ### For the Love of It: The Story of A. Film and When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant, Stine Buhl URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/mumbojumbo-stine-buhl/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T19:44:21.000Z **This month, the film adaptation of Jakob Martin Strid’s beloved *When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant* finally hits Danish screens. This eagerly anticipated animated film is a loving homage to the book, with a beautiful visual style and a charming story that families will adore. Co-directed by Karsten Killerich and Stine Buhl, we recently interviewed Stine for a behind-the-scenes peek at A. Film and the process of creating this movie.** A. Film has been producing animation in Denmark since 1988, and is responsible for many of the country’s most successful films and shows. Simply maintaining an animation studio for 37 years is a huge accomplishment, but A. Film has also created a company culture where passion for animation and respect for animators remains a driving force, even after all this time. As we get to know the artists and creators behind this film, we also have an opportunity to explore how deeply the team at A. Film love their work, love animation, and loved creating this film. *When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant* was co-directed by A. Film’s Stine Buhl, a veteran animator with a new role as creative director. Stine is truly an animator’s animator, with the experience and approach of an artisan. Her dedication to the craft reflects the philosophy of A. Film, while her experience in international feature film animation gives new insights. We recently spoke with Stine to learn more about her, the studio, and how this film was made. ![WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V029](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V029-1.webp) The creative team from A. Film behind Mumbo Jumbo, Steen Mesterton, Stine Buhl and Karsten Kiilerich **WA:* Tell us a bit about your background* **Stine:** As a kid, like all animators, I drew all the time. I drew cartoons, and I snuck my older brother’s comics out of his room to read them. Asterix, The Smurfs, Franquain, Morris and Hergé… And of course I loved Donald Duck and all the Disney films. So I really wanted to work as an animator, but even though I grew up in a very creative environment, animation wasn’t really an option. I didn’t know anyone who worked in the industry, or how to begin, so I started my education by studying architecture. But then I went to visit a friend who attended The Animation Workshop, and I was blown away. This was about 1998, and the school was very different then. It was hard to get funded, because it wasn’t yet part of the formal education system. But I grew up on a very small island in the south of Denmark where everybody knows everybody, and you could just walk into the bank and ask to borrow the money for school. And they loaned it to me: they actually thought I could make a living in animation! I mean, I thought so too, but to me that was a kind of confirmation of my aspirations. While I was studying at TAW, during my summer break, A. Film selected five of us to go work as interns on the film *Help I’m a Fish!* It was a co-production with a German film studio, so I went to Munich to work on it. I really liked what they did there, and I learned so much as a clean up artist. That film had a much higher budget than we see today, so I think that it still stands out, not just in Danish animation, but in European animation. It had very high standards. I continued freelancing for A. Film during my second year at school, and then I got my first job there as a cleanup assistant on an Adam Sandler film called *Eight Crazy Nights*. Back then you could not be an animator straight out of school, especially if you wanted to do feature films. All the small jobs I got in Denmark were in TV, and I really wanted to do feature animation. So I moved back to Munich, where I worked on a short film called *The Shark and the Piano*, and then I moved to Milan. I lived there for about a year and a half, making 2D animation, on paper. I also lived in LA for three years, and basically just spent several years traveling and working on films. But although I love traveling, I enjoyed it whenever I could get a job back home. That was just at the time when production started shifting to CG instead of 2D. I was resistant, and I didn’t want to do it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MumboJumbo_FilmStill_00021.webp) > **I still feel like you can get a real connection with the work when you’re animating on paper. It’s a unique feeling, almost as if the characters are already alive, and you are just helping them step out of the paper. There's a direct emotional connection with the drawing. It is a pretty magical process.** But I knew I ultimately wanted to live in Denmark, and that meant working in CG. So I took some classes from the Gnomon Workshop in LA, and, just as I got comfortable with it, Sun Creature showed up. The last 2D film I worked on was *Flee*. A. Film has been part of my life the whole time, and I’ve gone back and forth with them for my whole career. I had worked my way up to supervisor roles, and then became an animation director on a few features. So when they offered me a job as a creative director, I said yes. It felt very natural to step into the role here. ![WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V025](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V025.webp) > **You meet the same people over and over, as you travel around the world as an animator. I really miss it sometimes. The good news is, since we’re still working on various international collaborations, there is still traveling going on. But I love Copenhagen, and I feel very happy to be able to stay here and work with something that I really enjoy doing.** **WA:* How do you feel about the transition from being an animator to being a director?* **Stine:** When you’re sitting as an animator with a storyboard, you can always complain about how the story isn’t working and how you would do things differently… Well, now I have my shot. \[laughs\] Directing a film is very similar to what I’ve done before, although there are some extra responsibilities. But I have been creating and directing my personal projects for years, and I have worked in all those departments before, because that’s what you do if you want to survive as an animator. I think I’m lucky that I have the professional background that I have, because I don’t think there’s any department that I haven’t been a part of. I know what they are all doing, I know what I can ask of them. It’s different as a director, of course, because you need to be on top of the whole project, and less detail oriented. When I joined *Mumbo Jumbo*, the script was already there. I could work alongside Karsten, and I’ve known him since my very first internship on *Help I’m a Fish!*, so it’s a safe environment for me to try this new role. It’s actually been very fun. At A. Film we have such a small team, and the structure is so flat. We don't have a setup like in the US, where you have a Head of Animation, then an Animation Supervisor, then the Animation Lead and so on… here we are wearing a lot of hats. I feel like my whole career I have been trying on all the hats, and now I have merged together into one big hat. And yes, *Mumbo Jumbo* is my first film as a director, but we have quite a few in development here that I’ve been involved with in different ways, and I really enjoy being part of the development process. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MumboJumbo_FilmStill_00008.webp) > **A Film is a very solid machine: it’s gone on for years and the movies keep coming out and it’s such a steady place, even though the industry as a whole does not feel like a safe place right now. I think I’ve done enough projects in enough places that I can offer a new perspective. There is a lot of insecurity in the industry, so I feel lucky that I get to work with this stability, while making improvements in a sustainable way.** I think the philosophy here at A. Film is that we are doing as we’ve always done, but with every project we try to grow a little bit. I like that. It’s similar to my own approach in my career. So we have a few projects in development, and I have several personal projects in the works, and we’ll see what happens next. **WA:* What appeals to you about Mumbo Jumbo?* **Stine:** I worked as an animator on *The Giant Pear*, which was also based on one of Strid’s books. I’ve always loved his work, so this project definitely spoke to me. I love the sense of humor in this story. It’s very particular, very Danish, without being crude or rude, like Danish humor can be. I mean, I love *The Checkered Ninja* series and that sense of humor, but this is different. Because it’s aimed at younger children, it has a more whimsical, playful tone. The aesthetics of the book also spoke to me. It's gorgeous, and Strid likes unusual things. For example, there’s a sequence where they stop at a gas station. And a gas station might be considered ugly, something you would never see in a kids movie, but there’s really such a charm to it. He looks at it a bit like a kid would, noticing things that adults take for granted, and in his illustrations it just stands out. It’s really special. Then there’s another character I really like. I read about her as a kid without knowing who she really was. She’s a Russian witch called Baba Yaga, and she has a house on chicken legs. She is scary; she was very scary in my books as a kid. But here you learn that she’s just a weird hermit. She wants to be left alone, but she’s also really loving and kind, once you get to know her. So the movie has all these elements that I loved, and I think we’ve really captured the spirit and the look of the book. It’s also a road movie, which I think is such a wonderful thing for kids. It’s not about rushing from one place to the next; it’s about taking in the landscape, feeling the journey unfold. Road movies, to me, are about mood and emotion, that quiet feeling of being carried forward, where a trip becomes almost meditative We also got to work with Halfdan E as the composer, and he wrote some really fun songs, so all of that together was a very good fit for me. It is a movie that, if Karsten hadn’t done it already, and I was in a position to go to DFI to make this film, I would have done it. **WA:* Karsten mentioned that there were some challenges with the Mumbo Jumbo character design, since his shape is so distinctive and out of proportion with the other characters in the film.* **Stine:** He is huge! It’s always fun to play with scale if you can, and there’s a lot of jokes about that in the movie. A lot of character designs reflect that Disney style with the giant heads and short arms, and it’s not very practical. We had to cheat a lot to make it work, because a lot of the stuff that happens in the film is actually not possible. So you do all the animation tricks you know: you cut out of it, you frame it a certain way. Of course a lot of it was solved in storyboarding, but then you’re working on the layout and you realize ‘oh my gosh he is BIG!’ A lot of the time the animators had to ask me how to do various things because his arms are too short. Technically you could just extend them; the rig is built that way, and of course he goes off model. There’s a lot of hugging in this film, and of course it’s actually impossible, but if you stage it and you cheat it, you can make it work. So we took it shot-by-shot, just making it work. And yes, he has very short arms and a lot of times you have him start the movement, and then you cut to see him finishing it, and your brain makes up for what’s in between. That’s the good thing about animation: you don’t actually have to *do it* as long as the audience *believes* you are doing it. > **It’s not realistic in that sense, but I think that the designs are so simple that it helps you buy into it. It adds to the style, so you just accept that’s how things work in this universe. In fact, the more realistic you try to make things, the more you can get into trouble. The physics have to be believable: the characters need to have weight, and if they do, the audience will buy a lot of the impossible motions.** > > *– Stine Buhl* ![WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V024](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V024.webp) **WA:* What’s the difference between working on an original concept and working on an adaptation of someone else’s work?* **Stine:** There’s something that can feel very safe about working on an adaptation, but it’s also scary because a lot of people love this book. It’s very popular in Denmark, and you don’t want to mess it up, so you need to respect what’s already there. So it’s staying true to what’s there, but also answering the questions of: ‘why should it be on the screen? Why is this a good film?’ You have to find the hook; the place in yourself where you know what you can bring to the project. How does it speak to you, and what voice can you give to it? I wasn’t part of the script writing process on this film; Karsten wrote the script, and he stayed very true to the book, which is good. I think in *Mumbo Jumbo* we are striving to develop a look that feels personal and characteristic. To me, that’s much more interesting, because you can feel that there’s a heart behind it. **WA:* What’s ahead for you?* **Stine:** I’ve never taken a direct route managing my career. Instead, I always try to find something in every job that I can learn, and enjoy, and challenge myself, so that I keep growing. I really enjoy collaboration while doing animation, and I’ve been lucky enough to find people with whom I really share a similar taste and sense of humor… > **What I really enjoy is working with people who are very good at their certain craft, and then trusting them to do it. You really make the best films by giving people ownership of the craft and of the aspect of the film they are working on, and let their voices be heard. I think that’s one of the reasons why A. Film is so successful: we’re not that many people, and we trust each other.** > > *– Stine Buhl* ![WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V028](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V028.webp) I think people enjoy working on a film if they can actually see their footprint in it. It’s really hard work and people do it for so many years, so it should be fun. [Watch trailer here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qPxdt5O2s8&ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Emil Monty Freddie** [www.montyfreddiestudio.com](%28https://www.montyfreddiestudio.com/%29) wam#0070 --- ## The creative team from A. Film behind Mumbo Jumbo [For the Love of It: The Story of A. Film and When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant, Sten MestertonThis month, the film adaptation of Jakob Martin Strid’s beloved When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant finally hits Danish screens. This eagerly anticipated animated film is a loving homage to the book, with a beautiful visual style and a charming story that families will adore. Produced by veteran Danish animation![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-89e6ba6b-ac90-434f-b816-b86877e6d78c.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V036-b11df387-dfc6-4b46-a9b9-835c754b17f9.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/mumbojumbo-sten-mesterton/) [For the Love of It: The Story of A. Film and When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant, Karsten KiilerichDanish audiences are eagerly awaiting the animated adaptation of Jakob Martin Strid’s beloved When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant. This beautiful film has been carefully crafted by A. Film’s Oscar-nominated Karsten Kiilerich, who wrote the screen adaptation and co-directed the film with Stine Buhl. Join us for![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-43f71aed-2ffa-4586-b079-656be4d096d1.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V033-b87c0e74-f962-40f4-9235-45162d7ad519.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/mumbojumbo-karstenkiilerich/) ### For the Love of It: The Story of A. Film and When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant, Karsten Kiilerich URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/mumbojumbo-karstenkiilerich/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T19:46:04.000Z **Danish audiences are eagerly awaiting the animated adaptation of Jakob Martin Strid’s beloved *When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant*. This beautiful film has been carefully crafted by A. Film’s Oscar-nominated Karsten Kiilerich, who wrote the screen adaptation and co-directed the film with Stine Buhl. Join us for a behind-the-scenes peek at the process of bringing this famous book to life.** A. Film has been producing animation in Denmark since 1988, and is responsible for many of the country’s most successful films and shows. Simply maintaining an animation studio for 37 years is a huge accomplishment, but A. Film has also managed to create a company culture where passion for animation and respect for animators remains a driving force, even after all this time. As we get to know the artists and creators behind this film, these themes continue to emerge, showcasing how deeply the team at A. Film love their work, love animation, and loved creating this film. Karsten Kiilerich is one of the veterans of Danish animation, with a career that began in the 80s. As a co-founder of A. Film, he has written and/or directed numerous animated films and television shows, and been nominated for many prestigious awards, including a Robert Award and festival nominations for *Help! I’m a Fish* and *The Ugly Duckling and Me*. He is also an Academy Award nominee for co-directing the short film *Når livet går sin vej.* We recently spoke with Karsten about *Mumbo Jumbo* and his career in animation. ![WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V029](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V029-1.webp) The creative team from A. Film behind Mumbo Jumbo, Steen Mesterton, Stine Buhl and Karsten Kiilerich **WA:* To begin with, can you tell us a bit about your background?* **Karsten:** I actually started my filmmaking career as a schoolteacher. It’s a relatively short education and I’m a lazy person, so that’s what I did. I studied drawing in seminary, and then became a drawing teacher for kids with different kinds of problems, behavioral issues and so on. I worked as a schoolteacher for about 5 years or so, but was always really interested in animation. Then an American guy, Jeffrey Varab, and two Danish guys, Jakob Stegelmann and Jørgen Klubien, made an academy for animation, so I learned how to animate in my spare time. Then they offered us a chance to participate in making the film *Valhalla*. In the beginning it was just in-betweens and cleaning up, learning by doing, but over time we got better and we made the movie. Then we worked on something called *Troll Story,* which is basically still on the shelf after all these years. It never happened, but I haven’t given up. I always say if I make that film, then I can finally rest. Then we formed A. Film. Five guys together: Stefan Fjeldmark, Jørgen Lerdam, Hans Perk, Anders Mastrup, and myself. We had that company together for many many years, but now I’m basically the only one left. **WA:* Did you guys just get along and decide to start a business?* **Karsten:** Yes. **WA:* Did you have a business plan?* **Karsten:** Excuse me? A *what*? \[laughs\] Our plan was to see if we could survive; that was the plan. There wasn’t really much to do when we started, so we made our bread and butter on commercials. Then somehow we made a few contacts, and got some work with Don Bluth on *Thumbelina* and on *Troll in Central Park*. It was all 2D in those days, of course, and I worked on those movies flipping paper. They always said, ‘Oh, you must be so patient! You make 5 seconds of film a week!’ I never saw it that way. I thought it was just one drawing after another, and it was fun work. Usually. For Bluth, at least, it was very complicated and demanding work, because the quality was very high. **WA:* How did A. Film become so successful?* **Karsten:** Hard work and a bit of luck. No talent at all. \[laughs\] We were five guys together, and everyone participated with whatever they could do. I spent a lot of time contacting people and making connections and getting the work. Stefan was designing a lot of stuff, and somehow we managed it. In those days, there weren’t so many people working in the business, so maybe that helped as well. But it was one step at a time. At a certain point we had some financial troubles, so Nordisk put some cash in, and that really helped. We worked with Nordisk for several years. We also met the right people. Jeffrey, who we knew from *Valhalla*, came to us with some work for *Ferngully*, an American movie directed by Bill Kroyer. So we got big chunks of American movies to do; we worked for Warner on *The Magic Sword*… We worked for everybody. We had a huge staff at a certain point, doing commercials, features, and television work at the same time. But really it’s hard to explain how it all worked out. You have to just be there all the time. Our first original movie was *Jungledyret Hugo*. You know, in order to get funded, you have to be a bit sly and clever… The DFI said that since we hadn’t ever produced a movie before, we couldn’t produce one now. But we had to start somewhere, so we teamed up with Per Holst, an experienced producer, and that was our little keyhole into the real world, so to speak, of producing films. Then Anders Mastrup and I went out into the world, down into Europe, and met all these people who were setting up systems for co-productions. It was called Cartoon, back in the beginning. Then we got some contacts and did some German films and a ton of TV shows. I’ve directed a lot of TV shows. So then I started writing, and eventually directing. *The Ugly Duckling and Me*, lots of TV shows, and a couple of short films. I’m always more interested in quantity, not quality. \[pauses, laughs\] It was a joke! But over the years we did so much, and somehow we always had enough to do. Seldom a dull moment. ![WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V031](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V031.webp) **WA:* Have you come up with a “recipe” for successful productions?* **Karsten:** Well, I could say yes. I could say no. I could say yes and no. One kind of recipe is to create your own movies, either from a book or come up with it yourself, like we did with *Help! I’m a Fish*. But that’s complicated, because you never know when it will be financed. So you have to have several boats in the sea at the same time. We always had two or three legs to stand on. The other leg was work for hire, getting work in house which would pay the rent and bring in some money. There’s nothing wrong with work for hire, and it’s good to have it to fall back on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MumboJumbo_FilmStill_00011.webp) Still from "When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant" > **When you do a movie, you ‘get your money in heaven’, as they say. It takes forever to recover your money after all that initial investment. So we always agreed to do work for hire to make some real money, and then waste it on our own movies, throwing it out the window on the things we personally wanted to do.** > > *– Karsten Kiilerich* I love being an animator, and it’s been really fantastic to be able to live on this work, without having to drive a taxi at night. I’ve actually survived doing animation all these years, with my friends at A. Film. We´ve always focused on keeping the relationships we’ve built. We have some really great friends who we have been working with for 20 years or more, and this creates a kind of stable platform. We have a great connection with our friends in Tallinn, a studio called A. Film Estonia. They used to work for us, but it’s their own studio now, and they are able to bring projects the other way around. I’m doing a movie with them called *Sipsig,* “Raggie” in English, which is a project that they brought to us. ![WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V005](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V005.webp) > **So it’s a puzzle. It’s so many things coming together. You really have to have open ears and eyes all the time. And you also have to educate yourself about how to finance things. I’m basically creative, but I always advise people to know about the business, in order to be able to meet the demands of the real world. That’s another key to success.** > > *– Karsten Killerich* And the world keeps turning. When we made *Help! I’m a Fish,* the budget was DKK 104 million, which was a lot of money in this country. Then the next movie was *Terkel in Trouble*, which was just 10 million. It was a different production, of course. It was CGI, but obviously we had to accept a lot of limitations. The director could say ‘No’ to one out of twenty scenes, otherwise he had to accept them. It was a different way, but fast, furious, and fun. When we talk to animators from Pixar for example, they sometimes complain about the work pressure: ‘Oh, I have to do 3 seconds of one character a week,’ and I’m like ‘What are you talking about? Everybody here does 16 seconds with all the characters in the scene.’ But what can you say? We have these budgets here in Denmark, around 20 million DKK, and we just have to think in economical terms, starting when you are writing the movie. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MumboJumbo_FilmStill_00005.webp) Still from "When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant" > **I do not envy those guys who work in the massive, enormous animation factories. Here the hierarchy is super flat. I’m the director, but nobody listens to me \[laughs\]. The ones running the films are the production people, who tell you things are too expensive and you have to cut this and that. But these limitations, the framework around you, is good for creativity, and you just have to find ways to make things great on the budget you have. People say ‘Oh, how terrible, you have to fight so hard for such small funding,’ but it’s fine with me.** > > *– Karsten Kiilerich* We have a very good pipeline system, and people who have been working at A. Film for a long time know each other very well. They make so many great decisions. If you were a director coming in to a studio and you didn’t know what to expect, or how to communicate, or who’s making what decision, or who can do what, it must be very difficult. A. Film is great for me. I know the people. I know what they do, and what they bring to the movie, so it’s perfect. > **I’ve worked on all kinds of animation: short films, TV shows, features, and maybe I make it sound like it’s a mechanical process, but it’s not. It’s all been motivated by joy and fun and the love of animation.** > > *– Karsten Kiilerich* ![MumboJumbo_FilmStill_00014](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MumboJumbo_FilmStill_00014.webp) Still from "When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant" **WA:* Do you prefer writing films for you to direct yourself?* **Karsten:** For me it’s very nice to write something that I know I will direct, because then I write things that I know are possible to do. You have to be an artist, but a practical one. I don’t think many people know that I’ve written 5, 7, 10, feature films; maybe more. It’s not easy to direct, but it’s easier when you’ve written it and already thought about how to do it. When you get to the filming process you already know the material so well, and you know what you can do and how it will look. And I can also organize it a bit while writing: allow so many sets, or so many characters. I know the budget, so I know what’s possible. I think that leads to a better result, and we can get really nice pictures out of this process. There are so many good things about writing/directing, but there could be bad things. You can get caught in your own little loop, especially if you do all this, and then if you also cut the animatic yourself… too many hats. So you really have to discuss things with other people and listen to them, and you have to be open-minded. We are just finishing *When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant*, and I’m really proud of it. I think that for our 19 million DKK budget, it’s going to look really terrific. And I’m also proud that we can bring something like this to the young kids. It’s so nice and cinematic for the big screen. **WA:* What was it like adapting Mumbo Jumbo for a film?* **Karsten:** It wasn’t very difficult to adapt. We had already worked on Jakob Strid’s *The Giant Pear*. I had actually tried to get the rights for that story, but it turned out that Nordisk Film already had the rights. But then they asked us to do the movie anyway, so I was involved in that. I really love Jakob’s books, and everyone in this strange little country does. So when I read in the paper that he had written a new book, I immediately thought how nice it would be to make the book into a film. It has so many different scenes, so it's very visual, and it’s a cute and simple story: a guy turns giant, he goes to a witch, she turns him small again, and he goes home. So I liked it for that age group, and writing it wasn’t very difficult. I mainly stuck to his story, and just put in a few additional scenes and made some small changes… well, maybe a bit more than that. **WA:* What was it like adapting the original illustrations into the visual style of the film?* **Karsten**: Well of course when the author has done all the illustrations himself, it’s like giving your child away. But we really worked hard to try to make his 2D characters into CGI, and I think it looks nice and looks like the book. I like Jakob, and I like his books, and the kids can’t get enough of them. I hope they will also like the movie and come to the cinema. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V033-1.jpeg) **WA:* Were there any unexpected challenges in making this film?* **Karsten:** It was a challenge to find the path from 2D to 3D in design. And there were practical challenges. We had this big hunk of a hippo. No clothes, no nothing: just a huge round ball, basically. So we were trying to figure out his surface, how to make him a bit more interesting. Two short legs, two short arms… he cannot hold things, he cannot reach for things. We can *make* him do that, but you have to force it. You also can’t see his mouth, because it’s so far underneath his nose, so you have to find a workaround for that. He’s super cute and works really well in the movie, but all of that was a challenge. I’m really happy with how all the characters work in this film. Some are easier than others, but they really weren’t designed to be well-suited for animation. You draw something on a piece of paper and of course it works because they aren’t moving. We have this little witch, a little matchbox witch, with little feet and no legs. You have to just say ‘Okay, THIS is how she moves.’ With *Mumbo Jumbo* I had a co-director, Stine Buhl. She’ll probably tell you that she did everything by herself and I didn’t do anything \[laughs\]. Our normal production time is 18 months. In this case, because we had so much development with the author, it stretched out much longer. Going from a book to a movie… it’s a help and it’s an enemy. It imposes limitations. When we did *Help! I’m a Fish*, it was totally original and we just did it ourselves. But then you have to invent absolutely everything, and you don’t have any help at all. I don't know what’s better. **WA:* What’s next?* **Karsten:** We are working on a lot of things. We are working on something called *Rasmus Klump*. *Rasmus Klump* are these old books; they are very cute and very old, so we need to make something that is modern, with better pacing for today’s kids. I directed the TV show back in the 90s, and hopefully we’ll get a film on the screen. When we did the show back in the old days, I liked the fact that they weren’t too fast. It doesn’t have to be boring, but I like it when the tempo is not over the hill all the time. Miyakazi’s films, for example, spend time in the scene. It’s not always late-in fast-out, you know, and I like that. You could compare it to *K-Pop Demon Hunters*, which I really liked, but the tempo is so different. *The Jungle Book* used to be my favorite movie, and I loved how they just stop the movie and sing a song. It’s just entertaining and you enjoy watching it. And it’s so well animated, of course. It doesn’t mean that I don’t like the new features, that’s not the point at all, but there’s something in those older movies that has a certain charm, with the timing, and the nice musical elements… ![WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V009](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V009.webp) > **I do like the idea that you don’t have to push the plot. You can stay in a scene for a little while. You have to connect all the scenes in the movie, of course, but you can have a little bit of spare time. People always say that there are three elements in a film: story, story, and story. And yes, that’s true, but there’s also character, and good animation, and visuals, and other things that are a part of the whole experience.** > > *– Karsten Kiilerich* **WA:* What else is in store for A. Film?* **Karsten:** It’s been such joy working in animation all these years. I really enjoy working with people, especially skilled people. I’m not a fan of “A Film By So-and-So”; it’s a film by many people. And I know I am sounding a bit like Jesus here, but a film requires just so many skilled artists in order to be made. The basic thing is that it’s a democratic process; it’s really an orchestra. It’s also fun that our world changes. Not always for the better, but we started out with a pencil and a piece of paper, and now we’re here. > **It has its own motor, the world does. It never stops turning. It’s never the same. You could basically sit behind the same screen or table for a whole life, and things would still change all the time. New people come into the room. New stories. New challenges. There are so many things that are brought to you in this work, which I appreciate.** > > *– Karsten Kiilerich* So is A. Film the same place? Yes and no. There are so many things that are new, and you can incorporate the things you love into your work, and new shoots grow. It’s a very dynamic process, and very dynamic work. I’m pretty old, but I’m not fed up. I think I still have a few good years before I fall over. [Watch trailer here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qPxdt5O2s8&ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Emil Monty Freddie** [www.montyfreddiestudio.com](%28https://www.montyfreddiestudio.com/%29) wam#0069 --- ## The creative team from A. Film behind Mumbo Jumbo [For the Love of It: The Story of A. Film and When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant, Stine BuhlThis month, the film adaptation of Jakob Martin Strid’s beloved When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant finally hits Danish screens. This eagerly anticipated animated film is a loving homage to the book, with a beautiful visual style and a charming story that families will adore. Co-directed by Karsten Killerich![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-111c698e-091a-4c2f-91d2-3fd5b3205280.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V035-6abfe6d1-1c7e-4893-bd51-42dadf00cc79.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/mumbojumbo-stine-buhl/) [For the Love of It: The Story of A. Film and When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant, Sten MestertonThis month, the film adaptation of Jakob Martin Strid’s beloved When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant finally hits Danish screens. This eagerly anticipated animated film is a loving homage to the book, with a beautiful visual style and a charming story that families will adore. Produced by veteran Danish animation![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-7ac4a9da-c1d0-4dc3-b57a-b59ede7d5264.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WEANIMATE_AFILM_EMF_V036-c9ae5faa-fd96-4a94-9d48-0f204183c151.webp)](https://www.weanimate.dk/mumbojumbo-sten-mesterton/) ### Diving Deep with Jonas Georgakakis URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/jonas-georgakakis/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:42.000Z **It’s impossible to review the career of digital artist and game developer Jonas Georgakakis without looking at his role as an art director at SYBO Games, a company where he worked for 13 years. SYBO and *Subway Surfers* grew alongside each other, from small beginnings to a global phenomenon. *Subway Surfers* was the most downloaded game of the decade from 2012 to 2022, surpassing 4 billion downloads, and Jonas was there every step of the way.** A few years ago, Jonas embarked on his own adventure, starting game company Glowlight and launching his own game, *The Magical Mixture Mill*. *The Magical Mixture Mill* was awarded the 2024 Spilprisen award for Best Debut, and enjoys a fantastic 9/10 rating on Steam. WeAnimate spoke with Jonas about his new adventures, and about his game development and creative processes. **WA:** How did your career in games begin? **Jonas:** After I went to The Animation Workshop, I had my internship in England, at Lionhead Games. That was my dream job, but when I got there it was very disappointing. People were just working on things with no idea where they were supposed to go in the game, or who assigned them the task, or why it was important…. it just wasn’t inspiring. Lionhead treated me very nicely, but I was working on this character, and nobody knew exactly where it was going to go in the game. They just knew they liked the design, and they gave me a month to work on it. I was sitting there modeling his ankles, and suddenly I was like “who the fuck is going to see these ankles?” And it was that moment where I realized that I was just done, and didn’t want to work in AAA games. Lionhead offered me a job at the end of my internship, but instead I went home to Denmark, and got a job with Bodie and Sylvester after they started SYBO. It was just supposed to be a few weeks to cover a paternity leave, but I ended up staying there for about 13 years. **WA:** What was it like being at SYBO for all that time? **Jonas:** They always say it’s bad for your career to stay at the same place for too long, and there are a lot of reasons why that’s true. But what I always say to people is that SYBO wasn’t really one place. As the number of employees changed, the structure and vibe changed completely, so it felt like there were these distinct phases, or milestones, where the company transitioned to a new company. Over the time I worked there it was basically four different studios. For me, the best phase was the second phase: we were around 15-20 people, and there was a very loose structure. It was still small enough that everyone took turns cleaning the kitchen, but it was big enough that food came in and was taken care of. There were one or two producers, but not yet producers to the producers. That was what happened in the third phase, and for me something ended there. I was no longer working together with friends: now I was truly just working at a company. And it was a very nice company, not a bad company. I was always treated insanely nicely, which is another reason I stayed so long. The fourth phase of SYBO was after it sold, and it became just a company like any other. Still one that was very nice to work at, but creatively stifling, because now they had a very clear mission and they couldn’t take risks. With Bodie and Sylvester, the original founders, who had run it up until that time, there was a lot of risk taking. And sometimes I thought what they were doing was stupid, and told them so, and they would say “thanks for telling us, but we are going to do it anyway.” So at least I felt like I had clarity and transparency about what was happening. If you want to do something stupid, but it’s your company and you’re paying the bills and it’s your decision and your loss, I feel like that’s fair. If we simply disagree, I’m fine with that. ![WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V017](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V017.webp) > **"I would rather be led by a person who is crazy, if at least they have a vision. We might all think they are insane, but at least it’s fun. I’m not saying it’s *better*, but it’s definitely more fun. I get demotivated when I feel like everything is happening because of bureaucracy, and good ideas just get lost in the system. "** > > *– Jonas Georgakakis* So I worked at SYBO Games for a long time, and we reached a point where we were hiring a lot of external experts and professionals. I had always been just an artist, and thought there were a lot of things I didn’t understand about games. But I was sitting in a lot of meetings with these really experienced people, and I started to think I could do what they are doing. I started to think that maybe I actually had enough knowledge to start my own thing. A little overconfidence never hurt anybody. \[laughs\] I was also looking at my career path and I was thinking, “Okay, so I’m an art director. What do I actually want to do? What is my end goal?” And for me it became really clear that the right role for me in a studio, when I have reached my final form (which I may be close to now, or not at all) is as a creative director. And I realized that at SYBO I could never become that. Not because SYBO wouldn’t let me be: they would probably have said “Great!” and let me have the job. But I would never be able to have confidence in that role, because I do not actually play free-to-play mobile games, so I do not understand that market well enough. I am not the target audience in any way, whereas I am the target audience for PC games. **WA:** What kind of games do you prefer? **Jonas:** For me games are all about immersion. They literally take your mind somewhere else, and you lose track of real life. That’s the power of a good game. So I play these nerdy, sandbox games where you have to make a lot of choices and fail a lot. I really like a challenge. I like a game to tell me that I suck so I can prove it wrong. But free-to-play mobile games do not want to immerse you. They want to occupy your mind, but not immerse you, because they want you to go back to the main menu every five minutes and engage with the microtransactions. The whole point is for you to not think about it too deeply in the beginning, create a lot of feelings of success without even trying, and then make it more and more difficult to progress without paying money. One of the reasons I enjoyed working on *Subway Surfers* for so long was because people will actually play it for a very long time without going into the menu, without spending money. But, from a business standpoint, that’s not how you should build free-to-play games. What they want to do (and of course we can’t paint them all with the same brush, but this is basically true) is get you hooked on a positive feedback loop, get you all pumped with endorphins, then slowly start pulling the carrot away from you, pulling it further and further back. So what you are doing as a human is just sitting there really wanting that carrot, and getting frustrated. So free-to-play games basically live off of frustration, or the promise of alleviating your frustration. And for me, that’s just not what games are about. They are supposed to take us away from frustration. In fact, I stopped looking at them as games as time progressed. I’m not sure what to call them, but I don’t think they are actually games - I think they are something else. **WA:** What inspired your career change? **Jonas:** I played *Stardew Valley*. This was a game that I never would have played. I thought it was just a farming game, and farming games are stupid. But people kept saying it was amazing, so I played it, and it was super interesting. And for the first time in my life I had the experience where the game I want to *play* is also a game that might be fun to *make*. So I thought that perhaps I could make a game that had a vibe like *Stardew Valley*: a cozy game for people who just want to chill in a small world. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V002.webp) > **"One of the reasons I started my own company is because I want to try and make MY thing. You work for so long for other people, and you realize that you are using your creativity to create someone else’s dream. And I wondered what would happen if I actually used all my energy and creativity to make what *I* think is cool, and something that really comes from me? Glowlight is a means to that end."** > > *– Jonas Georgakakis* I started Glowlight with a little investment. And I went out and hired a programmer named Jonas Tingmose, and we made a prototype for our first game, *The Magical Mixture Mill.* And then we got full funding to go ahead and make the game. **WA:** Tell us about developing your own game for the first time. **Jonas:** In the beginning it was great. The publisher really got it and we were all really excited about it. And then… you know how there is that part of the contract that you don’t really pay attention to, because you think it won’t ever be relevant, which applies to cases of war? What happened was that Russia invaded Ukraine. That had a butterfly effect, because our publisher had a marketing department located in Moscow, even though the rest of the company wasn’t. Because of the sanctions, they had to cut their marketing department, so that meant that they couldn’t fulfill the contract, and had to sell our contract to someone else. So we were in mid-production and had to find a new publisher. At this point I had hired two more people, so I had three people depending on me in order to earn a salary… and this is the part of the job, part of having your own company, that, in a perfect world, would not be my responsibility. But I had to move fast, because I had people’s salaries depending on me. So there were a couple of areas in the new publishing contract that were a bit vague, and that came back and bit us in the butt later, when we got towards launching the game. To make a long story short, we weren’t totally aligned with how we wanted to market the game, or spend the marketing budget. The way Steam’s algorithm works is that it responds really well to spikes and big moments, so we wanted the biggest possible push at full release. We didn’t want a small drizzle of investment over time: spreading the money out just wastes it. ![WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V009](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V009.webp) **WA:** But there was some buzz around the game at early access. **Jonas:** Yes. We went into early access a year ahead of release. When you have an early access game, you basically have a live product. That means that every time you add something new, you have to make sure that it doesn’t break anything and that it actually works. So you have to do a lot more QA, and you’re getting a lot of negative feedback if you don’t nail it 100%, so you are spending a lot of time supporting your game instead of building it. At the time, we thought we were ready for early access, but in hindsight we weren’t. That’s one of the areas where we fucked up. And I think one of them was not that we went into *early access* too early: I actually think we went into *production* too early. In hindsight, I think we actually hadn't fully finished our pre-production. There were still some systems … (and it sounds so stupid when I say it now; anybody who has ever made a game will think I’m such an idiot, but this is part of how we learn, right?) … we had some systems we thought we didn’t need to prototype: we thought that they would just work. It turns out that, although they did work at one point, in the meantime other things had changed, and they didn’t work any more, and the game needed them in order to feel like a complete flow. So the core game play had some missing elements that we had to go back and reinvent after we were already in early access. In hindsight, that’s where we messed up. I won’t say that we won’t ever do early access again, but I will say that we have to be not just past pre-production, but fully over the first phase of production, where all the core assets and game play is there, so all we’re doing in early access is tweaking numbers and adding content. If you’re still making systems in early access, I think you’re in trouble. And that’s what we did, way too much, and that’s why we had such a terrible experience with early access. We had a Discord forum where we had a small core of really nice people who were so incredibly helpful. These guys are superheroes - we mention them in the game credits. I really appreciate how they kept us motivated, especially the programmers. Programmers tend to look for mistakes. You can have 95% of the code working, and then someone finds a bug, and then their confidence falls. But we had people on the forums saying “this game is amazing - this is my favorite game! It’s actually quite polished for an early access game!” Which it was - that’s actually the ridiculous thing. Our game was insanely stable and didn’t really crash and it worked well, but that doesn’t matter when there are some systems missing for the core experience. So I think the fan support kinda saved the team: in addition to all the problems, we got a lot of positive feedback too. And the game has great ratings, so that also kept us going. I think that’s the good thing about Steam. The people have spoken, and they’ve said that this is better than the average game. Our game was not looking to make millions, but it was doing okay. And the crazy thing was, when the game actually released, it did so much better than the publisher expected, even without marketing, that the owner of the publishing company came back and decided to give us localization. But of course it was too late. We needed that big spike in the algorithm to help gain visibility. So that whole aspect of marketing the game was disappointing and frustrating, and it became the exact thing we were trying to avoid. All that being said, financially the game is on track to be profitable; it’s just not profitable enough to continue adding major updates. We support it with bug fixes and stuff, but we can’t make new content for it, and that’s why we moved on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V014.webp) > **"I reflect a lot over what I do, so sometimes it comes across as that I don’t appreciate something I’ve done, and that’s not the case. I’m actually ridiculously proud of *The Magical Mixture Mill*. I think it’s insane that we made that, and crazy how well it did considering how fucked up production ended up being. That being said, I’m also not blind to the mistakes that we made. There are mistakes that are out of your control, so it’s a waste of time to think about it. But it’s important to focus on the things that we did do wrong, and that we should not do again, so we learn from our mistakes."** > > *– Jonas Georgakakis* **WA:** The Magical Mixture Mill has very strong visual design. **Jonas:** Yes, but the visual style of the game presents two problems: one is a marketing problem and one is a production problem. The marketing problem is that although it looks really great, it looks really great in a way that you’ve kind of seen before. In the world of indie games, you really want to stand out, and just looking great is not enough. You have so many good tools and artists all over the world who will work for very little money, so it’s not hard to just look good. ![WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V010](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V010.webp) > **"That’s actually a really important thing that I think people in the industry don’t think enough about. It’s one of our big takeaways from working with mobile games, and working at SYBO. We realized that people were sitting in the bus playing *Subway Surfers*, and if someone looked over their shoulder, they instantly knew what game they were playing. And we realized that was actually a really slick marketing tool: that you can instantly recognize a game just from a single screenshot, so if you randomly see something and then you stumble across it again you know exactly what it is. I’m trying to take that idea into our next game."** > > *– Jonas Georgakakis* And the production problem was that the game looked good because I do really nice textures as a 3D artist. This meant that I had to hand paint everything in the game, which doesn’t scale well. I’ve talked a bit about the graphics, but on a much more fundamental level I made a mistake that I thought I would avoid, but somehow I made it again. Which really annoys me, because it means that I didn’t learn, and learning is what excites me. The mistake is that I once again made a game that was not for me. The problem with *The Magical Mixture Mill* is that we went into the cozy game sphere, but during early access, we got two very different sets of people playing our game. Probably because of poor marketing, we weren't clearly communicating what the game was. On the one hand, we got the audience we wanted, which was the cozy crowd. But we got a surprising amount of hardcore players coming because part of our game was automation (Editor: A sub-genre of management games). Of course we wanted automation, but we wanted to make it simple and approachable. For us that was a *part* of the game, but there was also a whole world and story: we were trying to make a holistic experience. But we got people in early access that came from *Factorio* and *Satisfactory*, which are much more challenging games, and that’s *all* they are - they are just about automation. So I think we got confused in early access, because we had these two different audiences telling us what they liked and didn’t like, and we were constantly sitting between two chairs. And I think the reason we had a hard time choosing the right direction sometimes, or making a decision and sticking to it was because, at the end of the day, the game was actually not for us. We should have been the audience, because then we would know what’s right and what to do. We’re just four people, trying to guess what people want, and trying to understand the brains of a different type of person. If even just one of us was the target audience, then we would know immediately what to do. So that’s the biggest learning for our next game. **WA:** So tell us about the concept for the new game. **Jonas:** I asked myself “what is the coolest game in my head?” and this was one of the ideas that came out. We had a long pitching session, and made prototypes and stuff. We were down to two ideas before we settled on this one, and it’s one of the hardest decisions I’ve made in this company. One of the biggest reasons we settled on this one (aside from the fact that we did some market research and actually this type of game does really well on Steam), is that this concept also plays to our strengths as a team. We are still just the four of us, and when I look at what it is that we are good at, when I look at where we really excelled in *The Magical Mixture Mill,* I think this concept really speaks to those strengths. And that’s another thing I’ve learned, which is to make a project that fits the team. It’s a colony sim, so it’s got the soul of a management game, but you control a colony. It’s a small colony - right now we don’t know exactly what the number will be, but it will be less than 10, maybe less than 5 people. The sim aspect is very much like *RimWorld* or *Stranded: Alien Dawn*. But we’re setting it underwater in a kind of steampunk setting, and it has a lot to do with survival and terror of the dark deep. So it’s more hardcore, and it’s spooky. Because of the setting and the theme, we arrived at some cool gameplay that we didn’t even plan, and the game is actually really fun. I don’t think *The Magical Mixture Mill* was really fun for me until we were in production. This game is already fun, but then again, I’m the target audience. So I know where the fun is in this game, and now we just have to make it better and better. We want to set it in the late 1800s–early 1900s, where it’s steampunk and underwater. A bit Jules Verne, a bit French… it needs to be elegant, so we’re listening to classical music while trying to survive these weird monsters in the deep. And as you go deeper and deeper, literally, down into the depths of the sea, you start out with things that we know very well, and things that really exist, but as you go deeper and deeper we start inventing stuff. It’s believed that only 10% of all life in the sea has been discovered, so we have a lot of room to make up new stuff. So that’s the gradient we want to make, and then the colonists, as they go deeper and deeper, they go to depths that humans were never meant to survive. Humans were never meant to live under the sea, even though that’s where all life comes from, so there is an overarching theme of a kind of regression, of going back to origins, where they begin to alter themselves to better fit this environment. In a lot of survival games, you alter the environment to fit yourself - but we want you as a player to get so far that you start altering the humans to fit the environment. I’ve been watching a mindboggling show that only went for one season called *Scavenger’s Reign*. It’s an animated show that follows a group of 5 people who have crash-landed on an alien planet, and everything on this planet almost works like one big organism. It’s not evil, but they are intruders and everything is trying to absorb them in some way, and they are trying to turn these weird alien flora and fauna into tools to help them survive. That’s one of the things we want to try to do here. I’ve also always had a romantic attachment back to the times when the earth felt big. We only have to go back like 100 years to when the earth and all the places and cultures felt very far away and different and the earth had a sense of exploration. Going from the cold North down to Egypt must have been like going to another planet. But today we’ve seen pictures and movies, and perhaps we’ve actually seen things so much that we don’t have a lot of curiosity to actually go there. So another reason we want to go back and have this retro feeling is so that we can revive this feeling of exploration and curiosity, so people can be curious but also terrified. Wondering what is in the dark is both exciting and terrifying, especially because if it doesn’t kill you, you might get something that makes your survival more likely. We want to keep the player constantly in this state of two minds - not wanting to know, but wanting to know. It’s all about what is hiding in the dark, and the classic idea of not showing the monster, because whatever monster you are imagining is probably much more interesting than the one I would design. This is also really nice for production, because it means that we don’t have to make a billion monsters - the player is going to dream them up in their own mind. ![WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V004](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V004.webp) **WA:** How does this type of project satisfy you personally as a creator? **Jonas:** At SYBO I started as a 3D artist. Then, as more people came on, I moved on to become a lead artist and art director and so on. Honestly, I was in no way qualified for the job - I built the experience over time. Now that I look back, I am better able to see what my own strengths and weaknesses are, and my greatest strength is that I am really good at knowing when something is good enough. I’m not a perfectionist, and I know when to stop. A lot of artists can’t stop, and keep polishing forever, but I am good at knowing how we can make something look like it took a lot of time, when in reality it's a hack job. I think that’s my main strength. That’s what I did a lot at SYBO, and it’s what I’m trying to do here at Glowlight. I’m trying to make us look like we’re a 20-person team when we’re actually just 4. When I put together this team, I wanted to work with people who play video games, and I wanted to work with people who have an opinion. I was well aware that we were going to spend a bit too much time discussing things, but I would rather have that than if I just express an idea and someone silently thinks it’s a bad idea but doesn’t say anything. But what I had a blind spot towards was that none of us are salesmen. Firstly, none of us are very active on social media, so we don’t understand what people want, because we ourselves do not consume marketing in that way. And that’s a problem, nowadays. That’s why the issue with the publisher was so important. Secondly, I am the person who leads the team, and I am a person who likes to focus - I work most efficiently that way. But I am already wearing so many hats, and the salesman hat is not one that in any way comes easily to me. And any time I try to force that, it’s time taken away from something else. I mean, we’re going to make more games, but I will get to a point where I might want to go back to just being an employee. I definitely see that happening one day, because owning a company and being responsible for all of this stuff is not why I got into the business - it’s a means to an end. And that end for me is to create things. > **"I want to make video games. I just really want to make video games in a small team. I don’t want anything big - I really don’t. I want to have a company that’s never more than 10 people. At heart I am someone who needs to create things, and if my company ever got bigger than that I would stop creating and start managing instead. I don’t think I’m a bad manager, it’s just not what gets me out of bed in the morning. I want to think of new things, and make them into reality. So I just want to make games, and I want our games to earn enough that we can make more games. That’s it. That’s the mission."** > > *– Jonas Georgakakis* ![WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V003](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V003.webp) **WA:** If the team was 20 people, you could make 2 games at once. **Jonas:** And boy does that sound exciting, because I have a lot of ideas and I don’t have a lifetime long enough for all of them. But the problem with that is that, at the end of the day, I really like to be focused. If I had to work on two games, I wouldn’t be able to dive in the way I want to. For example, the game we’re working on right now, it’s an underwater game, it’s about finding new materials. At first you start finding minerals, and then you start finding alien ruins down in the water, and you start making some weird tech out of that… and I just love sitting and nerding and learning about minerals. I’ve spent weeks learning about how different alloys are made, where you find certain metals, how are they extracted… This is what I like about a new project: you get to nerd out on new shit. You get a little bit smarter, and I think that’s really fun. That’s another thing that I get from making projects that are not just the same thing the whole time. The project, once it’s done, stays with me, because I learned something. *Subway Surfers* for example. This may come as a surprise to you, but I am not the most “street” person. I am not that hip–hop. But I actually studied it, digging deep, trying to find my own hip hop inspiration, and now I know a surprising amount about skateboarding and graffiti and street culture. And I love that, for that reason, *Subway Surfers* is really grounded in 80s-90s hip-hop, because that’s what I knew, growing up with *Fresh Prince of Bel-Air* and stuff. It’s before hip-hop became gritty - it has a kind of New York, storytelling, street culture style… So that lives with me, and all these projects live with me. I also think that a lot of things you do are, like Bob Ross says, “happy little accidents.” If someone who had a better understanding of hip-hop had my role on *Subway Surfers*, and had been integral in the designs and the characters of the game, I think perhaps it may not have been so accessible. One of the things we learned about *Subway Surfers* is that it really connected with a lot of people - it interpreted a very niche culture in a way that made everyone feel welcome. > **"In my journey as an artist, one of the things that has always followed me through my life and career, is actually that I’m quite normal. There are a lot of artists who immerse themselves so much in the industry that they forget to live, they forget to connect with the average person. But the average person is also your customer, and I think sometimes the industry can lose sight of that. They live in some weird other world, where their audience is not. And of course the game industry has auteurs and weird people who do art, and that’s great, but most of the time, the average person just wants a good experience, and the more you connect with them, the better position you are in to make that for them. My creativity is a tool to give someone an experience. I’m not doing this because I have a message or because I’m out to change the world. I just want to make shit. And I want to make shit that people enjoy. And it’s that simple."** > > *– Jonas Georgakakis* I’m a very simple person. And I’m also a very lucky person. So I have everything I need in my life. I got to marry my best friend, we have a kid, we have a place to live, we have stable finances, and I get to sit at home in my robe all day and make video games. So I have nothing to complain about. So the longer I can drag this phase of my life out the better - that’s my goal. These are the good times. With that kind of attitude and track record, Jonas and the team at Glowlight are sure to make more and more interesting games for years to come. We can’t wait to see what they come up with! ![WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V011](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WE_ANIMATE_JONAS_GEORGAKAKIS_EMF_V011.jpg) Follow Jonas and the work of Glowlight here: [www.glowlightgames.com](https://glowlightgames.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon & WeAnimate** Photo: ****Emil Monty Freddie** [****montyfreddiestudio.com**](https://montyfreddiestudio.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0068 ### Jakob Sabra on the Future of Danish Animation URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/jakob-sabra-on-the-future-of-danish-animation/ Last updated: 2026-08-30T07:44:29.000Z **Head of R&D at The Animation Workshop on why community, curiosity, and cross-disciplinarity will shape the next decade of animation** WeAnimate Day 2025 guest speaker Jakob Borrits Skov Sabra heads the Research and Development Department at The Animation Workshop/VIA University College in Viborg. At this year’s WeAnimate Day, he joined a panel on education and the future of animation — and later sat down for a deeper talk about the changing landscape of Danish and European animation. 🗓️ **Save the date for the next WeAnimate Day:* ****May 22nd 2027** ![JAKOB.B.SABRA.TAW.WEANIMATE-48](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/JAKOB.B.SABRA_.TAW_.WEANIMATE-48.webp) Jakob outside The Animation Workshop in Viborg > **“I think stories can put spells on people,” Jakob begins. “It’s the ability to actually move an individual — to move attitudes, knowledge, and even identities — through these intricate story worlds that are being built. Whether it’s a game world, a short film, or a feature, that emotional movement is the real magic of animation.”** > > *– Jakob Borrits Skov Sabra* ## Animation as a force for impact For Jakob, animation is not just an art form — it’s a tool for transformation. He has seen firsthand how animation extends far beyond entertainment: engaging schoolchildren in complex subjects, giving minorities a voice, and even bringing comfort to families living in conflict zones. “Those are the moments where I realize animation isn’t just about creating commercial products or entertainment,” he says. “It also has an ability to make a social impact — and that’s something that I’m deeply passionate about.” At The Animation Workshop, that belief translates into a growing focus on how visual storytelling can serve new purposes and industries. The department’s projects reach across animation, games, XR, graphic storytelling, and production technologies — all under one mission: to explore what animation can become. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/JAKOB.B.SABRA_.TAW_.WEANIMATE-56.webp) > **“Animation is becoming relevant far beyond entertainment — in health, architecture, and climate transformation. There’s so much to be gained for visual storytellers.”** > > *– Jakob Borrits Skov Sabra* ## Beyond entertainment: the expanding field of animation “Besides being an art form, animation is also an expanding field,” Jakob notes. “We see how animation is becoming relevant in the health sector, in architecture, in the built environment, and in climate transformation. That means a lot of new job possibilities for visual storytellers in these sectors.” This growing relevance calls for a redefinition of what it means to be an animator. The future, he argues, belongs to those who can move fluidly across media and industries — from VR experiences to science visualization and beyond. That’s why The Animation Workshop’s R&D department works closely with both educators and industry professionals to “futureproof” the next generation of animation talent. “We have artificial intelligence, game engines, and other technologies transforming our industry,” he says. “If we’re able to build bridges to the industry and figure out how to futureproof the animator of tomorrow, then we can instigate both security and the right skills in our young students.” ![_PRIORITET JAKOB.B.SABRA.TAW.WEANIMATE-26](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/PRIORITET-JAKOB.B.SABRA_.TAW_.WEANIMATE-26.webp) ## Building a resilient, connected community “The prospects for Danish animation are getting way better now,” he says. “With new tax incentives coming in 2026, we’re becoming more competitive internationally. Broadcasters are investing in animated TV series, and the Nordic countries are moving towards their own streaming platforms — that’s a real sign of maturity.” But opportunities also come with challenges. Generative AI, shifting global markets, and studio layoffs are changing the creative landscape faster than ever. Jakob’s answer is simple — and deeply Danish: “The most important thing for Danish animation in the coming years is to stay a community. To face challenges together — AI, layoffs, all of it — as a friendly, collaborative community. Of course, we’re competitors, but we always intermingle in co-productions. That’s our strength. It’s important that we harness and strengthen the transformative powers of community.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/JAKOB.B.SABRA_.TAW_.WEANIMATE-17.webp) Jakob at the Artist in Residence area of The Animation Workshop > **“The most important thing for Danish animation is to stay a community — to face challenges together and strengthen our relational bonds.”** > > *– Jakob Borrits Skov Sabra* ## Education and Europe: connecting the ecosystems One of Jakob’s central focus areas is skills development — not just in Denmark, but across Europe. He points to major European initiatives that The Animation Workshop is leading. “We’re heading one of the first European Centres for Vocational Excellence in animation, called AVENUE,” he explains. “It combines ecosystems: animation in Denmark, games in France, XR technologies in Italy, virtual production and VFX in the Netherlands, and visual storytelling in Ireland. Together, we’re building a European ecosystem drawing on the strengths of all five areas.” In parallel, the school leads Paneurama, an innovation alliance that brings together educators and industry leaders to address the growing gap between what schools teach and what the digital visual industries need. “We’re keen to ensure that what we teach — both hard skills and soft skills — is aligned with the ambitions and insights from the Danish and European animation industries,” Jakob says. “That goes for animation, but also for those cross-disciplinary creative media fields. We want to make the best possible education for the industry — and make sure it comes from Denmark.” ![JAKOB.B.SABRA.TAW.WEANIMATE-04](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/JAKOB.B.SABRA_.TAW_.WEANIMATE-04.webp) ## Animation with purpose Whether the topic is education, AI, or community, one theme runs through Jakob’s reflections: the idea that animation’s power lies in its humanity. It’s a field built on collaboration, curiosity, and care — values that, in his view, will be crucial in navigating the decade ahead. “Animation is close to my heart,” he says. “Because when it works, it moves people. It helps us see the world — and each other — a little differently.” ![_PRIORITET + THUMB JAKOB.B.SABRA.TAW.WEANIMATE-14](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/PRIORITET-THUMB-JAKOB.B.SABRA_.TAW_.WEANIMATE-14.webp) Interview: ****Cecilie Holmfjord Jonassen** Video produced by: ****CPH Family** Text: ****Rebekah Villon & WeAnimate** Photo: ****Adam Liebach** **WeAnimate Day 2025 and the WeAnimate Day video interviews are organized by the Danish Animation Society (ANIS) in collaboration with The National Film School of Denmark, with support from the Danish Film Institute, MEDIA Desk Denmark, the Producers’ Association of Denmark, FAF, Danske Dramatikere, and VIA University College/The Animation Workshop.* wam#0067 --- ## Other WeAnimate 2025 interviews [Sunit Parekh on Culture, Scale, and Making Small Teams Look BigAt this year’s WeAnimate Day, one theme kept resurfacing across talks and conversations: how do we build animation studios that are both creatively ambitious and structurally sustainable? Few speakers articulated this question as clearly—and as personally—as Sunit Parekh, founder and owner of Hydralab. In his talk and![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-2a0952fc-af3a-48eb-b131-c7cdacb681a2.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/_MAIN-aSunit-portrait-1-a832bb19-0543-42eb-bcb7-d9fd8248d16d.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/krollebolle-sunit/) ### Stine Sørensen & Jonas Ussing: Blazing New Trails with Space Office URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/spaceoffice-stine-jonas/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:43.000Z ## **Blazing New Trails with Space Office** **Space Office is a joint venture of the husband-and-wife team of veteran character animator Stine Sørensen and noted visual effects artist Jonas Ussing. Their combined credits include everything from Denmark’s Checkered Ninja series to Marvel blockbusters, along with extensive work in the game industry. Together, they have been nominated for an Emmy and several Robert Awards. The company has recently made a stir with their cinematic trailer for Trailmakers:Pioneers, a hotly anticipated update to the popular vehicle building game. We caught up with Jonas and Stine to talk about their work and life in the creative industries.** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/stine-and-jonas.webp) *WA: Could you tell us a bit about your background?* **Stine:** I went to The Animation Workshop as one of the first students in the character animation bachelor program, and I actually went straight into feature animation. I had gotten an internship on Morgenthaler’s *Princess*, so me and a few other students spent our summer holiday working at Zentropa. When I came out of school, they were crewing up for *Æblet & Ormen*, the first feature film at Copenhagen Bombay. Because I had already worked for Anders Morgenthaler, and I had done a good job, they asked me if I wanted to work on it. It was an easy way for me to get that very hard-to-get first job out of school, so that internship paid off. And I’ve been in Danish feature animation ever since. I’ve worked on some computer games here and there, *Limbo* and *Cocoon* and some other small games, but mostly Danish feature films. I just finished working on *Checkered Ninja 3*. **Jonas:** For me, I think I'd always wanted to do some kind of film or visual effects work when I was a kid, because of *Star Wars* mostly. But I got sidetracked by regular jobs and education. No one in my sphere was able to tell me how to create visual effects, or how to get that career. > **All we heard from people growing up was ‘No, you can’t be creative, you have to find a regular job.’ But creative people often have an inner impulse that demands to get out, and needs to be expressed, and that often can’t be done in a ‘regular job.’** > > *– Stine Sørensen* **Jonas:** So I studied computer science, and I got a job as a computer programmer in a bank. And I would probably be fine, at least financially, if I were still there now, but I was dying a little bit inside every day. So I ended up quitting that job, leaving the company with four months severance. My plan was to spend those four months making a showreel, and then break into the effects business. As crazy as it sounds, there wasn't even YouTube when I learned this stuff, so I had to teach myself everything using books and online forums. My showreel project ended up taking a year, and I had to take out a loan on the apartment, but I got my first job at Ghost twenty years ago, making a CD commercial, and I have been working in VFX ever since. A little bit of computer games and commercial work here and there, but mostly working for Jussing Film, my own visual effects company, for these twenty years. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/julemandens-datter-3-lucias-house.webp) *WA: And how did Space Office come into being?* **Stine:** For a long time we had been talking about working together, but we also felt that it was a bit dangerous to put the entire economy of the family into one project. I mean, I have very regular jobs in feature film animation… **Jonas:** But my invoices can be really random for one month to the next month. Overall more than you would get from a steady job on a feature film, but there are some good months and some not so good. **Stine:** So his salary is higher than mine, but more unstable, so it was a risk. But at some point, we just decided to jump in, and we created Space Office VFX. **Jonas:** It made a huge difference to be working together as a company, instead of just sending out emails as myself. We’re a team. **Stine:** It also helps that I’m a woman and an animator; it makes for a more wholesome company, with a better image. We immediately started getting bigger and better jobs. Most of our projects are still related to visual effects, though, and not character animation, so I continue to work as a freelancer for other companies. ![lustig gjok 3](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/lustig-gjok-3.webp) *WA: What have been some of your favorite projects along the way?* **Jonas:** I worked for Wil Film for two years. Originally I was just gonna do some Lego advertisement compositing, but then they had an opening for an art director for *Lego Star Wars*, and I just couldn't say no to that. I was using all my accumulated Star Wars trivia, like ‘A star destroyer has **blue** exhaust!’ and thinking to myself every day, ‘I'm actually being paid for this!’ They even let me direct an episode. That's probably the most fun job I've ever had, outside of what we've been doing together at Space Office. **Stine:** We were nominated for a Robert Award for our work on *All I Want for Christmas: The Magic Time Machine (Julemandens Datter 3)*, and that’s probably the biggest project we’ve done together so far. We had to hire about 14 people that year in order to complete some commercials, game trailers, and a feature film. We had a Christmas party for everyone, with dinner and cocktails, and we brought them all to the Robert Awards show. *WA: How did you find this particular niche with game trailers?* **Jonas:** Flashbulb Games called us a few years ago about a trailer for their game *Rubber Bandits*. At the time, they just wanted to animate something in the game engine to make the trailer. They had called another animator who was busy at the time, so he recommended us instead. When we talked with them, we said ‘Yes, of course we could do the animation, but what about rendering and compositing? We could make it look really good.’ **Stine:** They decided to trust us with the project, and it was a great fit. They were very happy with that first trailer, and we ended up doing two more trailers for the same game. So when they wanted another trailer for the expansion of *Trailmakers*, they called us again. There’s a lot of trust there, so we don’t have a long list of endless nitpicking revisions. They had some specific points they wanted to include, and some shots in mind, but we really collaborated to tell a great little story in one minute. **Jonas:** These trailers are the most fun, and the most fulfilling, type of work that we can do together. Our joint capabilities allow us to achieve great quality, just on a smaller scale. *WA: Tell us a bit about the Trailmakers trailer.* **Jonas:** This trailer is for a major update in the game, which adds story and campaigns to what had previously just been a sandbox game. We had to make sure the trailer appealed to the existing fan base, while also attracting new players. So we chose to make the trailer basically an opening cinematic, a prologue that ends where the game begins. **Stine:** We used as many game assets as we could; it saved time and budget, but also remained true to the design of the game. We have to make it look good, without deviating too far from the game aesthetic. So we upres geometry on various assets, and replace realtime textures with upgraded materials. We had to re-model and re-rig the main character, and I designed an expression sheet, to make him capable of greater action and emotion than he is in the game. **Jonas:** We did everything in four months. With our combined backgrounds, a client can come to us with an idea, and we can shape it into a story and create a Hollywood-quality trailer. That doesn’t just help to get the attention of new players, but Flashbulb uses it to help gain attention from publishers. *WA: So how do you balance your personal creativity and inspiration, and your desire to be expressive, along with the needs of making money and living in the real world?* **Stine:** Oh my I could do a whole speech about that. Being a creative professional is a paradox. Because they're two different things. Art takes time, and you have to wait for your inspiration. But being a professional, you have to deliver on time and address client comments. So it's inevitable that you will be in a situation where you have the briefing from the client, and you put your heart and soul into the work, and then they say, ‘That's completely wrong. You've got it all wrong.’ If you have put your creative heart and soul into the first version, it's gonna take some time to readjust. But, as a professional, you still have to take that feedback and work with it. **Jonas:** There's this interview with Phil Tippett when he complains about this type of client feedback and he says, “Eventually, it's just a matter of, ‘okay, where do you want your sofa? You want it there? Do you want it there? I'll put it wherever you want. Just tell me what you want.’” And sure, that may be pleasing the client, but then you are not really doing your job. You're supposed to use your artistic talent and creative investment in it to make it good. They hired you because you're really good at this. So you have to be so good that even when you have challenging feedback, you still deliver good stuff. That's one of the reasons why we want to focus on the game trailers, because we have so much artistic interest in these projects. **Stine:** I think we have also been very lucky with Flashbulb as a client. We can really apply everything we know from all of our many years of experience and pour it into the project. > **It’s the best case scenario when you're actually collaborating with your clients. You can say, ‘I care about your project, and I care about your product, and I care about your customer. And here's what I can add of value.’** > > *– Stine Sørensen* *WA: So with Space Office you have kind of created the kind of company you’ve wanted to work for?* **Jonas:** Yes. Firstly, we want to just make a living making visual effects and animation. Second of all, we want to actually have fun doing it and have a good quality of life. **Stine:** We’re not aiming to be millionaires. We just want to not stress about paying the rent, and we want to have evenings off to be with our kids. It should be possible. I mean, we can't do this until we retire if we get burnt out. We can't go like this until we are 70 or whatever. ![trailmakers_STILL_004](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/trailmakers_STILL_004.jpg) > **All these visual effects artists have to move around the world to wherever the work is, and work six days a week for ten hours a day to manage crunches and deadlines. They're working sixty hour weeks, and they have to deliver 300 shots to finish the movie. And then the studio still goes out of business. So what was even the point of it all?** > > *– Jonas Ussing* **Stine:** I think this conversation is kind of working its way throughout the industry, about what this career is supposed to look like and what we're trying to create for ourselves. *WA: So what’s next for Space Office?* **Jonas:** Our focus right now is on being a really cool place to work for, so that people want to come back and work with us again. With our flexible model, we depend on being able to contact freelancers, and find good people who can help us meet our goals. That’s one of the qualities of a good leader: recognizing your weaknesses, and that you can't do it all yourself. You have to hire people who are better than yourself. **Stine:** Our mission for the company is to have a place where we, and people who work for us, can have fun doing creative animation, with a decent salary. When we say this, it sounds like we are very unambitious, because we don't want to work all those long hours, but we just think that you should be able to balance everything if you work smart. And why can't we, in our business, have a decent quality of life? ![trailmakers_STILL_005](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/trailmakers_STILL_005.jpg) > **Our studio will never be the new Ghost. We're not going to be crazy big. But we could find a sweet spot where we can still do ambitious projects, and have fun, and also have time with our family.** > > *– Stine Sørensen* See Stine’s work in the latest Checkered Ninja film, opening soon, and follow Jonas on LinkedIn for great insights into the art of VFX. And keep an eye out for more work from Space Office, especially in your favorite game trailers. Follow Space Office at: [Space Office VFX and animation](https://share.google/jKaD5jBfcW00XIUAV?ref=weanimate.dk) [Follow Space Office on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/spaceofficevfx?igsh=MWhiZHBjaG5uM21ubg==&ref=weanimate.dk) [Follow Space Office on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/spaceofficevfx/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: ****Courtesy of Space Office** wam#0074 ### MOOD Visuals is a Bastion of Good Ideas – Part I, Simon Fetscher URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/mood-visuals-1/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:44.000Z Insights from the Artists **Since 2013, MOOD Visuals has been creating captivating designs for games, movies, and more. The visual development studio has designed art and assets for legendary titles like God of War, Elder Scrolls Online, The Last of Us II, and more. From its humble beginnings, MOOD has developed into an industry powerhouse, with increasing staff, expanding portfolio, and an impressive client base.** As the studio has grown, MOOD has stayed true to its roots, with a dedicated team and remarkably low turnover. We spoke with some of MOOD’s veteran artists to find out the secrets of keeping artists and designers inspired and dedicated, year after year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Header-1.jpg) **Simon Fetscher** is a Lead Concept Artist who has been at MOOD since 2015, working on projects like God of War, The Last of Us II, Hitman, The Division 2, Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier, and more. His work has been featured in Kotaku and 2dartist, and he’s happy to talk about his career, his process, and his inspiration. **Simon:** I don’t really have any professional training. I have been drawing since I was small, starting out with Disney characters, and then getting into the usual suspects like *Lord of the Rings* and *Star Wars*. After high school, when I asked myself what I really wanted to do, the answer was always concept art. So I took a part-time job and spent the rest of the time every day for a couple of years working on my portfolio, creating concept art, and hanging out on online forums, giving and getting feedback. There are a lot of great schools today, and we have hired a lot of new graduates from different schools. They have already had the experience of working on assignments that are like real-world projects, so they come into the studio well-equipped for the job. In that way, they are more prepared and have better qualifications than I did; I had only worked on my own art. Of course, they get all of their assignments from a teacher, while my cousin and I made up our own assignments. > **In a way, that was good, because we had to learn to be very disciplined on our own, without anyone checking on us. I learned to be disciplined and not need to be supervised by someone else.** > > *– Simon Fetscher* So I was living in Malmö and working on my portfolio every day, making cool concept art and trying to match the professional work I could see online. And my cousin Oliver, who was living in Gothenburg, was doing the same thing. Ten years ago EA Ghosts, in Gothenburg, was making *Need for Speed,* and they were a big deal. So I got in contact with an art director there, and he wanted to have a meeting. At the same time, my cousin got contacted by MOOD, in Copenhagen, and they wanted to have a meeting with him. I didn’t even know MOOD existed, which is so weird; they were just a short train ride away. So my cousin and I thought how convenient it would be if we could do a switcheroo, if instead *he* went to Ghost and *I* went to MOOD. So I recommended him and he recommended me, and I went to meet with MOOD and he went to meet with Ghost. And we both got jobs within the same week! It was amazing. It was such a lucky coincidence that I got a job here. MOOD was only about a year old at that time, and we were mostly working on *Hitman* and *LEGO*. It was very intimate; there were only maybe 7 of us in total. The partners did the business stuff but also worked on the art, and they and Jesper really took me in and helped me along. It was a great start-up period to learn and be mentored by those guys. We didn’t even have job titles back in the beginning: everyone was just a concept artist. Now we have leads and seniors and different levels and structures that help make the projects work. > **But the soul of the company is still the same: taking care of the artists, avoiding “crunch culture”, and everyone still trying to know each other personally and build relationships.** > > *– Simon Fetscher* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/mood-eso-deadlands-illust-mood-copy.webp) Video games are a really young industry. I mean, the first video games were only developed at the end of the 20th century, just within my lifetime. So it’s all very fresh and new. The technical aspect of the job has changed completely since I started. The tools are so much more sophisticated. When I started, photobashing was still a new thing. Now you can use 3D and make big scenes for several concepts at once, and use the Unreal engine even within the concept art process. Keeping up with all these changes while you are also actively working can be hard; being in production while also staying current with technology and implementing all these new programs and workflows is a challenge. Of course you have to do it in order to stay relevant, but it’s been a big change. I worked in the MOOD studio for the first 4 years or so, but since then I’ve been working remotely while living in Sweden. Working in-house with the team gave me an opportunity to get to know my coworkers very well, so that even though I am working remotely I still feel like part of the team. I visit the studio about once a month, and every time I’m there it’s an opportunity to talk to everyone, see what everyone is working on, and reconnect with people who I don’t necessarily work with on a day-to-day basis. It’s very important to me to have a good strong connection with my team, and we are constantly keeping communication channels open and chatting, so that working remotely isn’t too isolating and you’re not just hunkered down by yourself. Then when I’m in the studio we sit down together and keep that going. Since I’m now a lead artist and mentoring others, it’s especially important that I build relationships and keep communication happening. I try to get to know my team members as well as I can, because everyone needs different things in order to be creative and productive. ![mood-lsh-mood-thebatmanposter-02 copy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/mood-lsh-mood-thebatmanposter-02-copy.webp) A good lead needs to be able to listen to all the artists, being open to feedback and suggestions. I want them to be able to critique and give feedback on my work as much as I do theirs. A lead also needs to be able to be decisive and make final decisions, but my artists need to trust that I have considered their ideas and opinions, and that there are good reasons behind my decisions. I want them to understand why I’m thinking a certain way, so they can hopefully reach the same conclusion. We also want the clients to feel like team members, and be included. We don’t want to just get feedback from them and then deliver something. We want them to feel like they are part of the process. Working in a company that has so many artists under one roof, seeing new faces come in, working on different teams with different people on different projects, gives me an opportunity to meet new people and be inspired by them. I like learning how other people work and think, and it’s probably my biggest source of inspiration. And when it comes to who we’re working with, it’s just been more and more interesting and cool clients, big games, fun projects. That’s also made it really interesting for me to stay and develop within the company. The industry in general has been growing so much, even though we’ve also seen a lot of layoffs in recent years. The indie scene has also grown and changed a lot, and some indie games now have really big budgets. I love that they are getting more of a spotlight than they got 7 or 8 years ago, and we’re seeing a lot of really cool creativity in those games. A lot of the big AAA games can suffer from the demand to make more and more money and please shareholders instead of gamers; perhaps that will show in their sales numbers in the end and force them to rethink what they are doing, but I don’t know. I’m so happy that I work at an established company that lets me feel so safe. But of course you also have to think about everyone else in the industry, and work on ways of supporting them. At MOOD we obviously want to do the highest quality all the time, but we are also always thinking about the team. Everything we do is a team effort: nobody just starts doing something and works on it by themselves with no communication. > **We want to make sure that we care for each other, while pushing each other forward all the time. We are always trying to improve each others’ work, and all our best stuff, even if it was technically the work of one person, has been done with input from other people with cool ideas who are trying to push it forward.** > > *– Simon Fetscher* Simon’s work can be seen here: [artstation.com/simonfetscher](https://www.artstation.com/simonfetscher?ref=weanimate.dk) ## ![moodvisuals_logo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/moodvisuals_logo.png) Follow Mood Visuals at: [www.moodvisuals.com](https://www.moodvisuals.com/projects?ref=weanimate.dk) [Follow MOOD Visuals on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/moodvisuals.studio?ref=weanimate.dk) [Follow MOOD Visuals on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/mood/posts/?feedView=all&ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: ****Courtesy of Mood Visuals** wam#0064 ### Thorbjørn Christoffersen: The power of The Bad Animatic URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/thorbjoern-christoffersen/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:44.000Z **Thorbjørn Christoffersen has directed some of the most popular Danish animated films in recent memory, including Terkel in Trouble, Ronal the Barbarian, and the hugely successful Checkered Ninja series. He is also a well-known illustrator of children’s books, notably the Anton & Grandma and Sally’s Dad book series. His prolific output, along with the immense popularity of his projects, have connected a whole generation of young people with his unique style and humor.** We recently spoke with Thorbjørn just ahead of the release of Checkered Ninja 3\. It is difficult to capture in writing his incredible enthusiasm and humor, his fast speaking, big gestures, and theatrical expressions. In this interview, he candidly shares his approach, his inspiration, and his amazing attitude toward animation and filmmaking. ![WeAnimate_ThorbjørnC36](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WeAnimate_ThorbjornC36.webp) **WA:** Tell us a bit about your background. **TC:** I grew up on a farm. That’s the first thing I need to say. I come from a little village in Funen. My dad was a farmer, my mom was a schoolteacher, and I have an older sister and two younger brothers. At the time, there wasn’t really any schooling in arts, and there weren't any artists in my family. My mom actually has some artful skill; before she had kids she was sculpting and drawing, and you can see that she knows what she’s doing, but I don’t remember her using that skill when I was a kid. I didn’t go to kindergarten, and I was kind of on my own a lot, drawing. My mom was very appreciative of my drawing, and praised it a lot. And, you know, when a kid gets special attention for some kind of skill, they start to realize that when they do that thing, they get love. For me, drawing became a way of getting someone to tell me I did a good job, and that’s still kind of something that drives me to this day. > **That attention is probably why I also love animation, and what got me into directing as well. I like showing off. \[laughs\] But seriously, if I was just drawing for myself, without having any feedback–just drawing in a book and then closing it up and moving on–that doesn’t make any sense to me. The work is so hard, why would I do it if there wasn't any appreciation afterward?** > > *– Thorbjørn Christoffersen* I was very drawn to telling stories, and had a very vivid imagination. I started doing *Dungeons & Dragons* when I was 12 or so, and quickly became the game-master, because I loved tinkering with the story parts and having all my players do what I wanted. We had some great weekends where we stayed up late at night and everyone just got shit-scared because of the story. Whenever something like that happens, whenever the story builds up into a bigger moment, and you get into a mood where you start to really *feel* the thing–that’s so incredible. A part of that is also what attracts me to filmmaking, and why we spend so much time telling these stories–that’s the reaction we want. For me, that’s the goal. That’s what I want to achieve. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WeAnimate_ThorbjornC16.webp) **WA:** How did you start your career in animation? **TC:** I went to The Animation Workshop. My wife, who was my girlfriend at the time, wanted to go to Copenhagen after high school because she wanted to study literature at the university, and I just moved with her because I had no idea what I wanted to do. I thought that I wanted to do something about drawing, but there weren't really any options. So I went to the office where people help you find a job. Those places always have a lot of information about education, because there are a lot of young people there. I saw this flier for The Animation Workshop and I just seized on it – “*This is what I need to do!*” I still have that brochure. It’s one of my most prized possessions. At that time, it wasn’t funded by the state, and we had to pay for it ourselves. Luckily my parents had set aside a college fund for me, which is kind of nice. You would expect that a mom and dad on a farm wouldn’t have cared for animation, but they’ve never been anything but super supportive of my choices. I think perhaps they just recognized that that was what I needed to do. My dad completely wrote me off from taking over the farm \[laughs\]. So I went to The Animation Workshop, and that was the first time I met anyone who thought the same way I did. For the first time, at about 21 years old, I was suddenly with people who had the same feelings and the same dreams as I did. I met Kresten \[Vestbjerg Andersen\], who has been my friend for longer than anyone but my wife. For me, he is family now. It was very special meeting all my friends for the first time. I think that’s one of the best years of my life, and I have had many good years. I won’t lie, I know I’m a talented guy and can do a lot of things. But the luck of meeting certain people along the road who enabled me, or we enabled each other, to create something and to succeed in that together, is just so important. > **You can’t underestimate the way that other people help you create what you need to create, and become who you’re going to become. Talent alone won’t help you. It won’t do it. It takes a village to make an animated movie. If you want to do it on your own, you’ll only be able to make one movie in your lifetime.** > > *– Thorbjørn Christoffersen* At The Animation Workshop, many of the teachers were professionals from the industry, so apart from just sharing their skills and know-how, you can also build some connections, and that’s what happened to me. Someone from A. Film saw that I had a knack for storyboarding, and asked if I was interested in an internship on a feature film after I graduated. It was pre-production for a film that ultimately didn’t get made, and it was unpaid, which was common at that time, but it gave me a foot in the door. While I was there, another project got greenlit: an animated Hans Christian Andersen TV series, and they needed an assistant storyboarder. Not even a real storyboarder, but someone to just cut out the panels and move things around. So that’s how I started my career, and to this day I think of myself as a storyboarder. It’s the thing I do: I storyboard all the movies, a lot of them on my own. We can get into that later because I have a whole nice thing all worked out about how to do pre-production, and I will share it with you. ![WeAnimate_ThorbjørnC47](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WeAnimate_ThorbjornC47.webp) **WA:** You’ve basically been working with those same people from TAW ever since. **TC:** Yes. Our team started out together on *Terkel in Trouble*, when we only had like 8 animators, and I myself animated about 12 minutes of that movie, along with directing and storyboarding it. It’s always been a tradition when we work on these Danish low-budget movies that everyone has a lot on their shoulders, and we need people who are willing to take on that responsibility. So the animators don’t get one scene here and there: they get an entire sequence that they are in charge of. I’ve probably made a blocking so they don’t have to set up the camera and stuff, but they have to make sure that everything hooks up and everything is in line, and the acting of each character brings the story forward. So in a way I put every animator in charge, as their own little director in that sequence. And the less I need to tell them, the better I think it is. I mean, that’s not always the case, because some are more in tune than others, and sometimes we think differently, but mostly it works. > **It’s so fucking hard to make a movie. It really is. It’s so fucking hard and so much can go wrong, and it always goes wrong in the communication and the expectations between people. Not in the talent or the skill, but always in the communication and the expectation. Whatever you can do to calm it down and make sure you know what’s going on… and if that means working with someone you trust, I wouldn’t blame anyone for working with the same people over and over.** > > *– Thorbjørn Christoffersen* That’s exactly why I like to work with the same people over and over. It’s a hive mind, in a way, and I just feel comfortable knowing that everyone else is comfortable and knows what I’m doing. Usually the major part of the team is old-timers, but I always include a few new faces each time. They won’t be new faces the next time we do it, and there’s a natural progression–some fall out of the industry or move on to other jobs and other movies, but the main core is a lot of the same people. It’s important to give people tasks where they can shine. I may not know someone and I may give them the wrong task, and then I’m not able to use the very best aspects of their particular skillset. And there’s only room for that if there are only a few new people. Otherwise I would spend the first half of the budget just figuring out “who ARE these people?” and then the first half of the movie would be shit. At least, that’s my fear. That’s also the way we do it with technology. We choose much of the same technology, and only a few new ones. That’s a low-budget way of thinking: you need to be sure that you can do this new project based on what you’ve done before. Then you put on just a little extra. In *Checkered Ninja 3*, there's going to be fire everywhere. And fire is a whole technology in itself, to have one guy sitting there for an entire movie just making fire. And that’s really cool, but we can’t also do that with clothes and waves and water and hair and all that… Just a few new technologies, and add on a few things each time. But we’ve done it so many times now that it adds up, which is also why it’s great to use the same tools and the same people. We need to be able to do what we’ve done before, otherwise we have to start all over. ![WeAnimate_ThorbjørnC32](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WeAnimate_ThorbjornC32.webp) Thorbjørn looking at his illustrations from the "Sally's Dad" books **WA:** Your focus on storyboarding is perhaps the connection between your work as a filmmaker and your work as an illustrator. How do those things go together? **TC:** Well, I think back to comic books, and spending all that time figuring out how to tell stories via panels. So of course it’s a skill that I use when doing the books, which is another part of my identity. When I work with books, I’m best known for my work with my friend Thomas Brunstrøm, who is the writer of *Sally’s Dad*. We were talking about the coincidences of meeting people. Thomas Brunstrøm is a journalist, and he was my neighbor, and we have kids the same age. Our wives started talking and we realized that our baby monitors could pick up each others’ signals through the walls. Because of that, we could hang out at each other’s homes and still hear our own babies in their beds. It was so great because we could have movie nights or game nights and hang out and eat and drink wine. And Thomas and I talked a lot about how boring kids books are; kids don’t like them and parents don’t like them, getting drunk and just complaining and saying “yeah, *we* should do a book!” We did that for a couple of years and I didn’t really think much about it, until one day he said that he had a story and sold it to his publisher, and it was already a done deal. So we did that one and it just took off. The librarians really helped us out and called attention to it, and kept buying it for the libraries all over the country, and that’s what started it. And I could have lived anywhere else. And he could have met anyone else… There's so much coincidence that it’s scary to think about. Again, talent, yes, but meeting the right people makes all the difference. For me, there are a few people in my life like that: Anders Matthesen, obviously, but also Trine Heidegaard, the producer who I have worked with on every movie. You could say it about the entire team, really; that without them it wouldn’t have happened. **WA:** Most of your work is aimed at younger audiences. What about that appeals to you? **TC:** Whenever I start out on something, especially a film, I start by asking myself “What do I want to see?” It’s like I still have contact with my inner old 12-year-old self, and I still can ask myself what would blow his mind. How scary should it be, what should the humor be, how far can it go? I have a really soft spot for tacky pop culture. I loved Robert Crump and all that. I find it beautiful, especially the kind of stuff that doesn’t get made any more because it’s just so outrageous. There was a time there in the 70s and 80s, especially in comic book and pop culture, when everything just went crazy and you could do almost anything. I like things that are a little bit scary as well. I am very fond of my nightmares, of the movies that scared me the most as a kid. I am very fond of those movies today, because it’s a feeling that’s *mine*. As a kid, I could get those feelings every week from something on television. I rarely went to the cinema because we lived in the countryside, so I think I saw my first movie in a cinema when I was about 7 or 8, which was a huge experience. I remember seeing *Willow*, and it’s burned into my brain; it was a *great* experience, it was *so* terrifying. And I also saw *Ronia the Robber’s Daughter,* the Astrid Lindgren story, where Ronia and her friend Birk run off to live in the troll woods… When I saw it I was about that same age, and we had a forest at my home, a big piece of land where I spent many hours playing and imagining, and it just captivated me. > **I like it when I have a strong reaction to something, and as I get older it gets harder and harder to have a genuine reaction. When you saw something as a child or as a young adult, everything was so much clearer and the feelings were unveiled, so you felt them naturally more intensely. That feeling gets harder to capture as we are exposed to more and more stuff over time. We get used to it, and we need a bigger dose of it, so it’s exciting when I see something that makes me feel something.** > > *– Thorbjørn Christoffersen* ![WeAnimate_ThorbjørnC43](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WeAnimate_ThorbjornC43.webp) **WA:** Between the movies and the books, a lot of kids are growing up with your work. How does it feel to influence a whole generation? **TC:** \[laughs nervously\] Well, these are family experiences, something that kids experience with their parents, because everyone can agree on watching *Checkered Ninja* or *Ronal the Barbarian* together. The kid brother, the older brother, the teenager, mom and dad, they can all agree on those films and have a shared experience as a family. Same thing with the *Sally’s Dad* books; the parents and the kids enjoy them together. The books are read to the kids, and then they grow up and start reading them to themselves; we hear that many kids learn to read on the *Sally’s Dad* books. > **If that’s influencing a generation, I think that’s fine. But I think I should let others decide whether the movies are a good influence. If kids love something and they think it’s really really funny, you can be sure there’s an adult somewhere saying that it’s dangerous.** > > *– Thorbjørn Christoffersen* **WA:** So much of your work is in franchise after franchise and series after series. How do those projects stay fresh for you? **TC:** I take in a large amount of pop culture… I just see everything I can. That’s my hobby! Drawing used to be my hobby, and now it’s my work, so in my free time I want to read a book, I want to read a comic, I want to see a film, I want to fill up my archives, I want to research! I’m on a quest for knowledge all the time, I love learning something all the time. I think it’s important to stay curious, and stay true to the question I mentioned earlier of “what would I want to see?” > **I’ve been asked about franchises many times: “How do you create an IP?” or “How do you create a franchise?” and the answer is that you don’t. You don’t do it. That’s not why you’re doing it. Instead, you are creating something that stays true to your vision, or that you would really really like to see. And I imagine that, if *I* would really like to see something, then there are a lot of other people who probably want to see it too.** > > *– Thorbjørn Christoffersen* When people think about *Checkered Ninja* as a new franchise that started from the first movie, they are wrong. *Checkered Ninja* is part of a much bigger universe that Anders Matthesen created 20 years before the first movie, and has stayed true to the entire time. Many of the characters are characters that he used in sketches and stand-up comedy for many years. So that IP is much much older than the movies: you just don’t know it when you’re creating it. When you see the third one you’ll realize that they aren’t really a series: it’s almost like they are three different genres, in a way. The first one was a kind of coming-of-age magical realism type of story. The second one was more like a gung-ho retro-70’s kids adventure story. And the third one is going to be so fucking scary \[laughs\]. It’s like a psychic thriller for children. So it’s three different movies, because we don’t want to do what we did before. There are characters that are very easy to work with. When they are grounded, and have a well-thought-out characterization, you can then take the character and put them in any situation you can think of, and that becomes a new piece because the character is so solid. That’s also how we think about *Sally’s Dad*. When we think about what we should do next, we think of everything that you and I might do that would be kind of boring, like getting groceries or something. But because Sally’s dad is such a character, that boring thing instantly becomes a scene. It’s the same thing with the Checkered Ninja and those characters: they are SO distinct that you can put them in any situation, even if it’s a boring one, and they would make it CRAZY. That’s part of the fun and makes the franchise. > **I mentioned earlier the feelings you can have as a member of an audience, and that feeling is very important to me. When I make a movie I steal 80 minutes of someone’s time, and I need to make sure that those 80 minutes were worth it. I get so angry when I waste time on something.** > > *– Thorbjørn Christoffersen* Like everyone else, my mind was blown watching *Adolescence* on Netflix; just a mindblowing story, but also the technicality of blocking out those shots… I’m a huge Spielberg fan, obviously, and I think it’s just so rare now that directors are real moviemakers and doing good blocking. People were schooled on that from television in the 60s and 70s, because you couldn’t cut away every second and you needed to capture everything in long takes and make sure that everyone was on their cue. You can see it in something like *The Fabelmans*; every scene is just so beautifully blocked, and I could get the chills right now talking about it. For me it’s just perfect, it’s a symphony, I enjoy it so much. I could turn off the sound and just enjoy the blocking by itself. If I could have just a tiny bit of that talent in my storyboards, I would be so happy. I love doing storyboards but I think I cut too much. **WA:** Do you cut so much because maybe that’s where the action is or that’s where the comedy is? **TC:** I do it because we have a low budget and we can’t have everyone walking around through every scene \[laughs\]. We need to keep it fast paced. We were just watching the new *Checkered Ninja* yesterday for the first time. It's one week away from the final mix, so it’s very close to finished, and for me it was just sitting down and watching the whole thing from the beginning. There's the little timecode display in the corner, and I was just like “Wow! Wow! A lot of things just happened! I love it! Wow, so much! And we’re only halfway through and WOW!” That’s the pacing of the film. **WA:** You mentioned that you have a system for pre-production. **TC:** Yes! It’s only on these three *Checkered Ninja* movies that I’ve fully realized the power of The Bad Animatic. Typically you work on the animatic for a very long time. You have the script and you’re trying to do something great, and you put it all together and it’s the first time that you see everything in its entirety, and it’s 20 minutes too long and the story fucking sucks. It’s the same thing every time. It happens every single time. And you think “Oh, my god, it’s all a failure, it doesn’t work, how could I be this blind?” and you just go home depressed. And you think about it for a few weeks, feeling bad, and then you slowly start to realize how to fix it and you start over again. So now that I’ve realized that this Bad Animatic is just part of the process, I’m focused on how to get to it more quickly. We need to get past that point, and we have to do it faster. So what I’ve done on these 3 movies is to storyboard with a big team, 5 storyboarders in total, working as fast as possible. We look at the script and do exactly what’s in there, instead of trying to fix things as we go. It takes about three months or so, and then we’ve got the crappiest animatic put together. Not because the storyboarders aren’t good! They are great, don’t get me wrong; it’s just that the story isn’t working. But it NEVER is. > **The thing is that an overview of a bad movie is better than an overview of no movie at all. The vital part of making something work is to clear out all the errors, and the sooner you get an overview of where those faults are, the more time you have to fix it. That’s the rule. That’s what I’ve learned, and everyone should know. Stop fearing the bad result, just get to it very very quickly, because the quicker you get to it the more time you have to fix it.** > > *– Thorbjørn Christoffersen* So then I have 3-6 months with just me and one other storyboarder, and we re-work all the storyboards from beginning to end. I mean, yeah, you’re basically making the whole animatic twice, but you’ve made the first one without thinking about fixing things until you’ve gotten all the way through and identified all the weak parts. So now instead of feeling like a failure after the Bad Animatic, which really affected me for a long time, now I know that it’s just part of the process and we have to embrace the errors. And that directly affects the quality of the movie, because so many things depend on how well you use pre-production time. If you have a shot that's not very well animated, because you have a low budget or whatever, to me that’s not as big a deal if you’ve spent the time and money on the story. I believe that’s part of the success of these films. **WA:** Do you have any more advice for aspiring animation directors? **TC:** When really young kids ask me this, I always say “Don’t stop drawing.” All these 8 and 9 year old kids are drawing right now, but at some point it won’t be cool and they will want to do something else. And that’s the first failure: if you stop drawing as a young person, it’s very hard to pick it up again later. So if you are serious about it, don’t stop drawing. Keep on doing it and keep on enjoying it. Skill and talent are not the same. If you want skill you have to spend hours doing it. Like a carpenter, like a musician: practice your skills. Then when you get older you can go to The Animation Workshop and they’ll take care of the rest. For animation students, I would say be open to possibilities from the very beginning. Diversify your skills and have a lot of different projects going on at the same time. Know that you can’t do it on your own: it takes a lot of people to make your vision come true. And it’s fucking work. You need to be prepared to sacrifice your evenings and weekends and holidays sometimes. Work your ass off.That's something that I learned at the farm. I really learned how to work and work hard, so I can work for many many hours. **WA:** What are you working on next? **TC:** More books, definitely a lot more books, but I’m just waiting a bit before I start talking about them. In some form or plan I need to push for an animation of *Sally’s Dad*; I think that’s a no-brainer. But I’m not sure what form and I’m not sure that I’m the one who should be in charge of it. Of course I want to be involved because it’s my brain-child too, but I don’t have any experience making movies for children that young, and I’m not sure I can use the same set of skills. So I know my limits and it may not be right for me. I just want to make things *scary*, and I’m not sure that’s right for younger kids. \[laughs\] When *Checkered Ninja 3* premieres in August, I will have been working on *Checkered Ninja* for about 10 years. It’s been 10 wonderful years, but it might be time to pursue some new ideas. From the very beginning we agreed on only 3 movies, and I can feel now that that was a good decision. If we were to make a 4th or a 5th, I feel that we would start to rely on the same old things. It’s time for new ideas. **Keep an eye out for Thorbjørn’s next successful franchise, whatever it may be.** ![WA_Forside_Thorbjoern](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_Forside_Thorbjoern.webp) Follow Thorbjørn Christoffersen at: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/thorbjornc?ref=weanimate.dk) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/thorbj%C3%B8rn-christoffersen-4a69965?ref=weanimate.dk) ## Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Louise Eriksen** wam#0065 ### MOOD Visuals is a Bastion of Good Ideas – Part II, Jesper Andersen URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/mood-visuals-2/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:44.000Z Insights from the Artists ***Creative Director Jesper Andersen has been at MOOD Visuals for over a decade, working his way up, from one of the first concept artists at the company, to a leadership role as creative director. His current role challenges him as a leader and strategist as well as as an artist and designer. We discussed his history and creative inspiration, as well as the evolution of MOOD over time.*** **Jesper:** I had always liked art, but I had pursued other things, and was working as an IT consultant. In my free time, I was drawing and looking for a community where people were drawing together. It was the early days of online art forums, and I found a group who were basically doing game mods. I joined this group and got along so well with these guys from all over the world, and one guy in particular, Hanno Hagedorn, was also working in the industry, developing games at Crytek. One day we were chatting online and he mentioned that he had gotten a job as a concept artist. I had been doing that type of illustration, so I knew what it was, but I wasn’t very familiar with the company; *Far Cry* had just come out at the time. He suggested that I contact them, so I sent in an application, and they asked me to do an art test. I did the art test and I was hired over the phone. That was unheard of back in the day: people almost always required an onsite interview. I think they may have been a bit desperate. Not to talk myself down or anything, but it was a lucky break for me. So that was my first actual industry job, back in January 2005. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Header.jpg) While I was at Crytek, I was still trying to figure out where I was going. I had a job offer from Guerilla, in the Netherlands, which was interesting, but not exactly what I was looking for. I really wanted to get back to Denmark after living in Germany for almost 5 years. I felt like I had skills, but I felt like I needed to back up my skills with paper, because that’s how it works in Denmark. You have the education, you have the paper, and so you can prove that you have the skills. I also really wanted to get some theory attached to my gut feelings. I felt like certain things were right when I did them, but I wanted to be able to back that up with an education. So I went to university and studied design and finished as a bachelor, and then took a specialized game development program. While I was doing that I was working in my free time for another game company. I had worked for them on a *Warhammer* game, but it was just a part-time job. The game they released didn’t do very well, and the place was kind of closing down, so I knew that I was going to be leaving that job soon anyway. Just at that time I got an email from a guy called Jan Ditlev. We had just connected on LinkedIn, and we kind of knew each other from online forums and things, and he was one of the co-owners of MOOD. He sent me an email out of the blue and invited me to MOOD’s moving-in party. I knew nothing about MOOD. I didn’t even look up their website or anything. It's a very small world, and another friend of mine was invited to the party as well, and it was like 2 minutes away, so I decided to go. I got to meet the owners and we were all talking, and it was basically like an impromptu job interview at the party. Then they called me and said how much they liked talking, and suggested that I come by to continue the conversation. So the party was on a Friday, and I stopped by on the Monday, and I had a job by that Tuesday afternoon. > **I can look back at my career and say that yes, of course, the choices I have made have had an influence on where I am today. But I can also honestly see the role of chance; these freak coincidences that just happened and it’s kind of remarkable, really.** > > *– Jesper Andersen* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/mood-visuals-simon-fetscher-hallway-escape-copy.webp) One of the things that hooked me on MOOD in the beginning was that we were doing movie work, we were doing game work, we worked on toys, consumer products… I came from game development, where you stay on the same project for X amount of years, and you’re on it so long that you get tired of it. You see other people hyped about it, but you can’t feel that way any more. MOOD actually gave me a job where one week I was on *Hitman*, and the next month it was *God of War*, and the next month I was doing LEGO posters. I can’t say that it played into my ego, but it was great to see these day-to-day changes, and be involved in such a variety of work. It hooked me. Over the years, MOOD has changed tremendously, but also not that much. We are lucky that most of the original team is still around. Most of the big things: the way we work with clients, the way that we project what we’re going to work on, all that is pretty much the same. But the communication in the house has changed a lot. Now we need to include everyone in much larger communication channels. It’s so important to give everyone a voice. You can’t just sit and say “well, I’m the senior, so what I say is law.” Of course not - you need to open up the conversation. We’ve always had the belief that no matter where you are coming from, even if you are starting as a junior, you always have a say in things. We’re nothing without the artists, so of course it’s the artists that drive a lot of decisions. If you have feedback, we want to hear it. One of the best examples is that we had a project where we were just about to deliver, and a junior artist came up to me and asked if we could make a couple changes before we delivered. And it was actually a really good idea, so we stopped the whole delivery until we made the change he suggested, because it was such a good idea. Other companies have just a core team of art directors working with freelancers, and that’s fine, but that’s not how we want to run things. We want to have people together, we want people coming up with ideas together, because that’s the most important thing. > **We earn our value on our ideas. Anybody can create an incredible *image*, but if it isn’t a good *idea*, it’s not going to work.** > > *– Jesper Andersen* ![Seer_Display copy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Seer_Display-copy.webp) We believe that when we say to an artist “you’re now actually responsible for this client. You’re responsible for doing the work and promoting the company,” it creates a sense of shared responsibility, that we’re all in it together, and a sense of belonging. That responsibility and being part of something is what makes us different. We have clients that keep coming back, and most of them are from the US, and one of the reasons they say they like working with us is that we don't waste time. Our mentality of always pushing means that if we have extra time in the schedule, we don’t just sit on our hands: we do more. Like other companies in the Nordics, we really feel the need to use time to the best of our ability. > **We don’t want to just sit and wait for things to happen. We want to MAKE things happen.** > > *– Jesper Andersen* ![God_Of_War_Concept_Art_Outsourcing_Test_Norse_01 copy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/God_Of_War_Concept_Art_Outsourcing_Test_Norse_01-copy.webp) But it’s also one of the things that artists learn in the company: we don’t want to just tackle the work. We want to be attentive that there’s a real person on the client side, and make sure that they are also having a great experience. So there’s a lot of different hands on client communication, and we try to help new freelancers who are just out of school to adjust their expectations and learn how to communicate effectively, not just to make art. Personally, transitioning from being an artist to being a creative leader means that I came with one set of skills, but now I have to develop a whole new set of skills. Being an artist is more about working with the task that I’m given, and taking that responsibility, but as creative director I’m looking at the bigger picture of things, trying to influence where we go as a company, while taking care of the creatives. What has changed most for me is the aspect of mentoring. Now I’m mentoring the art directors more than I mentor the artists, but I’m trying to help make sure people don’t make the same mistakes I’ve made. One of the things I promised myself when I transitioned into this role was to be in a position to help people. That’s the most important thing to me. If an artist starts at MOOD, and learns so much that they go on to an even bigger place and have an even bigger career trajectory, and we were, or maybe I was, instrumental in helping them on that path, it gives me the kind of satisfaction that I may have gotten in the past from finishing artwork and having a happy client. I see my role as making MOOD a great place for artists, but also pushing them, because I know that people can always be better. Of course, you can’t push people all the time, but it’s important that we don’t plateau, and we don’t want artists to feel that they have plateaued. If I can help change someone’s trajectory, or at least give them some food for thought about how they are continuing with skill-building or with their career, then hopefully I’ve done my job well. Every year since I started, way back in 2014, has been different. You could almost put a theme on every year. What keeps me excited is that I feel like we haven’t peaked as a company. I want to see how much I can contribute to push the company in directions where we didn’t even imagine ourselves. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/SOW_Vehicle_Cover_C17-copy.webp) > **I want to know what’s over the next horizon, what new areas can we delve into, what we can try that’s exciting and different. Operating a successful concept art studio is a huge achievement in itself, and we’re proud of it. But I’m excited to see how we continue to move forward and do more art - like 3D, cinematics, and even co-development. I see a studio that wants to keep evolving, wants to keep doing new things, and is hungry for more** > > *– Jesper Andersen* Whether you are a person or a company or whatever, being hungry for more, being ballsy enough to seek more, is super important. I mean, you could perceive that in a negative way, thinking that we’re never satisfied. But I would rather turn it around and say that we have the opportunity to become so much more, and that’s not egotistical. It's just a desire to see how far we can take the ship called MOOD. More of Jesper’s work can be seen here: [artstation.com/scribblehead/profile](https://www.artstation.com/scribblehead/profile?ref=weanimate.dk) By matching ambition and exploration along with a great culture and support for their artists, MOOD Visuals continues to achieve both creative and business success. While the company grows, evolves, and undertakes new challenges, their creative staff embraces these new opportunities and grows right along with them. We wish the company continued success, and celebrate their approach to teamwork. ![moodvisuals_logo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/moodvisuals_logo.png) Follow Mood Visuals at: [www.moodvisuals.com](https://www.moodvisuals.com/projects?ref=weanimate.dk) [Follow MOOD Visuals on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/moodvisuals.studio?ref=weanimate.dk) [Follow MOOD Visuals on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/mood/posts/?feedView=all&ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: ****Courtesy of Mood Visuals** wam#0066 ### Complicated Stories – with Susanne Bækby Gerges URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/complicated-stories/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:45.000Z Art Director, Filmmaker, Educator **This summer, the highly anticipated film version of the bestselling *Lotte & Totte* books hits the screen. This film adaptation was produced by Fridthjof Animation, and directed by Mia Fridthjof along with animation director Christian Kuntz. But the distinctive look of the film was created by art director Susanne Bækby Gerges, a key figure in Viborg’s animation community.** For over a decade, Susanne has been creating beautiful concept art and backgrounds, producing commissioned films, and teaching at The Animation Workshop, influencing a generation of students. We recently spoke with Susanne about her history, her philosophy, and the unique world of *Lotte & Totte: Min første ven*. ![Web_25_06_27_SUSANNE_WEANIMATE_6 copy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Web_25_06_27_SUSANNE_WEANIMATE_6-copy.webp) **WA:* How did you get involved in animation?* **SBG:** Like everyone else in the industry, I was born with a pencil in my hand, and I’ve always been very fond of drawing. My mother was also a very creative person; she would always paint or draw or play music, and in that sense she was facilitating a very creative childhood for me, so I think that’s where it really started. I’m from a small town south of Viborg. When I was a teenager in gymnasium, one of my classmates and I shared a passion for animation, particularly Disney animation. I still had the *Tarzan* bed linen, and a giant poster of the *Antz* movie on my ceiling, even though we were 16-17 years old. So my friend took me under the arm one day and we went to visit The Animation Workshop. I was ready to skip school and start right away. I think I actually had a phone call with Morten Thorning and he said that I should finish school first. So I finished gymnasium and I actually started on another bachelor program, for graphic design. And then I realized that I was not going to depict washing detergent or mobile phones for my whole career. I noticed that in the meantime The Animation Workshop actually had become a bachelor program, so I made a huge portfolio and applied and ended up being accepted. By the time I was finished with my bachelor, I believed that I was going to become a 3D animator who would travel the world and work at the biggest studios in Europe and the USA, but that isn’t what happened. > **During my internship in Bangkok, I worked on the short film *Escape of the Gingerbread Man*, directed by Tod Polson, a former teacher of mine. That is where I first got involved in small-scale film production, where you get to do all the phases from writing to storyboarding to designing… I felt that I had so much influence, and I was so welcomed in the whole production, that I felt like the short film genre really infused into my blood, and I ended up working as a short film director in the following years** > > *– Susanne Bækby Gerges* **WA:* Your company, Drawesome Films, is really focused on animation with a social benefit. Where did that come from?* **SBG:** My desire to use animation to make the world a better place started with an experience I had in a holiday resort in Denmark. This is a place with swimming pools and rollercoasters; it’s a place for families. I was sitting in the bar one evening, myself and my adult cousins, because the bar isn’t really a place for kids. Then at one of the tables near us, suddenly a father stood up and started hitting his wife, and she fell on the floor. Afterwards he just reached out his hand for a child’s jacket, and took his son, who was maybe 6, by the hand, and walked out. It’s such a strong moment in my head. In the beginning, I just wanted to put that moment into my showreel or in my portfolio. I wanted to show something that was not entertainment for children, because animation is always perceived and expected to be that way. Originally I just wanted to make that one scene, but I soon realized that I needed to tell the whole story. I started writing a script where I tried to mix imagination and reality from a child’s perspective. Then I got in touch with The Family Center to ask if someone would read my story and tell me whether it was real and authentic, and I got a lot of good feedback. It took me years to finish *Skål Viola*, but it won the Animation Talent Award in 2013 at the Odense Film Festival. > **So that kickstarted my focus. It is in those types of stories that you can really get in touch with strong feelings, not just humor and love and friendship. I thought it was important to tell these types of stories in animation, as well as the other types. There can also be neglect and sorrow and needs that have been forgotten, and I found that really motivating and inspiring.** > > *– Susanne Bækby Gerges* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Web_25_06_27_SUSANNE_WEANIMATE_8-copy.webp) **WA:* How do you manage to balance art direction and educating along with your own commissioned films?* **SBG:** It’s nice to have these three “products on my shelf”, so that I have different things to offer. I have definitely become a better art director because of my teaching. When I started teaching, I returned to the theory and the foundations of the craft, because I had to explain it to students. Before then I had been working more on an intuitive level, just working for hours until I had the right feel. But once I returned to the books, I realized that there were actually methods. I remembered things that a teacher had once told me, and now I repeat it to my students, and that has really had a positive effect on my own work. When I teach bachelor students, it’s about passing on the craft and inspiring my students, but it’s also about boosting confidence and helping young people grow. It’s about helping them understand what it means to be a professional: not just earning money for your work, but also how to talk about prices and not to shy away from negotiation. Many young people who enter the industry really carry their heart on their sleeves. It’s inspiring for me, and it’s always a positive feeling to see young hopeful artists growing, but it’s also a tough industry, and artists really have to be robust. My best advice is to find a community, like we have in Viborg. We have a nice ecosystem here with a lot of creators and animators and freelancers and producers, so their work goes around and we can involve each other. I have super collaborations with other creatives here in Arsenalet. We drink a lot of coffee and we look after each other; these people are also my colleagues, even though we are independent companies. When I work in freelance and entertainment, I work as a background artist and an art director. I have worked as a background painter on the Disney TV series *Big Hero 6*, and as a lead background painter on *LEGO Elves*. I have always enjoyed that type of work, and try to deliver as high a quality as possible. > **I need to feel proud of my work, I need to achieve quality. I’m actually very competitive; in all my work I try to do the best thing the world has ever seen, within the scope of the budget and timeframe.** > > *– Susanne Bækby Gerges* ![Web_25_06_27_SUSANNE_WEANIMATE_1 copy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Web_25_06_27_SUSANNE_WEANIMATE_1-copy.webp) **WA:* On that note, you are just now wrapping up work as the art director for Lotte & Totte: Min første ven. How did you get involved in that film?* **SBG:** Ronnie Fridthjof is a film producer in Copenhagen, and his wife Mia Fridthjof is the director of the film and wrote the script. They were really ambitious because they got the rights to produce this IP as a feature film, based on the books, so they looked all over the country for people to work on the project, and finally Christian Kuntz joined them. I have a handful of people that I really really enjoy working with, and I have a super awesome work energy with Christian Kuntz. He is in Copenhagen, and he does lots of other things, and I do my own things, but when we work together, it is really fruitful. We share the same work ethic and values; our work overlaps well and we give each other constructive feedback, so it always gets better. So when he needed an art director for *Lotte & Totte*, I said yes. Together we created a couple of minutes for a 6 minute trailer, and I was surprised at how fast the film was financed - it was just like a year later that we started producing. I think it was last year in early spring, in March, I started doing the first location designs and color keys for the story. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Web_25_06_27_SUSANNE_WEANIMATE_3-copy.webp) **WA:* How did you approach creating the aesthetic of the film?* **SBG:** Mia and Ronnie had been looking for visual inspiration in animated films, and Disney was their reference point, while Christian and I were originally looking more to the books. One of the things they sent was *Bambi*, which has backgrounds that are very painterly and soft, but every time there is a character who is close to the camera those same character outlines are carried into the background, so you can see outlines on the blades of grass and so on. This technique integrates the flat foreground character animation with a more painted, dimensional background, bringing them together. So that was something that I sought to apply within the painted universe of the film, and it also goes well with this kind of story. The backgrounds in *Lotte & Totte* are drawn from methods I have really admired. I tried to make it look like an analogue film, painted with gouache or watercolor or something, but then executed with a digital process. The look really complements the film because it suits the slower development of the story. You could stop the film and just dwell on the background art, seeing all the little details and the light and shadows and colors; you will discover all these little brushstrokes and how the colors blend so well. **WA:* Were you influenced by how much people loved the stories as kids?* **SBG:** I don’t really fuel my energy with worries like that, but I do know that this story is really important to a lot of people. > **What I focused on is Mia’s ambition to re-tell and reinvent the *Lotte & Totte* universe, and explore this slow childhood with these unique special moments that children have. These moments can be emotional or they can be playful or they can be funny or sad… I am so happy that a film like this is going to hit the canvas, because I think there is so much entertainment for young children, but it’s often so fast that they don’t even really get the story or the humor.** > > *– Susanne Bækby Gerges* I think in this case we will manage to entertain everyone from 4 to 35; I think everyone will appreciate it. **WA:* What have been some of your favorite projects over the years?* **SBG:** I really enjoyed working on the TV series for *Big Hero 6*. It really felt like the right place at the right time. I learned so much about creating the correct perspective in an image so you can enhance it to make it more dramatic, and shoot an up or a down-shot, placing boxes and buildings and cities in the distance. I really enjoyed that. And the style was a mix between *101 Dalmations* and *Tekkonkinkreet*, so it was so much fun from an art perspective. With *Lotte & Totte*, the producer and director had really high ambitions for the look of the film, and their ambitions were perfect for what I have to offer. I don’t think I’ve ever pushed myself as hard as I did on this film. I loved being able to work this hard on something this scale, and maintain the quality throughout the whole production. I like the responsibility; I like directing and mentoring, giving and getting feedback, working with the theories of animation. Being an art director allows me to put my own fingerprint on a film. All the introductory steps, from the earliest preproduction: reading Mia’s script and imagining the scenes in my head, experiencing the story and the atmosphere, and then imagining the surroundings where the characters come alive, so the storyboarders have a universe in which to put the cameras. I loved being involved so very early in the development of *Lotte & Totte*, so I got to produce the color keys as well. The colors are such an important part of setting the mood and the quality of the film, and I really love how they work to support the story of the film. ![Web_25_06_27_SUSANNE_WEANIMATE_9 copy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Web_25_06_27_SUSANNE_WEANIMATE_9-copy.webp) **WA:* What inspires you?* **SBG:** Colors. Colors and great compositions. I just love it when I have a nice shot and I can make the elements fit, and I can create depth and I can create atmosphere, and it all supports this one moment in the story with a specific emotion or action. It is something completely new, a place where no one has ever been before, at a specific time of year… that gets me going. What I also really enjoy is when I am challenged with a very difficult piece of communication. Sometimes I feel that I’m in too deep, and I can’t figure it out, I’m not smart enough. But it’s only me who can fix it – I’m the only one who can crack the nut, and once I push through to the other side, I can create a concept that is waterproof and the client likes it, whether it be about district heating or collaborating with a doctor to talk about about end-of-life decisions. Those kinds of things can be difficult to talk about, and then how do you *visualize* it? It makes it interesting. > **It feels very natural to me, to make complex information simple, because as a child, when I was trying to explain something to my parents or someone else, I would always tell people ‘You don’t get it? Okay, let me just make a drawing for you’. And that is what I’m really doing now. I think I’ve always been like that, and I’ve always been able to see things in my head before others.** > > *– Susanne Bækby Gerges* My focus is always to make complex information accessible to anyone, to normal people. And I’m very normal. I try to see myself as a housewife, and ask myself what I know about district heating and pipes and alternative energy… but I learn in the process. And that’s one of the things that really keeps me going in my company: I always meet the most dedicated people, the most competent people, and they tell me about their challenges and share their knowledge, and I try to take it all on and shape it into a film. That is so satisfying. **WA:* What’s in the future?* **SBG:** I often think about that myself. I have no idea. For many years I have been a bit frustrated, feeling a bit lonely in my business, and feeling like I haven’t found the right situation yet. I’ve seen so many people in the middle of or a bit later in their career, and they were workaholics, and they love animation so much, and they are so dedicated, and they have become their work. But I did not envy their life. It felt lonely too, and very unhealthy. I have tried to find people to team up with and become partners, but it’s very difficult; it’s like finding the person you want to marry. It takes a lot of consideration, and so far I have not found it, and I have stopped looking. I *am* married, to my amazing husband, and having one partner in my life is enough. I also had a child really early, so my oldest child and my company were born in the same year. They are twins, and I have given them both my attention, and they have been molded into a life with each other. > **It feels very natural to me, to make complex information simple, because as a child, when I was trying to explain something to my parents or someone else, I would always tell people ‘You don’t get it? Okay, let me just make a drawing for you’. And that is what I’m really doing now. I think I’ve always been like that, and I’ve always been able to see things in my head before others.** > > *– Susanne Bækby Gerges* I once had to do a visualization of my future at a business course: *what is my future in 10 years?* And I closed my eyes and pictured the perfect morning. I’m sitting in my house, the sun is bright and overwhelming, coming through the windows. I am walking through my house, and I go to the kitchen, and all my children are sitting there. They are 10 years older than they are now, so they are big teenagers, and my husband is there. And we all have a nice conversation, and I just appreciate listening to them and learning about their opinions and the new lives they are starting. So my visualization about 10 years in the future was about wanting to have a happy and strong family, so I should not be prioritizing my career any more than I am already. In order to make that image come true, I have to give my family all my attention and all my love and all my support while my children are still young. So I have come to the conclusion that actually this is the perfect setup for me, and I’m not going to change it. I don’t have a lot of influence over the demand, but as long as the demand is there, I’m going to keep saying *Yes* to teaching. And I’m going to say *Yes* to art directing and doing concept art. I’m going to say *Yes* to directing. And I’m going to say *Yes* to complicated stories. ## --- Check out Susanne’s beautiful designs in *Lotte & Totte: Min første ven* this summer, and learn more about her at Drawesome Films. We look forward to seeing even more animation from her in the future! Follow Susanne’s work at: [drawesomefilms.com](http://www.drawesomefilms.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) ## Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: ****Enneke Hempen** This article has been supported by PRD Producentrettigeder Danmark wam#0063 ### Mint Copenhagen Expands Its Horizons with Josephine Jerris Margolis URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/mint-copenhagen/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:45.000Z ## **We spoke with Josephine Jerris Margolis last year, just as momentum around the series was building. Since then, the show has premiered in the UK on Milkshake, with a U.S. debut planned for later this autumn.** If you’ve had your ear to the ground, you may have noticed the buzz around Mint. The Copenhagen studio is busy producing a new animated series for Nickelodeon, has opened a second office in London, and is growing rapidly. For those who have thought of Mint as an advertising agency, this new trajectory may be surprising. But, according to Mint producer Josephine Jerris Margolis, all this growth is a natural progression of the company’s vision and aspiration. In fact, Mint leverages their insights and experience as an agency in order to develop original content and new projects. We recently spoke with Josephine to learn more about her, Mint, and their big plans for the future. ![IMG_0849](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_0849.jpg) Courtesy of NICKELODEON AND MILKSHAKE! ***WA: What was it like to transition from commissioned work to original projects?*** **JJM:** Well, I come from the entertainment background, and some of our team members have a more commercial background, but the combination of those things can really give us an advantage. We want to leverage the knowledge we have from the agency side, since we know what kids actually like, what they are interested in, and how best to communicate with them. On the studio side, we know that story is always the most important thing, and we do projects that we are really passionate about and that we really believe in, rather than just getting things done. So we have the strengths of both aspects, and I think that’s what makes us unique compared to other studios - we bridge a gap, approaching commercial projects with the same passion as an art project. ![Mint_Still04-(1)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Mint_Still04-1.jpg) > In order to go to work every day and be energized, and fight for your idea, and support your project, you have to believe in it - there has to be a spark. So we are always looking for projects that offer something different, or interesting, or a chance to explore something new, whether it’s in the concept or the story or the way we produce it. > > – Josephine Jerris Margolis We always approach things in this kind of commercial way - we’ll never be a studio that makes super arty projects. That’s not in our DNA, but we’ll do the best commercial projects we can do, with the same energy as if it were our own art project. ***WA: What was it like for you personally to start producing animation?*** **JJM:** At Mint, we sometimes have ideas that we’ve never done before, but we go ahead and do it anyway and learn everything we can along the way, and you can’t create content for kids without creating animation. On the studio side, we had successful live action shows, but our core audience remains kids and youth. We really wanted to get into animation, but it seemed like such a beast to start. Of course, there are some things that are the same as live action, but it’s an entirely different thing to create, and so much more production-heavy. For me, it was a bit overwhelming at first. I actually really like animation, because my favorite part of production is the planning: I love the part where you have an idea, and then you make a plan for how you actually execute it. That’s the fun thing for me, and it’s so central to the animation process. In live action, of course you plan ahead, but once you’re on set, anything can happen. But of course you can’t do that in animation - you can’t just start and then decide to change it completely. It’s fun to be part of a process that’s so pre-production heavy. Of course, once you get past that, it’s still the same things that matter: you’re still trying to find the best way to get your story out into the world, and be true to the heart of the story. I also had no idea how much animation talent we have here in Denmark, and it’s just so great to see. The animation community has a really collaborative mindset, which is incredibly helpful for a producer. Especially when you are new to it, having a team that is just excited and enthusiastic and eager to work and do their best is simply amazing. I met some incredible Danish producers and production people who helped guide and support us along the way. People were so eager and willing to help, and gave us such a warm welcome. It seems like the animation community is really interested in supporting the project, without a lot of egos or competitiveness, and very committed to supporting each other and the industry here in Denmark. > Animation is a long process, and it’s easy to burn people out. Production is often a really tough environment, and sometimes it seems like it actually doesn’t *need* to be that hard on people - that people are just choosing to perpetuate an unhealthy system. It becomes a kind of badge of honor, and people are proud of it instead of changing it. Instead, we want people to *want* to come to work every day, and we feel like that happiness translates into the final product. We have the best team, and I’m so happy that we can work so closely together, and I want to keep it that way. > > – Josephine Jerris Margolis ![Tim-Rex-in-Space_Rumbleton](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Tim-Rex-in-Space_Rumbleton.webp) Courtesy of NICKELODEON AND MILKSHAKE! ***WA: Tell us about the new series!*** **JJM:** The show is called *Tim Rex in Space*, and it’s about a dinosaur named Tim. He has a big brother named Tommy and a little sister Tia and his mom and dad. They live on this little asteroid in space, in a town called Rumbleton that’s made of small asteroids, and they just go and explore space and be kid dinosaurs. It is kind of crazy funny, but also rooted in those home and family stories that kids can really relate to. Our audience is pre-school, 3-5 years old. It will premiere in early 2025 on Milkshake! in the UK, and globally on Nick International later in the year. We’ve almost finished the first episode and it’s just so great, and I can’t wait for when it’s *final* final and delivered. It’s really great seeing it come to life and all come together. I recently found our first pitch, and it’s amazing to see how far it’s come. We developed the idea for *Tim Rex* in a really collaborative way, because we believe that at Mint everyone can have a good idea. We just get everyone in a room and brainstorm, or sometimes someone comes up with an idea, but we work together to develop the ideas and combine them with our insights about audiences and go from there. ![Mint_Still01](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Mint_Still01.jpg) ***WA: What has it been like working with Nickelodeon?*** **JJM:** We first pitched *Tim Rex* to a different broadcaster, and we were told that it didn’t have international appeal and they turned it down. We thought that was fine, because it was our first project and pitch and we wanted the learning experience, so we were happy to go back and try again. But that same week we pitched it to Nickelodeon, and they came back and said that it was great, and they really wanted to work on it with us. So I think we were lucky to have the right people looking at the project at the right time. We started developing the project with Milkshake! and with Nick International, and then Nick US also came on board. There’s been a lot going on at Nickelodeon, and there have been a lot of changes, but our personal experience has only been that they are excited about the project and want to move it forward, so that has been great. We feel like it’s really been built up internally and they’ve brought more people on board who are excited about it, so I feel very lucky. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Mint_Still03.jpg) ***WA: What’s next for Mint?*** **JJM:** We’re at a place where we feel like it’s time to go big or go home, which is perhaps not very Danish. I think sometimes in Denmark we kind of hide ourselves and stay modest, and don’t aim for big success. Danish projects always want to start small, and it’s absolutely amazing what Nordic producers can do with a small budget. But at Mint we really want to think from the beginning about big global projects with the appropriate budgets, and then infusing it with our Nordic mentality and way of telling stories. We have recently opened an office in London, because our focus is on international projects and content, and we felt that London would be a good location to work from. We have an amazing talent pool here in Denmark, but there is also a ton of talent in the UK, and a lot of agency clients and our production partners, so it makes sense for us. We're excited to see our Head of Sales begin pitching everything we've been quietly developing. *Tim Rex* is at the front of our international aspirations, but we really want more global animation projects, and we are ambitious, so we want to move in that direction. These big ideas are really what excite and motivate us, and having well-financed projects also helps us keep a happy, stable team that wants to grow with us. In the coming months, Mint will be sharing more about their new direction and new projects. Look for *Tim Rex* on a channel near you in 2025, and expect to see even more from Josephine and Mint in the future! ![IMG_0779](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_0779.jpg) ## ![Josephine-Jerris-Margolis](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Josephine-Jerris-Margolis.jpg) Learn more about Mint at: [mintcph.dk](https://mintcph.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/mint-copenhagen/?ref=weanimate.dk) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mintcph.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: ****Courtesy of MINT COPENHAGEN** wam#0062 ### The Next Wave Emerges – part 3 URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/the-next-wave-emerges-part-3/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:45.000Z ## The Next Wave Emerges: Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase ## (part 3: 3D and hybrid animation techniques) ## ## **Series intro:** **Every year, Animation Workshop students who are about to graduate go through a process of pitching films to each other, and then collaborating in teams to make the selected films. These films become the graduation projects of that year’s class, and often form the foundation of a career in the creative industries.** This year’s graduation films run the gamut from playful to heartbreaking, intriguing to horrifying, and showcase a huge range of skills and expertise in all aspects of animated filmmaking. Here are our reactions to the films of the 2025 Animation Workshop graduates. ![TAW-VIA-logo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/TAW-VIA-logo.png) ### **Part 3:** ## **3D/Mixed Technique** The final films in this year’s TAW Graduate Showcase had more complex production pipelines, combining 2D and 3D technologies to create unique designs, challenging shots, and complex action sequences. Both of these films are highly unusual, and showcase a strong commitment to story while developing unique visuals. ### **Potlems** Potlems is a striking film, both for its distinctive visual style, and for its unique, ambiguous storyline. The film is about a strange god and his flawed creations, and has moments of almost saccharine cuteness contrasted with moments of almost disturbing darkness. Although the film is made in 3D, it has an almost stop-motion richness of texture, exaggerated by the unconventional approach to VFX. Ida Gørtz’s character designs are fascinating, and work well with Melissa Raymundo Lund’s art direction to make this such a compelling film. Writer/director Alberto Allegri Rodríguez says: > Potlems started as a simple and fun world-building experiment. How would the Potlems, these steam-powered, ceramic automatons, survive in their world? Over a couple of years of occasionally revisiting it, I started finding a lot of meaning in it as a disabled person. These fragile, heat-dependent creatures who would cease functioning if they ever left their warm home. This was my first time directing a purely original project, so, more than testing my skills as an artist, I had to focus most of my energy on interacting with others, finding out how to help make the project their own while still keeping the original intent of the piece on track. [Watch Potlems here](https://youtu.be/EYqLk9h2PDM?si=DvWRGm3AR0H62r6q&ref=weanimate.dk) ![POTLEMS_POSTER_online_portrait](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/POTLEMS_POSTER_online_portrait.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/POTLEMS_STILL_01_print_vertical.jpg) ### Credits **Potlems** **Writer, Director:** Alberto Allegri Rodríguez **Animation Supervisor:** Astrid Lund Rasmussen **Story Consultant:** Christopher Tjørnild Falkenberg **Head of Story and Animator:** Guido ‘Grey’ Duijn **Character Designer and Animator:** Ida Gørtz, Victor Ragnar Karlsson **Art Director and Cinematographer:** Melissa Raymundo Lund **Environment Artist and Texture Artist:** Jacob Havsteen-Franklin **Line Producer and Rigger:** Laura Rubio Alfonso, Riley Rian Yu **Technical Director:** Remy F.G. Sandvej **VFX Artist and CG Generalist:** Tereza Pavlikova ### **Service Bus** Service Bus is a comedy short about a most unexpected adventure on a travel bus, where an increasingly absurd sequence of events invites narrowly averted disaster. This film has fantastic sound design that heightens the increasing chaos of the situation, wonderfully enhancing the atmosphere inside and outside the bus. The team used Blender to create a “2.5D” film, with a sketchy toon shading that works wonderfully with the story. Storyboard artist and lead animator Sam Byrne did a great job with the exaggerated shot framing and timing contrast that helps make the story so funny. Director Elmer Mikael Lødemel says: > I was on a Flixbus trip to Copenhagen with a friend, and at some point I noticed the service button. It was a long ride, so I had plenty of time to wonder and fantasize about what would happen if I pressed the button. I couldn't get it out of my head that there was only one person on duty in the bus: the driver. > > The biggest surprise working on Service Bus was audience feedback. After a while we didn't laugh as much as before at the jokes, since we had seen them a million times down the production line. But when we showed the film in the cinema for an audience, they laughed so loud that you couldn't hear some of the jokes. That surprised me. Next time I will make sure to use a bit more time after the funniest jokes. [Watch Service Bus here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdTYEVrE8HY&feature=youtu.be&ref=weanimate.dk) ![portrait_poster](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/portrait_poster.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ServiceBus_STILL_01_online_Landscape1.91.1.jpg) ### Credits **Service Bus** **Director:** Elmer Mikael Lødemel **Concept Designer:** Simon Koch Pedersen **Animators:** Elmer Mikael Lødemel, Matthew Ponquett, Simon Koch Pedersen **FX Animation:** Lea My Ib **Line Producer:** Niels Gram Riisgaard **Animation Lead:** Sam Byrne **Background Painters:** Niels Gram Riisgaard, Elmer Mikael Lødemel **CG Generalists:** Niels Gram Riisgaard, Andreas Smidt **Art Direction:** Matthew Ponquett **Technical Director:** Andreas Smidt **Story Artist:** Lea My Ib **Generalist:** Simon Koch Pedersen These films feature a fantastic array of creativity and problem-solving, as the students used a huge range of tools and techniques to create their stories. They are funny, moving, and showcase a high level of artistry. We look forward to seeing what’s ahead for these talented young artists! ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** ![WA_The-Next-Wave-Emerges_Forside](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_The-Next-Wave-Emerges_Forside.jpg) ### The Next Wave Emerges: **Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase** Part 1: **Game trailers** ![WA_Forside_Part2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_Forside_Part2.jpg) ### The Next Wave Emerges: **Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase** Part 2: **Classical animation techniques** ![WA_Forside_Part3](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_Forside_Part3.jpg) ### The Next Wave Emerges: **Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase** Part 3: **3D and hybrid animation techniques** wam#0061 ### The Next Wave Emerges – Part 2 URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/the-next-wave-emerges-part-2/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:46.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/tAW02Header.jpg) ## The Next Wave Emerges: Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase (part 2: classical animation techniques) ## **Series intro:** **Every year, Animation Workshop students who are about to graduate go through a process of pitching films to each other, and then collaborating in teams to make the selected films. These films become the graduation projects of that year’s class, and often form the foundation of a career in the creative industries.** This year’s graduation films run the gamut from playful to heartbreaking, intriguing to horrifying, and showcase a huge range of skills and expertise in all aspects of animated filmmaking. Here are our reactions to the films of the 2025 Animation Workshop graduates. ![TAW-VIA-logo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/TAW-VIA-logo.png) ### **Part 2:** ## 2D Animation An education at The Animation Workshop always includes grounding in the fundamentals, teaching traditional animation as well as the latest software and pipelines. Some of the recent graduates chose to focus on films with a more traditional approach, creating contemporary films in a more classic style. ### **Books are Made of Trees** Books are Made of Trees is a beautiful short film about the natural world and the inevitability of change. Within a beautiful tree library, characters are faced with considering the past, the future, and what really matters. This richly textured film has a wonderful, hand-made style and classic, relatable story perfect for the young audiences it was written for. Art director Inès Zulianel has designed a fantastic film world that perfectly balances simplicity and detail. The films’ creator and director, Julianna Jakubowska, says: > I was surprised by how the film became a thing of its own. I needed to be honest about my weaknesses and let everyone take ownership of the project. It’s really important (and very difficult) to find a balance between sticking to your original idea, but also being open and flexible. I have learned so much from my teammates’ expertise and insight, but also from their kindness and support. There are many elements in our finished film which I wouldn’t initially have thought of, and I am grateful I got an opportunity to explore and try new things. [Watch The Books Are Made Of Trees here](https://youtu.be/ldGJ2jN4buY?si=KspINfYNXThs3RA%5F&ref=weanimate.dk) ![BooksAreMadeOfTrees_POSTER_online_portrait](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/BooksAreMadeOfTrees_POSTER_online_portrait.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/BooksAreMadeOfTrees_STILL_01_online_landscape1.911.jpg) ### Credits **Books are Made of Trees** **Direction:** Julianna Jakubbowska **Production Management:** Karen Haldrup **Production Assistant:** Emma Olivia Dueholm **Story Lead:** Amalia Eiron **Technical Director:** Ágúst Elí Ásgeirsson **Art Direction:** Inès Zulianel **Design:** Alicia Ludwig **Animation Lead:** Karen Haldrup ### **Rogue** Rogue is an RPG-inspired adventure, a dark tale of knights and monsters, with an unusual ends-where-it-begins structure that begs rewatching. It’s executed in a more traditional 2D style that works well with the subject matter, with various line and color techniques that add quality and complexity. This film is particularly notable for exceptional storyboarding and camera decisions by Nils Kuhl, making the complex action sequence highly effective, and adding texture and emotion to the rest of the film. [Watch Rouge here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym-pM0zgooQ&feature=youtu.be&ref=weanimate.dk) ![ROGUE_POSTER_online_portrait](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ROGUE_POSTER_online_portrait.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Rogue_STILL_02_onlinee_Landscape1.91.1.jpg) ### Credits **Rouge** **Director:** Daniel N- Castillo Suarez **Character Design:** Kinga Anna Kasperczyk, Maria Zheleznova **Technical Director:** Niels Glenhammer **Art Director:** Leo Bailey **Animation Lead:** Maria Zheleznova **Storyboard:** Nils Kuhl ### Bliss Bliss is as much a visual poem as it is a short film. Bliss deals with love, loss, change, and exploration, as the soul of an old woman journeys onward into the afterlife. This calm and dreamlike little film is packed with layers of meaning and metaphor, augmented by the painterly visuals. The animated watercolor texture sequence where a tree branch is transformed into a snake by animation lead Sara Bellafá is an especially nice moment. Director Freya Zohara Sørensen says: > The project is inspired by my own grandmother and women in my life who I associate with warmth and love. After many years of hard work, responsibilities and compromise, I wanted to imagine an afterlife for them where they are safe to follow their curiosity, connect with their surroundings and love unconditionally. I was surprised to discover that it actually felt quite vulnerable to make a very feminine and poetic project. I had an urge to create something that you could watch with your emotions, rather than something that was to be analyzed intellectually. Therefore most of the symbolism is purely intuitive, based on my own interpretation of nature and how it transforms. Still, a lot of the symbolism overlaps with many cultures and religions: for example both the snake and the lotus flower are ancient symbols of rebirth in many different cultures. [Watch Bliss here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gWUbXM0DFQ&ref=weanimate.dk) ![Bliss_POSTER_online_portrait](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Bliss_POSTER_online_portrait.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Bliss_STILL_01_online_landscape169.jpg) ### Credits **Bliss** **Direction:** Freya Zoharah K. Sørensen **Production Management:** Emilia Tobiasz, Emma Nørholm Hansen **Art Direction:** Freya Zoharah K. Sørensen, Emma Nørholm Hansen **Visual Development:** Freya Zoharah K. Sørensen, Emilia Tobiasz, Emma Nørholm Hansen, Sara Bellafá, Terence Winterstein, Chiara D’Ambrosio **Technical Direction:** Chiara D’Ambrosio, Emilia Tobiasz **Pipeline management:** Chiara D’Ambrosio **Animation Lead:** Sara Bellafá **Storyboard:** Freya Zoharah K. Sørensen, Emma Nørholm Hansen **Editing:** Freya Zoharah K. Sørensen, Emilia Tobiasz **Layout:** Sara Bellafá **Backgrounds:** Emilia Tobiasz, Freya Zoharah K. Sørensen **Animation:** Freya Zoharah K. Sørensen, Emma Nørholm Hansen, Sara Bellafá, Terence Winterstein, Chiara D’Ambrosio **CG Generalist:** Emilia Tobiasz **Compositing:** Emilia Tobiasz, Sara Bellafá Although these films lean on traditional, 2D animation tools and techniques, they could not be more different in terms of look, subject, or tone, showcasing the diversity of art and interests of the students. From violent action to motherly nurturing to children’s stories, this group of students really had the opportunity to grow in a variety of directions, and it shows in this group of films. **Check out the trailer for these projects and all the graduate films here:** [Trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BMbSCq5w4M&ref=weanimate.dk) ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** ![WA_The-Next-Wave-Emerges_Forside](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_The-Next-Wave-Emerges_Forside.jpg) ### The Next Wave Emerges: **Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase** Part 1: **Game trailers** ![WA_Forside_Part2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_Forside_Part2.jpg) ### The Next Wave Emerges: **Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase** Part 2: **Classical animation techniques** ![WA_Forside_Part3](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_Forside_Part3.jpg) ### The Next Wave Emerges: **Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase** Part 3: **3D and hybrid animation techniques** wam#0060 ### The Next Wave Emerges – Part1 URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/the-next-wave-emerges-part1/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:46.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/tAW01Header.jpg) ## The Next Wave Emerges: Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase (part 1: game trailers) ## **Series intro:** **Every year, Animation Workshop students who are about to graduate go through a process of pitching films to each other, and then collaborating in teams to make the selected films. These films become the graduation projects of that year’s class, and often form the foundation of a career in the creative industries.** This year’s graduation films run the gamut from playful to heartbreaking, intriguing to horrifying, and showcase a huge range of skills and expertise in all aspects of animated filmmaking. Here are our reactions to the films of the 2025 Animation Workshop graduates. ![TAW-VIA-logo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/TAW-VIA-logo.png) ### **Part 1:** ## **Game Trailers** ## **Rune Ravers** Rune Ravers is a vivid, retro arcade-inspired neon dream. This multiplayer rhythm game invites players to choose a colorful character, and engage in a unique gameplay where spells and attacks are timed to a frantic beat, and the winner gets to choose the next song. The rapid pace of the game is augmented by the striking visual design, dramatic animated effects, and unique gameplay. Especially notable in this game was co-director and technical artist Noam Keasar’s challenge of making character motions and VFX synchronize with any player-selected music track. He also developed a procedural level generator that could generate game levels in minutes, based on just a photoshop file. [Watch game trailer here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fxrpadltrs&ref=weanimate.dk) ![RuneRavers_POSTER_online_Vertical](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/RuneRavers_POSTER_online_Vertical.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/RuneRavers_STILL_01_online_landscape.jpg) ### Credits **Rune Ravers** **Co-directors:** David Nayda Noam Keasar **Animator:** Tobias Højlev Madsen **Programmer:** Noam Keasar **VFX Artist:** Noam Keasar **Art Director:** David Nayda **Game Designer:** Noam Keasar **Rigger:** David Nayda **Technical Director:** Noam Keasar **3D Generalist:** Rune Schrøder **UI Designer:** David Nayda ## **The Walls Have Eyes** The Walls Have Eyes is a surprisingly detailed, complex trailer, with striking visual designs and a thoughtfully executed story. This puzzle/adventure game has players controlling a Victorian-era detective as he seeks to solve the mystery of a murder and a missing will, with elements of horror and haunting in a Copenhagen mansion. This game trailer was an incredible technical and creative challenge, with 2D and 3D art and design, mocap and traditional animation, interactive and cinematic sequences, UI design, voiceover, and more. Art directors Julie Dinsen and Laurits Rask created striking layered illustrations with composited motion that beautifully enhance the story. This game, however, is especially differentiated by its writing, in both the story and game structure, particularly notable in the character dialogue and voiceover sections. Writer/director Anne-Dorthe Seberg Hansen says that she was inspired by classic noir thrillers, but also wanted to use the game as a platform to discuss mental health care and changes in perceptions of mental health over time. She says: > I didn’t just want to write something for the sake of learning, I wanted it to have relevance and a message to share - maybe it could even do someone somewhere some good? I firmly believe that in order to survive in this world, a human being is capable of the most remarkable things, including living their life in hiding. People have always suffered, the only difference between now and then is that those who suffer dare talk about it. I wanted to make a game that despite being placed in a relatively dark and eerie game world, has a positive message to share that will hopefully help someone break free by reaching out for help themselves one day. [Watch game trailer here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBScLIL4Rxs&ref=weanimate.dk) ![TWHE_Poster_online_1080x1920](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/TWHE_Poster_online_1080x1920.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Hallway_ThomasReadsMail_CloseUp.jpg) ### Credits **The Wall Have Eyes** **Director, Concept Artist, Writer, UI & Level Designer:** Anne-Dorthe Seberg Hansen **Technical Director, PM Assistant, CG Generalist, Programmer:** Magnus Lønborg **Pipeline Manager, Technical Artist, CG Generalist:** Anna L. Hellstrand **Project Manager, Rigger and CG-Groomer:** Isabella Elmstrøm **Animation Lead, Level Designer, Illustrator:** Celina Lilliedahl **CG Generalist, Concept Artist, Illustrator:** Camilla S. Jensen **CG Generalist, Technical Artist, Programmer:** Lea Matilde Holm **Art Director, Concept Artist, Illustrator:** Julie Dinsen **Art Director, Concept Artist, Illustrator, CG Generalist, AE Compositor:** Laurist Rask These game trailers showcase a huge range of skills and experiences on behalf of their respective teams, and represent significant technical and creative achievement. Whether these games eventually become playable experiences, or whether these talented graduates find other projects in the game industry, we wish them well on their next adventures. **Check out the trailer for these projects and all the graduate films here:** [Trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BMbSCq5w4M&ref=weanimate.dk) ### Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** ### The Next Wave Emerges: **Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase** Part 1: **Game trailers** ![WA_Forside_Part2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_Forside_Part2.jpg) ### The Next Wave Emerges: **Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase** Part 2: **Classical animation techniques** ![WA_Forside_Part3](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_Forside_Part3.jpg) ### The Next Wave Emerges: **Animation Workshop Graduate Showcase** Part 3: **3D and hybrid animation techniques** wam#0059 ### The Sky’s the Limit for Viborg’s Ouros Animation URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/ouros2025/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:46.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Ouros2025.jpg) ## The Sky's the Limit for Viborg’s Ouros Animation ### Since 2018, Ouros Animation has been producing gorgeous animation from Arsenalet in Viborg. This award-winning studio keeps the focus tightly on quality, with an artisanal approach to every project. With a portfolio that includes short films, documentaries, TV series development, explainers, and more, Ouros continues to explore new frontiers. We recently spoke with founders Philip Piaget and Rikke Planeta to learn more about their approach and the challenges of managing a boutique animation studio. ![Ouros2025_03](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Ouros2025_03.jpg) ***WA: How did Ouros come into being?*** **Rikke:** We first met at The Animation Workshop. Philip was studying animation and I was studying CGI. We worked on a number of group projects together, and collaborated really well, so we wanted to keep that energy going after we graduated. Instead of following the ordinary path of pursuing jobs in the industry, we decided to try to make it on our own. We thought that if we got jobs and started earning money and got comfortable and upgraded our living standards, it would become more difficult to go backwards when starting our own company. We thought that doing it when we’re young, before we get too comfortable doing something else, would be a better time to take the risk and see if it can work. **Philip:** I originally come from Mexico, and I lived in Canada for a couple years. I studied classical animation, and worked at some studios doing TV and advertising and short films and things like that. I worked at a studio that really became the model for what I wanted to do in the future, because it was a very creative environment and constantly experimenting with new techniques, and being a bit more passionate about the craft of animation. They let me direct a commercial right away, which demonstrated trust and a horizontal hierarchy that I really liked. The ability to wear many hats was something I really wanted and had enjoyed at The Animation Workshop, and that was also part of the philosophy we wanted to bring to our own studio. ![syphillis02](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/syphillis02.jpg) ***WA: Why did you decide to stay in Viborg and work at Arsenalet?*** **Philip:** Viborg is a less cutthroat environment than Paris or London, or even Copenhagen, where the stakes are a bit higher because of the higher overhead and operational costs. This allows us to take more creative risks, and push it a little bit further than we would be able to otherwise. **Rikke:** I’m from Copenhagen, and came to Viborg for the animation school. My original plan was to study and then perhaps travel out into the world, but I’ve been in Viborg for almost 11 years. It has so many upsides: it’s affordable to live in, but it also has a strong animation community, which makes it easier to find freelancers to hire. There is a lot of talent coming out of the school, but also other companies that hire freelance animators, so there is a bit of a circulating workforce that helps you ramp up for a new project. For five years Ouros was just the two of us, along with freelance animators for different projects, but last year we hired Inez Kristina as our in-house producer. **Philip:** We’ve always been able to punch a bit above our weight, but adding Inez has been great because it allows us to tackle bigger projects. Our goal is to consistently have all the work that we need as a business, while still taking care with the craft and pushing the quality as high as we can, and she’s part of that long-term plan. ![mogens02_ModelSheet_Alva](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/mogens02_ModelSheet_Alva.jpg) ***WA: How did you start getting clients and projects as a new studio?*** **Philip:** When we started, we got a lot of new projects just through our personal relationships and people we knew. For example, I freelanced and worked a lot with Uri and Michelle Kranot. Through them, I was exposed to more independent animators who occasionally asked for design work and that kind of thing. In the beginning we also did a lot of work with the local government and library, and it really helped us cut our teeth and learn the business aspect of animation. We also get new projects in response to work we’ve already done; for example, we’ve gotten a lot of work from doing the TED-Ed films, because there are so many eyes on that. **Rikke:** We had a very free hand with the TED-Ed projects, so it was a chance to showcase what we can do, and really put our stamp and our identity into it. That’s why we over-delivered a bit; partly because we loved doing it, and partly because we knew it was a way to feature our skills, and might connect us with more projects of the type we really like doing. **Philip:** Our bachelor films also really traveled very well. Rikke’s film \[*Bacchus*\] is still appearing from time to time at festivals, even so many years later, which has helped us a lot. In the beginning, we did think that we could just do short films because they are so incredible, like poetry. However, you have a different funding model for those. **Rikke:** We also need to point out that it was incredibly helpful to be a young company here in the Arsenal in Viborg. There are a lot of other companies here, and a nice sense of sharing. So if someone gets a job that they don’t have capacity for, or if they don’t have time for a project, it’s very common to pass it on to someone else in the house. We got a lot of work in the beginning from that, which was a huge help. We also get more and more projects now through word of mouth. And sometimes we get contacted randomly from people who see our website. ![bacchus_2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/bacchus_2.jpg) ***WA: Your work has a really distinctive look - how do you approach design?*** **Philip:** I have a desire to not repeat myself as much as possible, and our art director, Frederico Pirovano, feels the same way. We talk about how it would be so cool to animate in ‘cold-war propaganda’ style, or in charcoal, or in the style of those old hand-made stop motion films… Frederico has been a big part of our success, because he really pushes the design, no matter what we ask of him in terms of style or vibe. He’s really able to capture things, and that collaboration has allowed our work to maintain a sense of consistency, but also freshness and originality. But we definitely have to sacrifice a little production time in order to execute these designs. **Rikke:** We care a lot about the design and how things look, but it’s also important how it feels – it has to *feel* right, and have the right mood. Really strong design and mood can carry the message without needing a ton of animation, and allow you to do all your storytelling in the visuals. If we then have to find a creative solution for how to animate it, then we’ll do that. **Philip:** It all comes from our love for a lot of different types of film, and a desire to try new things, so we try to figure out how to achieve those looks within the time and budget that we have. That sometimes means learning new programs, or spending extra time on research. And sometimes it means accepting the limitations of a style. Like, if we’re doing papercut and it’s very geometric, then we just accept that the characters don’t turn. Instead of trying to make them seem volumetric, we try to embrace that limitation and have fun with it. ![syphillis01](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/syphillis01.jpg) ***WA: What has been your biggest challenge so far?*** **Philip:** There is a lot of emotional investment in having a company, especially in the art industry, because the work is so important to you. Sometimes all you have is the hope that you’ll get this little bit of support to keep you going for a few months, and then you don’t get it. Those moments can make you jaded, and feel like you don’t do good work and can’t have a successful business. In those moments, you have to just be patient and keep doing the work and wait it out for a while. To be honest, we’re still trying to learn to navigate that part. You kind of have to learn to emotionally detach a bit, and be more objective about your work. You may be in love with something and then look at it two years later and realize that it wasn’t that good. Navigating that self-criticism and emotional investment is the biggest challenge for me. **Rikke:** Sometimes you think things are going really well, and then something negative kinda slaps you in the face. But those disappointments may just be bad timing, and not about you or your work at all. When circumstances change, new opportunities can arise for the future. **Philip:** So lately we’ve been developing our own original projects and IP. We’ve gone to a lot of pitching forums, and we’ve also helped some other directors develop their original pitches and projects. Going to all those forums has really helped us build new contacts in the European animation community. **Rikke:** Part of the fun is not knowing who you are meeting or who you are talking with. You go to Annecy or to Cartoon Forum or something and get into a conversation with someone and realize that there’s a connection and you might be able to work with them later. I find it really fun; you might be pitching to a high-level executive, or to a student – you just don’t know who they are, and then you find out later. **Philip:** We do try to build good relationships with everyone, and planting those seeds has really helped us as a small studio. **Rikke:** We have our fingers in many pies… no - we have *a diversified portfolio*, and it’s very exciting. We have all these different things that are up in the air and at different stages of production with different needs, and that also poses its own challenges. Sometimes something moves along very slowly for a long time, and then there’s a sudden burst of energy in that direction, but then something else slows down. We like how this type of momentum keeps things fresh, because it’s not all the same thing all the time. One month we are doing one thing, the next month we are doing something completely different, and it feels new and exciting all the time. That’s part of the fun for us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Ouros2025_02.jpg) ***WA: What’s next for Ouros?*** **Philip:** We've been working on our first VR project, developing a prototype for an anthology co-production with studios in Spain, Portugal, Italy and South America called *The Dream Anthology*, spearheaded by Cola Animation. We are looking forward to co-produce a feature film with Maria Kruse and Lamberto Anderloni, together with partners in Ireland, although it's early days. We’re working on getting funding for some short films and documentaries as well… **Rikke:** Lately we’ve been working on some development projects with Disney Branded Television and we hope we can continue that. The quality of work is really high and we really value that relationship. Recently we've also been producing animation for a feature-length documentary together with Martina Scarpelli and Got Fat Productions that should be released in the coming months. We are also working on a big project involving live concerts for kids. Once the ball is rolling, it kind of keeps on rolling - it’s like magic. **Philip:** It’s a shame that we can’t show it yet, but we’ve been doing a lot of 3D work in Blender lately, because we needed a tool that would get us to our desired results more quickly. So we dove into that and have been doing some really interesting work that we’ll be able to show soon. It has facilitated our spirit of experimentation. All these different activities have also helped us develop our diverse skills and helped us expand as a creative studio. ![sarasStory02](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/sarasStory02.jpg) ***WA: What are your long term goals?*** **Rikke:** It’s very important for us right now to scope and schedule projects more accurately, because we are working on larger projects and hiring more freelancers. We need to make sure that we can also give them realistic working conditions; we don’t want to overwork people just because we can’t make our deadlines. That’s our responsibility. We need to do that properly so we can treat everyone well. **Philip:** You can only have so many “burning midnight oil” type of projects where you really push yourself. That was our first few years of the company, but you reach a point where you realize things have to change because it’s not sustainable. So you have to get much smarter much faster, and that’s one way that Inez has been really helpful. We want to grow the studio enough to have long-term staff, so that the people we have collaborated with can work with us on a permanent basis. But we also don’t want to grow to an unsustainable point, where you no longer know who’s working at the studio. We like the boutique feel of it, but want a bit more of the regularity and security of knowing what we’re going to be doing next year. We definitely like having this weird mix of projects, and we would like to do even more things - maybe an installation or more concerts or potentially games… **Rikke:** Yes, we are ambitious, and we like the idea of growing and getting bigger jobs. It helps to create some security. But we also like the idea of holding on to what we’ve had so far, prioritizing quality, prioritizing experimentation, and to keep playing around and having fun with animation. I think it’s a fine balance, but we seem to have been able to go in that direction so far and we hope it will continue. We want to really go for it, and as long as we can cling to our artistic ambitions and our integrity, I think the sky is the limit. ## Credits Photos: **Courtesy of Ouros Animation.** Text: **Rebekah Villon** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Ouros2025_01.jpg) ![logo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/logo.jpg) Meet the Artist ### Ouros Animation Stay in touch at: [https://www.ouros.net/](https://www.ouros.net/?ref=weanimate.dk) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ouros-animation/?ref=weanimate.dk) · [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ourosanimation/?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0058 ### Impressive Annie Nomination for Denmark’s The Swineherd URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/annie-nomination-2025/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:46.000Z ASIFA-Hollywood’s Annie Awards are the highest accolade in animation, celebrating excellence in the art form since 1972\. This year, in an amazing achievement for Denmark, Fleng Entertainment and Tumblehead Productions's *The Swineherd* has been nominated for the Best Short Subject Annie Award. *The Swineherd* is a comedic interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale of the same name. A young swineherd guards the King’s pigs in the pigsty at Christmas. Looking for a way to pass the time, he brings out a magic pot and starts the party. When the princess tries to take the pot, antics follow. Tumblehead’s adaptation of the story has their signature style and visual comedy, with a playful theme that has already made the film a Christmas favorite. *The Swineherd’s* co-directors, Magnus Ingland Møller and Peter Smith from Tumblehead, say: > We’re absolutely thrilled to have *The Swineherd* nominated for an Annie Award! This means the world to us at Tumblehead. For 14 years, we’ve been pouring our hearts into our work, dreaming of moments like this. It’s amazing to see our passion and hard work recognized, especially by something as big as the Annie Awards. This is exactly the kind of milestone we’ve been working towards since day one, and we couldn’t be more excited! *The Swineherd* was distributed by Yummy Films and produced by Søren Fleng, who says: > It’s been a long dream of Fleng Entertainment to work on a project with Tumblehead, and when the opportunity finally arrived, we jumped at it immediately. Their style and exquisite sense of comedic animation timing is simply world-class, and I’m so thrilled that the Hollywood animation industry has recognized this with an Annie Award nomination. It doesn’t get much bigger! I also want to thank our partners in Norway, Qvisten Animation and Danmarks Radio, for their support throughout the entire process. This is the first Annie nomination for both Tumblehead and Fleng Entertainment, and represents an exciting recognition of the increasing prominence of Danish animation on the world stage. Congratulations to Tumblehead and Fleng Entertainment for this exciting achievement! **The awards ceremony takes place on February 8th,** and the event will be livestreamed here: [Livestream](https://annieawards.org/watch-it-live?ref=weanimate.dk) ![PIG&ANDERSON](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/PIGANDERSON.jpg) ### Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** ### wam#0057 ### NAN Takes Northern Animation Festivals Beyond Boundaries URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/nan26/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:47.000Z **The Nordic countries are blessed with several fascinating regional animation festivals, each with a distinct creative vision and a unique role in the local industry and community. They also happen to be clustered closely together in time, making the Northern European festival season a busy one. However, the task of operating an animation festival is difficult and sometimes even lonely. Small festivals have limited resources, and the pandemic highlighted certain challenges that these festivals face.** As a result, years of discussion among northern animation festival founders and administrators has resulted in a new entity: the Northern Animation Network (NAN). NAN was recently awarded a generous grant of €300,000 by the EU’s Creative Europe Program to move forward with an ambitious plan for collaboration and growth. The founding festivals of this new network—Viborg Animation Festival (Denmark), Fredrikstad Animation Festival (Norway), BLON Animation and Games Festival (Lithuania), and REX Animation Festival (Sweden)—are now busily planning their agendas to make the most of this opportunity. ## NAN Introduced at Fredrikstad Animation Festival Because the partnership is so new, many members of the relevant animation communities were unaware of its existence. Sandra Brunkow Simonsen of Viborg Animation Festival (VAF) was invited to present the project at Fredrikstad Animation Festival (FAF), as part of the festival’s professional programming. The events were organized by Anders Narverud Moen, Festival Director of FAF, who says: > While a lot of Norwegian culture tends to look inward, at Fredrikstad, it has always been important to have a view out of Norway. Norway alone is not big enough for the project or the product, so we have to broaden our horizons. We are small countries with smaller audiences, therefore it’s important for these smaller scenes of different cultures to be able to reach bigger audiences with artistic animation. Nordic animation producers have really seen the value of collaboration over the past ten years or so. > > > > There is a lot of work happening across borders in the Nordics, and many of these collaborations started in Fredrikstad. It’s what naturally happens when you are the oldest Nordic animation festival: Fredrikstad is traditionally where people have met and started talking and working together. > > > > Sandra presented this new festival network at an event at FAF, along with presenters from the animation research network and the animation producer network. People think “that’s a lot of networks”, but they don’t all know about each other. I put together a panel conversation with a representative from each network so that people could learn more about these collaborations. The feedback I got afterward was that the panel was too short: people want more information about NAN and the other networks, and more discussion about tools for collaboration and how to work together. *\- Anders Narverud Moen* ## NAN is Streamlining Festival Administration One goal of the network is for the festivals to collaborate more closely and make administrative processes more efficient, in order to reduce the administrative burden of managing a festival. NAN hopes to create a shared platform to manage or streamline film submissions, accreditations, and other administrative tasks. Not only will this shared platform make festival administration more efficient, but it might benefit other members of the animation community as well. For example, the shared platform may result in more film submissions, as filmmakers find it easier to submit to multiple festivals at once, or in more accredited visitors, as applicants can be approved for multiple festivals at the same time. Moen says: > Because all of us are small administrations, our resources are quite limited and our ability to pay people is quite limited. So we wanted to collaborate with each other on basic administrative elements. The exchange of know-how and experience between us makes us all better at what we do. That’s the foundation of the collaboration. > > > > At Fredrikstad, for example, we have a lot of potential, but also need more resources to solve different problems. NAN helped us to think through how we could collaborate in development of new festival features, and how to actually execute the festival more efficiently. *\- Anders Narverud Moen* Simonsen agrees, pointing out: > It’s actually amazing when you ask yourself “What would be good for us?” and you realize that it would also be good for other festival partners, good for artists, and good for the festival community as well. > > > > One very important aspect of our festivals working together is that we are not competing for audiences. Each festival has their own region, their own personality, and their own audience. This enables us to support each other more fully. Luckily we have a good environment for Nordic collaboration; there are lots of foundations and associations and collaboration, so we’re very aware of this special relationship in the north, politically and culturally and historically. *\- Sandra Brunkow Simonsen* ## NAN is Building an Online Animation Experience The second key goal of NAN is to create an online platform for animation and related content. This platform should support online and remote festival activities, of the kind which were necessary during the pandemic, but so difficult for small festivals to execute well. It should also provide a persistent destination for animation lovers all year long, creating audiences and generating excitement outside of the festival season. Simonsen says: > In recent years, there has been increasing demand for festivals to be present online and have a digital platform. It’s a massive job: it’s basically having an entire second online festival at the same time as the physical one. Fredrikstad is perhaps the one that has been most successful so far with streaming and online content. > > The idea is that a NAN platform could also host content all year long, becoming a place where we can curate and promote the festivals and the content. That way we aren’t each doing one online thing for one week individually, but we can combine our efforts and do it all year. *\- Sandra Brunkow Simonsen* Anders Narverud Moen reflects on the origins of the concept with: > The collaboration in NAN evolved slowly, because we needed to find a common ground. During those meetings and conversations, we thought a lot about the post-pandemic situation, where everything was digital and then suddenly everything was physical again. The digital platform each festival was working on kind of collapsed, but we now have an opportunity to rethink and re-envision how a digital platform and digital dissemination should work. It’s boring to just have seminars on Zoom, and people are sick of that anyway - it reminds them of a time that they don’t want to go back to. So we have done research on how we might develop a platform as a collaboration, rather than each festival creating their own digital platform - it could be a broader, Northern Europe event. It’s joining forces to handle a bigger task. > > > > If you create this digital platform, it can also help you grow your physical audience. The digital platform is part of a broader audience development project. We can use the platform to promote other festivals in the network, educating audiences about each others’ work. *\- Anders Narverud Moen* Simonsen says: > We’ve been very inspired by the Louisiana Art Museum channel. They do digital interviews with modern artists who are relevant to the museum, and we thought to do something like that, talking to studios, filmmakers, artists in the industry, including films, games, art… during festivals we have access to amazing artists, guests, and jury members, so we should take advantage of that opportunity to create content. > > > > It’s important for us to not just show films, but to show games, art, XR, and let people have a sense of how broad animation really is and how far the format can reach. We could also expand our focus to not just look at the work of one person, like a director, but look at a whole studio, where the approach and the way of working becomes interesting. For example, Cartoon Saloon is just as interesting as Tomm Moore is as a director, and the same is true of many game studios. Over time, our content library could expand to showcase all of these different aspects of animation. *\- Sandra Brunkow Simonsen* ## Next Steps for NAN The EU grant period is from 2025-2026\. This both limits the scope of what NAN can achieve, and creates opportunities for work to begin right away. The founding festivals are already working hard on defining their two-year plan and immediate next steps. Moen says: > We got this grant because we all stepped up and reached out and figured out a good project and purpose. We are using the money to solve shared problems, which is how it ought to be. > > We know each other, but we need to get to know each other better - that’s crucial to the success of our collaboration. We have to know we are on the same page and share the same goals. That’s the most challenging thing about international collaboration - there are different cultures and backgrounds and mindsets. Even though we are all Nordic and all part of the same animation scene, we have different ways of working, and everyone has a different agenda. The better we know each other, the better we can find common ground and work together productively. We can also snap up each other’s good ideas and implement them within our own organizations. It’s a lot of work - it’s *fun* work, but it’s a lot of work. *\- Anders Narverud Moen* Regarding immediate next steps for NAN, Simonsen says: > We need to figure out how to actually do and implement these ideas. How do we keep our own individual ways of curating and programming, while sharing a common platform? For example, VAF has an international program, but FAF and Lithuania are mainly regional festivals with only a few international shorts. VAF has a submission fee, while the others don’t. It’s definitely doable, but it’s a matter of finding the way that fits everyone’s individual needs and perspectives. But these challenges are minor compared to what we can get out of this collaboration. > > > > We all have valuable information to share with each other, even if we don’t have a big name or a lot of credentials. We all have things we know and can support each other with. We still need more people - there are more people who need to be part of this project and have relevant expertise and skills to share with us, and areas we want to recruit new partners - either festivals or film institutes or other ways to represent the animation industry in the north. The knowledge-sharing is incredibly important. > > > > The level of openness and sharing in the animation community makes this kind of network possible. We all have the same challenges and we are so eager to work together. The only area where we are tempted to compete with each other is in the area of premieres - for us in Viborg it’s not that important, but for other festivals it’s a higher priority. But for everything else, in terms of distribution, in terms of how we measure and report guests, in terms of how we assess success, we have so much to learn from each other and so many ways that we can support each other. And these things will actually be better for the whole industry - this is true for all of Europe, but especially true for us here in the North, where we are especially agile, and are working directly with decision-makers, and have a lot of value to offer to each other. *\- Sandra Brunkow Simonsen* The Northern Animation Network is yet another example of how collaboration in the Nordics helps to create new opportunities for growth and exploration. This ambitious network will solve problems common to animation artists, guests, and festival administrators throughout the region, and has already started putting a plan in place. We congratulate NAN on receiving the EU funding, and look forward to seeing the fruits of this remarkable collaboration in the coming years. ![20250130_180414](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/20250130_180414.jpg) ## Organizers **Viborg Animation Festival** [Sandra Brunkow Simonsen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/s-brunkow-s/?ref=weanimate.dk) **BLON Animation and Games Festival** [Laura Almantaite](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-almantaite-4b47683/?ref=weanimate.dk) [Svetlana Bezuglova](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bezuglova?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fcampaign=share%5Fvia&utm%5Fcontent=profile&utm%5Fmedium=android%5Fapp) **Fredrikstad Animation Festival** [Anders Narverud Moen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anders-narverud-moen-78b21946/?ref=weanimate.dk) [Clara Saetren](https://www.linkedin.com/in/clara-jane-s%C3%A6tren-7802213b?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fcampaign=share%5Fvia&utm%5Fcontent=profile&utm%5Fmedium=android%5Fapp) **REX Animation Film Festival** [Petrit Gora](https://www.linkedin.com/in/petrit-gora-46668624a/?ref=weanimate.dk) Karin Drake Link to the submission platform which closes again May 1st 2025: [Submission](https://filmfreeway.com/NorthernAnimationNetwork?ref=weanimate.dk) ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** wam#0056 ### The Holiday Magic of Snebørnenes Juletime URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/the-holiday-magic/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:47.000Z ## Celebrate Nordic Animation at Christmastime! This December, Nordic broadcasters are continuing a family favorite Christmas tradition with an hour-long program of Nordic stories by Nordic animators. The broadcast is a compilation of high-quality films for kids and families, and will air on Denmark's DR, Norway's NRK, Finland's YLE, and Iceland's RÚV over the holiday season. This year's program is a delight for animation lovers. The films featured are: ## ## Denmark: ## Little Frog The Little Frog is based on Jakob Martin Strid's bestselling children's book about a naughty young frog finding a way to fit in with a new family. It was produced by Fleng Entertainment, and directed by Kim Hagen Jensen, director of 2020's award-winning animated feature Dreambuilders. ![IMG_0775](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_0775.webp) @ Fleng Entertainment ## The Swineherd The Swineherd is an original story loosely inspired by a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. This comedic take on a traditional Christmas story is a collaboration between Fleng Entertainment and Tumblehead, co-directed by Magnus Ingland Møller and Peter Smith. ![3102_SVINEDRENGEN_F-Ent_Still_00004](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/3102_SVINEDRENGEN_F-Ent_Still_00004.jpeg) @ Fleng Entertainment and Tumblehead ## Sweden: ## The Tomten and the Fox Based on Astrid Lindgren's beloved books, The Tomten and the Fox is a Nordic story of caring and friendship at Christmastime. The film was produced by Qvisten Animation, and co-directed by Yaprak Morali and Are Austness. ![IMG_0777](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_0777.jpg) @ Qvisten Animation ## Finland: ## Christmas Comes to Moomin Valley It wouldn't be a Nordic Christmas without the Moomins, and Tove Jansson's characters return again for Christmas Comes to Moominvalley. Produced by Gigglebug Entertainment, this beautifully-rendered film was directed by Jean-Michel Boesch and Kari Juusonen. ![snobarna_03](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/snobarna_03.jpg) @ gigglebug Entertainment ## Iceland: ## The Yule Shoe The Yule Shoe is an original story steeped in Icelandic Christmas traditions, involving a child’s first experience of receiving a present in their shoe. This funny and charming holiday adventure was co-produced by GunHil Ltd and Qvisten Animation, and directed by Gunnar Karlsson. ![yuleshoe](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/yuleshoe.jpg) @ Gunhil Ltd and Qvisten Animation ## Norway: ## The Record Qvisten Animation has produced a number of films based on the work of beloved Norwegian author Kjell Aukrust. The Record is an original story that takes place in his Flåklypa universe, beautifully realizing his illustrative style in CG animation. The film was co-directed by Yaprak Morali and Are Austness. ![rekorden](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/rekorden.jpg) @ Qvisten Animation These films are an exceptional showcase for local animation talent, and a wonderful exploration of Nordic traditions, values, and themes at the holidays. *Snebørnenes Juletime* first premiered in 2022 and with its continued success, we hope this annual collaboration will grow into a tradition for years to come. Check your local listings for broadcast dates/times, and make local animation a part of your holiday season. ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** wam#0055 ### Ekko Shortlist Awards 2024: Animation Nominees Revealed URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/ekko-shortlist/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:47.000Z ### The Ekko Shortlist Awards are back, celebrating the best short films to have graced Denmark’s unique interactive streaming platform over the past year. ![ESA_5](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ESA_5.jpg) *© Emil Nicolai Helms* The event, now in its 11th edition, is one of the most significant showcases of Danish filmmaking talent, providing a springboard for both emerging creators and established professionals experimenting in the short film format. Each year, filmmakers compete in 14 categories, ranging from Best Fiction to Audience Favorite, and one of the most exciting categories is Animation. This category shines a spotlight on storytelling through vivid visuals and imaginative concepts, often pushing creative boundaries. ## The Animation Category: A Diverse Lineup This year’s nominees for Best Animation include five films that reflect the diversity and strength of the animation genre in Denmark. From satirical takes on societal issues to deeply personal narratives, the range of topics and styles is as varied as it is impressive. ## Nominees for Best Animation: ## 1\. Freelance Directed by Luciano A. Muñoz Sessarego, Magnus Igland Møller, and Peter Smith A knight embarks on a mysterious journey, guided by enigmatic instructions. The film explores themes of trust and purpose through intricate animation and storytelling. ![Freelance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Freelance.jpg) *© Tumblehead* ## 2\. Let Them Eat Cake Directed by Mathias Rodrigues Bjerre A sharp satire about capitalism’s excesses, this film uses animation to explore how greed and indulgence can have unforeseen consequences. ![Let-Them-Eat-Cake](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Let-Them-Eat-Cake.jpg) *© Angel Films* ## 3\. Lulus Prikker Directed by Snobar Avani This poignant tale follows Lulu, whose polka-dot dress begins to lose its dots. The film is a touching exploration of identity, transformation, and resilience. ![Lulus-prikker](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Lulus-prikker.jpg) *© SnowHouse Film Aps* ## 4\. The House Atop the City Directed by Oliver Holm Jarnbye A solitary figure lives in a peculiar house, which begins to take on a life of its own. This eerie and atmospheric animation blurs the line between human and environment. ![The-House-Atop-the-City](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/The-House-Atop-the-City.jpg) *© Oliver Holm Jarnbye* ## 5\. The TOBOS Directed by Tobias Rud Something is not quite right with Bean-TOBOS. This film delves into themes of internal conflict and the search for balance through striking visuals and a surreal narrative. ![The-TOBOS](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/The-TOBOS.jpg) *© Tobias Rud* ## How to Vote The winners of the Ekko Shortlist Awards are determined through a combination of audience votes and jury deliberation. Voting is an integral part of the process, giving film fans a direct say in which works are recognized. To vote, simply watch the nominated films on the Ekko Shortlist platform and cast your ballot for your favorite. Your vote could help propel one of these talented filmmakers toward their next big opportunity. Vote for Best Animation here: [Cast your vote!](https://www.ekkofilm.dk/awards/2024/bedste-animation/?ref=weanimate.dk) ## This year’s Ekko Shortlist Award will take place at Bremen Teater on December 19th. ## Credits Text: **WeAnimate** wam#0054 ### Esben Toft Jacobsen and the Joy of Animation URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/esben-toft-jacobsen-and-the-joy-of-animation/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:48.000Z ### Esben Toft Jacobsen has been a creative force in Danish animation for years, winning recognition for projects like *The Great Bear*, *Beyond Beyond*, and *Kiwi og Strit*. He is remarkably prolific, constantly adding to a career of diverse and interesting projects. His latest series, *Hullet i Hækken/Flora & Lars,* began airing on Ramasjang in November after a premiere at Viborg Animation Festival. We recently spoke with him about his current projects, his motivations, and his creative process. ![Characters02](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Characters02.jpg) **WeAnimate:** Most of your projects have been aimed at fairly young audiences. What attracts you to making content for children? **Esben Toft Jacobsen:** I love working for this audience, and it’s what I’ve always done. For my final project in film school, I made a film for children, and it was accepted at the Berlin Film Festival. I bought a really beautiful suit and took my wife to the festival, and we went to the red carpet so we could be really cool on the red carpet. But there was nobody on the red carpet! There was just a red carpet there, and my wife and I. So she took a photo of me, and I took a photo of her. It was a bit disappointing. Then we went into the theater, and there were like a thousand kids in their little winter suits, and they were pointing at the poster of our film and eager to see it. And I suddenly realized ‘Yes, *this* is what it’s all about - they are just excited to see the film!’ While it was playing, there was a little girl behind me who was kicking my chair - she kicked every time the film got exciting, so I could feel just how excited she was. I loved seeing all the reactions from the kids. They were so into what I was doing! I was completely overwhelmed. It felt so right, and it’s exactly what I wanted to do. > There’s nothing posh about doing kids’ animation. It’s just joyful. If they love your work, they really love your work, and they will rewatch it over and over again. > > – Esben Toft Jacobsen **WA:** Where did the concept for the *Flora & Lars* come from? **ETJ:** There were a lot of different sources of inspiration. I always loved stories where you go through a portal to a different world, and have an adventure there and then you go back home. I also used that idea in *The Great Bear*, where they go through a hole in the garden wall and have an adventure. It’s a type of story I love to do, and a universe I love being in. When we were first developing the show, my youngest daughter was around the age of our audience, so I was surrounded by kids of this age group and hearing what they were talking about all the time, and they are wild! They say all these crazy things - they are incredibly clever and incredibly goofy at the same time. That was a good influence for me while creating the show. One day I was picking up my little girl at school, and there was a hedge in the schoolyard, and she said ‘Hey dad look at this!’ and she crawled through a hole in the hedge. And I asked her what it was about, and she said that they imagined that they had a secret, magical world in there. We were already working on *Flora & Lars*, but it suddenly clicked that it was *real,* that they were actually playing that idea in real life. **WA:** *Flora & Lars* has a very distinctive look. How did you approach design and the aesthetics of the show? **ETJ:** When I am watching cartoons, I personally like it when it’s beautiful, so I wanted the show to be very painterly. We hired the amazing Thomas Poulsen, Tanja Hass, Nicole Di Fresco, and Patrik Lindberg as background painters, and they gave us these very well-drawn backgrounds. I also really admire the style of [**Rune Ryberg**](https://www.weanimate.dk/rune-ryberg1/) \- he does a lot of comics, but has a background in animation, and I always loved his work. I was talking to my producer and said that I would love it if we could get someone who draws like Rune, because I love his colors and how vibrant his work is, and the wild shapes he creates. So we were discussing how we could find someone as good as him, and my producer said, ‘You know, we could just call him and ask him if he wants to work with us.’ And so we did, and he said yes, and it was a really good collaboration. I had already drawn a lot of the characters, but Rune took them and lifted them to a whole different level. It was an absolute joy to work with him. ![hih_pressebillede_2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/hih_pressebillede_2.jpg) Still from "Under the Hedge" **WA:** Aside from just entertaining young audiences with the show, is there something you would like to communicate with them? Does the show have a message? **ETJ:** Well the main goal is to entertain, but this show has something real and sincere at the heart. Flora is a very forward person, she does things without thinking too much about them, and Lars thinks about everything. We’re trying to show that you need both. In a really good friendship, your differences make you stronger. Flora and Lars are stronger together, and good for each other. That’s the main message: that we need to understand and accept differences in people. But each episode also has something going on, some type of emotional core that drives what we want to talk about. We also know that the adults who watch the show should have fun. Even though they aren't our core audience, we do mix in some humor for the parents as well as the kids, and sometimes the same thing is funny for both. If you are watching a show with your parents and they laugh too, it becomes a shared experience. Creating that shared experience is important to me. We’ve had two premieres now. We’ve had a screening at Viborg Animation Festival, and at the Buster Film Festival in Copenhagen, and it’s so cool to watch the show with kids and hear them react to the moments and jokes. That part of the process is so cool and so fun for me. **WA:** What do you think was a particular success, or a moment in creating *Flora & Lars* that really stands out for you? **ETJ:** One thing that stands out is the first animation test from Nørlum. I really admire their work, and I like Elena Alexa and Claus Toksvig a lot, so I had wanted to work with them for a long time. Then I met their lead animator Sif Perlt Savery, who is such a good animator. I am a 2D artist myself, but I’ve never done a big project in 2D like that before; I’ve always made my films in 3D. Sif had just gotten the first rig for the first character and started testing it and moving it around, and it just felt so right. I was immediately sure that this project was going to work and people were going to like it. **WA:** What’s your creative process like? **ETJ:** I think anyone who works in a creative field has a million ideas before lunchtime. I have a million ideas and I want to do everything, but of course I can’t. You also don’t get anywhere if you just work on everything at the same time, so I have a system to help manage those ideas and actually make things happen. I keep a piece of paper on my wall, and there is a line across the middle. I have five things above the line that I’m allowed to actively work on, and all the other stuff has to stay below the line. When something has some traction and something is happening, I work on it, like when there is financing to go further. But then there’s a pause or a gap, so I pick something else to work on for a while. Sometimes something down below the line becomes more important, so then I bring it up, but I have to put something else down. So I’m kind of working on five things at the same time, bouncing around them. All my projects come from that system, and it seems to help keep me more focused and working productively. I actually never know which one is going to go next or furthest - I just write stuff up there that I love and want to work on. ![hih_postcard_rembentPainting_09_2_EN_A5+5mmBleed_ref](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/hih_postcard_rembentPainting_09_2_EN_A55mmBleed_ref.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/hih_pressebillede_3.jpg) **WA:** You’ve worked with a lot of the same people over many different projects. **ETJ:** I like long-term work relationships, and feel like they are very fruitful. You get to know each other’s strengths, and the better you know someone the better you know what to expect and what they are really good at. But of course I also love working with new people and bringing them into the team, and getting new ideas and new inspiration. My producer Petter Lindblad, who was also the producer on my first feature film, makes me feel so safe. I am completely sure that he’ll let me know exactly where we are in the production plan, and there’s never any trouble with people not knowing what’s expected and when. He’s very transparent, and makes sure everyone knows everything. When I walk around with him at Annecy everyone wants to work with him because he’s so good at structure, and so good at making things happen - I really love working with him. We also collaborated with Tall and Small on this project. I’ve known Jannik Tai Mosholt since even before film school, and he worked on all my projects during film school, which was amazing because we were also friends. He was always a part of everything I did, including *The Rain*, a live action post-apocalyptic show we did for Netflix. It was a huge hit, but afterward I really wanted to get back into animation. He was booked on something else, so I started writing myself, but I really wanted to work with him again. So we developed *Flora & Lars* together with Rune Schjøtt-Wieth, and we also got Asta Stuhr onboard as a producer from Tall and Small, and they all did a great job. Sometimes there are people who work so hard for a show and you never hear about them. There were so many incredible people who elevated *Flora & Lars*; I wish I could name everyone who was so important for its success. Annevig Schelde Ebbe especially played a huge role by finding and co-directing the voices. She voiced half the characters herself; she has such a huge range and was crucial in defining the tone of the show. So all these relationships are important. I met Thomas Østergaard Poulsen, my designer, more than 20 years ago, working on a type of trolls video game for TV where you could call in and control this running troll. I was 19, it was my first job after school, and we worked on that together. We became friends there and just stayed in touch. He’s been beside me on lots of my projects, giving feedback on characters and things, and he’s working with me now on the new film. ![Characters01](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Characters01.jpg) **WA:** Speaking of the new film, congratulations on winning the Eurimages Co-production Development Award at Cinekid for *Millie and the Secret of the Crocodile*! **ETJ:** Yes, we won the pitch forum award for that project, which was so amazing - there were so many beautiful projects there! I’ve actually been working on this project for around five years, but I kept it completely under the radar. Once you start production, you have to produce. And of course there’s a lot of creative and artistic work during production, but the story needs to be there before you get to that point. During development, you can be very agile and make lots of changes, so I like to have a very small team just working on it under the radar. Slowly finding the right people and creating the right look and getting it emotionally right. We wanted a distributor who felt like a good fit, and needed the right production partners. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/hih_pressebillede_5.jpg) > We need to have people on board who are doing the right thing for the film. It’s not super important to me that it’s my film - it’s super important that we are all working for the same film. > > – Esben Toft Jacobsen For example, we are co-producing with Viking Film in Holland. Petter, my producer, had worked with them before, and Marleen Slot, the producer at Viking, had also done *Oink*, an excellent film. She’s really good, especially on story, and I liked her. She read it and came in with a script consultant and a storyboarder, and they really get the project. They act as if the film was their own, and take responsibility for pushing it forward. LevelK is on board now for distribution, and I've worked with Alexandra Cruz before, and I knew the film would be safe in her hands. I’m very happy to get her input. So it’s about putting together people who have the same vision for the film, who understand how we’re going to make it and who it’s for, so we can solve problems together. **WA:** What else can you share about *Millie and the Secret of the Crocodile*? **ETJ:** Well, I’ve already pitched it, so I can talk about it now. The story is about a mouse called Millie, who has been raised by hedgehogs. In the past, her tail was bitten off by a crocodile, and she’s very nervous and afraid of everything. One day her hedgehog friend falls in the river and is carried away, and she has to go after him to rescue him. But the stream flows toward Crocodile Island, so Millie has to go and face her fears. It’s a drama/comedy, and it’s emotional, but also funny. For young children, ages 5-9, it’s a big adventure. ![byPatrikLindberg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/byPatrikLindberg.jpg) **© Patrik Lindberg. Snowcloud Films* **WA:** What’s next for *Millie and the Secret of the Crocodile*? **ETJ:** I’m currently working with Thomas on location design and a very early first pass of the animatic. This is the first film I’m writing myself, so I’m working on rewrites. > I absolutely love writing - it’s so exciting. But of course now I have to address all the rewrite notes myself, which is a lot of work.… everything is connected, so it’s hard to fix just one thing. When I am doing the script myself, I can just throw all these balls up in the air, and I know I have to catch all of them, and when I catch them it’s amazing. It’s been an awesome learning experience. > > – Esben Toft Jacobsen ![hih_poster_DK](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/hih_poster_DK.jpg) We expect to start production next year, but we are still in financing. Films are always like that - you *work* for things to happen and *expect* things to happen, and so far they *have* happened, but there are no guarantees. I hope this also happens, because I really love this film. We love to see animation created with such joy and passion, and think that young audiences will somehow benefit from shows created with so much love for the project, the people, and the viewers. Catch *Hullet i Hækken/Flora & Lars* on Ramasjang, and keep an eye out for *Milie and the Secret of the Crocodile* in theaters. ![Characters](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Characters.jpg) ## More about Esben Toft Jacobsen [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/esbentoftjacobsen?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: ****Courtesy of Tall and Small, Snowcloud Film, Vi Glæder os Preben, Nørlum Entertainment & DR** wam#0053 ### Vital attitudes with Jannik Hastrup URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/jannikhastrup1/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:48.000Z ### **Through a lifetime’s work, animator and director Jannik Hastrup has stood up for the weak and at risk, with his buildable, poetic, funny, and dramatic stories for children - from Circleen, *Benny’s Bathtub* and *Samson and Sally*, to *War of the Birds*, *HC Andersen and The Long Shadow*, and *The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Bear*. Now, Hastrup has reached the age of 80, and he had initially retired. Not for long though, as a brand new Circleen film is on the horizon. There are still important stories to tell, and after 60 years of directing and animating, Hastrup does not have it in him to stop just yet.** Two childhood experiences, in particular, made their mark on animator and film director Jannik Hastrup’s (b. 1941) shaping into a storyteller: Charlie Chaplin’s *The Gold Rush* (1925), which was the first movie he ever saw, and a theater production of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. *The Gold Rush* made a big impression on him, not because it was the funniest thing he had ever seen, but because he could not grasp the reaction of the adults in the audience. In one particular scene, Chaplin’s gold-digging friend, Big Jim, is so starved that he begins to hallucinate that Chaplin is a chicken. Hastrup’s parents laughed at the scene - his father nearly died from laughing, he tells - but the little boy could not detect what was so funny about this scene. He felt bad for Chaplin, and the adults’ reaction did not sit right with him. > It is vital to give kids some good attitudes > \- Jannik Hastrup At the age of six or seven, Jannik Hastrup went to the theatre in Copenhagen - he lived in rural Zealand with his family - to see *Uncle Tom’s Cabin*. Emil Christoffersen was playing the lead role of Uncle Tom in *black face*, and to Hastrup, “it made a brutal impression when they whipped him. He was not actually struck, but I could not see that from the fifth or sixth row. Those two experiences have left their mark.” The marks take the form of indignation and humanism which flows throughout the entirety of the unique body of work that 80-year-old Jannik Hastrup has spent the last 60 years molding. A body of work that renders him the grande, most important, and most productive figure in Danish animation ever. He stands with the outcast, the weak and quiet existences in life, and to put it very simply, all of his many films, of which most are targeted at children - from Circleen (Cirkeline, ed.) and *Benny’s Bathtub* (1971) to *Samson and Sally* (1984), *War of the Birds* (1990), and *A Tale of Two Mozzies* (2007) - revolve around the same message: be kind to others. The indignation is alive and kicking, I realize when we are sitting across from each other in his lovely house in Copenhagen to talk about his life and career. “It keeps bothering me about the women and children in Syria. How the hell can it take this long to bring them home? The indignation of the way we treat, what we call the third world, the developing countries,” he says. *– This indignation has been a driving force …* “Yes, and it still is. And it is not unlikely that a few more Circleen shorts will see the light of day.” In reality, Jannik Hastrup is retired, but, as he says: “For 60 years I have moved cardboard pieces around. I don’t know what it’s like not to work. I am fortunate to have my garden where I can spend a lot of time, but the long winters puts a limit to it. For my entire life, getting up and going to work has been a holding point.” ![jannik_hastrup1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/jannik_hastrup1.jpg) ## **Animator by accident** Jannik Hastrup never set out to become an animator. Rather, it was something that he ‘sidled up to’, as he likes to phrase it. At one point in his life, when he was young, he wanted to be an architect, but he also played jazz music, the trumpet, and he had a fascination with cartoons. The latter sealed his destiny, not least because of how successful he was with the medium. He taught himself how to draw cartoons, with the help of old Disney collecting albums published by the popular coffee substitute company Rich’s. On the last page of these albums, there was an insight into the craft of animation. In collaboration with his wife at the time, Hanne Hastrup, who was an illustrator, he made an 8 mm film titled *The History of Jazz*. He showcased the film to producer and cartoon pioneer Bent Barfod in the hopes that Barfod could teach him a few tricks. This led to an apprenticeship with Barfod, which, for Hastrup who already had a family to support, was perfect timing. Around the same time, approximately in 1960, Flemming Quist Møller joined the team, and the two young men quickly grew close, playing music together and making films. Throughout the 1960s, Hastrup and Quist Møller both learned the animation craft by working together on an array of short films and commercials. The projects often paid well and encouraged the artists to produce 10 second long commercials. “He was the designer, I was the animator,” he says about the collaboration with Quist Møller. Hastrup began directing his own cartoon shorts, some funded by Statens Filmcentral, and little by little he was so occupied with work that he had to put the music on hold. By the end of the 1960s, Hanne Hastrup came up with Circleen, Ingolf, and Frederik, the little ivory-haired girl, and her two rodent friends - the trio starred in 19 animated shorts paid and broadcast by DR (the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, ed.) in the years 1967-71\. Early on, Jannik Hastrup and Flemming Quist Møller knew that they would never receive enough funds to do a cartoon the Disney way, especially since it was only broadcast on TV. When they knew what their budget looked like for a certain production, they would do the math backward to make sure they could survive. “It wasn’t a very well-paid gig, so we took it on as a challenge,” Jannik Hastrup says. “Instead of explaining how it would cost 100,000 Danish kroner to produce one minute of a cartoon, we presented this amount as our living costs, and then we had three weeks to make a Circleen film.” He laughs. ![200_101102_0012](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/200_101102_0012.jpg) > Our work vibe was very jazzy and improvised. For the first Circleen films I didn’t even use a storyboard. > > \- Jannik Hastrup ## **Time-saving cutouts** To meet their deadlines, Jannik Hastrup, Hanne Hastrup - who made the backgrounds for the films -, and the rest of the film crew would work around the clock using the stop-motion technique known as cutout animation. They would cut out the characters and move the card around on the background, saving valuable time, since they didn’t have to produce the traditional 12-24 drawings per second. “If the story was good enough, the technique and the appearance were secondary. There is a certain charm and spontaneity to cutout-style animation, a tactility to it. You see that it is cardboard pieces. We never tried to cover that,” Jannik Hastrup says, calling the Circleen movies a *Dogme film* of sorts, where the limitations of the film are turned into its strength. He was right. The films were a success with the young target audience, a success that to this day brings Jannik Hastrup royalties and a success that some 30 years later turned into three feature-length films starring Circleen and her friends. Jannik Hastrup remembers how the script to a Circleen short was no more than five-six pages and consisted mainly of lines. “It barely said what the characters did,” he recalls. “‘Frederik goes out in the garden,’ or ‘they all go outside’. Our work vibe was very jazzy and improvised. For the first Circleen films I didn’t even use a storyboard. We were a studio of five or six people, and the ones animating the film were constantly bent over the table, and you knew not to crack any jokes because it could throw them off.” The deep concentration and discipline was in part the result of economic pressure on the production, and in turn, the animation gig became a very lonesome, all-consuming job. At the same time, it was important that the stories in these films were told at eye level and that they were in solidarity with the children that the films were targeted at - who also voiced the characters. It isn’t so much the indignation as the humanism that is reflected in Circleen. Little Circleen is usually the reasonable and responsible one, while Ingolf and Frederik are the ones causing mischief when the trio embarks on an adventure. “Not that it was something to brag about, but we could recall what it was like to be five years old and have the adults run the show,” Jannik Hastrup says, mentioning the late Mogens Vemmer, the head of DR’s B&U (children and youth department, ed.) at the time. Vemmer, who ordered the Circleen films from Hastrup and his studio, shared Hastrup’s philosophy that his shows should address the target audience very directly. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/bennys-badekar-1971_0001.jpg) Still from "Bennys Badekar" ## Fame and fortune In 1971 Jannik Hastrup and Flemming Quist Møller made *Benny’s Bathtub* \- to this day one of their most cherished and seen films and an entry in the Danish Culture Canon. Originally, Hastrup and Møller wanted to adapt Flemming Quist Møller’s children’s book *Cykelmyggen Egon* (1967), but due to the characters’ thin mosquito features, it was not possible to render them as cutouts. Instead, it would have had to be made more traditionally in cel animation, and this exceeded DR’s budget. And so almost 40 years would pass before the pair finally brought Egon to the screen with *A Tale of Two Mozzies* in 2007. Flemming Quist Møller conceived the story for the 41-minute-long *Benny’s Bathtub* on a trip to Turkey. This was the story of the boy Benny, who lives with his mother in a mundane residential area, and discovers a world full of adventure at the bottom of his bathtub. The film, made in cel animation, is a charming, inventive, and musical tribute to imagination, and it has a slightly rough and draft-like mark because that is how the two directors wanted it. “We wanted to steer clear of the neat, and we wanted you to see that it was painted by hand,” Jannik Hastrup says and continues to talk about how they both thought that the film was going to be their ticket to fame and fortune. That didn’t quite happen, and although the film did well in the cinemas and received rave reviews, it was still difficult for them to raise money for future projects, and the film was Hastrup and Møller’s last collaboration for many years. The financial aspect has always been an important driving force for the director. It was important for him to be able to provide for his family, and at the same time, he - alongside Flemming Quist Møller - had learned a lesson by watching Bent Barfod. The producer also wanted to make the fiction films of his dreams, but he was forced to make commercials to keep ends meeting in his company with a large house, quite a lot of employees, and expensive equipment. “His commercials were of great quality, but he never had a respite after finishing a film, a chance to ask himself, ‘What should we make next?’ the way Flemming and I had. After the feature films and tv series, we were exhausted. Marie Bro, my partner at Dansk Tegnefilm, always made it a priority to ensure that there was enough money to cool down for three months after finishing a project. This way we were never forced to make a commercial for financial reasons,” says Jannik Hastrup, who made it a virtue to stay within budget at all times. At the same time, he was, and remains, a restless man with little patience for the bureaucratic process when applying for funds. When Jannik Hastrup has an idea, he wants to get the wheels turning and realize his vision, not wait for some consultant at Statens Filmcentral or The Danish Film Institute or an editor at DR to assess his project. In the early days, seeking funds was a quick ordeal and you could submit a four-sentence synopsis to successfully apply. The field was not run over by applicants either. But over time, funding and application systems became more bureaucratic and slow. “Sometimes the process would take months, so I would simply start making the films before we even had the funding,” Jannik Hastrup says. “I always did that. And often it was the source of conflict between me and the producer or my partner Marie Bro. Marie preferred everything to be in order beforehand, but from the moment I had an idea, like with *War of the Birds*, I sat down and began drawing.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/2-2-5.jpg) Still from "Cirkeline" ## The US out of Vietnam In the 1970s, Jannik Hastrup was politically involved, and his position was quite leftist but he didn’t choose sides with any political party - he tells with a laugh about the time in the late 1960s where he painted in big, red letters the words ‘USA out of Vietnam’ on his outhouse. His political involvement was reflected in two large and quite controversial cartoon series based on Swedish books: *Historiebogen* (The History Book, ed.), which told the problematic story of Europe’s relation to Africa from the Middle Ages onwards - not least the triangular trade in slaves made a big impact on Jannik Hastrup -, and Sven Wernström’s multi-volume work, *Trællene* (The Thralls, ed.), on slavery in Scandinavia from the year 1000 until 1900. Neither of the two series was shown on Danish television - they were deemed too political and would have caused a stir, not least with the politician Erhard Jakobsen, who liked to go on about the leftist radicals at the Danish Broadcasting Company. *The Thralls* aired on Swedish television, but only after some of the more violent scenes were cut. Both series were made available in Denmark through Statens Filmcentral and were shown at schools nationwide. In the early 1980s, Jannik Hastrup paired up creatively with another politically and socially engaged figure, the children’s book author Bent Haller, and over the following 20 years the two - Haller as a screenwriter - worked together on a wide range of cartoons, which dealt with major important issues such as pollution, war, and racism. The duo’s first film, *Samson and Sally* (1984), was also Jannik Hastrup’s first feature film, followed by *Subway to Paradise* (1987), *War of the Birds* (1990), *The Monkeys and the Secret Weapon* (1995), *HC Andersen and The Long Shadow* (1998), and *The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Bear* (2002), several of them based on books by Haller. “Not least in the years with Bent Haller, I had a desire to get involved,” says Jannik Hastrup, about the entertaining, poetic, dramatic, and political films, which were at the same time more expensive than his earliest productions, and which challenged him artistically and visually to try out new techniques and processes. ## Digitized cutout animation And that brings us back to the indignation and the short Circleen film that Jannik Hastrup plans to make because he cannot help it - and because it is cheap and straightforward. It is another cutout animation, but the figures, which are still hand-drawn and cut out of cardboard, have been digitized so that he can use a computer now to move them around, which also means that he can almost just make the film himself. It was the same technique he has used on the feature film editions of Circleen, the most recent in 2018, and which he and Flemming Quist Møller used on the two Cykelmyggen films they made together in 2007 and 2014. “It is not many days ago that I found out that I might need to make one more Circleen film. About a refugee who comes here, but without using the word ‘refugee’,” he says. The story is inspired by a ten-minute animated documentary, *Ignoranterne*, made by the director a few years ago, in which a boatload of refugees capsizes and they all drown. A lifeless little girl and her teddy bear are washed up on the beach in front of some tourists, who sit under their umbrellas and watch passively. “I try to combine that with Circleen. The little teddy bear is a rabbit, and Ingolf walks by, thinking at first that the rabbit has drowned. Then he pulls her up on the beach and she wakes up but speaks a language that no one understands. Ingolf has to guess what she is saying and he stops her as she wants to go out into the water again. She wants to go out there, to where the child that owns her is. This is the beginning of a story that I do not know if it will turn into anything.” And it is a film where Jannik Hastrup, as so often before in his career, reacts to the world and the things that happen in it, without trying to hide the harsh realities and make happy conclusions, even though he addresses children. > We wanted to steer clear of the neat, and we wanted you to see that it was painted by hand > > \- Jannik Hastup ## Children’s films are important “I firmly believe children’s movies are one of the most important things to make. Good children’s films, mind you, because so much shit is made,” says Jannik Hastrup. He has always admired the abilities and craftsmanship of Disney animators, but he is not necessarily as enthusiastic about the stories they tell - although *Bambi* (David Hand, 1942) made an impact on him when as a boy, which inspired the death of the mother in *Samson and Sally*. “I’ve always said that Disney did to the US what Goebbels did to Germany,” he says with a wry smile. “Of course, that's roughly speaking, and I have enjoyed my fair share of Disney movies, but it is vital to give the kids some good attitudes. Not that I want to indoctrinate anyone, but one has to behave properly. For instance, Circleen, Ingolf, and Frederik do not use swear words at all. One can identify with Circleen because she is never the naughty one. She is wholesome. She is the matchbox that you measure yourself against, both in size and mentally. The two boy mice are the naughty ones. If Circleen made trouble, there would be nothing left. I'm deeply moved every time someone hears my name and says, ‘My goodness, is it you who made Circleen?’ It’s touching when people say the stories and characters were a cornerstone of their childhood.” It is in such moments that Jannik Hastrup is reminded of how much his film has meant to the people who have seen them. And this is something he occasionally needs to be reminded of, not least in a world so full of inequality and injustice, and where he may well get the idea that he would have done more good as a doctor or nurse. “It’s a little poor not to have tried one’s hand at something else at any point in life,” he says, still emphasizing that he is not one to regret. “But when faced with God one day, he will inevitably say, ‘Is that all you have done?’” He laughs. ![KimWendt-1076](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/KimWendt-1076.jpg) **Portrait by* ***Christian Monggaard** **Translated by* ***Başak Yılmaz** **Photos by* ***Kim Wendt** This article was originally published in 2021 and is being republished without any updates. Please note that some information may no longer be current. wam#0052 ### Fredrikstad Animation Festival Makes History URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/fredrikstad-animation-festival-makes-history/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:48.000Z ## Fredrikstad Animation Festival dates back to 1994, and has become one of the leading animation festivals in the region. It boasts a celebrated Nordic-Baltic film competition, a host of important speakers and industry events, and is a European Animation Awards-qualifying festival. This year, Fredrikstad Animation Festival has a rich program that aims to inform and entertain, with discussions and masterclasses, exhibitions and retrospectives, and a celebration of the history and future of animation art. For the first time, Fredrikstad will complement its famous Nordic-Baltic Animation Competition program with a Global Animation Competition program, featuring professional animated films from around the world. ![Olga Pärn 2024](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Olga-Parn-2024.jpg) Priit & Olga ### FAF Features Priit Pärn This year, Estonian animation legend Priit Pärn is the featured guest at FAF. The festival will recognize his accomplishments in the international animation community, and celebrate his work supporting and educating new Nordic-Baltic filmmakers. As the winner of the first ever FAF Grand Prix Award in 1996, it is fitting and poetic that he will be recognized this year with a FAF Lifetime Achievement Award. Priit and his creative partner Olga will be featured in the FAF exhibition *Between Enigma and Magic*, which includes illustrations, concept art, and still frames of some of their most influential films, including *Hotel E* (1992), *Elu ilma Gabriella Ferrita* (2008), *Tuukrid vihmas* (2010), and *Lendurid koduteel* (2014), along with illustrations for the famous children’s book *Gothamites*. The artworks reflect the dark humor and surrealist style that makes their films so distinctive, along with additional insights and commentary on the films, artists, and projects. The festival will also include a live discussion with the Pärns, a film retrospective, a screening of his and Olga’s latest film *Luna Rossa*, and of course recognition at the award ceremony. ### FAF Industry Events Industry events at this year’s FAF include panel discussions with international producers, film financers, and sales agents, as well as portfolio reviews and presentations of works in progress. This year also includes a Visual Music Symposium, where a panel of artists and researchers present the latest explorations into the world of pictures and sound; and a forum for New Nordic Animation, including Kristel Töldsepp from A. Film about cross-border collaboration, and Anne Poulanne from Audiovisual Producers Finland regarding green and sustainable production. Also at FAF this year, Sandra Brunkow Simonsen from Viborg Animation Festival will present the establishing of a new Nordic animation festival collaboration network. FAF, VAF, Blon, and Rex have received funding from the EU’s Creative Europe Program to found a new association in which Nordic-Baltic festivals collaborate, cooperate, and build best practices and a digital platform to streamline processes and simplify the challenges of hosting a festival for both festival organizers and for filmmakers. The new network, currently called the Northern Animation Network (NAN), has ambitious goals to expand the reach and raise the profile of Nordic and Baltic animation festivals, and WeAnimate will be featuring a longer article on this association in the coming weeks. ![4k-luna-rossa](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/4k-luna-rossa.jpg) *© Eesti Joonisfilm and Miyu Productions* ### FAF Competition and Screenings Of course, FAF is most famous for its animated film competition. This year’s Nordic-Baltic Competition includes 16 films ranging from experimental to stop-motion and everything in between, with a focus on impactful storytelling. The new Global Competition includes films from around the world, representing some of the best achievements in international animation from the year. FAF also features a short film Panorama, showcasing some of the most interesting and compelling film submissions that were not accepted for this year’s competition. Finally, FAF also has a huge number of social and interactive events for animation lovers, including a fantastic closing party with DJ Kanga. **Fredrikstad Animation Festival may be turning 30, but the future has never been brighter for this festival, with a program that is more ambitious and exciting than ever. See you there!** ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Images courtesy of Frederikstad Film Festival** wam#0051 ### A Celebration of Story: Odense Film Festival’s Animation Program URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/a-celebration-of-story-odense-film-festivals-animation-program/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:49.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/header02.png) ## Odense International Film Festival is the oldest film festival in Denmark, and one of the few Oscar-qualifying short film festivals in the Nordics. It is a European Film Award, Robert Award, and an Academy Award qualifying festival, and the annual pitching competition gives significant prizes for new projects. In other words, it’s kind of a big deal. This year, a record-breaking 4,140 short films were submitted to the festival, and 148 were selected for competition. The competition included short films in the categories of Danish films, international films, documentary films, and, of course, the animation program. The festival also included social and networking events, guest lectures and panels, and cultural experiences like an open-air concert from the Odense Jazz Orchestra. And, once again, ANIS sponsored Animation Day at OFF, with special events that augmented the animation programming and connected the community. As a first-time attendee at OFF, and a person accustomed to animation festivals, the experience of animation in the context of a film festival was unique. The festival is deeply integrated into the culture and community of Odense, and the result is an event that is truly special. ## The Art of the Short Film The Odense Film Festival is specifically dedicated to the art of the short film, to celebrate passion and creativity in filmmaking. It seeks to showcase the adventurous and the unexpected, and to provide an escape from the mundane. As an artistic medium, short films provide fertile ground for experimentation and cross-pollination, allowing filmmakers to try new things and break new ground in a relatively low-risk, low-cost framework. As an educational experience, short films allow students and novices to create an entire film from start to finish, with their hands on every aspect of the process, practicing and perfecting their skills at every step. Finally, as a storyteller, short films allow creators to reach audiences and share experiences in a way that is uniquely impactful. The constraints of running time force writers and directors to distill their message down to its most powerful images and most meaningful ideas, creating vivid impressions and strong emotions in the viewer. Most festivals do not contain both live action and animation under the heading of “short film” and include them in their programming, which makes OFF an unusual experience. Because of the festival’s focus and perspective, it provides an uncommon platform for animation for adults, and for animated techniques and storylines that may be more experimental and challenging. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/FotografMaleneNeltingStemningMandagN9996-1920x0-c-default.jpg) © Malene Nelting ## OFF24 Animation Programming The animation programming consisted of competition screenings and animation-focused discussions and events, most of it compressed into a single “Animation Day”, although it would have been impossible to see all the competition shorts in that one day. **The Animation Competition** This year, OFF’s animation competition consisted of 29 films in 5 screening programs. Some of the films that particularly stood out to me were: ## Freelance Tumblehead’s *Freelance* is another funny and playful film from a studio with an immediately recognizable visual style and impeccable comedic timing. This film highlights the challenges of working for clients, in an absurd and whimsical setting. ![freelance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/freelance.jpg) © Tumblehead ## House Atop the City *House Atop the City* is a beautiful Danish film by Oliver Holm Jarnbye. It’s an atmospheric visualization of moods and emotions, with a gentle pace that matches the sometimes tenuous ways that we connect with each other. ![house-atop](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/house-atop.jpg) © Oliver Holm Jarnbye ## The Family Portrait *The Family Portrait* is a fascinating stop-motion film from Croatian Lea Vidakovic. The film showcases the moments of disruption and intimacy that happen when an extended family suddenly shares close quarters. Although the film is confined to the interior of the house, we have hints of the outside war and chaos that forces these people together, and the slow shots and evocative poses draw incredible emotion from the scenes of the film. ![family-portrait](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/family-portrait.jpg) © Lea Vidakovic ## Kinderfilm I was pleased to see *Kinderfilm* in the OFF program this year, since filmmaker Total Refusal is also the guest artist at VAF. Shot entirely within Grand Theft Auto V, this film is surprisingly evocative and moving, juxtaposing feelings of futility and alienation against the most innocent and playful environments in the game. ![kinderfilm](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/kinderfilm-1.jpg) © Total Refusal ## Nun or Never I admit that *Nun or Never* was my favorite film of the festival. Heta Jäälinoja’s delightful film about a nun experiencing temptation was a winner at Annecy, and is a celebration of animation as an art form. The incredibly appealing use of shape and color, the charm of the story, and the masterful sound design make this film just a pleasure to watch. ![nunornever](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/nunornever.jpg) © Jani Lehto and Miyu Distribution **The winners of the animation competition were:** ## Electra **with the Børge Ring Award** *Electra* is a live-action/animation hybrid film by Academy Award nominee Daria Kascheeva from Czechia. This film won the Best International Short Film at 2023 TIFF, and it’s easy to see why. It is uncanny and sometimes disturbing, but absolutely riveting. The performances by lead actresses Zuzana Částková and Marie Verner are just incredible, and the brilliant design creates unforgettable imagery. ![electra](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/electra.jpg) © Maur Film ## Puddle (Vandpyt) **for the Best Danish Animation award** *Puddle* was the surprise hit of the festival, as first-time Danish filmmaking partners Maria-May Backhaus Brown and Mads Theodor Bonde made a huge impression. This hand-animated 2D film was a labor of love, showcasing the feelings and experiences of children in need of help, with wonderful visual metaphors and a compelling storyline. ![puddle](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/puddle.jpg) © Maria-May Backhaus Brown & Mads Theodor Bonde ## Pitch Me Baby Special call-out to Claudia Munksgaard-Palmqvist, Lana Tankosa Nikolic, and Matilde Digmann for coming in 2nd place in the pitch competition. They won 15,000 DKK to further an animated adaptation of Digmann’s award-winning graphic novel *Pseudo*. ## Animation Discussions and Events Animation programming at OFF also included Animation Eye Candy, a showcase of films from TAW’s Open Workshop, along with a Q&A from director Pernille Kjær about her film *Spring*; Björgvin Gudjonsson from Snilld.ai with a discussion and exploration of how AI and image generation contribute to his creative process while making *The Lava Trolls*; and an exploration and discussion led by the animation team at the National Film School of Denmark on why films like *Gravity*, *Avatar 2*, and Jon Favreau’s *Lion King* are classified as “live action” rather than animation. This topic is especially relevant at a festival like OFF, where both types of films are included in the programming, and where *Electra* won best animated film. ANIS also sponsored a wonderful dinner at Odense’s Eydes Gastro Pub, where animation filmmakers, professionals, and festival staff could mingle and break bread together. Hosted by Sara Koppel, the dinner was a great chance for the animation community at OFF to get to know each other better and share a very special evening. ## OFF24 Thoughts and Impressions On a personal note, I found the animation screenings at OFF24 especially intense. The films overwhelmingly dealt with very dark and heavy subject matter, and watching them back-to-back created some very intense emotions that were hard to shake off. I speculated about what the source of all this intensity might be: could it be that it’s been a hard couple of years, and animators are working through some things? Could it be that the festival itself leans toward programming that is more intense and striking, creating a preference for this type of film? Could it be that when a festival specifically programs for adult audiences, only certain types of animated films are entered at all? It was also very interesting to watch the Q&A sessions with animated filmmakers and audiences who don’t know animation. It reminded me afresh that most people don’t really understand what an armature is, or what it means to draw frame-by-frame. Because the viewers don’t really know and can’t appreciate technique and skill, they are reacting purely to the story and the visuals, sharing what the film made them feel. Finally, I loved how absolutely engaged the city and local community were with the festival. Everywhere I went, people reacted to my badge and asked me how I liked the festival, there were about a thousand volunteers everywhere who were delightful and eager to help, and events were well attended by locals and visitors alike. It was lovely to see such a sense of pride and ownership of the festival by the people who live in Odense. ## Odense Film Festival for Animation Lovers Every festival has its own point of view, which creates a unique program every year. While certain films dominate every year’s festival circuit and can be seen everywhere from Cannes to SXSW, each festival also succeeds in curating a program designed to reflect its artistic direction and speaks to its audience. It’s impossible to thoroughly understand a festival’s creative perspective based on one year’s programming, but my impression is that OFF seeks to curate a complex, highly artistic, and thus occasionally challenging program -- to bring to this little corner of Denmark the most interesting, creative, and important films of the year. This presents an amazing opportunity for both animation audiences and filmmakers alike. It can be difficult for animators creating short films for adults, that deal with difficult subject matter or present challenging stories, to find a platform. At OFF, these types of animated films can be honored and celebrated, although audiences are less likely to directly understand or appreciate the animation skills or techniques involved. As a celebration of the art of short film, animation lovers at OFF can watch both types of programming and note the features that apply to both live action and animated films. Story development and pacing, shot selection and editing, visual and sound design, are all features of a great film made in any media, and a great animated short can as easily be inspired by the work of Quentin Tarantino as Børge Ring. The magic of a hybrid festival like this is that it brings together filmmakers and professionals who otherwise may not connect, and the magic of OFF is that it integrates the local community of Odense with the festival, the filmmakers, and the industry in a celebration of short film of all kinds. It’s a fantastic festival for animation and live action film lovers alike. ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** More about ### Odense Film Festival [Read more](https://filmfestival.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0050 ### The Danish Delegation to Cartoon Forum URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/the-danish-delegation-to-cartoon-forumaaa/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:49.000Z ## It’s time once again for Cartoon Forum, the annual event where animated TV projects are pitched to an audience of buyers. Every year, European broadcasters, distributors, media investors, and various co-producers attend, in order to find the next generation of animated television shows. To date, Cartoon Forum has connected 997 animated television projects with financing, amounting to over 3.6 billion euros. ![LOGO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/LOGO.jpg) ### **Danish Projects at 2024 Cartoon Forum** Every year Danish animation producers assemble at Cartoon Forum to showcase their new projects and connect with supporters and production partners. Appearing this year are the new shows: ![KITTY](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/KITTY.jpg) ## Kitty Poo **Produced by A. Film** **Directed by Karsten Kiilerich** *Kitty Poo* is based on the hugely successful comic series *Møgmis*, published internationally as *Shitty Kitty*, by Danish author Sophie Souid. Kitty Poo follows the adventures of a domestic cat who is tired of being a scapegoat, and decides to go to war with its owner. Assembling a rag-tag group of neighborhood animals, including a dog, a competitive snail, and a dead mouse, the team seek revenge against the humans who have taken them for granted for so long. The animated series will keep the same distinctive visual style as the comic, illustrated by Thomas Hjorthaab, and is aimed at children between 6-9 years of age. **Scheduled for pitching on Tuesday September 17th 12.15 in the Blue Room** [Info](https://www.cartoon-media.eu/forum/projects/discover-the-projects/project-cartoonforumprojectsubmissionform-127077-444070?ref=weanimate.dk) ![STEEL-HEARTS](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/STEEL-HEARTS.jpg) ## Steel Hearts **Produced by EyeCandyFilm, along with Croatian Poster and Slovenian Invida** **Directed by Stefan Fjeldmark** *Steel Hearts* is an adaptation of the award-winning *Den Rustne Ver­den*, by Adam O. In this post-apocalyptic series, four kids from the safe haven of Greenland in 2075 undertake an adventure into the wild jungle of future Denmark. The story balances energy and positivity with the realities of climate change and social justice, and takes place in a fascinating world of ecological wilderness and futuristic technology. The show is written by Pernille Bøn­løkke Toustrup, herself an accomplished author, and is aimed at children between 6-9 years of age. **Scheduled for pitching on Wednesday September 19th 12.30 in the Purple Room** [Info](https://www.cartoon-media.eu/forum/projects/discover-the-projects/project-cartoonforumprojectsubmissionform-437935-442710?ref=weanimate.dk) ![HIPPO](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/HIPPO.jpg) ## The Hippo Kids **Produced by New Creations** **Directed by Pernille Bøn­løkke Toustrup and Mikael Wulff** In The Hippo Kids, three young hippos are surprised when their uncle, a cantankerous ninja, moves into the family household to help look after them. Despite his fascination with old action movies and lack of childcare experience, Uncle Dolph takes his responsibility seriously, and the kids have to adjust to the new dynamic as they have new adventures, and find new ways to learn and connect. This humorous 2D animated show is aimed at kids from 9-11 years of age. **Scheduled for pitching on Wednesday September 18th 15.00 in the Purple Room** [Info](https://www.cartoon-media.eu/forum/projects/discover-the-projects/project-cartoonforumprojectsubmissionform-438187-440703?ref=weanimate.dk) ![PIG&ANDERSON](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/PIGANDERSON.jpg) ## Pig & Andersen **Produced by Fleng Entertainment** *Pig & Andersen* is a new TV series based on the 2022 short film The Swineherd. In this 3D animated show, a pack of playful pigs explore the world of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales, revisiting familiar characters and beloved stories in a whole new way. In 2023, *Pig & Andersen* was selected from over 70 projects to be part of a unique pilot program in which 15 public broadcasters representing the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have joined together to support the development of an animated project. This pilot program showcases the benefits of collective financing and the broadcasters’ commitment to using animation to engage with young audiences. **The EBU projects from 2023 will present their latest development on Thursday from 14.45 - 15.30 in the Blue Room.** [Info](https://www.cartoon-media.eu/forum/archives/cartoon-forum-2023/projects-2023/project-cartoon-forum-project-submission-form-300314-312138%20https://www.cartoon-media.eu/forum/programme/ebu-co-development-initiative?ref=weanimate.dk) ## WeAnimate wishes good luck and success to all the projects pitched at this year’s Cartoon Forum, and we look forward to seeing these projects on our screens in the coming years. ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** wam#0049 ### VAF Guest Artist: Total Refusal URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/vaf-guest-artist/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:49.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/kinderfilm2.jpg) VAF Guest Artist ## Total Refusal Changes the Narrative of Mainstream Games ## This year’s VAF guest artist is the Austrian art collective Total Refusal. Total Refusal upcycles video games into an art medium, using them as a lens to analyze underlying assumptions about how we live and work. Founded in 2018, their work includes short films, installations, and real-time in-game performances. ![Total-refusal](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Total-refusal-1.jpg) Total Refusal’s projects have been recognized with numerous prizes, including the European Film Award, the Diagonale Film Award for the Best Short Documentary, the Contemporary Visual Arts Award of Styria Province, and the Vimeo Staff Pick Award. To date, their work has been screened at more than 250 film festivals, including the 2020 Berlinale, Doc Fortnight at MOMA New York, and IDFA Amsterdam. They have also appeared at a number of exhibition spaces like the Architecture Biennial Venice 2021, the HEK Basel, and the Ars Electronica Linz. For a festival like VAF and [its simulataneous conferences](https://weanimate.dk/articles/conferences-at-vaf/?ref=weanimate.dk), which incorporate art and animation, games and immersive technologies, and cultural and critical analysis of the industry, Total Refusal is a perfect match. According to their website, “Total Refusal is a pseudo-marxist media guerilla focused on the artistic intervention and appropriation of mainstream video games. We upcycle video games in order to reveal the political apparatus beyond the glossy and hyperreal textures of this media.” Video games reflect and amplify unspoken assumptions about society, culture, and capitalism, and thus serve as a perfect tool with which to analyze those assumptions. We spoke with Total Refusal founding member Michael Stumpf, who says: > **Total Refusal:** *Video games are really the holy temple of a meritocracy. The meritocratic pipe dream of capitalism, which is never really fulfilled for most people, is upheld and perpetuated in games. If you really want to stir up a shitstorm in the industry, all you have to do is implement pay-to-win mechanics, which allows players to use money to circumvent hard work. It generates a ton of outrage and negative headlines, because people want to believe in the meritocracy of games.* > > *In these games, you have a whole world that is entirely made for you to succeed in, but you have to succeed through the process of starting small and growing to dominate a world that is just waiting for you. The game gives you exactly the tools you need, and the instructions, and the rule set where you can be successful. You have the promise that you can and will succeed if you just employ the tools the right way. Even when grinding, you can feel some sense of relevance of this work, that it’s getting you somewhere and has a payoff, even if the rewards are just within the digital reality of the game. However, these underlying assumptions about the rewards of grinding within a game connect in interesting ways with the experiences of the modern worker, who engages in work that is equally repetitive and lacks meaningful rewards.* ![Operation-Jane-Walk](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Operation-Jane-Walk.jpg) The work of the collective includes notable projects like *Operation Jane Walk* (2018), an interactive performance in which *Tom Clancy’s: The Division* multiplayer shooter is appropriated as the environment for a walking tour of post-apocalyptic Midtown Manhattan. The *Operation Jane Walk* documentary-style short film was nominated for several awards, and won the 2018 Vienna Short Film Award. In *Kinderfilm*, Total Refusal examines a world in which the presence of children in GTA V is constantly alluded to, and yet children themselves are banished. A related theme appears in the installation *Swings Don't Swing*, in which characters attempt to interact with playground equipment in a shooter game, with absurd results. When asked what type of games the collective works with, Stumpf says: > **Total Refusal:** *We are personally very interested in the indie game scene, and there are a lot of games that do things that are very different from the mainstream sector, but those are games that are only played by a small number of people, so they aren’t suitable platforms for our type of hegemonic critique.* > > > > *Ideology works best when you don’t perceive it as ideology, so we tend to look at things that are considered normal, and analyze that and extract ideology from that. For that reason, we try to stay within the mainstream of the mainstream, because we are performing an analysis of hegemony. That’s why we have so many Ubisoft games and Rockstar games, because these are the games that even non-gamers have heard of, and they represent the absolute mainstream of the medium.* ![Kinderfilm](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Kinderfilm.jpg) What makes you choose a specific game as a subject? > **Total Refusal:** *Well, there are projects where we have played games intensively as gamers, and observed things that amused or bothered us, or struck us with a parallel to some political research we were doing at the time. So naturally we want to do a closer analysis of that particular game.* > > *But there are also projects with the opposite flow: we want to do something on a specific topic, and we have to consider which game might be the right one, where we enter the game already with the mindset of doing something specific in that world. That was the case with our Cooking & Culling (2022) performance, for example, where we wanted to talk about the development from post-war to neo-liberal capitalism, and we wanted to present it in the format of a live show. We are all very familiar with the frameworks of game shows and cooking shows, so they are a good tool for this project. In the early days of postwar instructional cooking shows, the host is basically teaching you how to cook. Then cooking shows transitioned to fostering a celebrity cult of a (typically male) cooking star. You can see how the larger culture has changed by following the transformation of this single format over time. That’s how we had the idea of doing the performance in the format of a cooking show, using a cooking simulator and working within the game.* ![hardly-working-_uplifting-momet-1920x-q80](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/hardly-working-_uplifting-momet-1920x-q80.jpg) Many Total Refusal projects consist of a closer examination of the lives of background characters in games, the underlying assumptions of the game society, and how they reflect capitalist social structures. In the installation and film *Hardly Working* (2022), Total Refusal follows several NPCs in *Red Dead Redemption 2* over entire in-game days, observing the daily lives of these “digital Sisyphus machines”. > **Total Refusal:** *There’s a term: “ambient human presence,” coined by Alan Butler in his project Down and Out in Los Santos, where he acted as a photojournalist inside GTA V. The game represents homelessness and poverty as essential in order to create a credible vision of Los Santos/Los Angeles, and it’s quite striking how the portrayals of homelessness in the game and in his work are so similar to the way these things are portrayed in real life. The game developers have gone to a lot of work to cement these factors as part of normality, even though they have no impact at all on game play.* > > *When I showed our film Hardly Working (2022) to my mom, her initial reaction was that the carpenter’s action was absurd, that it’s not a real portrayal of work, that he’s just repeating the same things over and over again with no end product. And of course that’s the conversation we want to have: how is that different from industrial labor in our society, which doesn’t have an end product because the laborer is not connected to the result of the work? You’re not producing to meet demand; you’re producing to create capital. Many people are in those kinds of jobs, and a huge percentage of people believe that their work doesn’t have any impact or benefit for society.* Despite the seriousness of the subject matter, and the complexity of the analysis, Total Refusal projects also have moments of humor and playfulness. > **Total Refusal:** *You can’t just lecture at someone: you have to connect with them. It’s important to us that we try to reach outside our bubble and access larger audiences, and the humor that can be found in the absurdity of the game world is a great way to do so. Of course we are doing video essays about video games, capitalism, and Marxism, so it’s not like we’re going to air on national TV any time soon, but we still want to make sure our work is accessible to people who may not know much about it, and reach people outside of the gaming community.* This September, VAF attendees, as well as those attending CAGA and Game Expo in Viborg, will have an opportunity to experience a range of work from Total Refusal, including an exhibition, a screening of their short films, and a Total Refusal-curated screening of machinima films. For more information about the guest artist program, and everything else at this year’s VAF, check the program online at: [Visit Viborg Animation Festival](https://www.animationsfestival.dk/vaf-artist/?ref=weanimate.dk) **TotalRefusal** [www.totalrefusal.com](https://totalrefusal.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) [Instagram](http://instagram.com/totalrefusal?ref=weanimate.dk) ### Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** Photo: **Courtesy of Total Refusal** ### wam#0048 ### VAF – This Year’s Highlights and Top Picks URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/vaf-this-years-highlights-and-top-picks/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:49.000Z Viborg Animation Festival: **It’s nearly time again for VAF, and this year features another incredible program of film, culture, and industry events. The few short days of the festival are packed with activities and experiences, so we are sharing our top must-see moments that you won’t want to miss at the biggest animation festival in the Nordics.** ## VAF 2024: Program Overview As always, there are several simultaneous events during the week of VAF, and the program itself breaks down into four different tracks. Here’s a brief overview of how the festival is organized. ## **VAF Track: Kids** VAF Kids invites even the youngest audiences to explore animation, storytelling, and creativity with games, activities, and special screenings. This years highlights include: - Creating your own biodegradable fruit and vegetable trophies with the cabin crew from ‘Det Finurlige Flyselskab’ - Illuminating Tales of the Troll Ella, where fantastic tales of the troll Ella will illuminate the Ellekonebakken ## **VAF Track: Culture** The VAF Culture track brings the whole city of Viborg into a celebration of culture and creativity, showcasing unique exhibitions and experiences. Highlights of this year’s festival include: - Artistic interventions in the city, where students participate in a workshop with renowned artist Frederik Næblerød, creating works that can be experienced around the clock in various locations in Viborg - Imagined islands, an interactive experience of large-scale, generative topographic projections inside the water tower, created by Leon Butler and Mads Vadshold, curated by the PLASTIC Collective. ## VAF Track: Industry The industry track is a program specifically designed for animation and film professionals, as well as businesses, academics, and other people connected to the industry. This track also includes notable ancillary events, like [the CAGA and CAVE conferences, which you can read more about here](https://weanimate.dk/articles/conferences-at-vaf/?ref=weanimate.dk). Highlights of the industry track include: - That’s Pitching 2024, where selected filmmakers pitch concepts for short animated films aimed at an adult audience, and have the opportunity to receive DKK 25,000, sponsored by Danish Film Directors - Animating for the Public, where guest speaker Morten Skov Hansen speaks on securing great content for a Danish audience. ![anidox2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/anidox2.jpg) ## ANIDOX: VR Every year, VAF is host to the ANIDOX: VR exhibition, exploring storytelling at the frontiers of VR and emerging media formats. ## VAF Track: Film Of course the festival features a film track, including premieres and classics, and screenings for this year’s competition. ## What Not to Miss at this Year’s Viborg Animation Festival As usual, the festival promises to be inspiring and dynamic, with events and experiences for people of all ages and interests. Some of the events we particularly recommend are: ![flow](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/flow.jpg) Flow by Gints Zilbalodis @Dream Well/Sacrebleu Productions/Take Five ## Flow VAF proudly presents the exclusive Danish premiere of *Flow*, the latest feature from Latvian Gints Zibalodis. *Flow* has been called “one of the most groundbreaking animated films about nature since *Bambi*”, and was enormously successful at Annecy, winning the Gan Foundation Award for Distribution, as well as both the Audience and Jury Awards for Best Feature Film. VAF attendees are able to see this special screening in advance of the film’s theatrical release in October. ![totalRefusal](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/totalRefusal.png) ## VAF Guest Artist Screenings VAF guest artist Total Refusal has a number of special events, including a screening of the collective’s films, and a Total Refusal curated program of machinima short films. Total Refusal will also be presenting a special screening of *Knit’s Island*, a documentary shot entirely in a virtual environment, gently probing the nature of virtual and actual communities. ![Viborg Katedralskole](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Viborg-Katedralskole.jpg) ## Viborg Katedralskole Illuminated This year, VAF continues the annual tradition of animation in urban spaces with a stunning new piece by Michelle & Uri Kranot, illuminating the exterior walls of Viborg Katedralskole in a must-see experience. ## Best Commissioned Short Program While VAF is rightly celebrated as a festival for animation of all kinds, this year’s Best Commissioned Short competition is especially interesting. It features *Høj* by Mikkel Mainz, Dutch animator Dario Van Vree’s noted I*’m Perfectly Fine*, and Stéphane Berla’s latest film, *Á Toi*, among others. **Like always, VAF promises to be full of information, entertainment, and inspiration for lovers of animation, art, and digital media of all types. It’s going to be action-packed, and we’ll see you there!** [Visit Viborg Animation Festival](https://www.animationsfestival.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) ### Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Images courtesy of Viborg Animation Festival** ### wam#0047 ### Conferences at VAF: CAVE and CAGA URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/vaf24-conferences/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:50.000Z **With the exciting screening schedule at VAF this year, a person could fill their days and nights with sheer animation. But VAF has also become a cluster of events with related and overlapping topics and areas of interest.** This year’s Viborg Animation Festival will also be hosting two fascinating industry conferences, with impressive agendas of their own. Let’s look more closely at CAVE and CAGA. ## The CAVE Conference The Creative Arts of Virtual Entertainment conference is an annual event for both students and professionals to celebrate design and creativity in the games industry. Since 2022, the conference has been held in conjunction with VAF’s Game Days, featuring speakers, panel discussions, and demos from industry leaders and innovators. While this year’s CAVE conference program has yet to be finalized, we are excited to spotlight a few of this year’s guests and speakers, including: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/jakub.png) Jakub Knapik ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ISIS.png) Isis Sousa ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/20240610_JOHAN_SPEAKER-1536x861-1.jpg) Johan Oettinger ## CAGA 24 **This year’s Conference of AG Animation will be the 7th annual event taking place in conjunction with VAF. CAGA serves as a platform for scholars, professionals, artists, curators, and enthusiasts to learn, explore, and discuss the latest advances in animation.** CAGA aims to promote interdisciplinary dialogue, highlight cultural significance, examine technological influence, and explore the political and ethical implications of animation, while serving as a platform for networking, collaboration, and further research. This year's theme is “The (R)Evolution of Animation: Current Challenges and Future Directions.” It will explore the rapid evolution of animation, and the ecological, political, ethical, and technological accomplishments of recent years, and challenges that lie ahead. This year's keynote speakers include: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Bonnie.jpg) Bonnie Mitchell ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/UriandMichelle.jpg) Uriel & Michelle Kranot ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/boris.png) Boris Eldagsen ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/henrik.png) Henrik Schønau Fog These conferences present an amazing opportunity for animation audiences and industry professionals to engage with game and entertainment media in new ways, while advancing research, analysis, and expertise of both art and technology. Stay tuned to the [VAF programme](https://www.animationsfestival.dk/da/program/?ref=weanimate.dk#program) as more exciting speakers, events, and discussions are announced. Check out the full programme at [CAGA2024](https://www.animationsfestival.dk/caga24/?ref=weanimate.dk) and [CAVE.](https://caveconference.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) ### Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** ### wam#0084 ### The Epic Saga of the Career of Mikkel Mainz URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/mikkel-mainz/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:50.000Z ## For most people, Mikkel Mainz is the face and force behind Tales of Alethrion, the groundbreaking animated web series. But Mainz is more multi-talented than that project alone. From his work as a creator and director to his work as an entrepreneur and innovator, Mainz has charted his own course through his career in animation. He recently spoke with WeAnimate about his work, his philosophy, and what’s ahead. ![ToA_Poster_Season1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ToA_Poster_Season1.jpg) Mikkel’s first appearance on the international animation scene was with The Reward, a student film that won the 2014 CITIA-Imaginove award at Annecy, and went viral online. Unlike most well-received student films, The Reward went on to form the basis for a crowdfunding campaign that built the studio that continued the project as the popular web series, Tales of Alethrion. **MM:** I started at The Animation Workshop in 2009\. Kenneth \[Ladekjær\] and I were very into 2D animation when everyone was saying that the only work was in 3D, so we decided to just have fun with it while we were in school. While everyone else was working on their 3D animations, we were doing 2D on the side. We probably did about 15 minutes of rough 2D animation just during lunches and breaks. We wanted to do all the things that we like in a movie, cut down to a short film. So we came up with something together, and pitched *The Reward*, which would become the first episode of *Tales of Alethrion*. It was this fantasy action-adventure film with a bromance and everything, in a traditional three-act hollywood structure in eight sequences, without dialogue: just these emotional beats. We pitched it like a theater, with a soundtrack, and we acted it out, and everyone got really excited about it. While we were still in school working on the film, Kenneth and Bo and I agreed to form a studio together and shook hands on it. We said ‘if this thing goes viral, we are going to follow this plan, with crowdfunding and Kickstarter and our own studio’. We had also made a contract with the team, that if it happened everyone would have a position at the studio and be able to continue working. Of course, we also had alternate plans in case it didn’t work out: we were thinking about animated documentaries, and talking with producers and so forth, just in case. But we were already very clear about what we wanted to do after school, and already had plans for Sun Creature. In the years before our film, *The Saga of Biorn* and *Backwater Gospel* and some other Animation Workshop films had become pretty successful, so I think people were already paying attention to the films being made there. But when our film came out and went viral - it totally exceeded our expectations. So we then spent 3 weeks making a Kickstarter campaign. When we started we only had 800 followers, and we were still just setting up the studio and working on a development package for the show. We decided to run the campaign as if we were fans and not creators, so we were just playing with everything. The whole Kickstarter was like a treasure map, where the journey was laid out and backers could see how the money would be spent as the characters moved over the map, and there would be obstacles or boosts on the map depending on the funding. Every day we drew a little comic as the characters advanced through the funding adventure, and people would come back and check in every day to see how the journey was advancing. We would also sit and draw live, while telling the story, and then interact with people in the chat. **Visuals from the earlier kickstarters** ![007_Map](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/007_Map.jpg) **The process of making a webisode is visualized like a map* ![adventuresOntheMap](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/adventuresOntheMap.jpg) ![IMG_3405](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_3405.jpg) We were kind of role-playing the story while drawing it. We went on Reddit and did AMAs \[a popular feature where people ask and answer questions in real-time\]. We had all these events and communication, we had lots of fun, we didn’t sleep at all. Mikkel and Tales of Alethrion would go on to have a series of successful Kickstarter campaigns, driving further production of the series and developing a companion board game. It’s an unusual success, and an unusual choice: most European animators don’t use the crowdfunding model as extensively, and don’t pursue the types of skills and strategies that monetize projects online. Of course, most animators don’t continue to work on their student film projects for years into their professional careers. But Mikkel is not a typical animator. **MM:** If you want to make a living off of making animation and telling stories, you have to have some sense of business, because if you don’t, then you won’t be able to keep your team. You have to be able to carve your own doors, rather than just look for the ones that are open. Even if you’re working with great producers, you have to have some of that skill yourself. I mean, I like the festivals and everything. I just don’t want to base my whole artistic journey on being judged by those narrow standards. I don’t want to be waiting, and be dependent, on that process. The way things are now, you can’t stick too closely to doing things only in one way. Kickstarter is definitely not the only way, and it has to be mixed with lots of other things in order for it to make sense financially. We asked New Danish Screen for funding and they said the project was too crazy, and we didn’t have an experienced producer and writer and they wanted us to work with different people rather than our team. So we asked what would happen if we came back with some of the funding ourselves, and they said they were open to that, so we got all the crowdfunding and then they supported us. > My whole career I’ve basically been making a promise that I have to keep. I have made a pact with the audience, with the community, where I committed to bringing them these stories. Even as other people who have worked on Tales of Alethrion have moved on to other things, I have felt the depth of that promise, and that puts a certain weight on my work. > > – Mikkel Mainz ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ToA_Kickstarter_Mikkel1.jpg) I think I’m still going to be making *Tales of Alethrion* for decades. It’s almost like a diary for me, because I can see how the stories reflect what was going on in my life and how I felt at that point. You need to have a passion and love for a project like this, and it becomes who you and your teammates are during that period. Because you are engaging really closely with the people around you, you shape it together based on what’s happening inside you. > The only story you can tell is the story in your heart. > > – Mikkel Mainz The cool thing about this show is it’s not like a sitcom, where the framework is that we have two characters and in each episode they have to go through 1 monster and 30 jokes and resolve everything at the end. *Tales of Alethrion* is more like a mini version of *Game of Thrones*, where we can follow different characters’ stories through different settings. Each has its own story, and all the other characters become background characters in that particular short film. We also have the flexibility to tell different stories in the comic, or in the main series, or in a side storyline. So it makes it possible to tell a story about a breakup, or about friendship; we can have different characters go through those experiences and have that journey. The good guys become the bad guys when seen from different perspectives, so there’s not really good and evil - just lots of points of view. This allows me to work with lots of different themes and emotions, and it also makes the characters much more rich because you can see them from different angles instead of just playing one role. It also makes it fun for me as a creator, because I want to continue to discover and put in new characters and make it like a real world in which people love and hate. Even though I am often the face of *Tales of Alethrion* and the campaigns and the project, I couldn’t do it without my team. I am so grateful for the support and help of our community, but also for my team, because I need people who get hyped with me. Their enthusiasm is energizing. > Despite the priority and importance of Tales of Alethrion, Mikkel has also completed a wide range of other animation projects, through Sun Creature and his own studio, working in a variety of roles. These other projects continue to challenge and inspire him. > > – Mikkel Mainz **MM:** Over the years, I have also done all kinds of projects under Skjald, my own studio. I felt like it was time to do something bigger, so I was excited for the opportunity to direct *Høj* with Copenhagen Bombay. Along with my core team and a number of new people, we started on the new show and it was so great. It was just a little creative island where we could dig down into Nordic mythology and fantasy and epicness and fun. When Copenhagen Bombay was unable to complete the project, I really wanted to save it. I had already been talking with Edith \[Marie Nielsen\], a producer with a company called Freeborn, so we decided to combine our companies and create Skjaldborn. Then we worked with DR to find a way to complete *Høj*. At the end of all that, we had a very short time to finish some episodes that DR could actually broadcast - every week we were delivering episodes while they were airing, JUST at the deadline. When I am 70 years old and looking back, that period of time is probably going to be one of the things I am most proud of, because we did all the right things at the right time with the right people. It was just a combined, awesome, fairy train on a rainbow riding out of the town on fire… it was just crazy. ![Hoj_Poster_OldLogo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Hoj_Poster_OldLogo.jpg) **© DR* I am actually glad that I was so naive back in the beginning, and believed that things would work out if you just do them. It’s a waste of time to think too much about everything that isn’t happening or isn’t working out. In the industry there are periods where you are being swept up by the wave, and then other times when it’s more difficult, so it’s important to be aware and to appreciate the times when we are on a roll and things are going well. And I am also trying to prepare as much as possible for the times when our house of cards gets a little wind. I will always be thinking about what’s next and wanting to begin something else. So this summer we are finishing up the *Høj* series - the first 13 episodes have aired, and the next 13 air in the fall. I am so grateful to DR for that. And then we are also working on more projects as Skjaldborn, where we are doing some shows and some visual effects and developing new things. I have several features in various stages of development: *Gone Badminton*, *Spirit Seeker*, and *Floating World*. We also just finished another *Tales of Alethrion* Kickstarter, so we are doing 2 new episodes and a new intro for the next chapter. The treasure chest has been opened, so now it’s a new vibe and a new phase in the world, and I’m really excited about it. I really want to reach out to some streaming platforms and see if we can find new opportunities. We’ve done so much already, and we’re at a really interesting place right now: I want to see what more we can do with it. Every time we have a triumph or a big reward, it’s not that things are over; it’s just another stage in the journey. ![GoneBadmintonPoster](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/GoneBadmintonPoster.jpg) ## Find more about Mikkel Mainz on [Skjaldborn](https://www.skjaldcreative.com/index.html?ref=weanimate.dk) [Kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/talesofalethrion/tales-of-alethrion-season-3?ref=weanimate.dk) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikkel-mainz-67884648/?ref=weanimate.dk) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mikkelmainz/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Courtesy of Skjaldborn** wam#0046 ### Plastic Member Profile: Martina Scarpelli URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-martina-scarpelli/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:51.000Z ## Martina Scarpelli graduated with a degree in animation from the Academy of Brera in Milan before getting her BFA at the Experimental Cinematography Center. She participated in ANIDOX and the Open Workshop at The Animation Workshop, where she connected with other founding members of the Plastic Collective. Her short film *Egg* was awarded Best First Film at Annecy, among other awards. She has recently become involved in producing, and produced Pernille Kjaer’s *Spring*. ![MS_plastic2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MS_plastic2.jpg) Martina is currently involved in a range of projects, including feature length animated opera and a short VR opera (co-written with Plastic member Amalie Olesen), an animated documentary feature, and helping with Plastic administration and initiatives. She says: > One of the benefits of the collective is that I can see people around me doing all these different projects using different processes and technologies. I can learn a little more about those types of projects and processes just by being around them; things become a bit easier and more accessible because I am constantly exposed to different skillsets. I am learning more about games and interactive work, and it was easier for me to imagine being a producer because of this exposure. Scarpelli is also working as a creative director with fellow Plastic board member Lars Hemmingsen as technical director and producer Sia Søndergaard on a massive project for the Viborg Museum. When asked what is so special about Viborg, she says: > Although Viborg is a small town, there are so many opportunities here. There is a constant flow of interesting international people, the city is investing in culture and wants to create opportunities, there is a museum that wants to use animation… We want a thriving digital art community, and we want Animation Workshop graduates and community members to stay in Viborg, and Plastic should be a reason to stay. I want to see more digital art for adults, and by living here and working with Plastic, I feel like I can help make the art I want to see. I feel like I am part of the cultural forefront, part of creating the new material that I want to experience in the world. I really feel like I am at the center of what’s happening. Look for Martina on large and small screens near you, at the 2025 opening of the Viborg Museum, or at the next Plastic Collective event, where her passion and enthusiasm are contagious. ### More about Martina [**www.martinascarpelli.com**](https://martinascarpelli.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) [Instagram](http://instagram.com/martina%5Fscarpelli%5F?ref=weanimate.dk) · [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/martina-scarpelli/?ref=weanimate.dk) · [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com/martinascarpelli?ref=weanimate.dk) ### ### Plastic Collective [**www.plasticcollective.dk**](https://plasticcollective.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** wam#0044 --- ## Check all the Plastic Collective articles [Plastic Member Profile: Lana Tankosa NikolicLana Tankosa Nikolic Resident/Chairperson Producer Lana worked as an education coordinator at The Animation Workshop before starting her own production and distribution company, Late Love Production, in 2016\. She is noted for producing The Hangman at Home/We Are at Home, Egg, and Orgiastic Hyper-Plastic. Lana is also![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-c933adfa-b013-45c8-a543-fc1150445a8b.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/LANA-HEADER-2791270a-8ff8-43c5-92d2-25c0fb0fa47b.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-lana-tankosa-nikolic/) [Plastic Member Profile: Pernille KjaerPernille Kjaer Associate Member Director, Artist, Animator After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Århus, Pernille graduated from The Animation Workshop with a degree in character animation in 2015\. She has completed the student film Tiger, and several subsequent works including Amoeba, Terra Incognita, and her latest film![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-4bb53e7d-5489-4bd1-b97c-98037520aaa1.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/Plastic_Pernille4-3302abf6-2892-4b41-a05c-a11682c8a769.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-pernille-kjaer/) [Meet Plastic – The legendary annual party at VAFThe legendary annual party that takes place during Viborg Animation Festival. The Plastic Collective is arguably best known for the legendary annual party that takes place during Viborg Animation Festival. The Plastic headquarters reflects the playful, quirky nature of the organization, making it an almost irresistible destination after a day![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-e198b2c9-69fc-4fc8-a014-717e1d2e3ede.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/MeetPlastic_nyHeader-89305d7b-2f9b-4bed-bb0b-a7dcf9887c92.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/meet-plastic/) ### Plastic Member Profile: Lana Tankosa Nikolic URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-lana-tankosa-nikolic/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:51.000Z ## Lana worked as an education coordinator at The Animation Workshop before starting her own production and distribution company, Late Love Production, in 2016\. She is noted for producing *The Hangman at Home/We Are at Home*, *Egg*, and *Orgiastic Hyper-Plastic*. Lana is also the co-founder and producer of White Hole Theater, and a founding member and Chairperson of Plastic Collective. ![IMG_8235](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_8235.jpg) Spending her time as an organizer, leader, and facilitator of animation, theater, VR, exhibitions, and events is what drives Lana. She says: > I am good at facilitating the work of others, and it’s very gratifying. When I fall in love with an artist or a project, I want to do whatever I can to make it happen. I will make coffee, if it’s helpful in some way. When I see something in its early stages that speaks to me, and I know it needs a major push of labor before it can become something seen and shared in the world… then I am all in. I am there as a kind of midwife to help push out the babies, and that’s so important to me. Membership in Plastic Collective, and access to funding designated for arts organizations, has created new opportunities for new types of projects. Lana is focused on short film distribution, because short animation for adults currently lacks substantial distribution methods, and means that a lot of films, once completed, are seldom seen outside of a single festival season. She says: > Distribution is vital in a project’s life-cycle, and it’s incomplete without it. Through the Plastic Collective, I am working on a new project “The Cinematic Bliss” that showcases short animated films in art galleries and museums. In collaboration with Viborg Animation Festival, we are working with a handful of museums where we can curate programs and exhibitions that involve short animated films. We are focused primarily on Danish films, but may curate different programs for the different institutions. This is just a 2-year pilot program: we are trying to test this as a potential distribution method for animated films in Denmark. I am very excited about it. I have been trying to find new distribution methods for years, and it takes time and is frustrating. I am hoping that this will eventually become something that is available to every producer, opening new doors that can be part of their distribution plans, and ultimately help them get funding for their projects. In addition to the animated films Late Love currently has in production, the next performance at White Hole Theater, and her work in distribution, Lana also manages and helps organize Plastic Collective events, programs, and initiatives, supporting the procreation of ever more projects. ### More about Lana [**www.lateloveproduction.com**](https://www.lateloveproduction.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lana-tankosa-nikolic-11101025/?original%5Freferer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=dk&ref=weanimate.dk) ### ### Plastic Collective [**www.plasticcollective.dk**](https://plasticcollective.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** wam#0043 --- ## Check all the Plastic Collective articles [Plastic Member Profile: Martina ScarpelliMartina Scarpelli Resident/Vice Chairperson Director, animator, producer, artist Martina Scarpelli graduated with a degree in animation from the Academy of Brera in Milan before getting her BFA at the Experimental Cinematography Center. She participated in ANIDOX and the Open Workshop at The Animation Workshop, where she connected with other![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-60484150-1702-4b99-8014-3507091c817e.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/Martina_Header-8889b2a3-a78e-4fd9-9d31-d16c0b960224.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-martina-scarpelli/) [Plastic Member Profile: Pernille KjaerPernille Kjaer Associate Member Director, Artist, Animator After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Århus, Pernille graduated from The Animation Workshop with a degree in character animation in 2015\. She has completed the student film Tiger, and several subsequent works including Amoeba, Terra Incognita, and her latest film![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-4bb53e7d-5489-4bd1-b97c-98037520aaa1.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/Plastic_Pernille4-3302abf6-2892-4b41-a05c-a11682c8a769.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-pernille-kjaer/) [Meet Plastic – The legendary annual party at VAFThe legendary annual party that takes place during Viborg Animation Festival. The Plastic Collective is arguably best known for the legendary annual party that takes place during Viborg Animation Festival. The Plastic headquarters reflects the playful, quirky nature of the organization, making it an almost irresistible destination after a day![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-24d61df2-9388-4680-ba9b-e891222a38b8.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/MeetPlastic_nyHeader-0a158c6a-7e68-42e5-b3c6-3126cdd4b282.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/meet-plastic/) ### Plastic Member Profile: Pernille Kjaer URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-pernille-kjaer/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:51.000Z ## After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Århus, Pernille graduated from The Animation Workshop with a degree in character animation in 2015\. She has completed the student film *Tiger*, and several subsequent works including *Amoeba*, *Terra Incognita*, and her latest film *Spring*. ![medium_001-(1)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/medium_001-1.jpg) Pernille was attracted to joining the Plastic Collective based on the strong working relationships developed at TAW, and wanted to continue those collaborations. She says: > Making an animated film is a long and complex project, and it’s nearly impossible to do it alone. No one person has all the skills and expertise. When we were at TAW, we were in an environment where it was easy to find someone who could answer a question, help with a task, or work on your project with you, but it’s much harder after you graduate and everyone is on their own. Being a member of Plastic allows you to take advantage of a more diverse range of skillsets to complete bigger projects, so you can operate more like a studio. Working together, we can also share work and job leads, and have opportunities for financing and exposure we wouldn’t have otherwise. Kjaer’s film *Spring* was completed by working with other members of Plastic Collective. In fact, without the collaboration of fellow member Martina Scarpelli, the film wouldn't have happened at all. According to Kjaer: > I was feeling really stressed and, to be honest, I was a little burned out on animation and fundraising and all of it. I bought an old farmhouse up in the North, and I thought I would just live up there where it’s affordable and do my own thing. It was a “death house:” the old couple had died and the house was sold with all their things in it. Living there, I felt like I got to know them and was sharing their house, developing a sort of relationship with them. I became kind of obsessed with drawing this house, and had been sketching various images. When Martina saw my drawings, she said that they would make a great film, and offered to produce it. I said yes, and the rest just followed naturally. This year, *Spring* premiered at Zagreb Animation Festival before screening at Tallinn Black Nights, Odense, and Ottawa International Film Festival, among others. Kjaer credits Scarpelli with inspiring her to make the film. The two are considering making *Spring* into the foundation of a series of films, covering all four seasons. Although she doesn’t work in the building, Pernille remains an active member of the Plastic Collective, and contributes to other Plastic projects and initiatives. ### Follow Pernille [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/pernille%5Fm%5Fa%5Fkjaer/?ref=weanimate.dk) · [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com/user14791319?ref=weanimate.dk) ### Credits ### ### Plastic Collective [**www.plasticcollective.dk**](https://plasticcollective.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** wam#0042 --- ## Check all the Plastic Collective articles [Plastic Member Profile: Lana Tankosa NikolicLana Tankosa Nikolic Resident/Chairperson Producer Lana worked as an education coordinator at The Animation Workshop before starting her own production and distribution company, Late Love Production, in 2016\. She is noted for producing The Hangman at Home/We Are at Home, Egg, and Orgiastic Hyper-Plastic. Lana is also![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-c933adfa-b013-45c8-a543-fc1150445a8b.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/LANA-HEADER-2791270a-8ff8-43c5-92d2-25c0fb0fa47b.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-lana-tankosa-nikolic/) [Plastic Member Profile: Martina ScarpelliMartina Scarpelli Resident/Vice Chairperson Director, animator, producer, artist Martina Scarpelli graduated with a degree in animation from the Academy of Brera in Milan before getting her BFA at the Experimental Cinematography Center. She participated in ANIDOX and the Open Workshop at The Animation Workshop, where she connected with other![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-7110d753-1cad-4a32-9d59-4e75719567ac.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/Martina_Header-45b675e2-df66-41ab-b108-6ca456eb0328.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-martina-scarpelli/) [Meet Plastic – The legendary annual party at VAFThe legendary annual party that takes place during Viborg Animation Festival. The Plastic Collective is arguably best known for the legendary annual party that takes place during Viborg Animation Festival. The Plastic headquarters reflects the playful, quirky nature of the organization, making it an almost irresistible destination after a day![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-24d61df2-9388-4680-ba9b-e891222a38b8.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/MeetPlastic_nyHeader-0a158c6a-7e68-42e5-b3c6-3126cdd4b282.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/meet-plastic/) ### Meet Plastic – The legendary annual party at VAF URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/meet-plastic/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:52.000Z ## The legendary annual party that takes place during Viborg Animation Festival. ## The Plastic Collective is arguably best known for the legendary annual party that takes place during Viborg Animation Festival. The Plastic headquarters reflects the playful, quirky nature of the organization, making it an almost irresistible destination after a day of screenings. This September, when the WeAnimate team dropped by, there was a loving tribute to Paul Bush in one of the small upstairs rooms, and absolutely everyone was there. The party quickly spilled out onto the unseasonably warm street, and had to be corralled when the police arrived. In other words, it was a great party. But what is Plastic Collective? ![Plastic_6](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Plastic_6.jpg) ### What it Is Plastic Collective is a dynamic creative association that has quickly become a fixture in the animation culture of Viborg, with talent and projects that are reverberating throughout the region. The Plastic Collective is a workplace, an arts organization, a funding mechanism, and a resource center where members can work, hang out, collaborate, and create new projects and opportunities. Founded in 2019, the initial idea of the collective was to create a framework for collaboration and sharing skills. The members wanted a structure with more independence and flexibility than a studio, and more opportunities for large scale projects than typical freelance jobs. Today, the collective includes artists, animators, game developers, programmers, producers, and various combinations of other skillsets. The Plastic portfolio is a showcase of these works, produced by members independently, or in collaboration with each other. ![Plastic_Header](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Plastic_Header.jpg) ### How it Works Plastic is a registered collective, with legal and business designation as a cultural association. Designation as a cultural association allows for different types of funding, and makes new and different types of partnerships possible. Each member is a registered business owner, with the skills and resources to work independently, while simultaneously contributing to and benefitting from the collective. When members propose Plastic projects, they are themselves responsible for managing that project, and pay a percentage of the project funding to Plastic as administrative and reporting fees. Plastic has two levels of membership: one for members who will be present and using workspace at the Plastic headquarters in Viborg, and one for members who live and work elsewhere. In addition to the big VAF party, Plastic hosts various social and community events, often including Animation Workshop students and visitors, helping them learn about Plastic and get more involved in the community. ![Plastic_3](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Plastic_3.jpg) ### What’s Next Plastic Collective is partnering with Viborg UNESCO Creative City and The Animation Workshop to develop an artist-in-residency program. While many programs are designed to support young talent, there are fewer resources for adult professionals in the digital arts, so this new program aims to meet that need. The collective will host 3-4 artist residencies in 2024, and has already secured funding and support from TAW and Viborg Kommune. For an organization as flexible, dynamic, and creative as Plastic, these projects are just the beginning. Stay tuned to see what they accomplish next, stop by next year’s party, and visit [http://plasticcollective.dk/](http://plasticcollective.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) for more information about Plastic and how you can get involved. And make sure to attend the Plastic Party as part of Viborg Animation Festival; it’s legendary! ![Plastic_2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Plastic_2.jpg) ### Credits Text: ****Rebekah Villon** ### ### Plastic Collective [**www.plasticcollective.dk**](https://plasticcollective.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) --- ## Check all the Plastic Collective articles [Plastic Member Profile: Lana Tankosa NikolicLana Tankosa Nikolic Resident/Chairperson Producer Lana worked as an education coordinator at The Animation Workshop before starting her own production and distribution company, Late Love Production, in 2016\. She is noted for producing The Hangman at Home/We Are at Home, Egg, and Orgiastic Hyper-Plastic. Lana is also![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-c933adfa-b013-45c8-a543-fc1150445a8b.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/LANA-HEADER-2791270a-8ff8-43c5-92d2-25c0fb0fa47b.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-lana-tankosa-nikolic/) [Plastic Member Profile: Pernille KjaerPernille Kjaer Associate Member Director, Artist, Animator After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Århus, Pernille graduated from The Animation Workshop with a degree in character animation in 2015\. She has completed the student film Tiger, and several subsequent works including Amoeba, Terra Incognita, and her latest film![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-4bb53e7d-5489-4bd1-b97c-98037520aaa1.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/Plastic_Pernille4-3302abf6-2892-4b41-a05c-a11682c8a769.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-pernille-kjaer/) [Plastic Member Profile: Martina ScarpelliMartina Scarpelli graduated with a degree in animation from the Academy of Brera in Milan before getting her BFA at the Experimental Cinematography Center. She participated in ANIDOX and the Open Workshop at The Animation Workshop, where she connected with other founding members of the Plastic Collective. Her short film![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-44495ec7-c2db-4d87-b1f9-ca3c8804f330.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/Martina_Header-a3f5da38-bf65-4873-a7e5-d55607592c6c.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/plastic2025-martina-scarpelli/) wam#0041 ### Lille Tut is the Next Big Thing URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-is-the-next-big-thing/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T07:23:30.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP01_Pingvinaegget_01-scaled-1.jpg) ## The Danish animated series *Lille Tut* premiered on March 22, much to the delight of its audience. The new 26x7 series was created by Maria Mac Dalland, produced by Morten Kaufmann and Toolbox Film, and co-produced and animated at Ja Film. It was supported by the DFI, the West Danish Film Fund, and the Nordic Film & TV Fund. The show is built around the adventures of Lille Tut and her cat Gato, who go on adventures with Nissen, the magical elf who lives in a mouse hole. Traveling in a tiny helicopter made from a walnut, the three explore nature and make new friends along the way. The show has gorgeous design, positive storylines, and fun songs that kids will love. ![EP22_Svampetrylleri_01](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP22_Svampetrylleri_01.jpg) **New Wave of Content for Young Children** *Lille Tut* has been picked up for broadcast by DR, YLE in Finland, RUV in Iceland, NRK in Norway, and SVT in Sweden. Nordic broadcasters are increasingly interested in content for very young audiences. According to Sophie Kjærgaard Dyre, editor for DRs Minisjang and Ramasjang: > For us at DR, it's actually not important how much screen time children have - what matters is what they see. Around half of Danish children under the age of three stream weekly content from DR, spending up to half an hour daily watching our video and TV content. And we know that DR’s content is only part of what the youngest viewers consume. It is therefore important that we create a public service offer that is specifically targeted to them. *Lille Tut* breaks new ground in being aimed at these very young children, under 3 years of age. Creating content for this audience poses unique challenges for animators and filmmakers, because stories must be crafted in a particular way. As Minisjang’s Dyre says: > With the help of experts, we offer programming with a universe, characters, and content that takes the children's development into account. It is very important to look at pace and repetition, so we give time for the youngest audiences to follow the story, and at the same time avoid them being overstimulated. In addition, the soundscape has a great effect on the youngest target group. Therefore at Minisjang we want to move away from high-pitched sounds and instead focus on calm and more analogue sounds. ![EP19_Regnormene_03](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP19_Regnormene_03.jpg) The team behind *Lille Tut* kept these principles in mind at every stage of development, viewing them not only as a challenge, but as an opportunity to explore new avenues of creative expression. The stories and artwork are so compelling that they have led to the publication of several *Lille Tut* books. ![Lille_Tut_keyart_01](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Lille_Tut_keyart_01.jpg) ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Images courtesy of ToolBox Film.** **For more insight on the show, the vision, and the challenges and opportunities of creating this type of content, WeAnimate spoke with some of the team behind *Lille Tut* to learn more.** More about ### Maria Mac Dalland Producer ### Morten Kaufmann Designer ### Edda Hrönn Kristinsdóttir wam#0045 --- ## Other Lille Tut profiles [The Lush Look of Lille Tut with Designer Edda Hrönn KristinsdóttirEdda Kristinsdóttir is the concept artist and art director for Lille Tut. Her distinctive style and use of color and texture create the unique look of the show, and have made a huge contribution to its success. She recently spoke with WeAnimate about her career, her process, and the visual![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-037c043b-f791-43c7-bc1e-20d5d23b2f9e.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/EP09_Jaguaren_01-scaled-1-62000a3c-3c17-4430-aa3f-67d824b0c30c.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-edda-hronn-kristinsdottir/) [Morten Kaufmann on the Challenges and Opportunities of Lille TutMorten Kaufmann is a TV and film producer, perhaps best known for his collaborations with Thomas Vinterberg. On his own and as co-founder of Toolbox Film, he has received numerous awards and accolades. Here’s what he had to say about his work with Maria Mac Dalland and Lille![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-5d1553ee-cdd4-4948-a7f6-f0db6459220f.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/EP08_Soehesten_01-51017e9a-2c29-4e2c-bea3-d801b521fc9b.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-morten-kaufmann/) [Maria Mac Dalland on the Creation and Origins of Lille TutMaria Mac Dalland is an animator, compositor, writer, and director, with an incredibly diverse portfolio. As the creative force behind Lille Tut, she is deeply involved in every part of the process, including writing the books that accompany the show. Here’s what she has to say about the origins![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-36217b95-ae56-4fdf-a8d4-415c682a8b4e.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WA_Forside_Lille-Tut-3eb5cbcd-baf2-4699-a013-abe2c700f332.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-maria-mac-dalland/) ### Maria Mac Dalland on the Creation and Origins of Lille Tut URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-maria-mac-dalland/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T07:25:08.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Lille_Tut_Header.jpg) ## Maria Mac Dalland is an animator, compositor, writer, and director, with an incredibly diverse portfolio. As the creative force behind Lille Tut, she is deeply involved in every part of the process, including writing the books that accompany the show. Here’s what she has to say about the origins and production of Lille Tut. I learned animation from Jannik Hastrup, because at that time there weren’t animation schools. His method was to teach every part of the animation process, so I learned a lot about making animation by hand, from beginning to end. A few years later I went to Nicaragua. I was only 18, and I got a job from the Ministry of Culture to work at their film institute. I proposed that they add animation, and they agreed… Looking back, I still can’t believe that I suggested it and that they actually hired me. I took an old 16mm camera, and for two years I worked with a group of young students making animated films. There was absolutely no equipment or anything, so I had to invent all these different ways of doing things, and we had to make literally everything by ourselves, by hand. We succeeded in making little films for campaigns about health and literacy and things like that, and those years were really important for me. That’s my foundation as an animator and a filmmaker: let’s find a solution. Let’s just take this and that and get it done. I find it exciting to work this way; to invent and to experiment and find solutions, and I am very hands-on during the production process. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP08_Soehesten_01.jpg) The idea for *Lille Tut* came from a few different places. Firstly, I was working on *My Little Dog Maestro*, and DR asked if it would be possible to rework the second season of that show for a much younger audience. I didn’t think it would work for that series, but it got me thinking about creating for smaller children. There was a little pixie character in that show that very young children always responded to and were excited about, and I kept it in mind. Then I remembered that, as a child, I imagined that there was a tiny pixie living in a mousehole under my bed, and that it would make me small and take me on adventures. So there we had the character of the pixie and of the little girl, but she needed a clumsy friend. The Gato character is the one who feels a bit uneasy with new things, but when he eventually tries things they turn out to be good experiences. This is important because this happens to small children every single day. They are experiencing everything in life for the first time, so they need encouragement to be confident. ![EP13_Mosekonen_01-scaled](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP13_Mosekonen_01-scaled-1.jpg) I know Morten Kaufmann from way, way back, when we worked at the same little animation studio in Copenhagen and became good friends. Then he went to film school and started making features, and we didn’t connect for a long time. But when I was making *My Little Dog Maestro*, I wanted a strong relationship with a producer I could really trust and collaborate with. So I called him and he had just recently founded Toolbox Film. They weren’t planning on working on animation, but I think he has a soft spot for it, and agreed to do it. He has been producing and co-writing *Lille Tut*, and I am so happy to be working with him and Toolbox Film on this project. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP26_Morgensang_02.jpg) One of the special things about the show is that it is aimed at the very youngest target group. There is a huge difference in how you communicate with this smallest group of children, from 1-3, than with 4-6 year olds. When I started on the project, I wasn’t really aware of how dramatic the differences were. I mean, I was aware; as a mother and a grandmother I know how special and unique this age group is. But I wasn’t really aware of how important that difference would be as a storyteller and a filmmaker. This target group requires a very different way of telling stories. They cannot necessarily link past events together to form a linear narrative, so every moment is a unique present moment. They also love repetition, because it allows them to recognize and anticipate, and makes them feel smart. It actually creates whole new possibilities as a storyteller, to explore a new way of communicating, which I find very interesting and exciting. ![EP05_Skildpadden_01-scaled](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP05_Skildpadden_01-scaled-1.jpg) We got so lucky with the music. I wanted to be focused on the core of the children, connecting with their centers, and music is how we connect with the body. I knew from the beginning that the music for this show had to be much more than just background music; it had to be part of the storytelling from the very beginning. This was all happening just at the beginning of Corona, and Palle and Sille had just canceled all their shows. So when I called and asked them, they immediately agreed. We had the most beautiful workflow, where I would send them the first draft of the script, then they would make rough musical sketches, then I would put it in a timeline and send it back, and everything would go back and forth until we had nearly final music before even beginning animation. The animators then had this score to work with, and it was very inspiring for them, and I think you can feel how the music and the story go together so deeply. At the premiere the other day there were a lot of children in the theater, and I loved how they couldn’t sit still and just had to move and dance along to the show. It was exactly what I hoped! We were already in the process of making the show when we were approached by the book publisher. They wanted to make a companion book series, and then asked if they could publish the books before the series premiere, as if to suggest that the show is based on the books. The stories are similar, but of course books communicate in a whole different way. There are only four books so far; the publisher is waiting to see how they sell after the show airs. I have more time now to work on them, and would enjoy it, so I hope there are more. My intention is not to educate or include lessons in the series. On the contrary, I think we can learn from children in this age group. Two years old is the most beautiful age. They haven’t yet lost the connection to something that is bigger than themselves. Children that age still have an intuitive connection to feeling like part of nature, and not being disconnected from it. The most important thing we can do is to nurture this, and not to spoil it, and that’s really what we are trying to do in *Lille Tut*: tap into these experiences, and join children in celebrating life and nature. ![WA_Forside_LilleTut](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_Forside_LilleTut.jpg) ## Maria Mac Dalland Where can you find Maria? [macdalland.dk](https://www.macdalland.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariamac/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Images courtesy of ToolBox Film** wam#0037 --- ## Other Lille Tut profiles [Lille Tut is the Next Big ThingThe Danish animated series Lille Tut premiered on March 22, much to the delight of its audience. The new 26x7 series was created by Maria Mac Dalland, produced by Morten Kaufmann and Toolbox Film, and co-produced and animated at Ja Film. It was supported by the DFI, the West![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-4f87a057-956a-4e99-a327-2242863c56d3.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WA_Facebook_LilleTut-51883e8f-4a5a-4529-9c43-d0921c788c0b.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-is-the-next-big-thing/) [The Lush Look of Lille Tut with Designer Edda Hrönn KristinsdóttirEdda Kristinsdóttir is the concept artist and art director for Lille Tut. Her distinctive style and use of color and texture create the unique look of the show, and have made a huge contribution to its success. She recently spoke with WeAnimate about her career, her process, and the visual![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-037c043b-f791-43c7-bc1e-20d5d23b2f9e.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/EP09_Jaguaren_01-scaled-1-62000a3c-3c17-4430-aa3f-67d824b0c30c.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-edda-hronn-kristinsdottir/) [Morten Kaufmann on the Challenges and Opportunities of Lille TutMorten Kaufmann is a TV and film producer, perhaps best known for his collaborations with Thomas Vinterberg. On his own and as co-founder of Toolbox Film, he has received numerous awards and accolades. Here’s what he had to say about his work with Maria Mac Dalland and Lille![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-5d1553ee-cdd4-4948-a7f6-f0db6459220f.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/EP08_Soehesten_01-51017e9a-2c29-4e2c-bea3-d801b521fc9b.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-morten-kaufmann/) [Maria Mac Dalland on the Creation and Origins of Lille TutMaria Mac Dalland is an animator, compositor, writer, and director, with an incredibly diverse portfolio. As the creative force behind Lille Tut, she is deeply involved in every part of the process, including writing the books that accompany the show. Here’s what she has to say about the origins![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-36217b95-ae56-4fdf-a8d4-415c682a8b4e.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WA_Forside_Lille-Tut-3eb5cbcd-baf2-4699-a013-abe2c700f332.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-maria-mac-dalland/) ### The Lush Look of Lille Tut with Designer Edda Hrönn Kristinsdóttir URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-edda-hronn-kristinsdottir/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T07:26:54.000Z ## Edda Kristinsdóttir is the concept artist and art director for *Lille Tut*. Her distinctive style and use of color and texture create the unique look of the show, and have made a huge contribution to its success. She recently spoke with WeAnimate about her career, her process, and the visual approach of Lille Tut: I’ve been in the animation industry since 2006\. I’m from Iceland, and I studied in London and Viborg, and then became a freelance animator. I worked in the industry for many years. But after I had my kids, I felt like I didn’t have the patience for animation any more. I am a slow, perfectionistic animator, so it was always long hours and late nights for me, and I just felt like I couldn’t do it any more. You need to be so organized as an animator, and be patient enough to do it again and again and again, and when I had kids I found that I had to give all of my patience to them. There was no patience left over for the repetition of animation. I had always been interested in doing concept art, and was already doing a bit of freelance designing on the side, so I decided to just focus on that instead. Then I also started working as a flight attendant. I started flying, almost in my 40s, in order to have more freedom and control over my creative work. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP04_Ballonfroen_01-scaled-1.jpg) Normally, as a freelancer, you just say ‘yes yes yes’ and accept all the work you are offered, even if it’s not a good project for you. You can sometimes end up hating what you’re working on. You can get drained by the work you’re doing, because you always have to give the same effort and level of commitment, even if you don’t love the project. Being a flight attendant gave me the freedom to be more selective, and really choose the right projects for me. Where I used to live, my upstairs neighbors were musicians. They were actually Palle and Sille, who made the music for *Lille Tut*. One day we were hanging out and having a chat in the back yard, and they were talking about their new project, and this woman Maria who had a brilliant idea for a show. They described the concept, and I loved it so much, and they were having trouble finding a designer… so of course I said they should talk to me. The next day, I got a phone call from Maria \[Mac Dalland, creator of *Lille Tut*\]. When we met it just clicked. I love Maria, she’s one of my favorite people, and I’m so grateful that I got to meet her. It’s so nice to have someone to look up to, and to have this calm, collected, really cool female figure in the industry. We are almost the same age, but I still want to be like her when I grow up. The final look of *Lille Tut* is really just my own style, the way I draw. Which is exactly what I wanted: I wanted to work on a project that felt like my own. Normally, when you are designing for a client, you hear so many different opinions, and people want all these different things. But Maria and I agreed that I would have a lot of creative freedom on this project: she liked my drawings and she liked my style, and supported my design choices. And of course she had her own vision, because the story is based on her own experiences and her own family, so she wanted the design to reflect that. But other than that, I was just inspired by reading the stories and doing the colors and textures I love. In that sense, she’s such a good person to work with, because she really lets you be yourself. I have always enjoyed making colorful, cute things, although this show is probably the cutest thing I have ever designed. When I draw for myself, I like to add a little humor, or something that appeals to grownups as well, but my basic style is very colorful and cartoony. When you are designing for very young children, you need to keep it very simple and colorful. It doesn’t need to be complex and layered, and children either love it or they don’t. It’s not a very nuanced audience. Also, I had my daughter, who kind of grew up with *Lille Tut*. Now she’s six, so she’s growing out of it, but she’s very proud of *Lille Tut*, and it was nice to have her next to me, giving me insight and feedback as I worked. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/01_Pics4WA-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/02_Pics4WA-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/03_Pics4WA-1.jpg) Design sketches from Lille Tut Of course, being an animator informs my designs. I understand how a character needs to be constructed, and what kinds of visual elements to avoid. Sometimes as an animator you just want to kill the designer - there are too many fluffy things, for example, and sometimes it can just be a nightmare. As a designer, you can start out very loose and conceptual, but eventually you need to kind of tighten everything up. You need to know how everything looks from different angles, you need to figure out how the arms go over the head. I made the turnarounds for *Lille Tut*, but of course Ja Film is also so good at turning designs into animateable characters. They have so much experience and did an amazing job. To make the books, they wanted to reuse shots from the episodes, which were already animated at that time. It was a really weird way to make books, like a collage from animation assets. We would take images from the show, and Maria would put together still images for the books, and sometimes I would go over them and make adjustments, so it was another way of collaborating. When we did the pilot, I did all the art and design myself - I did the backgrounds and everything. Of course, when it was time to make 26 episodes, there just wasn’t time and space to do all of it, even if I wanted to. And backgrounds have never been my strong suit. I can do it, and have done them on different projects, but it isn’t my strength. When we found Sofie \[Louise Dam, background and prop designer\], she was just perfect. In the beginning, I thought I would have to hold her hand more and have more oversight over her work, as an art director. But she’s so good and so talented, after a couple times of commenting on the colors and answering some questions, she just ran with it. There were fewer and fewer comments and eventually she just really made it her own. I had been so scared that it would somehow morph into something I didn’t want it to be, but instead it just became so much better than if I had done it myself. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP21_Raeveungen_01.jpg) My own processes can be a bit chaotic, but over time Sofie and I made a set of guidelines about the colors and textures of the show - it was a slim bible, but we needed it. I tend to just kind of go with the flow in my own work, and that’s one of the things I loved about this project: there was space for me to be just the way that I am. Everyone in this project is just right. This is the first project I have ever worked on where the team is so united. It’s like we were meant to be together somehow. Everything is so easy between us, with no drama. Even under the stress of production, it’s just been effortless for us to work together. Kauf \[Morten Kaufmann, producer\] and Maria are so good at giving everyone room to shine. I am continuing to collaborate with Maria here and there, while we wait to see if we get a second season of *Lille Tut*. I really hope we get another season - I loved this project, and would happily work on it forever. ## Meet the Artist ## Edda Hrönn Kristinsdóttir Where can you find Edda? [www.eddahronn.com](https://www.eddahronn.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/edda-hr%C3%B6nn/?original%5Freferer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=dk&ref=weanimate.dk) · [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/edda%5Fhronn/?ref=weanimate.dk) ## Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Images courtesy of ToolBox Film** wam#0040 --- ## Other Lille Tut profiles [Lille Tut is the Next Big ThingThe Danish animated series Lille Tut premiered on March 22, much to the delight of its audience. The new 26x7 series was created by Maria Mac Dalland, produced by Morten Kaufmann and Toolbox Film, and co-produced and animated at Ja Film. It was supported by the DFI, the West![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-4f87a057-956a-4e99-a327-2242863c56d3.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WA_Facebook_LilleTut-51883e8f-4a5a-4529-9c43-d0921c788c0b.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-is-the-next-big-thing/) [Morten Kaufmann on the Challenges and Opportunities of Lille TutMorten Kaufmann is a TV and film producer, perhaps best known for his collaborations with Thomas Vinterberg. On his own and as co-founder of Toolbox Film, he has received numerous awards and accolades. Here’s what he had to say about his work with Maria Mac Dalland and Lille![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-5d1553ee-cdd4-4948-a7f6-f0db6459220f.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/EP08_Soehesten_01-51017e9a-2c29-4e2c-bea3-d801b521fc9b.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-morten-kaufmann/) [Maria Mac Dalland on the Creation and Origins of Lille TutMaria Mac Dalland is an animator, compositor, writer, and director, with an incredibly diverse portfolio. As the creative force behind Lille Tut, she is deeply involved in every part of the process, including writing the books that accompany the show. Here’s what she has to say about the origins![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-36217b95-ae56-4fdf-a8d4-415c682a8b4e.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WA_Forside_Lille-Tut-3eb5cbcd-baf2-4699-a013-abe2c700f332.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-maria-mac-dalland/) ### Morten Kaufmann on the Challenges and Opportunities of Lille Tut URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-morten-kaufmann/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T07:23:56.000Z ## Morten Kaufmann is a TV and film producer, perhaps best known for his collaborations with Thomas Vinterberg. On his own and as co-founder of Toolbox Film, he has received numerous awards and accolades. Here’s what he had to say about his work with Maria Mac Dalland and Lille Tut. Although Toolbox doesn’t produce a lot of animation, I actually have an animation background. Back in the mid-80s, I was doing some children’s theater, and we had a company based in Copenhagen called Filmforsyningen. We did cartoons and made animated features that performed very well in Denmark, so I have been connected to animation from the very beginning of my career. I first met Maria back in the days of making animation in Filmforsyningen, and we are old pals. Of course I think she is a wonderful human being, and she has the kind of ideas that suit my taste. So when she asked if I wanted to work on an animated project with her, I was happy to help, and we made 10 episodes of a series called *My Little Dog Maestro*. After that, she had the idea for *Lille Tut*, and we found a way to do that too. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP12_Sommerfuglen_01.jpg) When you make a show like this, you have to be very aware of the target group you are talking to: if you lose sight of that, you aren’t talking to anybody. *Lille Tut* is aimed at younger preschoolers, so it’s a bit of new ground to create content for this audience. When you are talking to very young children, you need a very slow tempo, you need to have everything repeated many times, and you need to have almost no conflict. Losing a shoe is enough conflict for an episode, and you need to find that shoe quite quickly. Maria and I are constantly reminding everyone to remain focused on talking directly to our audience, and not talking to anyone else. When we first pitched the project at Cartoon Forum, there wasn’t much interest. Only Finnish broadcaster YLE seemed interested, and everyone else was very quiet. So of course I felt depressed and thought maybe the project wouldn’t work. When I came back I wrote to all the broadcasters that had been present at our pitch, and said that we hadn’t heard from them, and wanted to know what they thought about the project. It was just taking a shot in the dark, because I wanted to make something happen. And everyone came back and said: “Yes of course we should do this - let’s make a deal!” From that moment, it was very easy, actually. ![EP26_Morgensang_01](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP26_Morgensang_01.jpg) I think the Nordics are a little more interested, and a little more daring, when it comes to children’s television. They all seem to be interested in content for younger preschoolers, and see the potential. Maybe the rest of European television isn’t quite there yet. On the other hand, Andrew Fitzpatrrick from Monster Entertainment thinks that more broadcasters are going that direction, and he was very quick to want to be part of it. He was persistent and charming and followed the project closely, so he was a good choice for our sales agent. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP14_Myretuen_03.jpg) We worked with Ja Film on *Maestro*, and that collaboration was just wonderful. They are reliable and creative and fun: they really are the best. Maria wanted to work with them again for *Lille Tut*, and it was just a no-brainer to keep that relationship going. And thanks to working with them, we could also get funding from the West Danish Film Fund. I have worked on some amazing films over the years, and I am very lucky to do it. But I’m actually more of a logistics man than a film guy - I like solving problems, and these types of projects are very suited to what I like and how I work. And working with Maria makes my job easy. She is so talented, and works so hard, that collaborating with her is a pleasure. *Lille Tut* is a wonderful show, and I hope it’s a success so we can all keep working on it together. ![Plakat-Lille-Tut-web](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Plakat-Lille-Tut-web.jpg) ## Where can you find Morten? [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariamac/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: **Images courtesy of ToolBox Film** wam#0039 --- ## Other Lille Tut profiles [Lille Tut is the Next Big ThingThe Danish animated series Lille Tut premiered on March 22, much to the delight of its audience. The new 26x7 series was created by Maria Mac Dalland, produced by Morten Kaufmann and Toolbox Film, and co-produced and animated at Ja Film. It was supported by the DFI, the West![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-4f87a057-956a-4e99-a327-2242863c56d3.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WA_Facebook_LilleTut-51883e8f-4a5a-4529-9c43-d0921c788c0b.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-is-the-next-big-thing/) [The Lush Look of Lille Tut with Designer Edda Hrönn KristinsdóttirEdda Kristinsdóttir is the concept artist and art director for Lille Tut. Her distinctive style and use of color and texture create the unique look of the show, and have made a huge contribution to its success. She recently spoke with WeAnimate about her career, her process, and the visual![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-037c043b-f791-43c7-bc1e-20d5d23b2f9e.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/EP09_Jaguaren_01-scaled-1-62000a3c-3c17-4430-aa3f-67d824b0c30c.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-edda-hronn-kristinsdottir/) [Maria Mac Dalland on the Creation and Origins of Lille TutMaria Mac Dalland is an animator, compositor, writer, and director, with an incredibly diverse portfolio. As the creative force behind Lille Tut, she is deeply involved in every part of the process, including writing the books that accompany the show. Here’s what she has to say about the origins![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/icon/WAM_square-1-36217b95-ae56-4fdf-a8d4-415c682a8b4e.png)WeAnimate MagazineWeAnimate![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/thumbnail/WA_Forside_Lille-Tut-3eb5cbcd-baf2-4699-a013-abe2c700f332.jpg)](https://www.weanimate.dk/lille-tut-maria-mac-dalland/) ### Animation Production Days URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/animation-production-days/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:52.000Z ## The Nordics Make a Strong Showing in Stuttgart ## This week, the 18th annual Animation Production Days event takes place in Stuttgart. Animation Production Days (APD) are a co-production and financing event for German and international animation, created by and taking place alongside Stuttgart Animation Festival and FMX - the Film and Media Exchange. This year, 43 projects were selected from over 90 submissions. Projects are presented at pre-organized one-on-one meetings, where filmmakers meet with potential co-production, financing, and distribution partners. The APD Talent Programme creates special opportunities for eight newcomers to pitch in a professional environment. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Sustainions.jpg) As the most important animation marketplace in Germany, it’s no surprise that German projects are the most represented at APD, with 12 of the total. But the Nordics are well represented at APD, and Denmark alone has 4 projects in the professional marketplace, and 2 in the Talent Programme. **Here’s a quick overview of the Nordic films at Animation Production Days:** ### 5 X Allan (TV series) **New Creations** **Denmark** New Creations’ *5 X Allan* stars chaotic quintuplets Allan, Allan, Allan, Allan, and Allan, substitute teachers of last resort for the local public school. Season 1 of the family comedy premiered in Dec 2023 on DR TV. Directed by Pernille Bønløkke Toustrup and Anders Morgenthaler, the show celebrities creativity and wild imagination. ![5xAllan-02](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/5xAllan-02.jpg) ### Hidden **Islands** (TV series) **OYA Copenhagen** **Denmark** New company OYA Copenhagen is a creative studio, strategy consultancy, and production facility. *Hidden Islands* features 3 friends exploring nature and discovering the magic and mystery of an island landscape. ![HiddenIslands](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/HiddenIslands.jpg) ### Shitty Kitty (TV series) **A. Film Production** **Denmark** The prolific team at A. Film are appearing at APD with a new TV series called Shity Kitty, based on the bestselling graphic novel series by Sophie Souid and Thomas Hjorthaab. ![ShittyKitty](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ShittyKitty.jpg) ### Sustainions (Game and transmedia) **Fuzzy House** **Denmark** Rather than calling themselves a game company, Fuzzy House considers themselves a digital toy company, with calm, open-ended games that inspire creativity and promote early childhood learning and development. Sustainions features a magical, interconnected community, in which the player cares for the universe and themselves. Players can choose to participate in various traditional handcrafts, engage in gentle physical activities and exercises, or play with the engaging shapes and music in this customizable world. This game is still in development, with support from the Danish Film Institute - The Games Scheme. ### Aliens are F\*cking Real (TV series) **Character House Oy** **Finland** The young adult adventure comedy Aliens are F\*cking Real is currently in development at Character House, which has had a string of successes since their founding in 2019\. The project already has funding from the Finnish Film Foundation, Svenska Kulturfonden, and Konstsamfundet. ![Aliens-are-Fcking-Real](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Aliens-are-Fcking-Real-1.jpg) ### Epic Family (TV series) **Animagency** **Finland** Award-winning Animagency was founded in 2013, and develops original IP and co-productions, alongside offering animation services to client productions. They have produced several original series for Finland’s YLE, and are bringing their latest project to APD. ### Minifauna (TV series and transmedia) **Anima Vitae\*Finland** Minifauna is one of the most hotly anticipated Nordic projects this year, from the studio that launched the hugely successful Niko film series. ### Ormhildur and the Christmas Creeps (Feature film) **Compass Films** **Iceland** Iceland’s Compass Films produces animation, features, and documentary films, as well as working as a service studio for international production. Ormhildur and the Christmas Creeps is a 2D animated project based on the myths and legends of Iceland. ### The Legend of Magnus the Good (Feature film) **Kool Production AS** **Norway** Kool Production and writer/producer Frank Mosvold are in development for their next animated feature, The Legend of Magnus the Good. The ambitious film is a co-production with Norway’s Gimpville and Denmark’s A. Film, and features the young viking prince Magnus who time-travels to present-day Norway, and meets three drag queens who show him the meaning of courage. The film has already been picked up for distribution by Scandinavian Film Distribution. ![Magnus_the_Good_RED_FINAL](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Magnus_the_Good_RED_FINAL.jpg) ### The APD Talent Programme also includes: Niels Andersen Dolmar, pitching a new Danish TV series called the Great Trouble with Grandpa, developed during the Open Artist Residency at TAW and the Anomalia Writing Lab with guidance from legend Richard Pursel. Dolmar’s professional experience as an animator, character designer, storyboard artist, and series episode director place him in a great position to lead this project, and it already has support from Eye Candy Films. Junior producer and recent graduate of the National Film School of Denmark Kristian Pugholm and German children’s book author Sarah M. Kempen are also pitching their TV series The Evillest Plan of All. We wish the best of luck to these newcomers, and expect to see them make a big impact on the industry in the future. WeAnimate is excited for all the great projects appearing at Animation Production Days this year, and is proud of the representation and support for Nordic animation. ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** More about ### Animation Production Days [www.animationproductiondays.de](https://www.animationproductiondays.de/?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0038 ### Embroiled in Virtual Reality URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/dooley-murphy-embroiled-in-virtual-reality/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:53.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Billedecredit_Rain_or_Shine_-C2-A9_Google_Inc.jpg) ## Embroiled in Virtual Reality **Dooley Murphy’s Research with Storytelling and Presence in VR Experiences** This article was originally published in 2022 and is being republished without any updates. Please note that some information may no longer be current. ## Storytelling in Virtual Reality stands at a crossroads of many creative disciplines and media. Incorporating elements from theater, cinema, and videogames, VR as a medium remains elusive to define. ## Dooley Murphy is a VR researcher at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and he is currently finishing his PhD thesis, focusing on storytelling and presence in Virtual Reality. Murphy’s work attempts to create a general theory of VR Experiences, by combining theories and concepts from narratology, ludology, cognitive science, emotion science, and presence research. I sat down with Murphy to discuss his research findings, as well as his thoughts about the current state of VR and its future. **WeAnimate Magazine: Where do you stand on VR experiences being either games or movies?** **Dooley Murphy**: It’s unusual not to think of consumer VR as a gaming technology and not a film technology, but I don’t think it pays to limit ourselves to those two sources of inspiration. The essence of the technology has yet to be decided. The label “VR experiences” has affinities to both sides but isn’t making commitments. But there are clearly also imports from theater—immersive and participatory theater. I guess I’m just trying to keep an open mind as to what the label “VR experiences” can or might encompass. **Do you have any particular stance on the common term “VR experience”?** An experience is something that belongs to a person. It’s not an instance of an artwork. Yet that’s how we’re using the word. The real catch-all; the most honest thing to call VR experiences would be “expressive VR”. This would cover both popular and fine art, but it just doesn’t roll off the tongue! There are people like Brenda Laurel and Char Davies who have been making fine art in VR since 1992 and 1995, respectively. Now there are people like Laurie Anderson and Hsien-Chien Huang, a Taiwanese artist, who are producing fine artworks that win prizes at Venice Film Festival and the like. Anyway, I think the label “VR experience” works just fine even though it is technically inaccurate. It captures what the works do. They are playful, but they are not games. They are narrative, but they are not silver screen stories. They express something, and that’s supposed to make you feel something: They are intended experiences. ![piggy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/piggy.jpg) **What are the main takeaways from your research on presence and storytelling in VR?** One of the core tenets of presence theory is this unspoken assumption, this unexamined belief that presence means the participant is not aware that the experience is artificial. “An illusion of non-mediation”. I think that’s misleading because participants are always aware to some degree that the experience is artificial. If we are talking about interactive storytelling, you do not want the participant to concentrate on the fact that there is a developer behind it, that there is an author of this experience, and that they — the designer or developer — want the participant to do something. Because if the participant is trying to guess what the developer wants them to do, they are not going to have a naturalistic experience. If you can make them do what you want them to do without making them think, “Is that what they want me to do?”, then it is going to be a more organic thing. The way I see it, what Janet Murray calls “scripting the interactor” means appealing to concerns that participants have. The most universal self-referential concerns are about protecting oneself, one’s interests. So, as aggressive as it sounds, I think one of the most powerful ways to “script” or direct participants’ attention and behavior in VR is to… in some sense, threaten them. I don’t mean point a gun at them! If you can get them invested in something — “here’s a virtual doggy. Wouldn’t it be sad if something happened to it?” — then you are going to get them acting in a fairly non-reflective way. They won’t go into a self-reflective frame of mind thinking, “Is that what the developer wants me to do?” They will be acting on impulse, and I think this kind of mind-state is more indicative of presence. Presence isn’t being unaware that the experience is synthetic. Rather, it is making sure that the participant isn’t thinking, “Is this what the developer wants me to do?” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Billedecredit_Madrid_Noir_-C2-A9_Atlas_V__NoGhost.jpg) Offer the participant something — something too tempting to pass up, too ridiculous or inviting *not* to do. Say, a big red button that says, “DO NOT PRESS”. In videogames it’s a treasure chest, but then that treasure chest is actually a flesh-eating mimic. That’s fairly specific though since in videogames you have stereotyped goals like collecting treasure. I think there are things you can make VR participants want to do without prototypical game structures like “collect loot”. Valve’s *The Lab*, which was released in 2016 and is comprised of a series of mini-VR Experiences, has a segment with balloons where you have spikes on your hands. Spikes on my hands… Balloons in the air… I’m going to pop them. It’s impossible that I *don’t* pop them! > Once you start thinking, “What does the developer want me to do”, it is far more likely that you will start thinking, “Am I having fun?”Dooley Murphy And then you start to doubt the experience. There are plenty of things that are not fun or pleasurable in the moment, one example being horror films but we watch those because we want to feel scared. But if you’re struggling with a puzzle in a VR storytelling experience, and difficulty isn’t why you signed up for the damn thing, then that can be off-putting and, by extension, presence-breaking. **Being aware of the medium isn’t a problem?** Not in and of itself, no. An analogy: You might notice a sublime edit in, say, Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. The ape throws the bone into the air. Cut. Now it’s a space station. You appreciate that moment and you get aesthetic pleasure from it because it underscores that the film is an artificial thing—not despite that fact. A minute ago, you felt immersed in the ape bit. It doesn’t damage your immersion to be reminded that you’re watching artfully assembled pieces of footage. And we can do something with that fact in VR, and it is impressive, it is enjoyable. I don’t think it hurts that VR can feel synthetic or artificial. What’s important is that when you are reminded that that’s the case, you’re in a positive mindset, still appreciating things. If you’re reminded that your experience is artificial because you tripped over a cable and crashed into a wall, obviously that’s shit. But it’s completely fine to be reminded that experience is “fake” and it’s good. I think the 2018 comedic VR Experience Accounting+ from the minds of William Pugh and Justin Roiland does that a lot: It constantly reminds you that you are in VR and yet ends up feeling more immersive than stuff that tries to hide its own artifice. **Are there any ways that VR is currently being underutilized?** There are still way too many VR works—storytelling experiences—that ignore you, sideline you; treat you like an invisible witness. That is clearly—and I don’t mean to be prescriptive—in defiance of the medium’s most obvious affordances. VR has to involve you, implicate you. You do something; you commit a wrong that you then have to right. Get your hands dirty so that you’re bound up in the narrative. So much VR still tries to tell a story in front of you that you are not a part of. Sometimes they’ll have a character make eye contact with you and that is supposed to make you feel acknowledged, but no. You have to be… not guilty of something but drawn into it somehow: Embroiled. Either you, in the capacity of your real-world self, or some character you roleplay as, has to be drawn into the action, whether you like it or not. That provides a superior experience that you cannot turn your attention away from. ![Billedecredit_Accounting+_©_Crows_Crows_Crows-(1)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Billedecredit_Accounting_-C2-A9_Crows_Crows_Crows-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Billedecredit_Accounting_-C2-A9_Crows_Crows_Crows.jpg) > Virtual Reality is not movie storytelling; this is not about the fortunes and follies of others. VR is supposed to be participant-centric, occurring around and about you, in terms of space and action.Dooley Murphy **Are you optimistic about the future of VR?** Yes, the distant future. Not as long as Facebook reigns, and not given its current form factor. I think VR will continue to evolve as long as humanity stays around. It will continue to evolve to the point that we don’t think of it as VR, in the same way we don’t think of film as photography. After a certain time, there will stop being headsets. I’ve heard people say at academic conferences that within 15 years we’ll have VR contact lenses. I think that’s optimistic. We always think the next big thing is 15 years around the corner. At some arbitrary cut-off point, though, we will stop thinking of it *as* VR and say, “Do you remember VR?” But there will be some sort of continuation of the medium’s basic principles; spatial computing and embodied, participant-centric representation. PC-based VR is not going to die and be replaced by standalone systems any time soon. There will be artists and people submitting to film festivals, at animation festivals like Annecy. They often have to work on PCs because Facebook’s closed ecosystem isn’t accommodating those types of indie creation, and the hardware isn’t powerful enough anyway. Smaller creators often do not have the time or resources to get their stuff running smoothly on standalone headsets. I would assume that in the same way I could still go out and buy a Super 8 camera and shoot a Super 8 film, anybody will continue to be able to create rough-and-ready VR works and have them exhibited somewhere. Mainstream or consumer VR entertainment may even fall by the wayside, but there should always be a thriving scene, no matter how small or obscure. I think whatever VR changes into or becomes or ends up as there will still be people with the creative impulse to engage with a kind of ”exotic” medium and make interesting things with it. I think that’s where the most innovative ideas come from. Even if it transpires that VR is mostly used for gaming, there is hope. ![favorit_Artsy-HMD-Portrait](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/favorit_Artsy-HMD-Portrait.jpg) ## Dooley Murphy’s recommended VR Experiences: **WOLVES IN THE WALLS** *PC VR, Oculus Quest* Popular Neil Gaiman story transformed into a charming participatory fairy tale with stunning set design by entrepreneur Ed Saatchi's "virtual human" company. *\[2018\. Pete Bellington. Fantasy, Drama\]* **CROW: THE LEGEND** *PC VR, PlayStation VR, Oculus Quest* Hollywood VR mega-studio reimagines Lenape native American legend as Pixar-esque hero's journey directed by DreamWorks alumnus Eric Darnell (Antz, Madagascar.). *\[2018\. Eric Darnell. Baobab Studios, Inc. Adventure, Folktale, Comedy, Fantasy\]* **MADRID NOIR** *PC VR, Oculus Quest* Hyper-stylized noir crime caper in which you alternate between being told a story and becoming a part of it. Excellent onboarding, delighting interactions—not a dull moment! *\[2021\. James Castillo. No Ghost, Atlas V. Comedy, Drama, Crime Caper, Noir* **PIGGY** *PC VR, Google Daydream* Short but sneaky interactive VR animation looks like a film but behaves like a game. Ever had a character watch you watch it? One for Schubert fans. *\[2018\. Jan Pinkava and Mark Oftedal. Google Spotlight Stories, Google, Inc. Comedy, Animation\]* **RAIN OR SHINE** *PC VR, Google Daydream* A responsive family-friendly narrative that has all the trappings of traditional animation. You'll be focused on the characters, but keep an eye on the background—especially on subsequent viewings! *\[2016\. Felix Massie. Nexus Studios, Google Spotlight Stories, Google, Inc. Animation, Comedy\]* **AMENDS** *PC VR* Touching interactive story of a troubled maternal relationship that keys into some of VR's stunning strong points: Verticality, impossible spaces, and scenographic spectacle. *\[2020\. Mikkel Battefeld. Amends Team. Drama, Autobiography\]* ## Credits Text: **Kristian Redhead Ahm** ### Hanne Berkaak URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/norway-hanne-berkaak1/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:53.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/010_stairs.jpg) ## Oslo-based freelancer Hanne Berkaak (b. 1980) has worked with such illustrious clients as Gyldendal, Red Cross, and Jamie Oliver. A graduate from the Royal College of Arts and holding a BA in animation from Parson’s School of Design New York, Berkaak got her foot in the door at Passion Pictures in London, where she worked as a runner when her work came to the attention of director Peter Candeland, who subsequently got her on the team creating concept art for music video game The Beatles: Rock Band (2009). More jobs followed, making character designs and concept art for Passion Pictures, which ultimately led to Berkaak co-directing the music video for ‘Id Engager’ by American indie pop band ‘of Montreal’ with Marc Reisbig. Framed by rounded corners reminiscent of an old-fashioned TV-set, it combines hand-drawn animation and surrealistic characters. The video starts with a throwback to the old practice of self-figuration, where the animator’s hands are shown drawing the character before it comes to life. Once it does, it takes center stage and constantly transforms. This is ever so often intercut with cut-out cardboard elements. ‘Id Engager’ works like its title, the constant shifting of the figure feeling like an illustration of the subconscious as it is prodded and moved by the music. ![forside_fullres](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/forside_fullres.jpg) Berkaak cites the ‘Id Engager’ video, one of her first major professional projects, as one of the most rewarding experiences of her career so far. Of course, being a huge fan of of Montreal did not hurt matters, nor did the fact that the project came with a huge degree of creative freedom where she was allowed to run wild. Having since relocated to Oslo, Norway, Berkaak is now represented by byHands and works as a freelance animator and illustrator, favoring bold colors and lines in her distinctive work. Her portfolio includes a vast and varied array of clients, ranging from NRK and Aftenposten to Save the Children. Her directorial efforts include projects for Playstation, Channel 4, the children’s series Yo Gabba Gabba! and the short film The Marathon Diary about a marathon race in wintry Lapland. ![07_dragontraining](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/07_dragontraining.jpg) Berkaak describes sketching and storyboarding as her favorite parts of the creative process. The endless potential of the blank piece of paper and the quickness with which ideas can be realized is part of the explanation. Inspiration is drawn from everything from books, comics, and films, to more unconventional sources such as royal families’ incestuous histories. She is currently working on her upcoming short film The Hair Parlor at Frydenlund. Based on real events, it balances the tragic with absurdity, telling the story of how Berkaak’s grandmother and her sisters started at hair parlor in Narvik during World War 2. ![monster](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/monster.jpg) ## Credits Text: **Niels Harpøth** Meet the Artist ### Hanne Berkaak Nationality: **Norwegian** Profession: **Animator** Education: **Royal College of Art** [Instagram](https://instagram.com/hanneberkaak?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0036 ### Brice Laville Saint Martin URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/finland-brice-laville-saint-martin1/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T07:33:08.000Z ## Although you may not know the name of Brice Laville Saint Martin, you may have come across his work. As a character designer for the Finnish game company Supercell, he works creating characters for the immensely popular mobile game *Clash Royale*. **“Sometimes, you’re thinking about the millions and millions of players,” he says on a Skype connection from California, where he is currently working on marketing. “But in terms of everyday work, you’re just trying to do the best you can.”** While studying at the Bellecour Ecole d'Arts in Lyon, Laville Saint Martin was hired as a freelance character designer for video games, a position he held for a few years before traveling to Anaheim, California. “That was the goal at the time, you know? I had an opportunity to meet some of my heroes, and they led me to more freelance jobs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/RamRider.jpg) Even so, that initial trip would end in disappointment. “Riot Games were interested in me, and that led to a very important moment to me. Because I failed that interview so badly, and it took me a year to understand why.” Despite his previous experience in video games, Laville Saint Martin’s focus was still more on form than function. “I wasn’t there to talk about the characters. I was there to talk about the gameplay,” he says, choosing his next words carefully. “The character is there to serve a function. If you’re designing characters for feature films or TV series, what’s important is the story. And in video games, everything comes from the gameplay. “ One point he is eager to get across is that as a character designer, he is just that – a designer. Not an artist. “To me, art is something beautiful that has no function. If you put a painting up on your wall, it serves no function except to be beautiful. But when you are designing a character, they have a direct purpose, to serve either the gameplay or the story. We are there to make beautiful characters that fit into a mechanism. I am definitely not an artist.” ![IMG_5186](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_5186.jpg) After California, Laville Saint Martin spent five months working on animated TV series in Dublin. “The cool thing was that I got to work with Stefano Dubay. He did characters for *Wreck-It Ralph*, *Frozen*, and *Big Hero 6*, and I worked very closely with him every day. I learned a lot. He is one of my mentors, and when he left to take a job in London, I left as well.” This turned into a watershed moment for the character designer, who had until then always been working for other people. “I called a friend and told him: ‘We should do our own stuff.’ A month later, we were in Madrid, starting a company. And then Supercell called me.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/brice-laville-saint-martin-captain-america-render-retopo-award-v2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/brice-laville-saint-martin-viking-01-award-resize.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Goblin_Giant_01.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/ram_rider_card_image_06.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/ramRider_render_001-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/rascals_01_0001_1024.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/Render_Anja_Print.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/09/XQDU1688.png) Various artworks by Brice Laville Saint Martin. © Courtesy of the rights holders Although he had dreamed about striking out on his own, the Finnish company intrigued Brice, who found that it offered both a lot of responsibility and room to grow. “You don’t do just one thing at Supercell. The game teams are not that big, and there’s no-one else doing the same work.” In the end, that’s what clinched it for the well-traveled Frenchman. “I like to be challenged because that means I can evolve and improve. And working at Supercell… it’s amazing.” Brice Laville Saint Martin Nationality: ****French** Profession: ****Character designer** Education: ****Bellecour Ecole** [Brice Laville on ArtStation](https://bricelavillesaintmartin.artstation.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) Text: ****Niels Jakob Kyhl Jørgensen** wam#0035 ### Rune Ryberg URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/rune-ryberg1/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:54.000Z This article was originally published in 2021 and is being republished without any updates. Please note that some information may no longer be current. ## Rune Ryberg is a multi-award-winning independent comic artist. His books Gigant, Death Save, Turbo Fang, and others, have won international acclaim and rave reviews, including being recognized by the PING and Claus Deleuran awards. On the eve of yet another successful book launch, we talked with Ryberg about his background, his passion, and the processes that drive him forward. **WeAnimate Magazine:* How did you transition from animation to comics?* **Rune Ryberg:** I first got into animation in high school when, together with a friend named Martin, we talked the teachers into allowing us to make an animated commercial as our graduation project. We set out to make a 30-second animation without knowing anything at all beforehand, except this book from the library that said you need a light table. So we found a piece of glass in a dumpster and set it up on a stack of VHS tapes with tinfoil beneath it to reflect light. It was wobbly and ridiculous, but it worked. Looking back, the film was crude, but I’m impressed that we managed to do that, working day and night the final week because we didn’t realize how much time it would take. Right after high school, Martin showed the film to an ad agency and got hired on the spot. As for myself, I traveled for three years before eventually setting my eyes on The Animation Workshop in Viborg. To improve my drawing skills before applying, I attended The Drawing Academy, a place of deep frustration for me 80% of the time. \[Laughing\] I just couldn’t seem to get it. Up until then, I had only been drawing outlines, inspired by comics like The Adventures of Tintin. I would draw an outline and be done, while the other students were making elaborate constructions where you could see the skeleton and the surface texture and all the hair strands, and it just looked great. Meanwhile, I was making weird, ugly outline drawings. Finally, three weeks short of completing the course, something clicked for me. Suddenly, I understood the whole construction aspect and started working hard on my life drawings. Every opportunity I had, I would go out and draw people on the street, and go to croquis and make a lot of sketches. I found that I enjoyed how liberating and free life drawing is. It doesn’t matter that it doesn’t look like the actual subject. It’s your interpretation of the subject, your viewpoint on what you’re drawing, so instead, it becomes an image that comes from within you. That spoke to me, and I tried to use that approach in my more stylistic work when drawing characters. At some point, I discovered the new comic work coming from France, like Joann Sfar and Blutch, and they were so free form and expressive. I later enrolled in The Animation Workshop, from where I graduated in 2008 in the second group of graduates right after it became a government-funded education program. After graduation, I landed an internship with Mac Guff in Paris, before finally moving back to Copenhagen where I spent ten years working in animation. One of my concerns right after school was whether I would be able to work as quickly and efficiently as professional animators. We had a long time to work on our school projects, polishing them for a week, but things are different in the real world. I once worked on a project where we had to deliver 8 seconds of animation every day, which is a lot. It was very stressful, but it also trained me to be efficient and think economically about my animation. I learned how to make good choices that work, and I was able to incorporate all that experience into my work and making comics. I learned to think about the whole production, so as not to get lost somewhere along the way by focusing on one specific detail. Instead, you have to focus on a final product that is consistent from the first page to the last page. So a lot of those animation-based efficiency tools transitioned well into making comics. In the beginning, all I had was an idea for a story. First I thought I would turn that idea into an animated film, but I knew that to make an animated film would require a lot of collaboration with others and I would need to ask for help and I would need to get some funding… and none of that is making the thing I want to make. It’s not the work itself, it’s just other stuff. And it’s annoying stuff - that’s why you need a producer. I realized that if it were a comic, I could just get started and make it myself. I did that and learned that I love that process. To sit down anywhere, with just paper and pen, and make something is liberating. Eventually, you have a finished story that you can print and share with people. And to do it all by yourself means that you own the entire thing. You wrote it and you drew it. It is your IP, and that’s worth something. So it’s not just the fact that you made and sold a comic book; it’s also the fact that you own that IP and eventually it may turn into something more. It could become a film or a game or something. It feels good to own the work that I spend so much time on. A lot of people say that they can see the animation in my comics. They point out that the characters are very animated, that there is a lot of motion. It’s not something I think about a lot myself when I’m creating a comic, it happens naturally. The ideal place for me to be is when I can get lost in my work, then suddenly realizing that it’s six pm and the whole day has passed on a whim. If I know what time of day it is, it’s a sign that I’m bored. **WA:* How similar is an animation storyboard to a comic page?* **RR:** You can basically take a comic book and turn it into a film. Of course, you have to account for the timing and pacing of the film. With a comic, on the other hand, you need to consider the graphic layout on a comic page, which is a part of storytelling in comics, but not something that is possible in animation. Ultimately, there are strong similarities as well as things you can’t transfer. Look at the intro to Tekkonkinkreet (dir. Michael Arias, 2006), for instance. They transitioned it from the comic to animation, and the intro just blows you away. They nailed it by making sure that it looks like the comic, but in a world where you can do anything. If you watch it through the eyes of an animator, or a compositor, you see the technical components and how they trick you into believing it is fluid motion. They were working in a very efficient, economical way, which is hard to do and takes a tremendous amount of skill. **WA:* You are multitasking on many different projects, and running a business while being an artist. Do you have a process or system that lets you stay so productive?* **RR** \[laughs\]: Well, it’s important to get enough sleep and exercise. That helps. I always have a project going, in a very organic way. I like to schedule one main project that I’m focused on and keep the others going on the edges. I avoid downtime where I’m looking for the next project or the next idea after I’ve finished something. Instead, I work so that my next project is already ready, and I can just move my attention straight onto it that same day. So I keep about four projects going at once, in different stages. When I am writing scripts or doing thumbnails and story processes, I have a big overflow of ideas. My ideas are usually very simple, just two or three lines. I write them down in a document and put them away for later. Sometimes they turn out to be something I can build on, or spark other new ideas. It’s a lot like my thumbnails: some of them are so badly drawn that when I look at them a month later, I’m not sure exactly what they were. But then I get an idea of what it could have been, and work with that. Maybe this new idea is better than what I was thinking when I originally drew the thumbnail. **WA:* What inspires you?* **RR:** I surround myself with a lot of sources of inspiration accumulated over the years, mainly from my childhood in the 80s and 90s. My shelves are full of toys and comics, like Masters of the Universe action figures and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics, that I never could afford as a kid. Now I like to mash all those things together and blow them up and try to make them bigger and more exaggerated while keeping the characters and stories more grounded in my comics. To be honest, this improves them a little bit: a lot of the things I loved in the 80s and 90s were really… bad. There was horrible animation and not good personas, but there was great energy, and I try to capture that energy in my work. > It’s your interpretation of the subject, your viewpoint on what you’re drawing, so instead, it becomes an image that comes from within you.Rune Ryberg ![Valhalla_Freja_03](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Valhalla_Freja_03.jpg) It’s also not true that those were the golden days. There is a lot of brilliant stuff today that inspires me, like the work of Gipi and Daniel Clowes, and Danish artists like Søren Mosdal and Mikkel Sommer. Sometimes I need to remind myself to take 30 minutes and read a new book because I forget to do that. On the other hand, some of these newer works are just lying around on the table, and I’ll pick them up to look at something specific and end up getting absorbed in it and reading the whole thing. **WA:* You have successfully crowdfunded a comic book. How was the process and what were your main takeaways?* **RR:** I just received my new book Les Dinosaures de L’Apocalypse last week, released by my French publisher, Les Aventuriers de l’Étrange. They wanted to publish it in French, although it’s not really in French. Or Danish, or English. I made it in iconic speech, without words, so it can be read in any language. I originally self-published it here in Denmark three years ago as Turbo Fang (2018), but they wanted to republish it in French for easier distribution. It’s been reworked, with two new short stories and more pages, and it turned out nice. I had never crowdfunded a project before. It was my publisher’s idea. I had all these concerns and stories from other artists I know, who almost got PTSD in the process. Crowdfunding campaigns can be a lot of work, a million things can go wrong with the rewards that need to be made and shipped, items get lost, people change their minds… all these complications can happen along the line. Luckily, I had a lot of merchandise before we even went into the campaign because I had previously self-published the book. I already had stickers, pins, patches, and T-shirts, and all sorts of crazy stuff, and they were perfect rewards, so we didn’t have to invest in making a lot of things to support the campaign. Spending money to make the rewards can end up costing more money than you raise by crowdfunding. For this particular campaign, I was busy working on another book and could not be too personally involved. I posted things on Instagram from time to time but the campaign was primarily run by my publisher. At one point, we thought it wouldn’t succeed, but then we made more than 50% of the whole campaign in the final 24 hours. This seems to be the way with most campaigns, where it escalates towards the very end. You need a certain amount of online following, to begin with, to generate a little bit of traction. The artist is the only one who can attract people into the campaign, the platform does not help extend your reach. Only when you generate enough traction on your own, might the platform step in and help create more visibility. You either need to start it with an existing following, or you need to make something outrageous. I think crowdfunding works so well because being able to sell the concept without having to sell the finished product is a good way to support more experimental and artistic artefacts. Normally it is hard to estimate how many people will buy an experimental work, so you may invest in printing 2000 books but end up selling a mere 200\. It is also costly to find storage for a few thousand books, so you may end up having to destroy them, which is horrible. But with crowdfunding, you get good feedback on how many people want it and how many you need, which makes the whole thing more feasible. I mean, you’re not going to make a living on it, but at least you’re not going to lose money either. I’ve been really curious about how it would work and wanted to try it, so this gave me a low-risk opportunity to try it. I would be open to doing it again. **WA:* What are you working on right now?* **RR:** Right now I’m coloring the final pages of Westend Boy by Tomas Lagermand Lundme, in collaboration with the Danish publisher Cobolt. It’s coming out in the next few months, so that’s very exciting. It’s very different for me because I just drew it and he wrote the story. It’s about a boy who is a sex worker, who has fallen in love with one of his clients and has very romantic ideas about how they are going to be together, even though the client is an older man with a wife and children. I love the simplicity of the comic: 120 pages that all take place in just one hotel room and just a few characters. I enjoy the limitations of the comic because it zooms in on the characters and their thoughts and expressions. The comic has some really psychedelic parts, where you doubt what is real and what is just imagination. > The drawings become more than the written word because they can communicate things that aren’t said or described.Rune Ryberg The storyline is very heavy, but I like dealing with these subjects and bringing something fun to them. I have a very loose style, and I get to introduce a lot of subtle acting with the characters by using their expressions. The drawings become more than the written word because they can communicate things that aren’t said or described. It’s magical how people read the comics and they perceive these things, picking up on subtle elements that you thought no one would notice. But people see it, and sometimes they also put meaning into things that I didn’t necessarily intend, finding things that were just a sublayer in my consciousness while I was creating it. That’s just brilliant - I love that. I am also working on Homunculus 2 with Benni Bødker, and after that a sci-fi epic, and I have some other ideas. I probably have work for the next four years on my plate right now. Hopefully, I will make all these things before I die. But I will have to be very efficient. ## **Gallery** Meet the Artist ### Rune Ryberg Where can you find Rune? [**www.runeryberg.com**](http://www.runeryberg.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) [Instagram](https://instagram.com/runeryberg?ref=weanimate.dk) ### Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** ### wam#0034 ### Making an Old Story New Again with The Polar Bear Prince URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/making-an-old-story-new-again-with-the-polar-bear-prince/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:54.000Z ## From Thor to The Little Mermaid, Nordic myths and fables are loved around the world, and are a never-ending source of inspiration for generations of storytellers. Valemon: The Polar Bear King, proudly continues that tradition, adapting an ancient legend into a modern classic. The fable of Valemon, king of the polar bears, is one of Norway's most enduring myths. It’s a timeless tale of love and magic, traversing dramatic landscapes and full of suspense. Like so many famous Nordic legends, the source material is the perfect foundation for an animated feature that will be enjoyed by audiences of all ages and cultures. Norwegian folktales like Valemon were collected and preserved in the 1800s by friends Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe, inspired by the work of the Brothers Grimm in Germany. When asked why these stories continue to be relevant for every generation, *Valemon* producer Cor­nelia Boysen says: > Fairytales are universal. Every culture tells their young people stories about morals and ethics. Every culture teaches the difference between right and wrong, and the fundamentals of morals are the same everywhere, and never change. Fairytale characters are archetypes, so they form a reference point for people of all ages and places. That’s why they are relevant for everyone, everywhere ![WA_Cornelia-Boysen---2b_VALEMON_Curiosity_Forest_DANIEL-CACOUAULT](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_Cornelia-Boysen-2b_VALEMON_Curiosity_Forest_DANIEL-CACOUAULT.jpg) To adapt this ancient story into the screenplay for *Valemon: The Polar Bear King*, Maipo Film is working with acclaimed author Maja Lunde. Lunde is the most internationally successful Norwegian writer of her generation, with books that have sold over 2.5 million copies and been translated into 40 languages. In addition to her many successful books and novels, Lunde has written several screenplays for film and TV. Lunde and Maipo’s previous collaboration, 2020s *The Crossing*, was recently awarded the EFA Young Audience Award. In fact, Maya Lunde is the driving force behind this ambitious project. She approached Maipo with a desire to retell the old fable of the polar bear king with an updated interpretation. Lunde wanted to emphasize the agency of the princess, to show her actively making her own choices and accepting the consequences. As in the rest of Lunde’s work, she also incorporates concepts about climate and the environment that are increasingly relevant for contemporary audiences. The result is a new classic: a timeless adventure for the whole family, with modern themes that relate to a new generation. Boysen says: > The story of Valemon is well known in Norway. While we have modified and updated it, the core remains the same. It is important to preserve the heart of a story that people love so much, while adapting it for wider audiences ![WA_Cornelia-Boysen---3_VALEMONFatal_Decision_ICE-CAVE_DANIEL-CACOUAULT](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_Cornelia-Boysen-3_VALEMONFatal_Decision_ICE-CAVE_DANIEL-CACOUAULT.jpg) ## Valemon’s Award Winning Behind-the-Scenes Team Valemon: The Polar Bear King is a co-production between Norway’s Maipo Film and Belgium’s Vivi Film, along with Belga Film. Maipo Film is one of Norway’s leading production companies, with more than 40 productions since their inception in 2000\. Their work has been recognized at Sundance, Karlovy Vary, and Canneseries, and 2002’s *Elling* was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The first of Maipo’s trilogy of stop-motion *Louis and Luca* films had Norway’s highest cinema attendance in a decade. Vivi Film has over 30 years experience in short film, documentary, and animation. Vivi Film’s founder Viviane Vanfleteren was recognized, along with co-producers Les Armateurs and Cartoon Saloon, as the Cartoon Movie Producer of the Year in 2009 for her work on *The Secret of Kells*, and was also a co-producer on 2003 Academy Award nominee *The Triplets of Belleville*. Director Mikkel B. Sandemose has been writing and directing for decades. He is best known for the two *The Ash Lad* films, and for the award-winning *Ragnarok*. Although he has directed several films, *Valemon* is his first animated feature. Writer Maja Lunde is working closely with Sandemose throughout pre-production, in a highly collaborative environment typical of the Nordics. The team at Maipo feel lucky to have her, and know that the final film will only benefit from these close partnerships. *Valemon: The Polar Bear King*, is currently in pre-production, pitching at Cartoon Movie, and scheduled for cinemas near you by Christmas 2024. ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** Pictures: **Courtesy of Daniel Cacouault / Maipo Film** wam#0032 ### The Nordics Represent at Cartoon Movie URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/the-nordics-represent-at-cartoon-movie/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:54.000Z ## Cartoon Movie is upon us, and the annual pitching festival is bigger and more important than ever. To date, Cartoon Movie has helped nearly 450 released films achieve their financing goals, building success stories at every phase in development. The event is also important for filmmakers at every stage of their careers, giving networking and business opportunities to newcomers and animation legends alike. ![WA_DK-Films_Forside](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_DK-Films_Forside.jpg) While it’s no surprise that animated films from France are always well represented at Cartoon Movie, the Nordics are also showing up this year. Among other success stories, Nordic countries continue to develop successful animation franchises, earning wide releases and great financial returns, boosting the success of Cartoon Movie itself. Here are the Nordic projects that will be presenting at Cartoon Movie this March: ![mov24-378428-balls-vertical-435a7606c86056209c7318121e9df307](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/mov24-378428-balls-vertical-435a7606c86056209c7318121e9df307.jpg) ## Balls **Main producer**: Alice Änge­by Naive Animation (Sweden) **Directed by**: Andreas Öhman and Naive Animation Writer/director Andreas Öhman’s first feature, *Simple Simon*, received international acclaim and recognition, and was shortlisted for the Academy Awards. *Balls* will be his first animated feature, as well as his first family film. *Balls* is currently in development, and being produced with 3D and 2D hybrid techniques. It tells the story of life from the perspective of a humble ball pit ball. As the balls get kicked around, chewed by dogs, and struck by children, they tell a charming story about friendship and following your dreams. ![mov24-378639-niko_-_beyond_the_northern_lights-vertical-d6643a997d2f6fdf2eebb92d90c00aad](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/mov24-378639-niko_-_beyond_the_northern_lights-vertical-d6643a997d2f6fdf2eebb92d90c00aad.jpg) ## Niko - Beyond the Northern Lights **Main producers**: Antti Haikala Animaker (Finland) and Hannu Tuomainen (along with Anders Mastrup at Denmark’s A. Film Production) **Directed by**: Kari Juusonen and Jørgen Lerdam *Niko - Beyond the Northern Lights* is the third film in the wildly successful *Niko* franchise. Currently scheduled for a Christmas 2024 release date, the film has already been sold to the Baltics, Benelux, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Ireland, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, South Korea, and Turkey. For more of our coverage of this highly anticipated film [click here](https://weanimate.dk/articles/niko/?ref=weanimate.dk) ![mov24-378391-finding_home-vertical-6b3d6826ade16e2726baa3f37605f033](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/mov24-378391-finding_home-vertical-6b3d6826ade16e2726baa3f37605f033.jpg) ## Finding Home **Main producer**: Lillian Løvseth Trollfilm (Norway) **Directed by**: Anja Mánou Hellem *Finding Home* is a 2D and 3D animated film, still in the concept stages. It is about a young musk ox undertaking a heroic journey from Norway to Greenland in order to be reunited with his family. It’s a story about magic, friendship, and finding your place in the world. ![mov24-378418-kaja_the_great-vertical-ddc2ee07e680c6438904203fa274e5c9](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/mov24-378418-kaja_the_great-vertical-ddc2ee07e680c6438904203fa274e5c9.jpg) ## Kaja the Great **Main producer**: Ruben Thorkildsen Storm Films (Norway) **Directed by**: Martin Lund Martin Lund is a celebrated writer/director, best known for his 2019 unconventional coming-of-age drama *Psychobitch*, also a collaboration with Storm Films. *Kaja the Great* is the story of a small cancer cell who cannot mutate like all the other cancer cells. Frustrated and ostracized, she undertakes a dangerous journey through the body to understand her world better. This unusual 3D animated film is still in development, and explores themes of friendship and inclusion. ![mov24-378455-the_polar_bear_prince-vertical-dab090af2ab51b6f2884071f920964ee](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/mov24-378455-the_polar_bear_prince-vertical-dab090af2ab51b6f2884071f920964ee.jpg) ## The Polar Bear Prince **Main producer**: Cornelia Boysen Maipo Film (Norway) **Directed by**: Mikkel B. Sandemose *The Polar Bear Prince* is in production, slated for a 2024 release. This beautiful film has already been sold to Benelux, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, and looks to make an even bigger mark at this Cartoon Movie. For more about this magical project, [click here](https://weanimate.dk/articles/making-an-old-story-new-again-with-the-polar-bear-prince/?ref=weanimate.dk) ![mov24-378609-pesta-vertical-6bddae41cc33b10eba647e58a232e16d](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/mov24-378609-pesta-vertical-6bddae41cc33b10eba647e58a232e16d.jpg) ## Pesta **Main Producers**: Tonje Skar Reiersen and Lise Fearnley Mikrofilm (Norway) **Directed by**: Hanne Berkaak Hanne Berkaak’s *Frydenlund Hair Parlour* made a huge impact on the festival circuit in 2021, and she is once again leveraging her skills as an illustrator and filmmaker to bring us *Pesta*. This young adult film is inspired by darker aspects of Nordic history and folklore, and tells the tragic love story of a young couple in the Middle Ages, divided by religion and social class. Cartoon Movie will also feature three homegrown projects from Denmark: newcomers Rocket Road Pictures with *The Great North Adventure*, A. Film’s *When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant*, and *Super Charlie*, a co-production with Nordisk Film Production, based on the bestselling series by Camilla Läckberg. For more about the Danish projects at Cartoon Movie, [click here.](https://weanimate.dk/articles/denmark-goes-to-bordeaux-for-cartoon-movie/?ref=weanimate.dk) **WeAnimate wishes success to all the projects pitching at Cartoon Movie this week, and we look forward to seeing more animated films from the Nordics on screens around the world this holiday season!** ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** wam#0031 ### Denmark Goes to Bordeaux for Cartoon Movie URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/denmark-goes-to-bordeaux-for-cartoon-movie/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:55.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MumboJumbo_Header.jpg) ## Since 1999, Cartoon Movie has supported over 450 animated features, awarding €3B in financing. Some of Cartoon Movie’s most notable successes include Flee, Ernest & Celestine, Niko & the Way to the Stars, Shaun the Sheep, The Breadwinner, Loving Vincent, and more. ![WA_DK-Films_Forside](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_DK-Films_Forside.jpg) While the heart of the event is the pitching forum, Cartoon Movie also provides valuable networking opportunities, allowing filmmakers to meet distributors and sales agents from around the world. The goal of the event is to give newcomers the same opportunities as famous filmmakers, and start new success stories of their own. This year’s Cartoon Movie features a spotlight on publishing, highlighting the close relationship between books and movies, and offering opportunities to connect with publishers and rights holders from around the world. This year, a number of exciting Danish projects will be pitching at Cartoon Movie. We are especially excited to follow the progress of these films: ![SuperCharlie](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/SuperCharlie.jpg) ## Super Charlie **Directed by Jon Holmberg** **Co-produced by Nordisk Film Production, A. Film Production, and Slugger Film** Speaking of films based on books, Super Charlie is based on the bestselling children’s book series by Swedish author Camilla Läckberg. This 3D animated family feature tells the story of a baby with special powers, and his older brother who aspires to be a hero, teaming up to save the city from a supervillain. Although the film is not scheduled for release until December 2024, it is receiving a lot of attention due to the success of the author and the powerhouse production team, including Jon Holmberg (Sune vs. Sune), Oscar-nominated Karsten Kiilerich, and industry legend Stine Buhl. It has already been sold for distribution to the UK’s Kaleidoscope, Vietnam’s Blue Lantern, and Estin Film and MCF Megacom in Europe. ![TheGreatNorthAdventure-Poster](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/TheGreatNorthAdventure-Poster.jpg) ## The Great North Adventure **Directed by Mehdi Avaz and Christian Kuntz** **Co-produced by Rocket Road Pictures and Kuntz Animation** The Great North Adventure is a 3D feature film inspired by the real life story of Danish explorer Jens Munk’s and his royal expedition to find the Northwest Passage. Director Mehdi Avaz and Rocket Road Pictures made a splash in 2018 with While We Live, nominated for five Danish Film Academy Awards. Co-director Christian Kuntz has been a 2D animator for decades, working on some of the biggest animated projects in the Nordics. ![WhenMumboJumboGrewGiant](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WhenMumboJumboGrewGiant.jpg) ## When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant **Directed by Karsten Kiilerich** **Produced by A. Film Production** When Mumbo Jumbo Grew Giant is based on the bestselling children’s book by iconic Danish author and cartoonist Jakob Martin Strid, recipient of the Danish Crown Prince Couple’s Culture Prize. In this 3D children’s film, hippo Mumbo Jumbo tastes a mushroom that makes him grow so large he can’t fit into his ordinary life. He and his friends embark on an epic quest to return him to his regular size, meeting a variety of characters along the way. Featuring the talents of incredibly prolific Karsten Kiilerich, the film has already received support from the Danish Film Institute, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the West Danish Film Fund, DR, and Nordisk Film Distribution. ## This year’s Cartoon Movie features a huge range of animated projects in all stages of development, in all genres, for all audiences. The theme of the relationship between books and movies is especially notable in these projects from Denmark. We wish all the pitches great success, and look for the next phase of these incredible Danish animated films in the coming months. ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** wam#0030 ### Niko URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/niko/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:55.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ULY_NIKO_3_Header.jpg) ## Animaker’s Niko films have been Finland’s most successful and critically acclaimed animated films to date, as the adventures of a young flying reindeer named Niko has captured the hearts of audiences around the world. The third installment in the series, NIKO - Beyond the Northern Lights, is just as ambitious, just as beautiful, and just as appealing as its predecessors. *NIKO - Beyond the Northern Lights* is the latest installment in Animaker’s successful Niko series. The first Niko film, *Niko & the Way to the Stars*, was the most successful Finnish film yet made, selling in 118 countries with over 3 million cinema viewers, with an edited version airing on CBS in the US as *The Flight Before Christmas*. *Niko & the Way to the Stars* received widespread recognition, with award nominations from the European Film Academy and others, and winner of Best Film and Best Screenplay at the 2009 Jussi Awards, and the Jury & Audience awards at 2008 Cinekid, among others. In 2012, *Niko 2: Little Brother, Big Trouble* continued the series with the same quality, popularity, and international success. *Niko 2* aired in over a hundred countries around the world, and was released on Netflix in 2013\. Like its predecessor, *Niko 2* won numerous awards, including Best Feature Film at the Tokyo Kinder Film Festival and the Giffoni Film Festival. *Niko 2* also garnered studio Anima Vitae and production company Cinemaker nominations for European Producer of the Year at the 2013 Cartoon Movie Tributes. *NIKO - Beyond the Northern Lights* is poised to continue the groundbreaking success of the series, as Niko tries to earn a spot on Santa’s Flying Forces just like his father. When Niko faces challenges and setbacks, he is forced to choose between what he believes is right, and loyalty to his father's ideas. Each Niko film tells a complete, independent story. But, taken together, the three films form a coming-of-age trilogy. Instead of focusing on traditional Christmas themes and stories, the films are centered on Niko's personal growth and development. Producer and writer Hannu Tuomainen says: > “The Niko stories are placed in a Christmas time and environment, but underneath they are actually emotional stories of a fatherless boy looking for his dad and family, finding his place and himself. Although the films are family friendly adventures, I think the biggest adventure of all is a kid growing up to find themselves. “The aim has been to keep the content of the stories as high and true to the complexity of real life as possible. One source of material has been my own real life experiences, which is a deep well for various subjects. These themes are universal, and they seem to connect with both children and parents globally, whether they celebrate Christmas or not.” ![Hannu-Tuomainen---Flying_Forces](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Hannu-Tuomainen-Flying_Forces.jpg) Of course, the Nordics, and especially Finland, have a unique connection to the stories, themes, and landscapes of Christmas. Any Finn will tell you that Santa actually lives in Lapland, and not at the North Pole. The stunning environments of *NIKO - Beyond the Northern Lights* are especially informed by a love of Finland’s unique locations and scenery. Production designer Mikko Pitkänen, who has designed the entire Niko universe, showcases the beauty of winter from a particularly Nordic perspective, and shares it so the world can love it too. ![Hannu-Tuomainen---Niko_Posing](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Hannu-Tuomainen-Niko_Posing.jpg) ## Producing Films This Big is a Team Effort The third Niko feature is being produced by the same successful team as the other Niko films, as a joint venture between Finnish animation giants Anima Vitae and Cinemaker Oy. Co-producers include Ulysses Filmproduktion, A. Film Production, and Moetion Films. While a four-country co-production always poses big challenges, it also offers a few benefits. Tuomainen notes that: > It has been a huge advantage to be able to test whether the story, script, characters, humor, and design are working and connecting with our multinational teams. ![Hannu-Tuomainen---Niko_02_Posings_Tobias_Jonni_Niko](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Hannu-Tuomainen-Niko_02_Posings_Tobias_Jonni_Niko.jpg) Anima Vitae has been one of the leading Nordic animation studios for over 20 years, with over 9000 minutes of aired animation. Credits range from animated features and TV series to commercials, with a wide range of original IPs. Driven by a passion for great stories and high artistic ambitions, Anima has super-efficient processes that deliver incredible value for the budget. Producer/director Hannu Tuomainen’s Cinemaker Oy has been producing films since 1990\. He has long been recognized as one of the most influential producers in Finland, twice being awarded Producer of the Year, and winning the State Award for Children’s Culture. Germany’s Ulysses Filmproduktion has developed, financed, and produced several animated films with partners throughout Europe since 2004\. Ulysses was awarded the 2016 European Animation Producer of the Year for *Oops! Noah is Gone*, and continues to produce exceptional films to international acclaim. A Film Production is located in Denmark, and is one of the most prolific Nordic and European animation companies. A. Film has been producing traditional and CG animated features since the 90s, and has recently been recognized for co-producing the international success of *Checkered Ninja* and *Checkered Ninja 2*. Ireland’s Moetion Films was a co-producer and co-winner of European Animation Producer of the Year for *Oops! Noah is Gone*, the studio’s debut feature. A sequel to *Oops!* is now in production at the busy studio in Galway, a UNESCO City of Film. The third Niko film is not only made with the same team of co-producers. It also has many of the same key creative artists who have worked on the entire series for 15 years. Finnish director Kari Juusonen, who was in charge of both previous movies, is accompanied by well known director Jörgen Lerdam from Denmark, who co-directed *Niko 2* with Kari. The sheer beauty of the Niko films, from the landscapes to character design to animation quality, is incredibly ambitious, especially when making films on a budget. Although the €7+M cost per film is well above average for Nordic animation, the team still had to prioritize. According to Tuomainen: > Our initial goal was to make an animated feature that we wanted to see, and that could stand up on the international market. Even though we got as high as a 7M budget, it still gave some strict limitations. It became a good challenge: how to maximize the visuals within the reality of limited resources. Huge thanks goes to studio Anima Vitae, they are really technically advanced with an eye for the visual, and know how to make animation that looks more expensive than it really is. ![Hannu-Tuomainen---Niko_Posings_2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Hannu-Tuomainen-Niko_Posings_2.jpg) ## Next Steps for Niko *NIKO - Beyond the Northern Lights* has been in development for two years, and secured about 80% of its €7.2M budget. The film is in pre-production and pre-visualization, with production scheduled to begin in the spring of 2022\. The goal is to complete the film for Cannes 2024, with a theatrical release in Finland in October 2024. The Nordic distributor of *NIKO - Beyond the Northern Lights* is again Nordisk Film, while German distribution will be handled again by Telepool. Distribution in France is managed by BAC Films, who have helped contribute to the incredible success of previous Niko films in France, with 700.000 box office admissions for the first film, and 800.000 for the second. The sales agent is again Global Screen from Germany. Tuomainen says: > It is really wonderful to team up again with the same sales and distribution companies and people who have made Niko work so well in the past. This third movie completes Niko´s personal arc of getting over his family issues, and is kind of the third installment of a trilogy. We didn’t set out to make a franchise. But the universe we have created is very charming and lovable to all of us in production, and we are really happy to work with the characters we know so well. So never say never... ![ULY_NIKO_3_Main_A1_small](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ULY_NIKO_3_Main_A1_small.jpg) ## See *Niko - Beyond the Northern Lights* at Cartoon Movie, and in cinemas near you for Christmas 2024. ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** Pictures: **Courtesy of Animaker** wam#0029 ### Sun Creature at the Superbowl URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/sun-creature-at-the-superbowl/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:55.000Z *Art and character design by Sun Creature Studio for the Love, Death + Robots episode Alternate Histories* ## The Danish studio and PSYOP’s Coca-cola co-op. **Ad time during the Super Bowl is some of the most expensive in the world, where the world’s biggest brands market their products as eyes the world over are fixed on the football showdown. Coca-Cola has a long history with the sporting event with 2019 marking the brand’s 13th year in a row at the Big Game.** Coca-Cola’s 2019 commercial comes from the fruitful collaboration between American PSYOP and Danish Sun Creature Studio, known for such diverse productions as the BAFTA-nominated fantasy comedy The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe (2017-) and a recent campaign for League of Legends. Directed by Kylie Matulick, Todd Mueller and Trevor Conrad of PSYOP, Sun Creature Studio became attached to the project to handle the 2D animation through Guillaume Dousse, who collaborated with Mueller and Matulick on pitch material and subsequently worked as executive producer and art director on the project. The two studios’ shared storytelling sensibility lent itself to a fruitful and taxing collaboration, dominated by a demanding client and a rewarding production. Promoting a pre-game message of diversity, inclusivity and sugary goodness under the title A Coke is a Coke, the ad starts in the bubbling blackness before zooming out of the bottle and flying through a variety of different characters from all walks of life as they all enjoy the drink. The characters come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the realistic to wildly fantastical – the cast includes everything from an astronaut, a sasquatch and a vagabond, who shares a moment with a farmer and a jet-set starlet bird. The overall image is one of unity, harmony, and diversity, spiced with a sense of whimsy and playfulness. The dazzling trip through the cast is bound in a poem, which highlights the universality of the drink, a point underscored by the relay of different voices, that all chime in. The poem is inspired by Andy Warhol remarking on how Coke is the same for everyone from the President to a bum. The pop artist was, however, not a point of reference for the visual style of the ad, which was gradually honed in on through an incredibly intense development process, dominated by a feeling of continuous forward momentum. The staff at Sun Creature Studio produced 100+ pages of content in dialogue with the project’s three directors, designing a plethora of characters with very few guiding principles beyond the requisite diversity. Due to the drastic difference between the characters, there was little backtracking with artists returning to their previous designs. Ultimately, the scores of characters selected, many of which are only visible for less than a second, represent a broad swath of ethnicities and orientations, illuminating the overall message of the ad: > A coke tastes the same no matter who you are, what you look like, what you believe, or who you love. ![SunCreature_Coke2017_caroline_01a](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/SunCreature_Coke2017_caroline_01a.jpg) ![SunCreature_Coke2017_caroline_01](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/SunCreature_Coke2017_caroline_01.jpg) ![all_cast](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/all_cast.jpg) *Concept art by Sun Creature Studio* A result of many long nights with 30-40 people working simultaneously with Sun Creature Studio, the final product is quite close to the original pitch, with the structuring speak remaining constant throughout the process and its visual style rooted in the minimalist brown, red, black and white palette intrinsic to the Coke-brand. Since commencing work on A Coke is a Coke, Sun Creature Studio has collaborated with PSYOP on the League of Legends Championship campaign and Travel Oregon – Only Slightly Exaggerated, where a broad color palette and Ghibli-inspired tableaus paint a magical picture of the beaver state. Recently finished projects include the humorous multiverse romp Alternate History episode of the Netflix anthology-show Love Death + Robots and a sequel to Travel Oregon. With an exciting slate of upcoming projects such as the upcoming feature documentary film Flee, there are plenty of reasons to pay attention to the Danish studio. > Hitler is the kind of person you're usually pretty careful about treating, especially when he is your main character. But it was so far out from reality that it felt OK for us to go in this cathartic process of killing him not once but six times.—Guillaume Dousse on producing the Love, Death + Robots episode ‘Alternate Histories’ for Netflix ![ALT_VisualDev_Orgy_v006](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ALT_VisualDev_Orgy_v006.jpg) *Art and character design by Sun Creature Studio for the Love, Death + Robots episode Alternate Histories* ## Credits Written by **Niels Harpøth** wam#0028 ### Female empowerment before its time URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/female-empowerment-before-its-time/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:55.000Z *All art is work in progress © Maybe Movies* ## Following 2015’s well-received feature Long Way North, renowned Danish animation production company Nørlum is working with French director Rémi Chayé for the second time. Once again, the focus is on a young female heroine battling the odds of the surrounding world: Calamity Jane will bring to light elements of the childhood and youth of a certain Martha Jane Cannary before she became the titular American frontierswoman. It is hard to come up with a more essentially American genre than the western, but thinking back on well-known cartoon westerns, Lucky Luke comes to mind as one of the most popular of all time. Yet, like upcoming animated feature Calamity Jane (2020), Lucky Luke was the brainchild of European artists, not American. Danish producer Claus Toksvig (b. 1977) gives out one of his hearty laughs when asked about the challenge his European co-production team might face once they bring their upcoming feature about one of the most mythical figures of the Wild West to screens in the US: “I have talked to my American friends about this project, and they are very excited to see a European take on the character’s origin story. I feel the pressure from this, because we need to do these expectations justice and as Europeans respect that this is American source material.” The story will start out in 1863 when the young Martha Jane needs to learn the ropes in taking care of horses to drive the family wagon during a convoy in the American West. In the process, she ends up wearing pants and cutting her hair, very much going against the societal limitations put upon girls and women at the time. Toksvig explains that the film’s director Rémi Chayé (b. 1968) “loves strong female characters and female arcs that venture out against the impossible and overcome inner demons or outer obstacles. Even though Long Way North took place in Russia, and Calamity Jane will be set in the Old West, the two narratives have a lot in common in this regard: They are both about being female during times when women did not have a lot of say.” Toksvig has known Chayé since 2006 and points out that the Frenchman “always had this focus and drive in his wish to tell stories. Right now, the theme of female empowerment is becoming popular in filmmaking, but Chayé was very much ahead of the current trend. He worked on Long Way North for nearly 10 years before it came out, and he really believed in its message all along.” Toksvig describes Chayé as one of those rare animation filmmakers who also happens to be an excellent animator and layouter himself, a fact that is keeping his production teams on their toes and bringing the best out in them: “On Long Way North, I had some crew members come to me and say ‘He is really hard to please, because he can do animation so much better himself’, but the upside to that is that while he can be demanding to work for, it is also a chance for people to learn a lot from him.” To prepare the film, Chayé and his concept artists went on a research trip to the US to various sites relating to American frontier history > Even though the story in the film as such is fictional, Chayé did extensive research on the character and her time, and he found inspiration for the visual settings of the film in the locations he visited. ![image2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/image2-scaled.jpeg) *All art is work in progress © Maybe Movies* Thematically entering American domain, Toksvig views Calamity Jane as an exciting new challenge for Viborg-based studio Nørlum after the notable successes of Song of the Sea (2014), which was nominated for an Oscar and won the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature, and Long Way North, respectively. While Song of the Sea included no less than five co-producing countries, Calamity Jane will repeat the two-country production set-up that brought Long Way North to life. “Usually, Nørlum gets involved once there is a final script in place and some financing onboard. We had a hope that (French production company, ed.) Maybe Movies and Chayé would come back to us after working so well together on Long Way North,” Toksvig says and adds that fortunately, the timing was right for reuniting on the new project. “With Long Way North, we made a great film together, such a beautiful, accomplished first film from Chayé. That experience creates trust and confidence in our current collaboration.” Toksvig and Nørlum’s role regarding Calamity Jane is to be a producing partner, contributing with animation and compositing, which is about to begin. Compared to the five countries involved in making Song of the Sea, Toksvig finds that having just Denmark and France onboard simplifies many matters. Being just two countries, it does take more effort to drum up promotion and attention, but all in all, he is pleased with the set-up and to be able to prove that it is possible to make ambitious, stand-out films on smaller-scale productions. “I remain very proud of Song of the Sea, not least because it was Nørlum’s first co-produced feature film. But it also set the bar high for what we can deliver,” Toksvig points out to put things into perspective. Calamity Jane is aiming to premiere in the summer of 2020, with Toksvig hopeful of a launch at Annecy, where Long Way North premiered in 2015 and took away the audience award (as well as the Grand Prize at Tokyo Anime the following year). “Annecy is definitely a festival we love very much,” he notes. French sales agent outfit Indie Sales is already onboard Calamity Jane, and Toksvig is looking forward to hearing the company’s ideas for promoting and selling the film when that time comes. Asked which age group might be the main target audience for the film, Toksvig argues that as was the case with Long Way North, Chayé does not think along such terms: “He intends his stories for everyone to enjoy, independent of age. I very much hope that Calamity Jane will be a film for the whole family to take something from. In any case, I think it is safe to say that children nowadays form a much more sophisticated audience than back when I was a child, for instance.” What might appeal to people today in the story of a young girl from the Old West? Toksvig finds that he likes exactly the fact that it is not a modern story: “It tells of a former kind of world where it was a different game of life: It was not so much about what kind of mobile phone you have, it was about making a living and supporting your family. Naturally, those basic values are still present today, but we tend to forget about them in our modern life where we have so many things to choose from. In this way, I feel that the story in Calamity Jane can be inspirational to the kids and people in general today. In addition, currently cinema tends to be dominated by superheroes and science fiction, and I feel that this film will counter that trend in its own way. Finally, this is a genuinely untold story.” Toksvig describes the overall tone of the film as a coming-of-age drama, but sprinkled with many funny moments and also influenced by lots of cool characters around the protagonist. The Danish producer hopes that Calamity Jane will come out on a big scale, not least in the US. In fact, he recently attended SXSW festival in Austin, Texas and presented the project to visitors at a Scandinavian event there. For the curious reader, an intriguing two-years-old conceptual teaser trailer of Calamity Jane can be found on Maybe Movies’ Vimeo site. ![image1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/image1.jpeg) *All art is work in progress © Maybe Movies* ![image3](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/image3.jpeg) *© Maybe Movies* ## Credits Text: **Allan Sørensen** wam#0027 ### Graduation Projects 2024 URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/graduation-projects-2024-2/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:56.000Z ## It’s always exciting to see the latest graduate projects from The Animation Workshop, and WeAnimate Magazine is pleased to present the projects from the class of 2024. For the past 30 years The Animation Workshop (TAW) has educated some of the most promising animation students in the world. Today the school is ranking number 4 of educational institutions world wide for the last couple of years [Read more](https://www.animationcareerreview.com/articles/top-50-international-animation-schools-and-colleges-2023-college-rankings?ref=weanimate.dk) The school started out as a short workshop in animation film production but has through the years grown in size and scope. Today TAW educates Character Animators, Computer Graphic Artists and Graphic Storytellers, provides courses for animation professionals, and does research and development into animation. Besides that, Viborg is home to a thriving international community of animators, artist and visual storytellers centered around TAW. The graduates this year is showcasing how animation can be a medium for various storytelling methods, and we are proud to present a range of different gradution projects. The official graduation happened physically in Viborg on January 19th2024, and WeAnimate Magazine is pleased to present all projects to the public: ![aboutTime_1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/aboutTime_1.jpg) ## About Time – short film Astrid is out driving. Stopping by a strange lake, she meets her younger self. Immersed in the water, they flow in and out of their road trip together. Astrid rediscovers parts of herself, leaving others behind in the lake. [Link to film](https://vimeo.com/905186544?ref=weanimate.dk) ![Judgment_1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Judgment_1.jpg) ## Judgement – release January 23rd – short film A throne room engulfed in roots and branches echoes a past of something grand and royal. The Prince has returned to his fathers kingdom, only to find it forsaken and hollowed with silence. As we follow him going deeper into the thickening forest-like hall, glimpses of his past are revealed, pushing him closer and closer to his breaking point. [Link to film](https://vimeo.com/906722769?ref=weanimate.dk) ![MonkeyMovie_1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MonkeyMovie_1.jpg) ## Monkey Movie – release January 26th – short film The thick canopy blocks most sunlight, often taken by monkeys higher in the hierarchy. Suddenly, a fallen dead monkey disrupts the darkness. Monkeys gather, including Vervet with a small glass, playing with light. But monkeys higher up block the new ray. While others scatter, Vervet persists, fighting for a spot in the sun. Despite early victories, he realizes he's in over his head. [Link to film](https://vimeo.com/907487851?ref=weanimate.dk) ![GumboGalaxy_1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/GumboGalaxy_1.jpg) ## Gumbo Galaxy – board game Gumbo Galaxy is a 4 player tactical arena board game. Form the greatest team the galaxy has ever known! Do you have what it takes to become the next intergalactic champion? Fight! Eat! and Make Friends! In the colosseum of the stars! Welcome… To Gumbo Galaxy! [Link to project](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/DvYadO?ref=weanimate.dk) ![TheArtOfFlood_1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/TheArtOfFlood_1.jpg) ## The Art of Flood – concept art book 150 years have passed since an ice comet entered the atmosphere and caused global rainfall, resulting in a staggering rise of the world's oceans by 4000 meters. For a long time, many mountains were habitable, however those areas were ultimately submerged beneath the water, leaving the Himalayas as the sole refuge for humanity. A new disease has caused a deadly pandemic stirring panic. Isaac, Adrian’s brother, has been infected and is deteriorating fast. They decide to embark on a quest for the cure. [Link to project](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/YBakRw?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0026 ### Mads Vadsholt URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/mads-vadsholt/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:56.000Z **Digital artist and composer Mads Vadsholt is a graduate of The Animation Workshop (TAW) and a member of the eclectic artist hub PLASTIC Art Collective based in Viborg, Denmark. Vadsholt has collaborated on many recent Danish animation and game projects and is nearly done completing his first independent game, The Forest Quartet. The Forest Quartet is a beautiful, story-driven puzzle game where you play the spirit of a deceased singer restoring the band to play a farewell concert. The game has been recognized and supported by The Danish Film Institute, Danish Arts Foundation, Stugan, and more. We recently spoke with Vadsholt about his creative process and what we can expect from the game.** **WeAnimate Magazine:** *You started as an illustrator and graffiti artist, and then things changed for you at The Animation Workshop.* **Mads Vadsholt:** I was still a teenager when I enrolled at The Animation Workshop, and I was really into drawing and my creative process. I imagined that school would be sitting around and drawing every day, but instead, it was using software all the time. The school requires you to master the technical stuff before they let you do creative stuff, and it was hard for me to understand why I had to learn all these things or see the long-term benefits. I wanted to be more hands-on, and I made life hard for all the instructors and coordinators because I wanted to focus on drawing instead of learning Maya. You had to finish each assignment on time, or you were behind for the next assignment, and I didn’t have as much discipline as the other students. For the first semester, I had to redo my biggest first-semester assignment, while still working on the assignments for the second semester, and it was hard. But around that time I started understanding that work in 3D could be creative and interesting. I started to see that you could have fun with it, that there were ways to explore and break the rules. I liked rendering, where I could set up the lights and produce something amazing, so I slowly transitioned from being a concept artist to becoming a 3D artist. Our bachelor project was to make an iPad game (Lost Tracks, directed by Morten Andersen), and I thought it was an interesting project. Game development was really interesting to me. It’s so interesting to watch people play your artwork, rather than watch your artwork. It’s far more enjoyable as a creator to feel how people respond and listen to how they talk about your work in real-time, as they encounter it. Game design also has interesting psychological aspects: you want to tell people what to do, but you don’t want to put some lame talking bird on their shoulder delivering instructions. The experience of watching people intuitively understand what they need to do and how to interact with the game, without any dialogue, and without a helping hand, was very interesting for me. We only had three words in the whole game, but people got it anyway. It was a cool team and we had a good time working together on those late nights, so it was a positive experience. It helped me understand how to make a good game. **WA:* Tell us more about your inspiration for The Forest Quartet.* **MV:** I am a musician, and so is my father, which was one of the original inspirations for the game. My father is a jazz musician, and my mother, who was a singer, passed away. So although the game isn’t my life story, it’s still extremely personal and based on my experiences. I composed some of the early songs myself, and in the beginning, I thought it would be this cool electronic music. Over time I purified the concept, and it made more sense for them to be a jazz band with four musicians. Since I’m not a jazz composer, my father helped create the music for the game. I’ve been working on it since early 2016, and I’m still working on it. In retrospect, it was naive for me to finish school, do my internship, and then think I was ready to make my masterpiece project. It was so ambitious for someone who had so little experience and resources to tell myself that I would make this masterpiece game and it would make me famous. I haven’t worked on it continuously, because I’ve worked on freelance projects in between. Of course, even if you aren’t “working on it”, you’re still working on it, because it’s in the back of your mind every day. This game has been bugging me for five years. If I spent a month on a paid project, I would start to feel restless and eager to return to my game, or if I took a holiday I would start worrying about getting back to the game. Working on the game was very unstable: the first couple of years were a lot of sacrifices. I had very little money or security. I started at my grandmother’s house so I could work on it without worrying about earning money. Sometimes a friend would come for a weekend and help me out with something, and then I would scramble together an application for the Danish Film Institute. It would take two weeks of 15 hour days, just writing my application and getting feedback and hoping to get funding. I sent off the first application and got refused, so suddenly I was broke and homeless and had no idea where to get money… that summer felt very lost. It felt very floaty, without a stable base. Then I got more connections for freelance work and started to get some paying jobs that helped me be more stable and have more faith that things would eventually work out. **WA:* How did you stay motivated to keep working despite all those early setbacks?* **MV:** I’m so committed to the idea that this is my masterpiece project, and I can’t change how I feel about it. That helped me stay committed to my vision even during that hard time. It’s important for me that it is not just a project that you do for fun, or that it’s not just a hobby. I would have quit three years ago if I was just making any game. I would have either released just an ordinary game for the basic experience or simply walked away from the whole thing. But because I am so stubborn about what this project means to me, giving up on it would be like giving up on myself. It’s part of my identity. > Because I am so stubborn about what this project means to me, giving up on it would be like giving up on myself.Mads Vadsholt ![MadsVadsholt_04](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MadsVadsholt_04-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MadsVadsholt_TheForestQuartet_04.jpg) I wrote three funding applications over two years, and the third one was successful. Over time, I started understanding what the DFI wanted from my applications and learning what they respond to. In the beginning, all my applications were like, “I’m not doing this for the money, you guys! This is an artistic project, and it’s very emotional for me” and that didn’t help at all. They want to see a project plan that makes sense and will get finished. I had to learn what I could sell the game on, and simplify the application and lean on that. I’m almost glad I didn’t get funding in those early stages. It was too chaotic, and I wouldn’t yet have been good at managing finances and a team. I ended up getting money at the right time. Now we are in late development, and it will take another year to finish. People can look for it in the spring of 2022. **WA:* What’s your favorite part of developing your own game?* **MV:** The part where people are playing the game and reacting to it can be really fun, but it can also cause a lot of suffering. I would work on a prototype for a couple of months, and then share it with my friends, and I could see that they weren’t feeling it. That alone was proof for me that it wasn’t yet a masterpiece, so I would have to scrap all that work and start over. Now we have a better game and people are enjoying it, but I’m still seeing some things that need to change and could be better. I love the thought process behind figuring things out and solving problems. You have this set of game mechanics and framework that defines the game, and then you have to figure out how to use it, reinforcing it for the player. Working within those limitations, sitting at home and sketching ideas, and figuring out new ways to use and build on what I already have, is so cool. For example, the player character can fly and kind of glide around. There are a few times when she has to jump up on something and glide down. It’s nice, but not essential to the game. The game is divided into three acts: there are three forests, with one band member in each forest. The first act is a depressed pianist, the second act is the anxious bassist, and the third act is the angry drummer. The first act has this depressed forest, with fungus and visual design that makes it feel gloomy, in order to make the player feel a certain mood when playing this part of the game. Then they get to experience the contrast of turning the forest green again when it comes back. The second act has a very dark forest for anxiety. It’s not hard to evoke that feeling; there is spiky stuff and darkness and mystery. As I was recently working on the second act, I was working on the part where the player spawns in the forest. They spawn at a high point in the dark world, and the player character is the sole light source, so you get that creepy feeling like you’re walking around in complete darkness with a flashlight. The player has to jump off the ledge, with no idea of where they are or what comes next. It’s an incredibly effective, creepy moment, and it was free since I already had the flying/gliding mechanic working. Nobody had to code it or implement it or make it - we already had it and it worked perfectly. Normally when I have an idea I have to hire someone and they work for three months and we figure out that it doesn’t work and we have to scrap the idea and waste all that time and money. At least you know that it doesn’t work and you can cross it off the list, but it still feels like a waste. But when I can find a way to reuse and reinforce what I already have, like the gliding mechanic, to get something cool and effective out of the framework we’ve already created, it’s incredibly satisfying. Finally, I like just chilling and listening to music while placing environmental assets. I place a tree and look at it and rotate it, then add a bush… it’s very nice and peaceful. When I do that, I need to be calm and uninterrupted, so it’s a good way for me to take a break from the more demanding aspects of leading a project and running a company, and create relaxing time for myself. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Fungus-Forest-02.jpg) **WA:* And what’s your least favorite part?* **MV:** Doing the monkey work. There are all kinds of boring, repetitive, chore-type tasks that need to be done but don’t engage or excite me. I mean, when you do household chores like laundry or washing dishes, it takes some effort and isn’t fun, but you feel good afterward. But there are some boring repetitive tasks in Unity that don’t have that reward afterward - you do it and you hate it and when it’s done you don’t feel good. You just have to grind through renaming a thousand files or something and get it done with. I also don’t like coming back to the project after being away from it for a couple of months. It’s so uncomfortable it’s horrendous. You have to look back over everything, trying to remember what you were doing and why, what that C# script was doing, is this a new or old asset, is this even fun, is this all a bad idea? It’s awful. That’s why you need to keep a clean project so that you can go back in and look at all the tasks and remember where you were and why. > The first act has this depressed forest, with fungus and visual design that makes it feel gloomy, in order to make the player feel a certain mood.Mads Vadsholt I also dislike being a boss. I don’t like telling people to come to work on time or do better work. I don’t mind giving criticism when it’s fair. I think we didn’t do enough of that at TAW, because we were so focused on supporting each other. All our criticism was wrapped in paper and delivered very gently. I like being honest and telling people when their work isn’t good enough because I feel like I’m challenging them and helping them grow. But there have been instances where working with someone and being their friend at the same time starts to feel like a distraction from the actual work I want us to be doing. Managing people every day can be hard, and in a perfect world, there would be someone else on the project doing it instead of me. **WA:* If Forest Quartet is your masterpiece, what can possibly come after that? What’s next?* **MV:** \[laughs\] Yeah, so I’ll complete my whole life’s work at the age of 29\. I know that’s naive. But time will tell what happens next. Over the process of making this project, it’s been surprising that the aspects of it that I thought was great at the beginning don’t seem so great anymore, and the things I thought I was good at aren’t really what I’m good at after all; I’m better at other things. I’ve learned so much and there have been so many surprises. I have also been surprised by how much I like teaching. It’s refreshing to take things I’ve learned as a professional, and then take them and give them out to someone else and help them learn. It’s really beautiful. It’s very giving to teach, to be able to say eight words and open new doors for someone, or spend two hours and help change someone’s life. Teaching is one of the most meaningful work experiences I’ve had so far. For me to dedicate time and energy to a new independent game project, I would require solid financial security and a more coherent team from the get-go. During The Forest Quartet, I’ve had so many different people coming and going over time, and it causes confusion and lost time. There were also too many times where I had to stop working on the project because I needed to do something else to earn money. In my 30s, I want to have more security and less stress, to make a great game, and still have a life of my own. **WA:* Do you have any advice for people who are just starting out?* **MV:** Try to find a solid base for yourself. Having just a little part-time job, or regular freelance work, so you know you have enough money for rent and food, gives you enough security and stability to engage in your big creative work. Having people near you who love and support you is also incredibly important for your security. When you are working on your passion project, it’s very emotional and chaotic and can go in all kinds of different directions. When you also feel like your life is chaotic, and you have no idea what’s going on, it makes it incredibly difficult. Postpone your dream project until you have some stability. Finally, trust in the universe. There are times when I was in despair and didn’t know what was going to happen, and then somehow I would get just the money I needed or just the support that would help at that time. That happened enough times over these five years that I have come to believe in it. You need to relax and trust that things will come together for you, as long as you are doing the hard work and taking care of whatever you need to take care of. Trust in yourself, and do the stuff you said you would do. My friend Pelle once said, “Be true to yourself and your surroundings will adapt.” It didn’t make sense to me at the time, but it seems to be true. ![Dark-Forest-Path](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Dark-Forest-Path.jpg) ![Fungus-Forest-01](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Fungus-Forest-01.jpg) ## Credits Words: **Rebekah Villon** Website:[ **www.madsvadsholt.site**](http://www.madsvadsholt.site/?ref=weanimate.dk) Profile on PLASTIC Art Collective (PAC): [**plasticcollective.dk/mads-vadsholt**](http://www.plasticcollective.dk/mads-vadsholt?ref=weanimate.dk) The Forest Quartet (PAC): [**plasticcollective.dk/the-forest-quartet** ](http://www.plasticcollective.dk/the-forest-quartet ?ref=weanimate.dk) [X / Twitter](https://twitter.com/ItsMadsTalking?ref=weanimate.dk) · [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mads%5Fvadsholt/?ref=weanimate.dk) [The Forest Quartet](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1620720/The%5FForest%5FQuartet/%20The%20Forest%20Quartet%20%28PAC%29:%20plasticcollective.dk/the-forest-quartet?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0025 ### A Conversation with The Animation Workshop’s Founder Morten Thorning URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/casting-the-building-blocks-for-dreams-and-stories-for-three-decades/ Last updated: 2026-08-29T11:56:08.000Z **In the Danish region of Jutland exists a type of personality, which is described as 'lun'. The word literally translates to *lukewarm*, but the connotation in Jutland is a type of person who always tries to maintain a good mood. Not by cracking jokes, but rather by telling things with an underlying touch of very dry humor and slightly poking fun at people.** Morten Thorning is the epitome of 'lun' when I meet him on a dark October evening. He is in a great mood, smiling through our entire conversation, never afraid to see the humorous aspects of his illustrious career and the people he interacted with through the years. While there is something very Jutlandish and anti-metropolitan about his personality, his actual body of work is very cosmopolitan. As we talk he ends up having mapped out a wide network of people from all over the world. In this sense, Thorning can be seen as a direct reflection of The Animation Workshop (TAW), the institute he founded and drove for 31 years (even though Morten says it was 62 years, as he worked double time the whole time). It is a school located in the middle of Jutland, an institution that he wishes "the entire international animation community should feel a sense of ownership of". It is also the achievements from TAW that were the basis for the jury's decision to grant him the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 installation of Fredrikstad Animation Festival in Norway. Therefore, the story of Morten Thorning is evidently also the story of TAW, so let's start where it all began. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Thorning_Sha.JPG) Morten Thorning. Photo: Bo Amstrup ### FROM CHAOS TO PROFESSIONALISM The beginning of The Animation Workshop is a chaotic story of local government failures, where an unlikely chain of events resulted in the city of Viborg having a huge unfinished center for squash which they didn’t know what to do with. Thus, the first building to house the future Animation Workshop was born. Then in the 1980s regional TV stations became a thing, and in an effort to land the prominent TV station in Viborg, a media education center was built. Unfortunately, they were surpassed by the town of Holstebro — according to Thorning because they had a better lake view. This is where Morten Thorning enters the scene, and the birth of The Animation Workshop takes place. It was originally conceived as an unemployment project, where people could come and learn the ropes of animation instead of digging ditches. Thorning's idea was to create a creative 'højskole' (an independent school offering non-formal education for adults, ed.), where you could nurture a close-knit community with your fellow students. In the beginning, it attracted the local artistic community, which was a group of individuals who went on to have successful careers . The project quickly became so popular that it began to attract unemployed people from the neighboring towns and municipalities — which wasn't exactly what Viborg had planned, but they luckily were followed by economic compensations. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/x_20211002_Thorning_Tallb.jpg) Morten Thorning. Photo: Bo Amstrup From the early days, TAW produced significant results. They first got international attention in an MTV contest with the ecological short film 'The Solution ' (1991), where the animals trick all the humans to leave the earth that they had been destroying. TAW got the attention of the officials at Viborg Municipality, who in return ensured a better and better financial foundation for the school. Simultaneously, the European animation society was pushing against the commercial style of animation coming from the United States, both ideologically and stylistically. Numerous things caused this, but one of the major factors was a law from the European Parliament that forced TV stations to show at least 50 percent European-produced content. Another factor was the creation of the European support-program MEDIA. This was to make sure Europe was not culturally dominated by American culture. Thorning took a unique stance towards the American animation style: "I said, 'No! We need to learn how to make animation look slick and great, and the Americans already figured that out 70 years ago when Walt Disney sat down and spent millions on figuring out how to create motions that make people absorb the stories. So we should learn *how* to tell the stories from the Americans, but we should tell our *own* stories'". Thorning’s position was simply that if they couldn't make animation that looked great, they would always lose the battle when families had to decide whether to tune the TV into a Danish animation film or one produced by Disney. He notes that it was a move that should be seen in the context of its time. These days commercial animation is no longer dominated solely by Disney. Thorning highlights Japanese anime in particular as a great addition to the idea of animation amongst the population at large. Specifically, the Japanese's courage to tackle the darker, but also very human, aspects of life is something that was missing in the American animated storytelling. To make sure that the students learned these styles, a big part of Thorning's work was to hire the best-suited teachers for the job. At the time, Disney’s techniques were strictly encapsulated amongst the studio’s own animators. However, news traveled to Thorning that the animator Richard Williams, friends with Mit Kahl (one of Disney’s Nine Old Men), had escaped to an island in Canada after his project 'The Thief and the Cobbler' had bankrupted him. Thorning got hold of Williams, and they managed to get him to do a series of masterclasses in Denmark. Now TAW had a direct source for the Disney techniques (these Masterclasses later spawned the much popular book 'The Animator's Survival Kit'.) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/20211102_BA_114804b.jpg) Morten Thorning at his home. Photo: Bo Amstrup Williams made it clear from the get-go that the school needed to teach the students to draw better — a fair critique, says Thorning, “because Danes stop drawing when they enter the third or fourth year of elementary school”. To solve the issue, they invited the young professor Artem Alexeev and his Russian network from Saint Petersburg to create The Drawing Academy. Over the next 7-8 years or so, the school began to attract a mass of talent that could not be ignored by the rest of the Danish media industry. The turning point came with the acknowledgment from the National Danish Film School, when Gunnar Wille, the leader of the animation director education, said, "You will make the animators, and we will make the animator directors". A stamp of approval that proved useful later, when handling politicians. But it did take some time for the rest of Denmark to recognize that Thorning’s — in his own words — "idiotic and naïve idea that something this creative could happen in Jutland" really settled in the minds of the Copenhagen-oriented media business. Thorning cannot contain himself in laughter, saying: “It is a total coincidence that the Capitol is Copenhagen. It only made sense, when we administrated Sweden, and since we don't do that anymore, shouldn't we move it back to Jutland?” The Animation Workshop had now grown to be a nationally recognized institution with international collaborations, but it was still officially an unemployment project. This all changed soon. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Thorning_Sqb.JPG) Morten Thorning. Photo: Bo Amstrup ### A BONAFIDE INSTITUTION ENTERS THE RING In the early 2000s, things started to change in Denmark. A major shift happened when Danish film producer Peter Aalbæk (Zentropa) joined the social democratic party, spearheading a movement that convinced the government to create a much stronger Film Institute. The public budget went up from 150 million DKK to 400 million DKK a year — a clear sign that Danish cultural policy did not only want to support theatre, ballet, and opera, which Thorning teasingly says, "might be a little anachronistic these days". A little part of the new budget was used to create film workshops all over Denmark, but at the time, nobody really wanted to have anything to do with animation. Once again, Viborg consolidated its position as the animation capital, even further. In late 2001 the government shifted in Denmark, towards the neoliberal party Venstre. Thorning, who says that at heart he is probably left-leaning, managed to foresee the worst scenario of budget cuts, only to witness the contrary. The new minister of education, Ulla Tørnæs, wanted to create more bachelor educations in Western Denmark and approved The Animation Workshop's accreditation as an official educational institution. Reflecting on this period, Thorning says: "What really changed things in the years 2000-2003, was the combination of it all. Having a workshop with the proper equipment, and having an official education created a magnificent collaboration between knowledge, skills, ideas, art, and technology that really pushed everything forward". ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/20211102_BA_130626.JPG) Morten Thorning in his garden. Photo: Bo Amstrup Getting support on a national level and not only from a municipality was very important for the school. After the millennium animation became increasingly more reliant on continuously more powerful (and expensive) technical equipment. The new era needed to be reflected in the education: "When you are making a movie with a budget of 50 million DKK, you need to be certain that the people you hire have been through the different aspects from shading, character animation, and some production management, which they write in their CV, on a sufficient level," Thorning explains. It is a change in the nature of the animator, from the one-man-band approach of 'La Linea' to the multi-specialized productions of present-day animation studios. The change also reflected back on the experience of the students at TAW. Thorning continues: “They need to constantly make choices like, do you want to be a modeler, a 2D-animator, character designer, layouter, storyboarder, or can't you be bothered to draw anymore and instead want to be the one in charge of steering the productions, or maybe you want to direct because your ideas are great, and so on”. Besides the political and financial support, the early aughts were also the years where international collaborations started to expand rapidly, with the lecture- and workshop-based training programme Animation Sans Frontières being of exceptional importance: “Being part of Animation Sans Frontières put us in a European network of the absolute best. There is a myriad of movies and productions that emerged from the students at the different schools visiting each other. For instance, \[Danish animation studio\] Sun Creature, comes from this network," Thorning says. In many ways, the ADF movement is an international extension of Thorning's idea of community being at the core of how he wanted The Animation Workshop to operate. ### NOT JUST FOR THE MIND BUT ALSO FOR COMMUNICATION In 2009 the Animation Hub came to be. Animation Hub was an innovation network that used animation in a myriad of fields that helped communicate information. One of their early ideas was to animate news, "but sadly the process took so long that once the animation was done, it wasn't news anymore," Thorning says. They did, however, entertain the idea to the extent that they met with a Taiwanese studio, where 20 people stood ready in front of a blue screen to motion capture today's news. Thorning recalls: “It was fascinating, but their main business was reconstructing traffic accidents and killings. The news that were animated were generally very sad, so in reality it wasn’t that fun”. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Leona-Hold-TAW---KIKA-94.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/The-Animation-Workshop---KIKA-1995.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/The-Animation-Workshop---KIKA-1997.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/The-Animation-Workshop---Stop-Motion-class-of-2001.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/The-Humble-Beginnings.png) Some group images from the first years with The Animation Workshop However, two really big movements emerged from Animation Hub. The first one being ANIDOX, spearheaded by directors Uri and Michelle Kranot. ANIDOX:LAB became an international development lab, pairing animator directors with producers and directors who wanted to develop documentary films. “You could use animation to visualize whatever the camera can't film,” Thorning explains. An example of this collaboration is the Danish director Jonas Poher Rasmussen, who discovered how powerful a tool animation truly is through ANIDOX:LAB. Something he has taken to impressive heights with the movie 'Flee' (2021), which is this year's Danish candidate at the Academy Awards. The other impactful movement, coming out of Animation Hub was Sci-Vi. The Sci-Vi movement allows the more artistic animation directors to develop their storytelling skills working together with scientists and science institutions from all over the world. “I think that Sci-Vi really is making complex science much easier to understand. And much more fun to watch,” Thorning muses. Today The Animation Workshop is a Center for Animation, Visualization and Digital Storytelling, with a multifaceted R&D Department, aiming to develop animation and digital arts to new potentials of the future. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/20211102_BA_125722Ab.jpg) Morten Thorning in his garden. Photo: Bo Amstrup ### A STORYTELLER AT HEART Having grown The Animation Workshop from an almost anarchistic 'højskole' to a deeply professional and internationally connected education, teaching students how to use animation not only for cartoons and fantasy but rather as a tool in a myriad of industries, Thorning left TAW in 2019\. After having worked there for 31 years (sorry, 62 years!) Thorning started to focus on himself for a change: “I needed to reinvent my own self-image, and what I discovered was that I am a storyteller at heart”. One of the stories that Thorning is currently finishing up, is a first draft on a large European animated drama series: “When I see what is being internationally produced, I see productions that are beautiful, but they want to either entertain me or scare me. It is not stuff that binds us together, and it is important for us to stand together. Humans as a species have never faced challenges this massive before, which demands that we can act in unity". This is at the heart of everything Thorning has done. He wants to bind the province and the metropolitan together. He wants to bind animation together with other industries, and he connected TAW to the entire world. When we are finishing up the interview, Thorning tells me that he's also working with VR with the new White Hole Theater, and as a final 'lun' comment says with a smile that maybe theatre doesn't have to be so anachronistic after all. > I feel a deep gratitude to everybody, from the fantastic employees in Viborg to the people of the global animation community, who believed in the story and the idea of The Animation Workshop. I might have dreamt up that story, but it was You, showing your support by expressing your belief in the story, and taking advantage of it, that made the dream possible. > > \- Morten Thorning ## Words: ****Rasmus Riegels** Photo: ****Bo Amstrup** wam#0023 ### There are no Moomin originals – anymore URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/there-are-no-moomin-originals-anymore/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:56.000Z ## **Each new adaptation of the Moomin stories adds something to what we have seen and learned from the true Nordic classic. So does the latest Finnish-UK version *Moominvalley* in 3D, made by strong-willed women who did not know so much about animation at first, but were eager to learn.** Since 25th February the Finns have been talking about the new animated version of the Moomins on social media and over coffee. When one-quarter of the population has seen the first episodes, either at its prime-time, 8 PM TV slot or via Yle Areena, the online streaming service for the Finnish national broadcaster, it is definitely a hit and a keen topic of conversation. The Moomins have a special place in Finnish minds, as they do in many parts of the world. ![EP106_1_](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP106_1_.jpg) From the perspective of the Finnish animation industry, it feels great that there is this kind of interest in a new animation series. Generally, people think that animation belongs in the children’s block on morning TV, and assume that journalists or adults, in general, would not be interested. Moomins, however, uniquely unite people across generations, from grannies to the smallest children. The new version is rated K7, not for preschoolers. Instead, Moominvalley is dramatized and visualized for the whole family, even for adults who know their Moomins already. The new series became a possibility when the rights to the early 1990’s version had expired. Since then, the only other offering has been the Moomins on the Riviera feature, a French-Finnish coproduction that premiered in 2014\. The feature film, which reached its main audience through cinemas in cities, had a strategy for sales, distribution, and finding new audiences, which was very different from that of the Moominvalley series. The movie did quite well in places where the Moomins were already an established brand, like in the UK and in Finland, but it did not manage to expand that audience significantly “The cinema distribution company in France, chosen by the producers of the film, was good but very small and independent. They did not make a lot of effort to market the film in France; hence its success in the cinemas was limited. Moomins are not very well known in France and would have needed more PR to attract a bigger audience” says Sophia Jansson (b. 1962), Creative Director for Moomin Characters, the company founded in the late 1950s by the original creators Tove Jansson and her brother Lars Jansson, father of Sophia. The 1990-91 version of the Moomins, animated in Japan but produced by a Finnish-Dutch company, still lives strongly in people’s minds. For some, the beloved animated representation of the Moomins has taken on the feeling of a new original, taking over from the original children’s books or the 1950’s comics originally written for adults. The Finnish-Dutch production was a huge success when it was created and was lifted further by the flow of popular, licensed products that have made the Moomin character one of the most successful of its kind in Northern Europe. Moominvalley, as the new series has been named, began in Stockholm where Marika Makaroff (b. 1973), a producer and a Creative Director in Finland, was working with Filmlance, the company behind the famous Nordic noir crime series The Bridge. At the time, Makaroff was ferrying between Finland and Sweden once a month due to work, "I was with my then 2-year-old son when I saw a glimpse of Moomins on the Riviera in the children’s playground area. I started to think that someone should do a new TV-version of the Moomins. I ended up founding my own production company Gutsy Animations in the UK and Finland, and hired a top-level production team to fulfill that vision. ![EP109_1_](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP109_1_.jpg) ## Shared work with the shared heritage To look for talent to help the vision along, Makaroff talked to directors and scriptwriters from around the world. Among them Steve Box from Aardman Animations, who ended up becoming the *Moominvalley* director. “People were excited about the new series when I told them about the idea” Makaroff says, “and it was a bit a snowball effect: if you get a good team around you, you get the great actors, from Jennifer Saunders to Taron Egerton, not to mention popular musicians, all huge fans of Tove Jansson’s work”. The Finnish animation scene became happier than ever when Makaroff chose the Finnish 3D masters in Anima Vitae to be the lead studio, with its Malaysian sister company Anima Point helping to make the series a profitable success. Even better, the Finnish cash rebate came just in time for the new Moomin production, at the beginning of 2017. “We know it is of utmost importance to work with people who are both skilled and professional, so we were very happy that Gutsy Animations chose such talented people to work on the new *Moominvalley* series,” says Sophia Jansson. Moomin Characters is well known in Finland for having a tight policy regarding how the characters are allowed to be represented on various products. From a Moomin shaped lamp by Harri Koskinen to dresses made by Ivana Helsinki, only the most renowned and rewarded designers and the best manufacturers get access to use the heritage brand. During the past two decades, the Moomin brand has developed into one of the central icons of Finnish and Scandinavian design. Makaroff believes her enthusiasm has been crucial to the whole project coming off the ground. “I believed that sharing my enthusiasm with the whole team, from the director and main scriptwriter Steve Box to episode writers Mark Huckerby and Nick Ostler, would be enough to motivate and convince them.” The shared vision included the use of full 3D CGI with a painterly effect to achieve the look of the Moominvalley. That process, turning 2D Moomin characters into 3D, was one of learning, as well as building trust between all companies involved and between the creative people themselves. “Making the second season comes easier,” says Makaroff. “I know by now what works and what doesn’t.” For Sophia Jansson, the challenge was with the change from the drawn 2D shape to the rigged 3D characters, “The first 3D models of the characters I tried to correct and comment on as I would a normal 2D rendering of a Moomin character, but my remarks only made the end result look worse. This was mainly due to my lack of experience in how rigging for animation is done. > We started all over and I realized I had to trust the animation professionals to know what would work and what not. I was very happy to see how well the final rigs worked on screen,”Sophia Jansson “Early on, Marika pointed out the importance of making the new animation in 3D as it was the only way to reach an audience on a global scale. This was our ambition, of course.” Jansson adds. Both Jansson and her husband Roleff Kråkström, managing director of Moomin Characters since 2008, looked very happy at the Moomin gala organized by the city of Helsinki, Yle and Gutsy Animations on the 25th January. The event was also the world premiere of *Moominvalley*. It looks as if some of the most devoted fans would like to have their say in the handling of every licensed product and worry even deeper about carrying out Tove Jansson's original intentions than the team working at Moomin Characters. The Moomins have certainly grown into a global phenomenon beyond their creator. Japan has experienced Moomins in three different versions, in 1969, the early 1970s and the latest in the early 1990s. ![MMN_key_image_portrait_v03EN](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MMN_key_image_portrait_v03EN.jpg) Germany, Poland, and even Sweden also have their own past Moomin versions, that later audiences may think of as new originals. Johan Hagelbäck’s 1980 animated short of Tove Jansson’s picture book *Who will comfort Toffle* was very loyal to the original, published in 1960\. Theatre director Vivica Bandler (b. 1917), Tove Jansson’s first female lover, created a wilder interpretation of the same story for Dramaten, one of the main theatrical stages in Stockholm. There are a lot of emotions linked to how each fan experiences their favorite characters and stories in the Moomin canon, sometimes pleasant and sometimes dark. Originally in a book format with 200 original illustrations by Tove Jansson, a lot was left to the reader’s imagination. Later, Tove Jansson created around 3200 drawings for the comic strips, and Sophia Jansson’s father Lars Jansson created even more. The comics ran continuously from 1954 to 1975. ![Tove_Jansson_Lars_Jansson](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Tove_Jansson_Lars_Jansson.jpg) ![ToveJanssonWorking](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/ToveJanssonWorking.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP103_1.jpg) ## Moomins abroad The United States of America, however, has historically been a difficult international market for the Finnish post-war creations. Details that are completely acceptable by Scandinavian standards - nudity, queerness - have not always been well received in all markets abroad. Moomins do actually drink alcohol and have even taken drugs in one comic strip by Lars Jansson from 1967\. Sophia Jansson mentions that there was once an attempt to work with an American team, with ambitions to rewrite the stories and make them more politically correct for the US market. The suggested changes were too drastic and Jansson never felt it was acceptable to change Tove Jansson’s original stories to that extent. For the *Moominvalley* series, the reception at the New York film festival in February showed that there is a potential market in the US. There certainly is in Northern neighbor Canada, where original Moomin comics have been published in color by the Montreal-based company Drawn & Quarterly since 2006\. For the small publisher, it became a big hit and copies are sent globally to English speaking countries, with some titles translated into French too. Moomin Characters and their agents, Bulls and Rights & Brands, license the right to use Moomin artwork on new products. Concept images for the new Moominvalley animation, made by, among others, the Finnish design studio Piñata, are already printed on trays, notebook covers, and postcards. They appeared on the shelves at Moomin Shops in Central Helsinki the same week as the new series, but there is much more to come, as *Moominvalley* is rolled out on different markets. ![EP105_2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EP105_2.jpg) ## Credits Words: **Liisa Vähäkylä** Photos: **Per Olov Jansson** Photos from Moomin © Moomin Characters & Gutsy Animations wam#0024 ### Ivandoe URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/ivandoe1/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:57.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/VAQ-key.jpg) ## Valiant Prince Ivandoe Goes to America ## ***The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe*** is one of those rare shows that has been well-received by kids and parents, critics and broadcasters, all around the world. With a sensibility that combines tongue-in-cheek cultural references, snappy jokes and sight gags, creative visuals, and moments of authentic growth and relatability, the show has found a way to connect with a huge range of audiences. Despite a global roll-out that has made many of the episodes available online and provided social media sneak-peeks, the show has yet to actually air in the United States. The November broadcast premiere is hotly anticipated, and fans can't wait to watch the new full-length episodes on Cartoon Network. ![VAQ-key-3](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/VAQ-key-3.jpg) ## *WA: The Ivandoe broadcast in the United States has been a long time coming, hasn’t it?* Christian: It's really exceptional for Warner Brothers and Cartoon Network to put the US at the end of the schedule. All their shows are typically produced in America and first broadcast in the States before they are released in other countries. The *Ivandoe* short films went nearly everywhere else in the world *but* the US, and then the US release of the series was pushed back to November, so this is really our American premiere. When we worked on *Gumball* in London, that was the first real Cartoon Network show they ever made outside of the US, and *Ivandoe* is the second. They may produce more shows in Europe and Asia in the future; there are so many good artists in Europe, and so many tax benefits, so they are starting to do more. Christian: Our experience with *Ivandoe* has been really unusual compared to other Cartoon Network productions and people who are creating shows with other broadcasters. When we were animators on *Gumball*, and we heard that they were open to new ideas and pitches, all of us artists thought that you would have to be Somebody in order to pitch. Everyone else who pitches their own show is a story artist or script writer, or very experienced storyboarders – that's more of the natural progression and how things are usually done. We thought you would already have to be a very successful, experienced person. ![SQK-key](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/SQK-key.jpg) > We were the first people to pitch who were “just” animators, and we were very young, so we weren't even experienced directors who had produced something before, but we still wanted to try to make our own show. Of course we wanted to make something as good as possible, but our first ambition was just to make something; to try and tell our own original story and see what happened. So we tried it, and it just grew and grew. Eva: We didn't know it was going to be a project that lasted for years and years. There were so many baby steps along the way. In the beginning, it was a huge accomplishment to get Cartoon Network to just *look* at our stuff, and we were so excited about that. ## *WA: What has it been like working with Cartoon Network?* Christian: It was really special that they were open to our ideas, and they were very nurturing. They took us in and helped us develop, because they liked the way we were thinking. They helped us get a very good team around us who could support us and help us develop. Eva: Yes, Cartoon Network has been really good to us. I mean, we were animators, so we had to learn everything. We had to learn how to write, and how to direct and everything else, so we spent a lot of time with them and Daniel Lennard just developing our own skills toward being able to do this big project. We always kind of knew what we wanted to do when we started production, but we did need time to learn all these things. It's taken many years. We've seen other people get green-lit, and suddenly their show is in production, and suddenly it is being released, and we would get a bit jealous and impatient. But looking back it feels like it was all worthwhile, and that we learned really valuable lessons at each new step, and it was definitely the right thing for this show to have that much time to grow. Christian: Like Eva said, it could get frustrating when it seemed like everything was happening so slowly for us compared to other people. We had to keep on re-pitching and developing and make a new pilot and another new pilot, but all of that process gave us time to evolve as directors and not get too overwhelmed. There are all these producers and different people who give notes... there's a lot of things you have to deal with. So it was definitely better for us that it wasn't all at once, and we didn't go 0 to 100 in a single year. > If you are totally green and fresh and inexperienced and you get thrown into this huge machine and the complexity of directing a TV show, you can easily get overwhelmed and crash and burn. It can be too much and too stressful. So this gradual, step-by-step process has been healthy for us – it's helped us get into it mentally, and build the skills to be able to lead hundreds of people and deal with all that complexity. ![Ivandoe](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Ivandoe.jpg) ## *WA: As you've mentioned, the project grew so much over time – did you have a plan all along for a big, successful series?* Christian: There's not one recipe for success on how to get your own series. It is also very different depending on your network. Warner Brothers and Cartoon Network have one way of doing it, whereas if you went to Netflix or Disney or BBC or DR there would be a different way. They all have different approaches for how you pitch and how they work and how they develop shows. Christian: When we started developing the longer format, we spent over a year just working on the new concept. We had to convince Cartoon Network that *Ivandoe* could sustain 11 minute episodes. It has to compete with all the American shows, so it has to almost be better than they are, while costing less. Even though we had done the shorts and they had done well, we still had to re-pitch and re-convince them from scratch that we could do a series and it would work and be worth the investment. So we spent a year writing the scripts and expanding the world, but also getting to know the characters more, defining the characters better, and exploring the relationships more deeply. We had to figure out everything all over again: we did look tests, and a new pitch bible, and a new animatic and tested a new pilot... we had to basically start over from scratch. Eva: As storytellers, we had to figure out how to do these longer 11 minute stories, with complete arcs, instead of just one little punch line or gag. It took a long time, and of course you cross your fingers hoping it's all going to work, but a lot of stars have to align. There's a lot of people and a team that you have to get right to achieve what you want. Christian: When we did the shorts, it was such a small team and so hands-on – we were doing our own clean-up animation and helping with rigging and everything. It was like working on a short film – everyone did a bit of everything. Sun Creature was a new, young studio at the time, and we were new directors, and most of the team were new to this kind of production, so it was very improvisational, figuring it out as we went along. As soon as we started the big production, we knew that everything had to be much more organized, and we would have to revise our whole pipeline. Eva: For the series, we had to change the look, because making new miniature sets for 40 episodes would have made it the most expensive show ever . Each episode is in a new location, we never go to the same place twice, and in every episode we meet new characters we haven't met before, which makes it very complicated, and impossible to keep doing the practical sets we did in the shorts. We also knew we needed to update the character designs and start over with animation. It would be great to have an image of the backgrounds for the shorts and for the series, to visualize this difference ## *WA: How else did the show change between the shorts and the series?* Eva : Although the show is basically the same at its core, in the shorts it was so snappy we almost didn't have time for a full story arc, or to get into deeper things like their personalities, and develop the drama... as a series, it had to move beyond just silly little gags, and be more relationship-driven. Christian: For the ten shorts, it was a fairly small team and a fairly short schedule compared to other Cartoon Network productions. Normal Danish productions have a much lower budget than most international Cartoon Network shows, so when some Danish directors and producers heard our price per minute and our schedule, they were like “Whoa! You have so much time and money!” But compared to a normal Cartoon Network show, it was super cheap, because it had to compete with the American shows and productions from around the world in order to actually be green-lit and move ahead. So it's all relative, really; the 10 shorts had a small budget, but for the 40 episode series we actually had quite a long time; we had two years. For some Danish shows, that seems like a crazy amount of time. Eva: All the lead artists from the shorts transitioned to the series. We tried to keep the same people. Once you find the right people who understand you and who understand the vision, it just makes sense to keep them around. We also had some really good series producers, who were very keen on making it a good experience for people to work on. > We heard an American producer say that on her productions she had a “No Asshole” rule, and we thought that was quite nice – let's not be assholes. Let's all try to be nice people and do this in a way that doesn't hurt others. Everyone knows that these productions can get crazy, and at times it did get crazy, and it did... well... suck, but for the most part people were really really nice, and understood that we were all trying to do the same thing. Everyone was working toward the same goal. ![VAQ-key-2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/VAQ-key-2.jpg) Christian: We had quite a big team spread out across a lot of countries. We had some people in the UK, and a huge team in France, and some people in Denmark. Our production started in February, and then Covid happened in March. It was the worst timing. We were supposed to have a huge in-house team in Copenhagen, a huge team in-house in Bordeaux with the Sun Creature team there, and then with the studio Vivement Lundi in Rennes, so we were supposed to have all these in-house teams. Of course, because of Covid, everyone had to work from home, so there were a lot of things we couldn't do. However, it turned out to be good in some ways – we weren't restricted by people's locations, and we ended up being able to recruit people all across Europe and even some in the US. Sun Creature and the Cartoon Network producers and the team in Rennes all did a really good job of keeping in touch with everyone and trying to keep people sane and making sure that people felt comfortable. The lead artists and supervisors did a lot of things, like virtual drinks with the teams, to try to make sure everyone got through it, because it was such a long production – a couple of years. We were lucky that we could keep the production going, and that we were able to keep everyone happy as we went along. It was really nice, and the producers were excellent. ## *WA: Will you keep working on Ivandoe, or on kid's television in general?* Eva: I love kid's TV, and I love kids movies, and I want to keep making stuff for kids and families. Some of our ideas work for different age ranges, but kid's content is probably the most natural fit for our humor. Obviously we would like there to be more *Ivandoe*, but now it's too soon to say – we have to see how it does in America. Christian: Right now there's a lot of insecurity in the states with all the streamers, so they are being cautious about green-lighting new things. We won't know anything about our next steps until we see how *Ivandoe* does in the States. We are really looking forward to finally reaching the US, since this November is the first time Americans will get to see *Ivandoe*. We hope they like it. ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** ![COD-key](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/COD-key.jpg) **The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe** animated series premieres on Cartoon Network in the US on November 11th. It is also available on Max, Apple TV, and other platforms, and you can play interactive *Ivandoe* mini-games at [**https://www.cartoonnetworkme.com/show/ivandoe**](https://www.cartoonnetworkme.com/show/ivandoe?ref=weanimate.dk)**.** We look forward to the next chapter in this adventure! **Follow Christian Bøving-Andersen:** [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/christianboevingandersen/?ref=weanimate.dk) **Follow Eva Wallberg:** [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/evaleewallberg/?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0001 ### 5 TO FOLLOW URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/5-to-follow1/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:57.000Z If your timeline could use a refresh, follow these animation accounts for information, inspiration, and a few laughs. ![01_MovementAndActing_B](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/01_MovementAndActing_B.jpg) ## **1\. MOVEMENT AND ACTING** This is a treasure chest! Animator Luca Fattore has created an abundance of how-to videos based on his experience with animation over the last 30 years. There is definitely something for you, no matter if you are a beginner, a professional, or an illustrator that wants to know more about character movement and acting. **@Pixi-Gags** • **YouTube** ![01_MovementAndActing_A](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/01_MovementAndActing_A.jpg) ![02_MusclesMcQuack](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/02_MusclesMcQuack.jpg) ## **2\. MUSCLES McQUACK** Follow animator and director Ivan Dixon for his ultra crazy comic “Muscles McQuack” on Instagram and dive right into his many amazing different sketches and designs. Rumor has it that Ivan Dixon is working on an animated series for “Muscles McQuack” coming to Hulu. **@ivanreecedixon** • **Instagram** ![03_AmazingAndFunnyShortAnimationWithDanteZaballa_A](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/03_AmazingAndFunnyShortAnimationWithDanteZaballa_A.jpg) ![03_AmazingAndFunnyShortAnimationWithDanteZaballa_B](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/03_AmazingAndFunnyShortAnimationWithDanteZaballa_B.jpg) ## **3\. AMAZING AND FUNNY SHORT ANIMATION WITH DANTE ZABALLA** Dante Zabella is a self-taught animator who creates colorful and psychedelic universes where he combines messy hand-drawn lines, raw shapes, and flickering textures so time, place, and space are dissolved into a seductive experimental universe of how many things animation can do. **@dantezaballa** • **Instagram** ![QvistenAnimation01](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/QvistenAnimation01.png) ## **4\. ANIMATION ROCK AND ROLL FOR KIDS** Norwegian animation studio Qvisten can this year celebrate its 27th birthday and stands out today as one of the biggest nordic animation studios with successes such as “In the Forest of Huckbucky”, “Twigson”, “Odd is an Egg”, and “Herfra til Flåklypa”. At the moment they are in production of their new feature “When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town”, inspired by the story written by Torbjørn Egner. It will be exciting to follow the production of this very popular story for the whole family. **@qvistenanimation** • **Instagram** ![05_IntoTheMagicalStorytellingInGames](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/05_IntoTheMagicalStorytellingInGames.jpg) ## **5\. INTO THE MAGICAL STORYTELLING IN GAMES** Founded in 2010, Might and Delight is a small independent game studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. The studio produces games, digital books, and artwork of very high quality. They stand for highly crafted visual style, beautiful and captivating scenarios, and strong storytelling where the studio wants to explore emotionally engaging themes with its users. wam#0002 ### Bringing research to life through short animations URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/sci-vi1/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:57.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Cells-of-Knowledge.jpg) ## Bringing research to life through short animations ## **How can you describe your research in a single metaphor?** At DanStem, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 10 research group leaders met with a team from the Sci-Vi initiative at The Animation Workshop to co-produce short animations explaining stem cell research to a lay audience. *By Sia Søndergaard and Naomi Dayan* **The initial instructions for the research leaders were to prepare a 30-second voice-over that summarizes each group’s research and to find a metaphor to symbolize the respective research.** “Animation as a communication tool saves both the researcher time in explaining and the audience time in comprehending! We believe that the power of video animation is a strong dissemination vehicle that bridges language barriers and communicates to those wanting to learn fast,” says Naomi Dayan, senior consultant at DanStem and executive producer on the films. The research groups spent time with visual artist Cosimo Miorelli from the Sci-Vi community to go over their metaphor as an introduction to Miorelli’s work to develop storyboards. This rewarding experience reflects the importance of bringing science and visual storytelling experts together. Developing a common language was essential to co-produce animations for the benefit of science, and mostly for the benefit of the public. The short animations - spanning from 1 to 1.5 minutes - will among other elements complement the 10 research groups’ webpages to comply with the new EU directive instructing EU public sector websites to communicate contents efficiently to people with disabilities. The collaboration yielded a production of spectacular animations describing complicated biological cell mechanisms in an aesthetic, poetic, and illustrative manner. The films range from a thriller movie about detecting social cell behavior, to the molecular mechanism of pancreatic cancer as an orchestral effort. Each story focuses on a scientific phenomenon told through a different metaphor. With collaborations like these, the Sci-Vi team wishes to help convey information, knowledge, and important societal issues to the public, contributing to the creation of a basis for enlightened democracy. As a part of this goal, we need far more animation companies to discover the dissemination of science and the possibility of collaborations with knowledge institutions as both market potential and as an existing field to work in. ![LIVER-Danstem_1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/LIVER-Danstem_1.jpg) ![LIVER-Danstem_2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/LIVER-Danstem_2.jpg) Images from ‘’Superheroes in Liver Regeneration’’, telling the story of a scientific attempt to learn what happens to the liver when damaged, and how this knowledge could be translated in the future and help to heal liver diseases and improve patients’ quality of life. Invovled scientists from DanStem: Elke Ober and Charlotte Bailey. Visual artist: Cosimo Miorelli. ### ABOUT SCI-VI Sci-Vi is an initiative at Center for Animation, Visualization and Digital Storytelling/The Animation Workshop/VIA UC (TAW) seeking to explore and unfold visual science dissemination as a field, to improve science communication through visual storytelling and animation. The initiative will strengthen the cooperation between scientists and visual storytellers, and investigate potentials and possibilities in a broad community. Sci-Vi is a partnership between TAW, Viborg Municipality, the creative industry cluster Arsenalet and Aalborg University. ![Cells-of-Knowledge-screenshot-04](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Cells-of-Knowledge-screenshot-04.jpg) ![Cells-of-knowledge-1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Cells-of-knowledge-1.jpg) From ‘’Cells of Knowledge’’; a short introduction to stem cells research and to the techniques used in research ![8-Jan](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/8-Jan.jpg) From ‘’Epigenetics, the embryo and its environment’’. Researcher: Jan Zylizc ![4-Elisabetta-a](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/4-Elisabetta-a.jpg) From ‘’How cells make a career’’. Researcher: Elisabetta Ferretti ![bo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/bo.jpg) From ‘’Hematopoietic Stem Cells’’. Researcher: Bo Porse ### ABOUT THE VISUAL ARTIST Cosimo Miorelli • CZM (Biella, Italy, 1986) is a Berlin-based illustrator and live-painter. His research currently focuses on live performances and multimedia storytelling, including theatre productions, animated videos for museums, and documentary films. CZM has performed live, together with a vast variety of musicians and performers, for art festivals, film festivals, comic/Illustration conventions and exhibitions, art galleries, museums and theaters across Europe. CZM also created illustrated books and comic books for Italian publishers. In 2021 Cosimo was selected in the animation category of the Annual Autori di Immagine 2021, The annual selection of the best Italian illustrators, with another Sci-Vi production: "New People''. wam#0003 ### Rune Fisker URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/rune-fisker1/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:58.000Z ## The illustration scene in Denmark is rife with talent for such a small country, which in part is why Copenhagen-based artist Rune Fisker (b. 1974) has mostly focused on working internationally. Providing his “chaotic colorful surrealism” to clients like tech giants Apple and Google, as well as renowned editorials New York Times, Wired Magazine and The Atlantic, it is safe to say this particular approach has been a success. Developing such a distinctive and vibrant style while working mostly commercially is a challenge, though, and Fisker is mindful of making sure to push himself creatively, “It’s a thing I’m often struggling with. I try to inject my personal style and try out different approaches”. It is often the editorial work that leaves Fisker with room for interpretation, “The turnaround is faster with fewer revisions than on commercial jobs, where the briefs are often very detailed and there are several revisions before I make the final illustration. With editorials, I usually start by reading the article, then do an hour of visual brainstorming making quick thumbnails. I’ll choose one or two of the good ones, which I make as more detailed black and white sketches and present to the client”. ![IMG_0416](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/IMG_0416.jpg) The increase in demand of his commercial work has also had an effect on Fisker’s technical approach, “I used to do all my line work the old fashioned way with pen and paper, scanning the line art, cleaning it up and coloring it in Photoshop. Commercial jobs with super tight deadlines meant that was unfortunately too time-consuming. So for commercial jobs, I do most of my work 100% in Photoshop now and sometimes a bit of Illustrator if it’s a job with a lot of graphic elements”. It’s a change Fisker is not entirely happy with, “I do miss the “old” days of working with pen on paper. I just feel I have a better sense of the overall piece I’m working on: the weight and distribution of elements and the balance of light and darkness”. In periods with many packed deadlines, Fisker stresses: > “I think it’s very important to find the time to experiment and try out new things, which can be hard when your week is packed with deadlines, and you have to work like a whipped horse to meet them. I try to find the time to do personal drawings and projects in between the jobs”. ![workspace_rune-fisker_final](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/workspace_rune-fisker_final.jpg) One such personal project is an animated collaboration with his brother Esben through their shared company Benny.Box. The animation is a 1-2 minute short film, which Fisker explains, “started as out as a series of sketches in my sketchbook, just doodling, trying to create a visual flow. I thought it could be interesting to make a short that has the same feeling I try to convey with my personal work, a sort of slow-­motion slightly surreal dream, where characters are on the run, away or towards something they don’t quite understand”. Fisker estimates the animation work is 70% done but warns progress is slow, as it is only being made between jobs. One thing is certain: It will look absolutely spectacular. ![the-light_final](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/the-light_final.jpg) ![above_final_BIG_02](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/above_final_BIG_02.jpg) ![palace_final_8000px](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/palace_final_8000px.jpg) Meet the Artist ### Rune Fisker **Nationality**: Danish **Profession**: Illustrator and animator **Education**: School of Design, Denmark, in Visual Communication [Visit artist website](https://runefisker.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** Photo: **© Netflix** wam#0007 ### The Hangman at Home URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/the-hangman-at-home/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:58.000Z Expanding the boundaries of VR and animation with **The Hangman at Home** ### **MEDIA AND THE MESSAGE** In many ways, the Carl Sandburg poem *The Hangman at Home* is the perfect subject for Michelle and Uri Kranot. The poem is about exclusion, about things left unsaid, about stories that aren’t told. Thus it naturally raises questions about who gets to tell stories, about which voices are heard and which are left out. These themes dominate the life, work, and mission of the Denmark-based filmmaking duo, so they kept the poem in their “idea drawer” for over a decade, waiting for the right time to bring it to life. In 2017, the time had come. Michelle and Uri wanted to continue the kind of themes, messages, technologies, and techniques they had been working with in their 2017 film *Nothing Happens*. They received the rights to use the poem from the estate of Carl Sandburg, and teamed up with producer Lana Tankosa Nikolic of Late Love Production. The project was co-produced by The National Film Board of Canada, Miyu Productions, and Floréal Films. It has also received support from the Danish Film Institute, the West Danish Film Fund, the CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée), Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Charente county council (as part of Pôle Image Magelis) and The Animation Workshop. In 2020, *The Hangman at Home VR* won the top prizes at the 77th Venice Film Festival, the Cannes XR awards, and New Images, along with being accepted at Annecy, IFFR, and other prestigious festivals. *The Hangman at Home* short film has appeared at Anibar, Animafest Cyprus, and the LA Shorts International film festival, winning the grand prize for Best Short Film at the Krakow Film Festival. Around the world, the project has been praised by audiences and critics alike, but the multiple media components have seldom appeared together, as a single project. ![Hangman_002](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Hangman_002.jpg) ![Hangman_001](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Hangman_001.jpg) Photo curtsey of Viborg Animation Festival ### **A SINGLE STORY WITH MULTIPLE VIEWPOINTS** Like *Nothing Happens*, *The Hangman at Home* is a multi-media, multi-channel experience. It consists of a short film, a single-user VR experience, and a multi-user VR experience. There is even an AR gallery experience that showcases dioramas from the film. These expressions can all be experienced independently or consecutively, in any order. Each experience complements and augments the others, shifting the perspective of the viewer, revealing new and different interpretations of the work. In fact, this very multiplicity and complexity makes the project difficult to describe. We are so accustomed to describing media projects in the terms of the technologies used to display them. Current language like “multimedia experience” doesn’t really encapsulate the variety of experiences available within the single project, and many distribution channels are more interested in one type of media than in others. While more and more “film” festivals are including VR experiences, for example, many festivals have accepted *The Hangman at Home* as only a single channel experience, rather than a comprehensive multi-channel project. In the interest of including more artists and more projects, they often prefer to include this project in only one media format. However, the advantage of experiencing *The Hangman at Home* in multiple media formats isn’t simply the shift in viewer perspective, and the resulting personal impact. As Michelle Kranot points out: “Part of how you interpret media is dependent on the context. When you are in a darkened theater with an audience, you have a very different experience than when you are at home alone watching a film on your laptop. Likewise, the single-user and multi-user VR experiences of The Hangman at Home are extremely different from watching the film, because you are either alone with your feelings and reactions, or having a shared experience with others. There is always another way of being in the story.” Because this project is about accountability and responsibility, and meant to provoke the audience to ask questions of themselves, the experience of shifting perspectives and shifting contexts is profound. Each story segment includes a moment of reckoning between the subject and the viewer, a moment where the observer is themselves observed, and the characters look at the audience in a prolonged moment that is so riveting, and yet so ambiguous, that it leaves you wondering what exactly happened. And what exactly happened to you. ### THE LAYERS AND COMPLEXITY OF CREATING ART IN VR Building on the techniques used in the visuals of *Nothing Happens*, the animation in *The Hangman at Home* was created by filming actors performing in masks and costumes. Then the Kranots digitally manipulate the images, then print them out, paint over them, and then photograph the paintings for compositing. This way of animating creates a rich texture, where you can see every brushstroke. It’s a painstaking method that looks beautiful, while also heightening the ambiguity of the character’s behaviors and motivations. Director Uri Kranot composed the score for the film, integrating the score and sound from the very beginning of the production along with the storyboards and animatics. Because they were created at the same time, the music drives the look as well as the pacing of the film, rather than simply reflecting it. That co-development process means that, like every other aspect of the project, the music is embedded in the meaning and the message of the experience, enhancing the emotions of the moment. The VR version of *The Hangman at Home* has a lovely musical interlude moment, in which the combination of a responsive and interactive piano, along with the ambient score, work surprisingly well together. This interactive soundscape was created by Milan Grajeski, with a musical arrangement by Thomas Richard Christensen and sound design by Pierre Yves Drapeau, so that the improvisational contributions of the audience add to the haunting ambience of the moment. The film and VR experiences were developed simultaneously. According to Lana Nikolic, when you produce the different media channels concurrently, it makes the entire production more cost-effective and ensures that each media channel provides a unique experience for the audience, whether they encounter them separately or together. When you develop a story for one distribution channel, and then try to adapt it for another, it adds cost and often doesn’t enhance the experience for the viewer. Lana says: “It only works if you plan for it from the very beginning. You have to have both the film and the VR in mind from the start and have a story you want to tell, so that you create equally engaging experiences for both channels, and what you make works just as well for both audiences. Of course, funding doesn’t work that way: you get one type of funding for one channel, and another type for another channel, because that’s how film funds work. But it is almost impossible to keep the budgets separate when you are developing for both channels at the same time and will be sharing assets and sequences between them.” As any student of filmmaking knows, editing is absolutely critical in storytelling, and it is especially noticeable and significant in *The Hangman at Home*. Because the VR and film experiences are structured differently, and because timing and pacing in VR is somewhat dependent on the user behavior, editing decisions become incredibly meaningful and significant. The ways in which the different *Hangman at Home* experiences are structured differently is one of the key reasons why each channel is worth experiencing, and each experience enhances the others. From a technical standpoint, this ability to shift context, perspectives, and structure between the different experiences of *The Hangman at Home* would be incredibly informative for students and scholars of film and animation. The way that every experience provokes different emotional responses, and raises different questions of identity and responsibility, may inform how other filmmakers choose to tell their own stories and communicate their own messages. *The Hangman at Home*, in one or more of its iterations, continues to enjoy a hugely successful festival season in 2021\. But the goal is to someday move beyond film festivals and make these types of projects more accessible. Right now, VR technologies are still difficult to widely distribute. You can’t simply send a file to a library, for example, and expect them to know how to set up the experience and make it work correctly. Over time, as these technologies become more familiar, more available, and more standardized, it will be easier to share experiences more broadly, in more locations, with more diverse audiences. *The Hangman at Home* team has bigger ambitions for a long-term lifecycle of these types of projects. Instead of simply appearing in a season of festivals, they want their work to have a longer life in the community. Lana says: “I want to see this type of work in libraries, in museums, in art galleries. After all, the taxpayer funds these projects. They should get to enjoy them.” While many of these technologies are still in their infancy, we can expect that immersive VR will become more and more accessible in future years. These new distribution methods may also revise the current model where films are constantly “competing” against each other in the context of festivals. The future holds tremendous opportunities for creating more diverse content and reaching more diverse audiences. ![hangman_02](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/hangman_02.jpg) ### THE FUTURE AMBITIONS OF LANA AND THE KRANOTS This unique process of concurrent film and immersive experiences is integral to the future work, questions, and explorations that the Kranots and the team at Late Love Production continue to pursue. Michelle and Uri are continuing their ongoing work with Anidox and The Animation Workshop, as well as engaging in research related to animation, VR, and immersive experiences. The incredibly prolific pair are also early in production on an animated feature, and are making another short animated film “just for fun.” Lana and Late Love Production are currently working on several exciting projects, but one ambitious project really stands out. Their groundbreaking *3 Kings* experience is being created in collaboration with White Hole Theater and Viborg Municipality. The massive project combines live performance, screen projections, and VR to create a unique immersive experience. It will be launched in several phases in Viborg over the next few years, culminating in a massive immersive experience in 2024. For so many years, the media has been the message. For the Kranots, Lana Tankosa Nikolic, and a new generation of creators, the message is bigger than the media. The language of criticism, the processes of funding and distribution, and the habits of festivals and platforms, need to embrace the challenges and opportunities of multi-channel artworks like *The Hangman at Home*. [***lateloveproduction.com***](https://www.lateloveproduction.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** Photo: **Curtsey of Viborg Animation Festival** wam#0006 ### Titina Takes to the Sky URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/titina-takes-to-the-sky/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:59.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Tonje-Skar-Reiersen-TITINA_c-Mikrofilm.jpg) ## Titina Takes to the Sky ## This fall, Norway’s prestigious Mikrofilm launches their most ambitious film to date. Titina is an epic animated adventure, seen through the eyes of a small dog. It sheds new light on an often overlooked aspect of history, with a complex, dimensional story that offers something for all audiences. ***Titina*** revisits a gripping time in history, when the world was riveted to tales of polar exploration. Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was known around the world, famous for being the first person to navigate the Northwest Passage, and the first to reach the South Pole. When he joined the race for the North Pole, Amundsen planned an airship expedition, and partnered with Italian aviator and airship designer Umberto Nobile. Nobile insisted that his pet dog Titina accompany the explorers on a dangerous mission into the unknown. This film tells that tale. Award-winning director Kajsa Næss, like all Norwegians, was familiar with the legendary Amundsen and his accomplishments. But when she stumbled across the story of this particular airship expedition, she was surprised. Not only was she unfamiliar with this aspect of Amundsen’s adventures, but the presence of a small dog on the expedition was striking. She says: *I came across this particular story by accident. I was surprised that I hadn’t already heard of it, because there was a lot of attention at the time, and the airship makes it such a spectacle. It was the biggest media event of the 1920s. But it faded into history over time, and Norwegians today don’t know how Amundsen died, and don’t know that he disappeared searching for Umberto Nobile. So even though he himself is an icon, this part of his life is less familiar.* *The presence of Titina is another thing that drew me to this story. As Norwegians, we all know that if you bring dogs to the polar region, they have to work, or you should be able to eat them.* > The Arctic is no place for little lapdogs. Why would you bring a small dog to such a place? It’s very very strange. So for me it was something that made this story so interesting: why did they do that? And how did it actually work to have a little dog up in an airship? *I was also charmed by the airship itself. It’s so large, and so fragile, and so strange. The mental image of it against the polar landscape worked so well together, along with this little dog.* ![Tonje-Skar-Reiersen---Titina-in-chair](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Tonje-Skar-Reiersen-Titina-in-chair.jpg) *Titina in chair* ![Tonje-Skar-Reiersen---TITINA_still_Nobiles-office_(c)-Mikrofilm](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Tonje-Skar-Reiersen-TITINA_still_Nobiles-office_c-Mikrofilm.jpg) *© Mikrofilm* With the framework of the story in mind, Næss went to award-winning screenwriter Per Schreiner, who suggested making a feature. For Næss, it was important that the film focus on the characters and the emotion, building drama in the interpersonal relationships, rather than telling the standard heroic tale of men conquering nature. Viewing events from Titina’s perspective enabled a new way to relate to the story, making it both more complex, and more accessible. Næss says: *We have a very classic way of telling these kinds of stories in film, with heroic men doing challenging things, but I didn’t want to tell that kind of story. For me, it was more interesting that they made strange choices, and had complex relationships. For example, they get more interested in arguing about who has the biggest flag, than in actually looking for the North Pole.* > It’s a film about small humans in a big landscape. They quarreled, they were stubborn, they were selfish. They had basic human feelings, which is where we get the drama from for this film. *Using Titina as an observer allows the audience to see these choices differently. Titina actually experiences the nature and landscape, while the men don’t pay attention, because they are too busy competing with each other. She has her own adventure in parallel with theirs.* Producer Tonje Skar Reiersen notes that, as the film developed into a feature, it gained more layers and nuance. It shifted from being an ironic story into something that was warmer, with more ideas to reflect upon later. She says: *Titina communicates on different levels, offering something to viewers of all ages and vantage points. While the story is charming and appealing to children, it also includes timeless themes relating to power, friendship, betrayal, disgrace, sacrifice, and redemption, paired with gorgeous visuals and meticulous craftsmanship. It’s an incredible accomplishment.* ![Tonje-Skar-Reiersen---1926ArrivalInNorway](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Tonje-Skar-Reiersen-1926ArrivalInNorway.jpg) *Arrival in Norway 1926* ### Orders of Magnitude *Titina* is the second feature film for Mikrofilm, after 2020’s *The Ape Star*. It is the first feature for Næss, and it’s an incredibly ambitious project. Making a film of this scale was never in the plan, but it grew in scope during the development process. Because the film kept getting such overwhelming positive feedback and support during development, Mikrofilm’s ambitions grew along with it. Reiersen says: *We really didn’t know what we were getting into, so it was impossible to be “ready” for it. It just kept getting bigger and bigger over our very long development phase.* > In the beginning, we never dreamed we would be making an €8 million film. In Europe, that’s an average budget for an ambitious animated film, but in Norway that’s huge. It’s borderline madness. Næss adds: *It kept growing in scale because I always wanted it to be an ambitious, classically animated 2D film. At Mikrofilm, we like to focus on the story, and not do fancy elaborate stuff with the animation. We are very different in that way. It’s very important to me that we have emotion, not just movement, in animation. We thought that this leaner, simplified approach to character animation might make the film cheaper, but it didn’t. \[laughs\]* ![Tonje-Skar-Reiersen---1926Norway](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Tonje-Skar-Reiersen-1926Norway.jpg) *Norway 1926* ### The Art and Animation of Titina *Titina* was produced in partnership with Belgium’s Vivi Film, building on the relationships established during their co-production of Hanne Berkaak’s short film *Frydenlund Hair Parlour*. During production, despite Covid, Næss moved to Belgium so she could work directly with the production teams in Brussels and Gent. She had a very specific animation style in mind, inspired by the films of Jacques Tati and Wes Anderson. She points out: *A lot of classical 2D animators are trained in a more flamboyant style, with lots of movement in every frame. They’ve learned all kinds of rules about easing in and out, and secondary action, and they want to use all these techniques. It can be a challenge to ask them to adapt to a more contained style. We were asking them to be very restrained, with just a slight movement of the hand, or a turn of the head, and for some animators it was quite difficult.* *Naturally there are some characters who are more cartoony, and have their own movement styles. Mussolini, for example, is much more exaggerated in his expressions, so for the animators who are used to that kind of motion, there were scenes where they could really go all in and have fun with it. It actually works quite well with the more contained animation of the main characters, highlighting the differences between them, and letting the audience consider what those differences might mean.* *Because I was on site, I could work very closely with Marie-Laure Guisset, the animation director, who really understood this approach, and did a great job casting animators. She hired quite a few young animators, who could be shaped into this particular style, and some of them really brought a lot of emotion to every shot because of this restrained approach. Also, because I was there, I could communicate directly with the animators, and they could bring their own ideas to the work.* > When you are working with really good animators who have a lot of experience and ideas, it’s important to be open to that, and see how it can be used. It helps them feel a sense of ownership over the production, rather than just working for someone. This is incredibly important for creative people. *And as a director, this type of collaboration gives you a lot of free gifts: you have access to these extra ideas that you wouldn't have gotten otherwise.* Reiersen adds: *Of course most people will probably watch the film at home, but if you see Titina in theaters, the more subtle, elegant details will be more apparent. These small character actions, or decisions about exactly where to cut a shot, are unusual in an animated feature, and create a really powerful experience in a theater. It adds more layers to a film, where adults might have more understanding than kids of what’s happening emotionally. Of course, kids are much smarter than we give them credit for, but it makes a story that is very easy to follow on the surface, and is more complex on another layer, with all these little nuances.* *Titina*’s characters were designed by illustrator Siri Dokken, based on historical reference material. It was important that Titina remain a dog, and that she not be anthropomorphized into a cartoon character. After character designs were completed, it took nearly three years for the team to find an art director who was the right fit. Næss is passionate about the classic 2D animation look, with thin cell lines and simple designs, without a lot of detail in the backgrounds. She wanted to work with color rather than shadow. When they finally connected with Emma McCann, it was a match made in heaven. McCann’s use of color and light merges realism and classic animation motifs into a strikingly beautiful, deeply Nordic aesthetic for the film. ![Tonje-Skar-Reiersen---TITINA_still_Titina-and-Maria_-(c)-Mikrofilm](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Tonje-Skar-Reiersen-TITINA_still_Titina-and-Maria_-c-Mikrofilm.jpg) *© Mikrofilm* ### Final Stages of Production *Titina* is currently in comp and sound, with McCann guiding compositing and color correction. The film is scheduled to premiere in just a few months. Reiersen says: *“Titina is a giant leap for the entire team at Mikrofilm. We could not have done it without backing from our executive producers Kristine Knudsen and Axel Helgeland, nor without Viviane Vanfleteren and Vivi FIlm, and the warm enthusiasm from all our supporters, especially the Norwegian Film Institute. But first and foremost, Titina is the triumph of director Kajsa Næss. While every aspect of production has been a team effort, Titina is truly an auteur film.”* See *Titina* in European theaters in the fall of 2022, and learn more at [http://www.mikrofilm.no/](http://www.mikrofilm.no/?ref=weanimate.dk) ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** ![Tonje-Skar-Reiersen---A_TonjeSkarReiersen](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Tonje-Skar-Reiersen-A_TonjeSkarReiersen.jpg) *Producer* ### Tonje Skar Reiersen ![Tonje-Skar-Reiersen---B_KajsaNæss](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Tonje-Skar-Reiersen-B_KajsaNaess.jpg) Director ### Kajsa Næss ![Tonje-Skar-Reiersen---C_LiseFearnley](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Tonje-Skar-Reiersen-C_LiseFearnley.jpg) *Producer* ### Lise Fearnley wam#0005 ### Joonas Utti URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/joonas-utti1/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:59.000Z with Joonas Utti ## For Helsinki-based animator and entrepreneur Joonas Utti (b. 1982), that mantra has taken him from working as a flash animator to co-founding two animation studios and achieving international success with original TV series, co-developed with his creative and business partner Anttu Harlin. For the internationally successful Gigglebug franchise, the right idea was laughter. Originally developed for an app where children tickle grumpy forest animals, the energetic and infectiously joyful Gigglebug soon became the star of books, music, concerts and an internationally distributed TV series. “Once an idea strikes you in a way where it doesn’t let you rest, you have to dig deeper,” says Joonas Utti. “And when you find that backbone, you can add to it and remove from it while keeping the bones in place. It’s a guideline for yourself through development.” ![Gif_this_expressions_joonas_utti](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Gif_this_expressions_joonas_utti.jpg) It was while working as a flash animator that Joonas Utti met Anttu Harlin, who was then working as an editor. A few years later, they founded their first company, the animation and design studio Anima Boutique. Using a variety of animation techniques and collaborating with different artists, the duo made a name for themselves while laying the groundwork for their second venture: Gigglebug Entertainment, which employs a staff of talented animators to take new projects from rough draft to finished project in-house. > I’m more on the visual side, and he’s more on the producer side, but we both work on the stories and the ideas. I don’t know quite how to explain our collaboration... it’s been quite organic.Joonas Utti ![Gigglebug_joonas_utti](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Gigglebug_joonas_utti.jpg) In addition to their flagship franchise, Utti and Harlin have also provided concept development and produced short-form content and digital assets for the Disney TV series 101 Dalmation Street (2018). Recently, Gigglebug Entertainment sealed a co-production deal for their animated series Pronto, about a delivery service handling ‘impossible deliveries’. The core idea of that show? “The anticipation of an unopened package” explains the aspiring animation mogul. Joonas Utti talks animatedly about his different ventures and projects in development, which include a wildly successful side venture animating reaction gifs – a bit of doodling for his own amusement which has now garnered more than 500 million views online. He is clearly a man who enjoys having a full plate. “It can be very creatively consuming, especially when you have short deadlines. But I think it’s good to have something else to jump on when you’re drained of ideas for one project and something else sparks you. We have a background in commercials, and there, it’s two weeks, and you’re done.” As liberating as it can be to have many irons in the fire, Joonas Utti stresses the importance of focusing on just one project at a time. “Try to concentrate on the thing you are working on that day, that week, that month. Try to put your energy into your first priority.” As he looks ahead to developing Pronto, more Gigglebug, and whatever other as-yet-unannounced projects are being kicked around in his Helsinki offices, Joonas Utti isn’t resting on his laurels. “You want to go bigger each time, or at least challenge yourself,” says Joonas Utti. “I think the hunger never goes away.” ## Credits **By Niels Jakob Kyhl Jørgensen** Meet the Artist ### Joonas Utti **Nationality**: Finnish **Profession**: Director, animator, showrunner **Education**: Bachelor in Visual Design [Artist webpage](http://gigglebugentertainment.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0004 ### WeAnimate’s VAF Preview URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/vaf23-preview/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:59.000Z ## Viborg Animation Festival is almost here, along with the usual array of exhibitions, events, and experiences. This year has a fantastic programme, and animation-lovers will have a hard time fitting everything in. Here are our top picks for VAF 2023: ## Monday Sept 25 **10:30 - 12:00 Best Feature Candidate: *Titina*** Kajsa Næss’s *Titina* is in VAF’s feature film competition this year, and is a great start for a week of animation. The film has been a huge success with critics and audiences, and won worldwide recognition as a heartwarming story, beautifully realized. Read more about the film here. ![Titina](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Titina.jpg) **15:00 - 16:30 VAF opening** Celebrate the official opening of VAF 2023 at Tinghallen ![VAF logo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/VAF-logo.jpg) **16:30 - 18:30 *Deep Sea*** Tian Xiaopeng’s *Deep Sea* is the opening film of the festival this year. This film is a feast for the senses, following a young girl’s journey into a dreamy, surreal, gorgeously-realized vision of life underwater. ![Deep Sea 2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Deep-Sea-2.jpg) **19:30 - 21:30 Best Short Film Competition Program 1** This year’s short film competition has some incredible films, and Program 1 features some of the best animated shorts of the year, including the Academy Award-nominated and Annie award winning *Ice Merchants*, Cinanima and London International Animation Festival winner *Slow Light*, and Zagreb winner *Her Dress for the Final.* ![VAF_2022_2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/VAF_2022_2-1.jpg) ## Tuesday Sept 26 **16:30 - 18:30 Best Graduation Film Competition Program 1** This year’s graduation films are bold, energetic, and full of ingenuity. This screening includes student films from all over Europe, with a special nod to Denmark’s own Toke Ringmann. **19:00 - 20:30 Best Experimental Film Competition Program 1** Experimental films defy expectations and challenge conventions, and this year’s program lives up to that promise. These international short films are a showcase of novel techniques and expression, with bold stories and vivid imagery. **\-OR-** **19:30 - 21:30 Best Feature Candidate: *The Inventor*** ***The Inventor*** brings the world and the imagination of Leonardo da Vinci to life in playful stop-motion and hand-drawn animation, with a fanciful story that is equally funny and thoughtful. ![The Inventor 2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/The-Inventor-2.jpg) ## Wednesday Sept 27 **8:30 - 10:00 GDR - Towards New Horizons** This screening includes two animated documentaries dealing with life in the GDR. Anna Theil’s *Stumm* tells the story of the family of a man who worked for the GDR secret service, and explores the connections between personal and political secrets and histories. Falk Schuster’s *Die Weite Suchen* documents the facts, memories, and experiences of a family traveling near the East German border. **16:00 - 21:30 Houlkær by Night** This event is part of a special series exploring the Houlkær community, in collaboration with Viborg Animation Festival. Join local creators and luminaries for communal dining, singing, workshops, and more. [Learn more](https://houlkaerbyheart.my.canva.site/?ref=weanimate.dk) ![VAF audience 2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/VAF-audience-2.jpg) **19:30 - 21:30 Best Feature Candidate: *Aurora’s Sunrise*** Inna Sahakyan’s *Aurora’s Sunrise* explores the true story of Armenian refugee Aurora Mardiganian, who escaped genocide to become a famous author and activist in America. Combining surviving footage, interviews, and animation, the film has been winning accolades around the world. ![Aurora 2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Aurora-2.jpg) ## Thursday Sept 28 **10:00 - 17:00 CAVE Day 1** The CAVE Conference features a huge range of concept artists and visual thinkers in the world of entertainment, with world-recognized talent at the cutting edge of art and design. The day one program includes networking and lectures from artists at IO Interactive, Envar Entertainment, HBO & Marvel, and more. [Learn more](https://caveconference.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) **13:00 - 16:30 ANIDOX:VR Exhibition and Competition** ANIDOX’s VR exhibition and award features artistry at the frontiers of technology, and is one of the world’s leading showcases for virtual and mixed reality experiences. **17:30 - 19:30 Open Workshop Short Film Program and Danish Talent Award Competition** TAW’s Open Workshop fosters animation and game talent from around the world. This event features short films from the Open Workshop’s residency program, and includes work from emerging and established artists. **19:30 - 21:30 Best Feature Candidate: *Mars Express*** Jérémie Périn’s critically acclaimed *Mars Express* combines 2D and 3D animation in an action-filled sci-fi noir feature like no other. This stylish film plays homage to everything from *Blade Runner* to *Akira,* while posing new questions about humanity, intelligence, and the future of our species. ## Friday Sept 29 **9:00 - 10:00 Brunch and Bubbles** What could be nicer than a champagne brunch with VAF guests, Viborg creatives, and the amazing speakers, presenters, and artists who make this week so special? **10:00 - 16:00 Viborg Game Expo** The Viborg Game Expo has become another signature event in the VAF schedule, featuring different exposition areas focusing on all aspects of gaming, media, and culture. Featuring everything from old-school arcade games to coding and development, and YouTube sensation Morten Münster, it’s a gamer’s paradise. [Learn more](https://www.game-expo.com/eng/?ref=weanimate.dk) ![Game expo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Game-expo.jpg) **17:00 - 18:30 Animation Showcase: Best of 2023** This special showcase is curated by Benoit Berthe Siward, featuring the best short films of the year. All the films in this program are eligible for the Academy Awards, and the program is presented by Siward himself. **19:30 - 22:00 VAF Award Ceremony** This ceremony recognizes this year’s VAF winners, along with jury members, the animation community, and the festival itself. It’s a wonderful celebration of the participants and everything that is special about VAF **\-OR-** **19:00 - 20:30 Short Films at Ølluminati** A program of short films by VAF artist Niki Lindroth von Bahr, screened at everyone’s favorite Viborg watering hole. If you prefer your animation with a side of beer and backtalk, consider spending Friday night enjoying a screening of films in the heart of Viborg at Ølluminati. ## Saturday Sept 30 Saturday is a great day to catch up on everything you missed during the busy week at VAF. It’s the second day of the Viborg Game Expo, and ongoing events and exhibitions like *The Mullah Redux*, *The Fury*, and *Underneath the Wings of a Butterfly* continue into the weekend. What are you looking forward to in the packed programme at VAF? [Learn more](https://www.animationsfestival.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) **Read the entire program and book your ticket here:** [www.animationsfestival.dk](https://www.animationsfestival.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0083 ### The Nordics Storm Cartoon Forum URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/cartoon-forum-2023-nordics/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:11:59.000Z ## This month, animation professionals converge in Toulouse to pitch their projects to investors and broadcasters from over 40 countries. So far, Cartoon Forum for animated TV series’ has helped 956 animated shows find financing, and generated production budgets of nearly 3.5 billion euros. While this year’s pitches are dominated by projects from France, there are some interesting projects from the Nordics, and here are three projects to look out for: ![WA_the_sand_box](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_the_sand_box.jpg) ### The Sand Box Made By Us and Ja Film will be pitching The Sand Box, a cute story about tiny illustrated book characters who fall into the “real world” of a school sand box. Written by prolific actor, author, illustrator, and animator Carl Quist-Møller, this project aims to entertain, educate, and inspire. **madebyus.dk | jafilm.dk** ![WA_pig_andersen](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_pig_andersen.jpg) ### Pig & Andersen Fleng Entertainment and Tumblehead collaborate on this comedic spin on the tales of Hans Christian Andersen. Based on their 2022 short film “The Swineherd”, this series follows Andersen’s lazy and loveable pigs as they travel through different fairytale worlds, revisiting familiar stories in a way you’ve never seen them before. **sorenfleng.com | tumblehead.com** ![WA_a_super_epic_tadpole_journey](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_a_super_epic_tadpole_journey.jpg) ### A Super Epic Tadpole Journey to the Surface of Croak Creek Joonas Utti’s Gigglebug Entertainment has had tremendous success in the world of children’s animated television, and it looks like he is poised to do it again. A Super Epic Tadpole Journey to the Surface of Croak Creek is set in a deep and mysterious pond, and follows the adventures of two tiny tadpoles on their quest to reach the surface. The show will be produced for both horizontal and vertical formats, suitable for a range of devices that reaches beyond the television monitor. **gigglebug.tv** Other Nordic projects appearing at Cartoon Forum this year are Fabelaktiv’s **Ursa - The Polar Bear and Dept’s Yukon**, **Space Botanist** from Norway, and Anima Vitae’s **Moka Mera & Atlas**, from Finland. We wish success to everyone pitching at Cartoon Forum, and look forward to seeing these and other Nordic projects on our small screens in the future! ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** wam#0082 ### Animation wins big in Odense URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/animation-wins-big-in-odense/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:00.000Z ## **Saturday night was a big night for animation at the annual Oscar-qualifying Odense International Film Festival.** Besides the two animation awards, specifically awarded to animation, animation also took home the main prize at the festival, the H. C. Andersen Award, awarded to the best short film in the international competition amongst all selected films, animation or not. **International Competition** *H.C. Andersen Award 2023 (Oscar Qualifying)* "**Skinned**", dir. Joachim Hérissé (France) **Animation Competition** Awarded by The Danish Animation Society in collaboration with Odense Film Festival. *Børge Ring Award 2023 (Oscar Qualifying)* "**Amok**", dir. Balázs Turai – (Hungary, Romania) *Animation Talent Award* "**Let Them Eat Cake**", dir. Mathias Rodrigues Bjerre (Denmark) *Special Mention* “**Forår**”, dir. Pernille Kjær **Youth Competition** *Youth Jury Award* "Dr**e**am", dir. Snobar Avani (Denmark) **Pitch Me Baby** Last but not least, the award for best pitch at the Pitch Me Baby competition, where the winner receives DKK 35,000 (EUR 4,600) for further development, went to the project "**Alperne og Strygebrædt**" by Marie Louise Højer-Jensen and Ditte Lundsgaard Nielsen. **Congratulations to all the winners!** Please find the complete list of winners here: [https://filmfestival.dk/off23-vinderne-er-fundet/](https://filmfestival.dk/off23-vinderne-er-fundet/?ref=weanimate.dk) ![Skaermbillede-2023-09-02-kl.-10.25.56-1024x571](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Skaermbillede-2023-09-02-kl.-10.25.56-1024x571-1.png) Framegrab "Skinned" ![Photo-2-Balzs_Turai_x_Amok_01-1024x576](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Photo-2-Balzs_Turai_x_Amok_01-1024x576-1.jpg) Framegrab "Amok" ![Let-them-eat-cake-1024x576](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Let-them-eat-cake-1024x576-1.jpg) Framegrab "Let Them Eat Cake" ![Photo-6-Screenshot_2023-03-27_at_15.05.27-1024x436](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Photo-6-Screenshot_2023-03-27_at_15.05.27-1024x436-1.jpg) Framegrab "Dream" ![Dream_win](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Dream_win-scaled.jpeg) Private photo: Dream team ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/FotografCosminCirstea-torsdag-Pitch-me-baby-374-1024x682-1.jpg) Ditte Lundsgaard Nielsen and Marie Louise Højer--Jensen pitching "Alperne og Strygebrædt" at Pitch Me Baby. Photo: Cosmin Cirstea wam#0010 ### The Many Possibilities of We Lost Our Human – w/ Rikke Asbjoern and Chris Garbutt URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/we-lost-our-human/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:00.000Z with Rikke Asbjoern and Chris Garbutt ## *We Lost Our Human* is the story of indoor pets Pud and Ham who wake one morning to find that their owner has disappeared. In fact, there has been a glitch in the universe, and all the humans have disappeared. In a desperate bid to find their owner and return the world to normal, they venture into the outside world to make things right. **If that’s the path you choose.** ***WeAnimate Magazine met the creators Rikke Asbjoern and Chris Garbutt at WeAnimate Day 2023 at the National Film School in Denmark, to talk about the immense process of inventing a new paradigm in interactive storytelling.*** In fact, *We Lost Our Human* is an interactive comedy romp through a variety of bizarre universes, and the viewer controls the outcome, choose-your-own-adventure style. Starring the voices of Ben Schwartz and Ayo Edebiri, along with Lauren Tom, Jon Glaser, and Henry Rollins, the viewer can play through over 200 minutes of content. The scale of this project was incredibly ambitious. In 2018, Netflix attempted something similar with the *Black Mirror* episode *Bandersnatch*, which was changed from an episode to a standalone special due to the complexity of production. The complexities of *Bandersnatch* also led Netflix to develop an interactive production management tool called Branch Manager, which continued to develop and was eventually used for *We Lost Our Human*. For writers/directors/creative team Rikke Asbjoern and Chris Garbutt, working on ambitious projects is nothing new. The two had previously co-created *Pinky Malinky* for Nickelodeon and Netflix, which earned them an Annie nomination in 2020, as well as working on numerous animated series, shorts, music videos, and more. For Rikke and Chris, *We Lost Our Human* was an opportunity to take their signature humor and over-the-top cartoon action to a whole new level, and they embraced the challenge. ![WA_00_C+R_JF-talk_page_50](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_00_CR_JF-talk_page_50.jpg) *© Netflix* ### The We Lost Our Human Creative Process *We Lost Our Human* was an original concept that Rikke and Chris pitched to Netflix, having heard that the network was looking for interactive projects. Although they hadn’t produced a non-linear film before, they were attracted to the challenge and the creative possibilities, and their experience and past successes got them the green light. Netflix was immediately on board with the concept and the characters and supported the project completely. **CG:** We need to give a lot of credit to Netflix for trusting us with this project. They could have forced a specific production pipeline and setup on us, but they allowed us to create our own. That trust was really important. **RA:** Because that’s definitely not always the case. **CG:** Absolutely! And if we had less experience, they may have had to take more control, and then it might not have worked. To write *We Lost Our Human*, Rikke and Chris first developed a single plot that they called “the golden path”, and then began to look for places where the story could branch and diverge. They developed this framework with a team of themselves, two writers, and a script coordinator, in a room lined with Post-it Notes to track the various branches. > In all, there are approximately 4 complete stories, along with smaller branches, easter eggs, and divergences that add up to over 87 billion possible variations. ![WA_01_C+R_WLOH_netflix-talk_writing__0018_Layer-Comp-19](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_01_CR_WLOH_netflix-talk_writing__0018_Layer-Comp-19.jpg) The Story Room of We Our Human. @Netflix **CG:** The whole project was interesting and exciting, but the writing process was the most fun. I can’t believe they allowed us to spend that kind of time on writing alone. It was just the four of us and a script coordinator, so we formed an agile unit. It was 7-8 months in writing total. **RA:** It’s weird to think about it now, because it was before Covid and we were all crammed in the same room with each other for all that time. Thankfully the way that we decided to approach the writing turned out to be the perfect way. I think we were just so lucky to already have so much experience under our belts, because we had been in so many different productions and done so many different things already. We’d worked on commercials and music videos and shows and everything, so we already had a good understanding of what this might become. **CG:** We walked into it with our eyes open, and we were careful about setting up the production and pipeline. We brought in our own line producer, Mani Bell, who we already knew and trusted, and we sat down and brainstormed all the things that could go wrong. We also spoke with Russell McLean, who was a producer on *Bandersnatch*. Although that project was live-action, there were similarities in our pipelines, and he was super helpful. We found it helpful to just talk to a lot of different people with interactive experience, who could highlight areas that we needed to look out for. Using the Post-It Notes as a tool, the team recruited almost everyone to “play through” the story, telling them the plot, presenting the decisions, and then moving to the next branch. These verbal play-throughs allowed them to troubleshoot potential story problems and make sure the variations worked as expected. Rikke and Chris were adamant that the interactivity of the story be engaging and satisfying to the audience. They wanted choices to feel meaningful and have consequences, so they consulted with interactive producers and other experts to make sure it worked. As a result, they created some basic “writing rules” for the show , including: ![WA_01_C+R_WLOH_netflix-talk_writing__0011_Layer-Comp-12](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_01_CR_WLOH_netflix-talk_writing__0011_Layer-Comp-12.jpg) **CG:** We kept it in that Post-it Note form for as long as we possibly could as we kept pitching and pitching and refining it, and then we put it into outline form in a program called Branch Manager that Netflix developed for *Bandersnatch*. From there, the outline evolved into a script. Although the script was kind of locked, things did have to change a bit during storyboarding. And, of course, we like to give the actors a lot of free rein during voice recording, to let them riff on the lines… so it was only partially “locked”. The process of taking storyboards into the animatic involved so much more checking than you would have to do on a linear production. Because you have multiple different sequences coming into and out of multiple different sequences, you have to check all your hookups (camera hookups, screen direction, etc) and make sure things are all hooking up against all the different possibilities, and that takes a long time, both in the boards and in editing. **RA:** The production was especially challenging for Jam Filled Entertainment, our animation studio, because they also had to figure out a whole new way of approaching things. It was a big challenge for us, but it was a big challenge for them too, because we could never really 100% sign off on anything until the very end when we were assembling all the pieces. We could never be sure that as some new piece came in, it made some other piece not work anymore. Nothing was locked ever. I mean, we didn’t make huge changes to what we had, but we had to get people to accept that things weren’t 100% locked, which isn’t how people are comfortable working. It was hard for people, but we just needed to maintain that little bit of flexibility. **CG:** It was all about details. We weren’t going to go back and change entire arcs; we just had to make sure all the details lined up. We also had to be aware of budget, and not just make things and throw them out. Despite the unique challenges posed by a non-linear film, Rikke and Chris emphasize that making great animation always comes down to the fundamentals. **CG:** Learn story. It’s the most important thing. It’s great to understand how to make great visuals and great filmmaking, but learning character and story is sometimes even more important. Young people should really prioritize it. **RA:** Especially if you want to make your own films. But even if you’re doing VizDev it gives you a bigger, more well-rounded understanding of how your work contributes to the overall story. Images that hold the narrative and have character are just more interesting to look at . Also, get insight into different departments and learn how things work and work together. Try to learn as much as you can about every part of the process; you are more likely to succeed if you have that kind of insight. Experience teaches you so much. You have to work in different departments and with different people. That takes time, and you can’t acquire it over just a few months, and it’s essential for being a good director. ![WA_04_C+R_WLOH_netflix-talk_art-design__0001_Layer-Comp-2d](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_04_CR_WLOH_netflix-talk_art-design__0001_Layer-Comp-2d.jpg) ### The Path Ahead for Rikke and Chris Rikke and Chris are actively in talks about new projects and opportunities, while continuing to work on illustrations, graphic novels, and personal projects. **CG:** It’s hard to answer specifically about our next projects, because the industry is in a funny place at the moment, so you have to navigate that. But there are a lot of things we want to do and are actively pitching. We’ve been talking to a lot of different people in different places and figuring out what’s the next big thing. We’ve been talking a lot about features, so I think that’s what we are heading towards. **RA:** I think that’s what we would really like to do next, is to make a feature. **CG:** We have landed on a few stories that are very personal for us, and a couple of them are very Nordic, so we are exploring those possibilities. **RA:** It’s a big ! I hope we don’t go down the wrong path, since right now there are so many signs pointing in so many different directions… we just hope that people will watch *We Lost Our Human* and enjoy it. ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** Photo: **© Netflix** ![WLOH_RikkeAbjoern](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WLOH_RikkeAbjoern.jpg) Meet the Artist ### Rikke Asbjoern **Rikke Asbjoern Biography** Rikke was born in the north of Denmark in 1979\. In 1997 she became one of the youngest students to start at the Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark, and then after graduating in 1999 she moved to London to start drawing cartoons for a living! In 2007 she started working at Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe in London, writing and directing her own animated TV show ideas, while also helping to develop a number of other projects, including the Cartoon Network show the Amazing World of Gumball. After a gig as a feature Story Artist for DreamWorks Animation, she joined Nickelodeon Animation, where she, alongside fellow collaborator Chris Garbutt, was the Co-Creator, Executive Producer, Show-Runner and Voice Director of the hit Netflix/Nickelodeon animated series, Pinky Malinky, about a positively charged anthropomorphic hotdog sausage! ![WLOH_ChrisGarbutt](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WLOH_ChrisGarbutt.jpg) Meet the Artist ### Chris Garbutt **Chris Garbutt Biography** Originally from Yorkshire in the north of England, Chris lives in sunny Los Angeles, and has also worked in London and Paris since graduating with a First Class degree in Graphic Arts and Illustration, from a slightly less sunny Leeds Metropolitan University in the UK. Chris has a passion for comics and storytelling! He loves creating new worlds and characters that often begin life as silly doodles on post-it notes. Chris’ clients include Aaardman Animations, Capstone Publishing, Cartoon Network, Disney, Dreamworks, Paramount, JibJab Media, Macmillan Children’s Books, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Rebellion, Scholastic, Titan Publishing Group and Walker Books. ![Video](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Video.jpg) ### **About We Lost Our Human** We Lost Our Human, a new epic interactive special for Netflix, was released in March 2023\. It’s about an indoor cat and dog who wake up to find that all humans have disappeared from Earth, including their own! Desperate to find their owner, these two homebound pets venture for the first time into outside world and discover strange mysteries, meet bizarre creatures, and maybe – with the audience’s help – save the universe along the way. Stream it today on Netflix: [**https://www.netflix.com/dk/title/81004016**](https://www.netflix.com/dk/title/81004016?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0011 ### Sam Surplice’s Animation Journey URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/sam-surplices-animation-journey/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:00.000Z ## *Sam Surplice is a senior animator with a professional journey full of twists and turns, with a surprising diversity of industries and projects. He recently sat down with WeAnimate to reflect on his career so far, trends and challenges in the industry, and his work on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, now available for streaming.* ![Spiderverse_12](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Spiderverse_12.jpg) *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse © Sony Pictures* ### Where It All Started I grew up in a rural part of the south of England, and was a creative kid who enjoyed drawing. I studied art and design in secondary school, but didn’t really plan to make a career out of it. I didn’t really have a plan at all. Then I met a Danish girl, which motivated me to move to Copenhagen and enroll at Truemax Academy. I jumped right from traditional 2D hand-drawn animation into 3D animation. It was like going from riding a bicycle to piloting a helicopter. After a couple years, a friend and I dropped out of Truemax together. The school was really expensive, and we decided to use the money to work on our own instead. Online courses allow you to develop very specific skills, which I thought would be more practical than continuing at school. We got a little office in the meatpacking district of Copenhagen, and for about a year I worked on little one-off projects and took courses online, while working as a waiter in the evenings. I probably should have just gone to The Animation Workshop, but I still had a relationship in Copenhagen. My first full-time animation job was for a medical company, animating training videos for CPR and things like that. The work was very clean and clinical, without an entertainment aspect, and our work had to please all these international customers. We would get very precise notes about how a character needed to point with one finger or two fingers, or how they needed to wear their socks or scrubs. It felt like a lot of nit-picking, but I think it was good for me to get some discipline and learn how to take direction. I left that job in order to work on more entertainment-focused projects for Wil Film. I worked there for just over a year, and it was really fun. I worked on Lego projects like Ninjago and Lego Star Wars, and I didn’t just do pure animation; I also learned layout and previz and camera work, so I got a lot of filmmaking experience there. We had a very fast turnaround, so there wasn’t a lot of time to hone the character animation, but I enjoyed the filmmaking aspect, and the tight schedule gave the team something to bond over. We had our fair share of beers and became good friends. From there I went to SYBO Games. It was a bit more money because it was the game industry, and had a bit more security and a more relaxed atmosphere. I worked on Subway Surfers and a few unannounced projects that were fun to work on, but I don’t think will ever be released. They treated me really well there, and let me pursue a lot of personal side projects. One of those side projects was an online animation school called Animawarriors, where I met Jorge Vigara, who was my instructor, and became my friend. I actually teach for that school now, so it’s come full circle. I had a lot of ideas for things I wanted to try and to do, and was really pouring myself into these projects, and then Covid hit. Just then everything happened at once. I finished the course at Animawarriors, and Jorge hired me to do some promotional work for the company. While that was happening, he casually asked me if I wanted to work at Sony. I said yes, of course. He gave me an email address, and one thing led to another: a few weeks later I got a job offer to go to Vancouver and work on Hotel Transylvania 4. ![LEGO_Star_Wars_The_Freemaker_Adventures](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/LEGO_Star_Wars_The_Freemaker_Adventures.png) *LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures © LEGO* ### Work at Sony Pictures Imageworks in British Columbia Hotel Transylvania 4 had a 2D, cartoony style, and I already knew the characters from the earlier movies. I was really in my element, and I got a lot of challenging shots, which was really nice. Toby Pedersen was my lead, and we hit it off and became friends: he’s an animation wizard, but he is also a gem of a person and really looks after his team. ![SeaBeast_03](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/SeaBeast_03.jpg) *The Sea Beast © Netflix* I finished that film and they immediately put me on The Sea Beast. It was completely different in style, so I went from a toony, wacky, do-whatever-you-want style to a very grounded, naturalistic sea tale where everything was calculated. The animation was very naturalistic and reference-heavy, so I filmed a lot of reference, and it took me a couple weeks to get used to the different animation style. The client was Netflix, and the director (Chris Williams) had gone to Netflix from Disney, and all the boards came from Netflix, so everything was pretty tied down. Even with all that, it could be hectic in terms of reviews. Because there were so many people working on the production, and only so much time for reviews, it was difficult to get your shots seen, and that was hard to get used to. I thought that I would leave Sony after The Sea Beast, but then Spider-Man started crewing up, and I just had to be on that movie. So I took a few weeks off between projects and visited Denmark, and then started on Spider-Man. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Spiderverse_08.jpg) *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse © Sony Pictures* For me, the animation style on Spider-Man was a great balance of being stylized and expressive, while remaining grounded and natural. It wasn’t fully one or the other: it wasn’t photo-real, but also wasn’t Loony Tunes, which was a good fit for me. One of the rules we developed for Miles is that he’s unlike the other Spider-Men, who have extreme pushed poses. He has those types of poses, but not all the way to the extreme; he’s a bit more effortless, like a professional basketball player. Perhaps his arm is pulled in rigidly to punch, but his hand is slightly relaxed, or his fists are tightly clenched, but you slightly relax the knee or the foot. He doesn’t look like he’s exerting himself to the fullest. That can be tough, because as an animator you need to keep him a bit more relaxed and softer than he appears in a comic, but it gives Miles that effortless strength as a character. > Artistically, the hardest part (and this is true on all projects) is knowing when to not move. Sometimes you have to just trust the pose to hold. There is an element of bravery to holding something, and there’s a tendency to just add keyframes out of habit. In Spider-Man in particular, you need to choose strong poses and hold them, just like in a comic.Sam Surplice I had a decent amount of shots on the film, and had a few shots and sequences that were challenging in a good way - almost intimidating. My favorite of my sequences is the one where Miles and Miguel are climbing on the train. It was supposed to be three shots or so, but all they said was that “Miles gets past Miguel in this part”, and the dialogue was “my name is Miles Morales”. The animation director, Bob Persichetti, knew that it was going to take some time to figure out, so we had a lot of back-and-forth about it. That sequence leaned on pretty much all the skills I had picked up along the way: taking direction, taking artistic responsibility, even editing as well, because they said I could take as many shots as I needed in the sequence, as long as it was panelized and artsy and cool. That sequence was a four month rollercoaster for me, it was very intense. When it got approved, people clapped for me in the studio, and it was so nice. *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse © Sony Pictures* ### A New Chapter in Denmark After my time at Sony, I came back to Copenhagen and started working as a freelance animator for my own clients. After a big feature, your resume has a bit more weight, which gives you more autonomy as a freelancer. I wanted to have more control over my projects and my schedule, and make more of my own choices. I didn’t want to ask for permission to take a day off or go on holiday. It’s not sustainable to work 10-11 hour days and 70-80 hour weeks year after year. Animation is an art form; it should be sheer expression. As an artist, you need time to recover your energy and your inspiration. You need to recharge properly in order to restore your drive and figure out what you want to do creatively. > The industry really pushes people to their limits, especially in North America, where animators feel like they can’t take time off because they aren’t getting paid enough, and they have a ton of student loan debt. Look at the strikes that are going on right now: the writers, actors, and The Animation Guild are trying to explain that we can’t do this forever.Sam Surplice The industry relies on every new generation of graduates to replace artists lost to burnout, and to work long hours for low wages. Everyone is struggling and studios go out of business, while the CEO buys their second yacht. Something has to change. In the movies, there’s a common storyline where the main character is done with everything, and they go off to a log cabin or something in the middle of the woods, to get away from it all, and they relax and are happy there. Then they get the call to come out of retirement for one last job… I have ideas for new and unusual ways to use animation, to use it to tell different types of stories. Right now I’m doing some work for a Danish games company and polishing my skills in Blender, and I am also working for a Scottish studio on a pitch for a TV show, but I am talking to a lot of people and keeping my options open. I would love to do more features, and I would love to do something weird and unexpected. I want to take some creative risks and be a bit grungy, and not be too safe, too cookie-cutter. That’s an itch I want to scratch. If A24 did an animated movie, I would jump on it. I may also want to do a short film of my own someday. For now, if people see *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse*, it can only help me and everyone who worked on it. In the meantime, support the strikers, join a union, and pay artists what they are worth. ![spiderverse_shd_clip](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/spiderverse_shd_clip.gif) *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse © Sony Pictures* ### Watch *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse* on your friendly neighborhood streaming service **starting August 8th.** Support artists at [www.IATSE.net](http://www.iatse.net/?ref=weanimate.dk) and [www.animationguild.org](http://www.animationguild.org/?ref=weanimate.dk) ## Credits Text: **Rebekah Villon** ![PXL_20220813_020220656](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/PXL_20220813_020220656-scaled.jpg) Meet the Artist ### Sam Surplice Where can you find Sam? [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-surplice-a112943a/?ref=weanimate.dk) · [X / Twitter](http://twitter.com/keyframeking?ref=weanimate.dk) · [Instagram](https://instagram.com/superfriendlysam92?ref=weanimate.dk) ### For more Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse articles, check out [**Cartoonbrew**](https://www.cartoonbrew.com/tag/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse?ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0012 ### Going Deep With The Drowned URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/the-drowned/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:01.000Z ## "You can drown in many things, and this film includes all of them" ### Going Deep With **The Drowned** The animated short film The Drowned is a beautiful exploration of dream-like visions and forms of mourning that pays homage to the people and history of Marstal. Inspired by a critically-acclaimed novel, Luc Perez’ film manages to be historic, surreal, and deeply personal at the same time. In this article, we take a look at the inspiration, production, and future of this gorgeous film. Luc Perez’s new animated short film The Drowned (original title, Den Druknede) was inspired by the 2006-novel We, the drowned, by Carsten Jensen. The novel and film are about the seafaring people of Marstal in the early 20th century in Southern Denmark. It’s about the lure of the ocean, and men who sail and trade and fight there, and the women who maintain life and hope and build a future in the village. The film takes place during a single chapter of the book, where aging captain Albert Madsen has seen a terrible vision of the future. The story moves between present and past, dreams and realities, possible futures and impossible imaginings, and Perez’s film has a dreamlike, surreal quality that perfectly reflects Madsen’s internal life. ### AN HOMAGE TO MARSTAL Born and raised in France, Luc Perez has been living in Denmark for 20 years. Jensen’s book opened his eyes to a whole new, often overlooked, area of Danish military and maritime history. But Perez has a connection with the small town of Marstal that actually goes much deeper than that. He says: “I had a very vivid dream about a seaside village. Naturally, I assumed I had dreamed of some little village in France, but when I went to Marstal I was astonished to realize that it was the town of my dream. A few years later, when Jensen’s book about the town was published, my wife gave me a copy. The book had everything I loved: the story of Marstal, the vivid imagery and complex emotions of the characters, and the magical realism I love in authors like Gabriel Garcia Márquez. I had to make it into a film.” Jensen gave Perez unfettered rights to use the book in his film, without requiring any author input or approval. Like the book itself, Perez strove to make his film as accurate as possible, while still conveying the surreal, dream-like quality of the story. The film reflects the actual streets and homes of Marstal, and local people served as extras and background characters. The characters speak in the local accent, and the calligraphy is the traditional cursive of the time period. Perez wants the people of Marstal to recognize themselves and their home in every image. Perez’s complex, multi-layered visuals are stunningly beautiful, and enhance the feeling of immersion. The Drowned might refer to actual people who have been lost at sea or hinting at future tragedies to come, or to the present moment of overwhelming emotion, isolation, and loss. As Perez points out, you can drown in many things, and this film includes all of them. ![WA008-c49-Drown-00001](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA008-c49-Drown-00001.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA008-c49-Drown-00009.jpeg) ### AN EXPERIMENTAL FILMMAKER’S PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES To make the film, Perez shot actors on green screen, and then hand-painted and composited layer upon layer of elements, to create an organic, hand-made look. For some of the fire and explosion effects, he used an AfterEffects plugin to create the right scale and timing, then painted over the frames to integrate them into the design and ensure that the visuals don’t look digital. The painterly imagery and rich textures make The Drowned an unmistakably “animated” film, but Perez doesn’t consider himself an animator. He calls himself an experimental filmmaker and uses lighting effects and camera moves seldom seen in animation, often creating scenes by combining photographs, real-life reference objects, and the texture library he has been building for decades. The complex overlapping layers of still and moving imagery, captured from multiple sources, enhance the magical dreamlike quality of the story. Sound and music from Yann Coppier add still more complexity and depth, washing over the audience with an immersive, watery, mysterious quality. The film also reflects compositions and motifs from artists and filmmakers who inspire Perez and is infused with his own experiences and emotions. The final product, although derived from a place he doesn’t live and a book he didn’t write, is deeply personal and powerful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA008-c49-Drown-00014.jpeg) ### BRINGING IT HOME The Drowned has taken many years to realize. From the initial conversation between Perez and Carsten Jensen in 2013 to the finished film in 2021, the world has changed. The film received little support during the initial years and was a labor of love. When it was finally finished, Perez took the film and a projector to Jensen’s home to show him the final product. The author was profoundly moved, saying: “We, the drowned is a historical novel, built on excessive research, about a small maritime town with an unusual destiny. But at the same time, it is the story of dreams and omens, about farewells and loss, about a small town overwhelmed by war and too many sailors that never returned home. We, the drowned is also a novel about an entirely different dimension of existence than what is portrayed in everyday realism. With a focus on the dreams in the story, Luc Perez’ vision is a surprising interpretation of moving, fierce, and poetic imagery. Perez has gone all the way into the heart of the novel, opening even the author’s eyes in the process. I will never again be able to look at my novel in the same way. The images I had on my retina writing We, the drowned have been replaced by Luc Perez’ magical, promising visual poetry.” The Drowned will be appearing at film festivals and on online platforms, but will also be featured at the Maritime Museum in Marstal. In 2022, Luc Perez and Carsten Jensen will be performing a tour of libraries in Denmark where they present the film and discuss the book. [lucperez.com](http://www.lucperez.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) ## **Gallery** ## Credits Written by **Rebekah Villon** Images and artwork courtesy of **Luc Perez and Basmatti Film.** ©2021, all rights reserved wam#0081 ### Between the madcap and the mundane URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/between-the-madcap-and-the-mundane/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:01.000Z Little Allan and **Amalie Næsby Fick** ## Film Director Amalie Næsby Fick Reflects on the World Around Little Allan In the Danish animated film Little Allan – The Human Antenna, a young boy finds an unexpected ally in an alien girl researching Earthlings for a school presentation. The film’s director, Amalie Næsby Fick, talks about overcoming anxiety, moving between live-action and animation, and working harder than ever even during lockdown. “My name is Obama, and I come from Silkeborg!” insists the alien girl Maiken, her green face hidden behind a cardboard mask, after crash-landing her UFO in the middle of Taarnby, a sleepy town outside of Copenhagen. “My interests are fish and the internet!” Her clever disguise doesn’t quite fool the 11-year-old eponymous protagonist of Little Allan: The Human Antenna, a new Danish animated film from director Amalie Næsby Fick. Little Allan has just moved to town with his father following his parents’ divorce, and has spent his first night there hanging from the roof of the building wrapped in tinfoil, hoping to help his eccentric new neighbor Helge contact alien civilizations – and prevent the invasion Helge insists is imminent. But Maiken isn’t here to enslave humanity. A kid herself, she has come to research Earthlings for a school project, only to find herself stranded when the local janitor nabs her UFO before she can get back to the cosmos. Now it’s up to Little Allan and Helge to help get Maiken spaceborne again – while keeping her hidden from the janitor’s brother, an avid taxidermist on the lookout for an exotic specimen. “Finally, we shall have an answer:” exclaims the murderous collector at one point. “Is there life in the universe – and can it be stuffed?” Little Allan: The Human Antenna is a madcap family adventure, and Amalie Næsby Fick expertly mines the outlandish premise for fish-out-of-water comedy. “What I was going for in the film was some sort of mix between sci-fi and kitchen-sink realism,” she says in a Zoom interview, explaining how the drabness of the environment serves to underscore the comedy. “The more real that world feels, the funnier it is when a UFO suddenly crashes into it.” ![Amalie Næsby Foto: Philip Davali](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA008-c42-LilleAllan-00002_Philip_Davali.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA008-c42-LilleAllan-00006.jpg) ### A DREAM PROJECT Since graduating from the National Film School of Denmark in 2016, Amalie Næsby Fick has moved seamlessly between animation and live-action, co-directing the successful animated film The Incredible Story of the Giant Pear (2017) before helming the acclaimed live-action web series Sex (2020), which premiered at the Berlinale, on her own. Little Allan: The Human Antenna has long been a dream project for the director, as she first read the children’s book of the same name, by comedian Peter Frödin and author Line Knutzon, when she was still in film school. She was immediately drawn in by what she calls the poetry and humor of their universe, and when the chance came to direct an adaptation after working with Peter Frödin on The Incredible Story of the Giant Pear, Amalie Næsby Fick sought inspiration in the films of her childhood. While namechecking Spielberg classics – E.T.: The Extraterrestrial being the obvious comparison – Amalie Næsby Fick reveals that a much closer inspiration was the 1993 family adventure Free Willy, about a young boy who saves an orca from greedy aquarium owners. “It’s a film that really takes its tone seriously,” she explains. “It fully embraces the world of its child protagonist while also insisting on this fantastical adventure. That was a big inspiration.” ## ### OVERCOMING ANXIETY Along with screenwriter Thomas Porsager, Amalie Næsby Fick set about adapting the book and decided early on to use Allan’s gradual acceptance of his parents’ divorce as a narrative throughline for the film. A shy kid, Little Allan puts on a brave face and insists he’s fine, but, like the lovelorn and neurotic Helge, he has simply built a protective wall around his feelings. “Allan internalizes his feelings, so he has built this reality around himself where his mother doesn’t have the energy to see him. The characters are all united by a shared sense of anxiety, carrying pain that they’re unable to overcome,” explains Amalie Næsby Fick. “That’s an aspect of the story that was close to my heart because I also suffer from anxiety.” As a contrast, the forthright Maiken is able to read thoughts and is puzzled by why anyone would ever want to keep them to themselves – on her planet, it’s impossible not to tell people how you’re feeling. “Telling people how you’re actually doing can feel like this completely insurmountable barrier, like this mountain you can’t climb. It feels dangerous. But once you start talking to people, you realize that that feeling actually can go away. So, on a personal level, that’s something I really wanted to say with the film.” ## ### THE DREAM OF A FINISHED ANIMATIC With the screenplay finished, the team went about developing storyboards and creating animatics. “That was a good process, because we also let the story be influenced by what was happening visually and could go back and forth and do new iterations of the script,” explains Amalie Næsby Fick. Working on the animatic allows the creative team to get a feel for how the story beats are going to play out in the finished film and is an important tool for developing the story. “Ideally, I’d be doing the animatic for much longer,” says the director, mentioning how directors working for Pixar are able to finetune animatics of the whole movie before moving onto final animation. “Obviously,” she hastens to add, “they have comparatively unlimited resources.” Within the budget constraints of local language animation, such luxury is rarely an option. “The way financing works is that the process of creating an animatic isn’t part of the development, but part of the production of the film. By then you’re already sitting down with your team and planning all parts of the film production, and you’ve got a huge machine already running.” With different departments already working concurrently, there is less freedom to make changes. “If you change too many things while they’re being built, obviously you’re throwing things out the window,” she says, a little ruefully. ## ### FINDING A CINEMATIC LOOK Even if she might have wished for more time, Amalie Næsby Fick is quick to credit her collaborators at Danish animation studio Wil Film with helping to realize her vision for the film. In particular, the company’s focus on pre-visualization – a rough sketch of camera movements, more technical than the animatic – helped her develop a distinct visual look for the film. ”We had a long time to work on the camera and explore the visual language, which is a big part of how we managed to create such a cinematic film. It’s a very different method of animation than what I’m used to, so it was also a great learning experience for me.” Although she’s not inviting comparisons – “It’s hard to look at films where one minute of their film is the entire budget of yours,” she grins – Amalie Næsby Fick mentions Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (Sony Pictures Animation, 2009) as an important touchstone for the film’s visual look. “What I think that film does so well is that it dares to be so cartoony while still having something to say. You could have never made it as a live-action film. And I think we also succeeded in making a film that’s very caricatured and funny in some moments, and more serious in others.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA008-c42-LilleAllan-00009.jpg) ### WORKING HARDER FROM HOME When the pandemic hit, Amalie Næsby Fick was impressed by how quickly production managed to adapt to an online workflow – while still working at a higher capacity than she had ever done before. “The animators had to deliver 22 seconds per week,” she confides, pausing for emphasis. “That is a lot. And it’s a lot more than I tried doing before. But because it was so well-planned, and because we were so clear about the animation style, we were able to work much faster.” “That doesn’t mean I’m saying you should do 22 seconds per week,” she is quick to add. “I’d much rather do less, but I think it went well. And people were fucking awesome, you know?” With production nearly wrapped on Little Allan: The Human Antenna, there is the question of whether a sequel might be in the offing should the first film do well. “Well, there is one more book, Little Allan and the Doppelganger School,” explains Amalie Næsby Fick. “And of course that’s something we’re talking about. We’ll have to see if it’s possible.” But Amalie Næsby Fick isn’t about to start fixating on any one project. Already deep into production on an unnamed Danish-language Netflix series, she doesn’t limit herself to animation or live-action, but moves freely between both. “I think it’s nice to be able to move freely,” she explains, before summing up her storytelling approach: “That way, I always stay in service of the story.” #### #### **Little Allan: The Human Antenna** is out in cinemas across Denmark on July 28, 2022. ## **Find the trailer here:** ## Credits Written by **Niels Jakob Kyhl Jørgensen** Photo by **Philip Davali** Images and artwork courtesy of **Wil Film.** ©2021, all rights reserved wam#0016 ### Catching the Wave: The Next Generation of Animated Documentaries Thrives in Viborg URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/catching-the-wave-the-next-generation-of-animated-documentaries-thrives-in-viborg/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:01.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Flee-CatchingTheWaveFront.jpg) Still from “Flee”. @Final Cut for Reel & Sun Creature Still from “Flee”. @Final Cut for Reel & Sun Creature ## Catching the Wave: The Next Generation of **Animated Documentaries** Thrives in Viborg ## The Changing Role of Animation in Documentary Film *From WeAnimate Magazine #003, Spring 2019* 101 years ago, Winsor McCay (b. 1866) animated the sinking of the Lusitania, and changed everything. People realized that, rather than simply being an amusement, animation could illustrate stories and concepts that could not be filmed practically. Animation became crucial for demonstrating scientific concepts, historical re-enactments, and to provide visual accompaniment to the “talking heads” in documentary films. Animation took on an important role in non-fiction films, allowing directors to use creative visuals to augment and illustrate their stories. Notable examples of this powerful use of animation within documentary include Chris Landreth’s (b. 1961) Ryan (2004) and Paul Fierlinger’s (b. 1936) animated autobiography Drawn from Memory (1995), in which animation enhances, informs, and provides a visual commentary on the narration. For decades, animation largely served documentary films as illustrations do in a book; beautiful and necessary, but secondary to the story. However, the use of animation in non-fiction film has sometimes shifted and redefined genres. Norman McLaren’s (b. 1914) groundbreaking Neighbours (1952) won an Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject). The Academy later regarded categorizing this film as a “documentary” as an error1, and yet the fact that it was both nominated for, and won, in that category, shows the power of animated storytelling outside of the constraints of fiction. ## Representations of Reality While many purists believe that a documentary film has a responsibility to tell the truth and remain rooted in pure fact, a new generation of filmmakers are making films that challenge those very notions of truth and objectivity. The early 2000s brought us award-winning animated features like Persepolis (2007) and Waltz with Bashir (2008), which advanced the arts of both documentary filmmaking and animation at the same time, creating narratives that explore the line between fact and fiction. Filmmakers embraced the subjectivity of memory and ideas about representation, telling stories that aim for truths beyond facts. This freedom to merge tools and techniques, and explore the world of creative potential within non-fiction stories has opened the door to a whole new style of film and visual storytelling. Filmmaker and instructor at The Animation Workshop / VIA University College, Uri Kranot (b. 1975) says: “We have seen the documentary genre’s borders expand with animation, contributing new visual tools of expression with the endless storytelling possibilities the medium has to offer. “Looking at what has been done and what is currently being made within this field, it seems hard to define what makes a film an animated doc. Some use real soundtrack, some involve real footage imagery, and some fabricate every aspect of the production. The one element that connects them all is the ‘seed of truth’ – the feeling that something within the story is real. Manipulated – yes, of course, but telling a story that deals with reality to some extent.” ![EGG_Stills_002](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/EGG_Stills_002.jpg) Still from "Egg". Animated Documentaries in focus at The Animation Workshop, Viborg ## ANIDOX:LAB Supports the Movement For filmmakers Michelle (b. 1977) and Uri Kranot, the journey has been a personal one. Driven by a passion to make films with powerful political messages, such as the multi-award-winning Hollow Land (2013), they worked without regard to classification or genre. However, when their work started being referred to as ‘animated documentaries’, they embraced the label, and used it as they collaborated and mentored other animators. “In my work with students at The Animation Workshop, developing their bachelor films, I’ve noticed that whenever a student comes with an idea that is connected to a real event that happened to him or her, these ideas turn out to become the films that stand out,” says Uri Kranot. “Working from personal and real life experiences brings a heightened credibility and identification that is so hard to otherwise achieve in animation.” The pair set out to help filmmakers realize and share these experiences, building community along the way. In 2012, Michelle and Uri, together with The Animation Workshop (TAW), started the groundbreaking ANIDOX:LAB professional training program in Viborg. ANIDOX is a natural fit for TAW, which has been educating and supporting animated filmmakers for decades, working toward the highest standards in creative and artistic achievement, while also building industry partnerships and helping to develop the economic future of the animated arts. ANIDOX:LAB cultivates and develops ground-breaking projects, at the boundaries between animation and documentary filmmaking. The ANIDOX decision to populate lab projects equally between animation directors and documentary filmmakers was a crucial one. Documentaries are usually defined in the edit, when a filmmaker gathers all their footage and assets and assembles the story from the material they have. Documentary filmmakers often allow the story to emerge naturally as they go, and make crucial decisions in post production. Animation directors, on the other hand, begin making their films with a lengthy pre-production process, and the film doesn’t emerge as they go: it’s planned precisely from the very beginning. Allowing these two kinds of filmmakers to learn and work together is a transformative experience that facilitates a common vocabulary and shared context between these two very different filmmaking approaches. Bridging a gap in knowledge and expertise, ANIDOX is led by practicing professionals in the field and has created a strong peer-to-peer learning network. TAW has been proud to continually expand the lab program, adding facilities, financing, and distribution possibilities for animated documentary projects. In 2014, TAW financed and created the ANIDOX:Residency program, expanding on the capacity of ANIDOX:LAB’s classes and workshops, using TAW facilities and workstations, to host intensive production and provide financial support for selected films. The ANIDOX:Residency program has helped produce at least one high quality animated short film every year since, and the TAW network assures their visibility and distribution, in partnerships with the Danish Film Institute, the Swedish Film institute, CPH:DOX, Boost Hgb, Nordisk Panorama, Documentary Campus and Viborg Animation Festival. ![songbird-feat2](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/songbird-feat2.jpeg) Animated Documentaries in focus at The Animation Workshop, Viborg ## Embracing the Future The spectacular success of ANIDOX, and the power of telling stories that emerge from real life, has been instrumental in advancing the art of animated documentaries in Europe. According to Klara Grunning (b. 1971), film commissioner for documentary features, shorts and digital storytelling at the Swedish Film Institute: “\[ANIDOX\] is to my knowledge the most successful, creative and important initiative of its kind, inspiring new types of storytelling, technique/new technology, collaboration and artistic expression – to develop, explore and strengthen the marriage of animation and documentary filmmaking.” These successes, and the increasing visibility of animated documentaries as a whole, has led to the flourishing of ANIDOX programs and initiatives at TAW that embrace new artists, new technologies, and new audiences, while remaining true to the core mission of the project. “All our ANIDOX activities are linked,” says Michelle Kranot. “From the youth and education initiatives to the professional training and production support, ensuring that whatever direction we take, our network benefits, our audiences benefit, and our outreach is meaningful.” Some of the current ANIDOX programs and initiatives include: #### ANIDOX:Youth The ANIDOX Youth Program uses animated documentaries to empower young artists to tell their stories. Working with educators, community centers, and groups of marginalized youth, ANIDOX:Youth focuses on integrating young people and children in professional productions, as well as giving them tools to create their own films and stories. Youth programs not only empower young people to share their stories, but it also helps to train and foster a new generation of filmmakers to create their own legacy. #### ANIDOX:XR / Virtual Reality As we continue to explore and push the boundaries of visual storytelling, it is natural that the art form take advantage of new technologies and resources. Animated documentaries are moving into VR, with stunning results. The Kranot’s animated VR installation Nothing Happens (2017) has been showcased around the world, and won awards in Australia, Canada, and the UK. Exciting new ANIDOX VR projects are pushing the boundaries of interactive storytelling and exploring ever-newer technologies. #### ANIDOX:Masterclasses As more and more people are drawn to this unique art form, with the possibilities of merging fiction and truth and exploring new ways to represent reality, the ANIDOX team are more and more in demand for exhibitions, lectures, and masterclasses. These masterclasses, presentations, and workshops are being offered at film and animation festivals throughout Europe, and have appeared at Nordisk Panorama, CPH:DOX, ANIMATEKA, and at HLSU/Lucerne University of Applied Arts and Sciences, among others. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/FLEE_still_7_Amin_in_nightclub_copyright_FinalCutforReal.jpeg) Still image from FLEE ©Final Cut For Real & Sun Creature ## The Animated Documentary Movement Animated documentaries live at the fascinating brink where truth and fiction mingle, posing questions and inviting exploration into ideas of representation, narration, and fact. Documentary film is not, and perhaps never was, objective: all film is subjective, and the story belongs to the teller. Filmmakers around the world are breaking categories and genres, seeking the most powerful ways to tell the stories that matter to them, in a breathtaking proliferation of techniques, technologies, and narrative styles that defy classification. As animated documentaries advance further, merging across platforms and disciplines, the next wave offers even more avenues for exploration and expression. And, while this is a global movement, there’s no doubt that it has seen a special flourishing at TAW. “The Animation Workshop wholeheartedly embraces the world of narrative opportunities brought to the table by the animated documentary genre. We are proud to support creative innovators and risk-takers, and can’t wait to see what emerges next from ANIDOX, and the frontiers of animated filmmaking,” says Tim Leborgne (b. 1974), Department Director at TAW. The next big event on the ANIDOX horizon is the ANIDOX Day at this year’s Viborg Animation Festival. In September 2019, Viborg Animation Festival will celebrate animated documentaries with a special event including a summit forum, seminar, and exhibitions, drawing audiences and professionals from the worlds of science, technology, business, and the arts. For the first time ever, Viborg Animation Festival and ANIDOX will present an ANIDOX:VR award. For more information about the ANIDOX Day, and submission deadlines for the award, visit [www.anidox.com](http://www.anidox.com/?ref=weanimate.dk). **Sources:** 1\. “Oscar’s Docs Resumes with Nature Documentaries”. Webwire.com. 2005-10-31 ![02_sinking](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/02_sinking.jpeg) Animated Documentaries in focus at The Animation Workshop, Viborg wam#0015 ### Danish animators call for production rebate URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/danish-animators-call-for-production-rebate/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:02.000Z Denmark is one of only two EU countries that have yet to introduce financial incentives. As international studios ramp up production and the industry emerges from lockdown, Danish animators are worried about being left behind. ## "We miss out on so much work" ### – Erik Wilstrup, CEO at Wil Film, the studio behind the first 7 seasons of the wildly popular animated LEGO Ninjago series. When some of the first financial incentive schemes were introduced in Canada in the 1990s, they were seen as a weapon to attract “footloose” American productions to a fledgling film industry. Today, there are major production hubs in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, and film incentives have become so commonplace they have become the price of admission in a globalized production economy. Along with Luxembourg, Denmark is the only EU country that has yet to introduce an incentive scheme – Sweden, another long-time holdout, introduced a regional production rebate of 30% in 2019, while Bulgaria jumped on the bandwagon with a 25% production rebate in 2021. The effects of this competitive disadvantage in the industry have been widespread and corrosive – not least on animation. — written by Niels Jakob Kyhl Jørgensen ## A concrete case of how production rebates would help the Danish animation industry grow and generate jobs. Produktionsrabatter til animationsbranchen er ikke bare selvbetalte, men genererer indtægter til statskassen. ## We miss out on so much work For nearly a decade, the Copenhagen-based animation studio Wil Film partnered with Lego on animated projects, producing nine seasons of the TV series Ninjago, as well as two seasons of Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures. But eventually, the Danish toymaker was lured away by tax credits and shifted production – to Canada. “We miss out on so much work,” sighs Erik Wilstrup, founder and CEO of Wil Film. At its peak in 2016, his company was able to employ a staff of 125\. Today, only 50 remain. “We could attract so much more work if we had financial incentives.” Money talks and neither Danish companies nor international clients such as Netflix can justify spending millions more on production in Denmark if the same content can be produced cheaper elsewhere. Indeed, studios scour financial incentive schemes worldwide, letting the potential discount on production become the deciding factor in deciding where to place an order. **“Before they even ask about the bottom line, they ask us what sorts of incentives we can offer,”** says Erik Wilstrup. But more often than not, he never even gets the call. As more countries worldwide adopt incentive schemes, it becomes harder and harder for even well-established industries to compete. For Wil Film to attract work, like their current production for Playmobil, they have to match the price in other ways. “We don’t have any incentives, but we have lower wages, and we’re more efficient. That’s the only reason we’re sometimes able to compete.” ## ## A brain drain of animators Losing business over financial incentives has become a common refrain in the animation industry. After gaining industry-wide recognition as a co-producer on the Oscar-nominated film Song of the Sea (2014), the Viborg-based animation studio Nørlum scored a contract to animate the first season of Big Hero 6: The Series – but only the first one. “There were no hard feelings, but they told me early on they wouldn’t be able to do that again,” explains Claus Toksvig-Kjær, Nørlum’s co-founder and CEO. “Seasons 2 and 3 were made outside of Denmark since we have no financial incentives.” Not only that, but most of the fresh graduates from The Animation Workshop in Viborg that were hired to work on the show left not just the studio, but the country after production wrapped. “I asked them if they would have stayed on if we had gotten another season, and nine out of ten said that they would have,” says Toksvig-Kjær. “But we didn’t.” Animators receiving a first-rate education in Denmark before moving abroad to start their careers highlights a weakness in a film industry that is able to foster world-class talent but is unable to attract high-level projects to keep them employed. And, as Toksvig-Kjær points out, this brain drain of gifted young animators is likely to be permanent. “If you work five, six years abroad, you might start a family, and you might not come back.” The animation producer is quick to add that he doesn’t begrudge animators the opportunity to work for some of the world’s largest animation studios. But having once brought a world-class production to Denmark on talent alone, he can’t help but feel frustrated that it’s no longer economically viable for big studios to partner with Danish production companies. “If this was just the way it was, that would be fine,” says Claus Toksvig-Kjær. “**But** **when all of your neighbors have an incentive scheme, you’re no longer competing on an even playing field**.” “We might be the first priority for a given job, but then we can’t offer tax credits, so the work goes to Belgium. And then my colleagues in Belgium call me up and say: ‘We wouldn’t have gotten it if it wasn’t for you!’” ## WHAT ARE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES? **Financial incentives for the audio-visual sector might sound like a third-year economics course, but the details of these subsidy schemes are nearly as easy as they are important to understand.** Once conceived as a weapon to lure “footloose” production money away from its home market, financial incentives have become so commonplace that they’re increasingly becoming the price of admission in a global production economy. In short, financial incentives are discounts offered by national states hoping to host foreign film or television production. Within the EU, this discount typically ranges from 20-35% on expenses within the host country and can be paid either as a tax credit, which can be subtracted from the amount of taxes owed to the host state, or a cash rebate, which is paid as a lump sum following an independent audit of production finances. As opposed to many national subsidy schemes, where consultants pore over script revisions and animatics, these financial incentives are automatically awarded to eligible projects. This makes them more predictable for producers preparing budgets and scouting locations, with the important caveat that states often cap incentive schemes, either per project or on the scheme overall. Germany, for instance, has a per-project cap of either €4M or €25M, depending on the scheme, and an overall annual budget of €120M. While such caps are intended as a precautionary measure, some argue that they are largely superfluous, since financial schemes effectively pay for themselves, so long as more taxes are paid on the incoming investment than are repaid to the production company. ## “Cash rebates can never replace cultural subsidies”. Despite the lack of financial incentives, it’s important to note that the Danish state does not exactly leave the film industry to fend for itself. In 2020, The Danish Film Institute (DFI) supported national film production to the tune of some €54M *(however, according to a 2022 report, between 2014 and 2021 only 6,8% of the money from DFI went to Danish Animation)*, and some have argued that financial incentives are superfluous in an industry where the industry is already largely propped up by direct state aid. But, as everyone interviewed for this article has stressed, it’s important to draw a hard line between direct subsidies for the production and promotion of national culture, and financial incentives intended to foster industry-wide growth. “Cash rebates can never replace cultural subsidies. That would be shooting ourselves in the foot because it’s through our systems for cultural support that we’re able to support talent development,” says Erik Wilstrup. “And that’s the reason why we have such qualified labor in this country.” Some of this labor force finds work on homegrown productions that are, in part, financed by national subsidies. Wil Film, for instance, has been able to tap cultural subsidies awarded by the Danish Film Institute to produce feature-length animated films for the home market, even as production for foreign clients has mostly dried up. For Erik Wilstrup, that’s the side of his business closest to his heart – but it’s not the one that keeps the lights on. “Nobody in Denmark, or very few, will get rich making an animated feature film. They do it because they have something they want to say. That’s why we need cultural subsidies.” **“Making a TV series for Playmobil, or for Netflix, to my mind, that’s business, not art. And we could double that business if we were able to offer financial incentives.”** ![WA007-c07-Produktionsrabat-AndreLande](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA007-c07-Produktionsrabat-AndreLande.png) ## A net profit for the state The same sentiment is expressed by Jan Neiiendam, CEO of the cluster organization Vision Denmark which promotes Danish digital visual industries, including games, films, television, animation, and Expanded Reality (XR). “Financial incentives are not cultural politics,” says Neiiendam. “They are a business initiative intended to put Danish producers of animation and all visual communication on an equal footing with foreign competition. What these incentives are intended to do is to grow more jobs. It’s important that we see it, not as support, but as an investment.” It’s a sound one, too, since **financial incentives are largely self-funding**. For instance, if a foreign production company were to spend €10M in wages to a Danish production company, then given a financial incentive of 25%, the state would repay the production €2,5M directly from the state budget. But assuming a tax rate of 35% – which for Denmark is very low – the state would collect €3,5M in income tax, netting a profit of €1M. And even if that hypothetical example is a little optimistic, it covers only the direct impact of such incentives, and not indirect effects such as increased income for the supply chain or increased spending within the industry. Given that financial incentives are only paid out following an independent audit of qualifying expenditure in the host country, an incentive of 25% would require foreign investment of four times that amount, benefitting each link of the supply chain. ## No racing to the bottom Of course, business and culture are not mutually exclusive, since attracting more of the former will help develop knowhow and secure financial stability to pursue the latter. But acting as a subsidiary industry rather than a generator of content often leads to fears that incoming productions will simply go to whichever country can offer the most generous credit. Jørgen Ramskov, head of the Danish Producer’s Association, has for years been part of efforts to lobby politicians to introduce a Danish incentive scheme, but despite the wealth of research indicating the economic benefits, he has found himself preaching to deaf ears. “I’m often met with the argument that incentives will lead us into a ‘race to the bottom’: that if we offer an incentive of a certain size, someone else will top it, and so on.” These longstanding fears about financial incentives suggest that national industries compete only on price, not taking into account factors such as infrastructure, experience, established connections, and a robust talent development system that continually renews a qualified labor pool. A race to the bottom might occur among less-developed film industries, but in Denmark, says Jørgen Ramskov, ”**we have so much qualified talent** that that simply wouldn’t be the case.” ## How long can we wait? That talent is more sought-after than ever. With the launch of major new streaming services such as Disney+, HBO Max, and Apple+, demand for content is skyrocketing. And as lockdowns are eased around the world, and the industry goes back to work, it has never been costlier to be left out of the competition. “We can see that in many countries, states have decided to ramp up financial incentives as a way to restart the industry,” says Jan Neiiendam. “That just underlines that they are good for business.” And while the issue is still being debated in Denmark, there is a risk that these industries will simply consolidate outside the country. “That’s what I call ‘the quiet death’”, Neiiendam says. ”We should be on that train already, and we might feel like we are since so many people are busy, but my hypothesis is that we could have been even busier if producers had been able to check that box, too.” The role of Vision Denmark is not to lobby for financial incentives, but merely to advise on their viability. But as its CEO, Jan Neiiendam can’t help but worry that if policymakers don’t make a decision soon, it will be made for them. “We once were able to attract large, global industry players, and if we can’t keep on doing that, our credentials are, all things being equal, going to be less crisp than they were.” “If nothing else, it becomes harder for young players in the field to get a share. The largest businesses might be able to get by, but new ones never see the light of day.” In Denmark, financial incentives are still on the agenda, but not exactly at the top. A planned impact analysis by the Ministry of Industry, Business, and Financial Affairs has been put off until at least 2022 due to limited resources during the pandemic. But for Danish animators, **the question remains: How long can we wait?** ## OTHER RELEVANT RESOURCES ### Dansk Erhverv Dansk Erhverv produktionsrabat til visuel indholdsproduktion one-pager [Download one-pager (in Danish)](https://usercontent.one/wp/wa.pg1.dk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Dansk-Erhverv-produktionsrabat-til-visuel-indholdsproduktion-one-pager-1.pdf?media=1643314861&ref=weanimate.dk) ### Vision Denmark Faktaark – Produktionsrabatter [Download Fact sheet (in Danish)](https://usercontent.one/wp/wa.pg1.dk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Faktaark-Produktionsrabatter-1.pdf?media=1643314861&ref=weanimate.dk) wam#0014 ### Thank you to the Academy! URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/thank-you-to-the-academy/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:02.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/277153208_1338810029939226_5811940675504458337_n-scaled.jpg) ## **Thank you** to the Academy! ## Jonas Poher Rasmussen and Flee didn’t win the Academy Awards, but he and the film won our hearts. Here’s the acceptance speech we had all hoped to hear from the stage on March 27th 2022. Many people from the Danish animation and documentary business was glued to the TV-screens on March 27th, hoping for FLEE to sweep the 94th Academy Awards from its staggering and historical three nominations, one for Best Animation, one for Best Documentary, and one for Best Foreign Film. No other film in the history of the Academy Awards have been nominated in all three categories. As we now know, Flee didn’t win the sought-after statuette, but, both Flee and Jonas Poher Rasmussen won our hearts, and gave us renewed energy and hope for animation as an art form that can tell compelling and important stories, also when it’s not targeted at kids. WeAnimate Magazine has the immense pleasure of presenting the speech which Jonas Poher Rasmussen wasn’t able to give from the stage at the Kodak Theatre. We are proud to be his stage: > This award is for the amazing team. This is for trusting our fellow humans. This is for all the Amins in the world and for my friend.Jonas Poher Rasmussen ![FLEE_still_3_Amin_as_a_boy_copyright_FinalCutforReal](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/FLEE_still_3_Amin_as_a_boy_copyright_FinalCutforReal.jpeg) Still from "Flee". @Final Cut for Reel & Sun Creature ### The speech in full: Thank you to the academy! When we started making FLEE 9 years ago I had no clue where this story would take us. As the reach of the film has been growing, so has its relevance sadly. And here we are, with a war in Ukraine, a collapsed Afghanistan and new waves of refugees all over the world. I want to say thank you to you Amin for trusting me with your story. I know that you by now understand the impact it has across the world. Because your story is not just your story. It’s unfortunately the story of millions and millions of people looking for a place in the world where they can be safe. Whether it’s a refugee from Afghanistan fleeing persecution or a gay kid looking for a place in the world where he or she is accepted for being who they are. I have a note from Amin: “Growing up as an outsider I miss hearing stories about how people from different places and cultures are capable of living in harmony. I know we can do that, because people all over the world do in general have the same core human values of being kind, helpful, caring and trusting. We should highlight these values, instead of demonizing each other and focusing on what is dividing us. I am humble and grateful for how my story has been received. For that I thank you all from bottom of my heart. Thank you all for the heartfelt reception, this really means a lot to me! “ This award is for the amazing team. This is for trusting our fellow humans. This is for all the Amins in the world and for my friend. Thank you! Written by Jonas Poher Rasmussen ![FLEE-WAM-front](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/FLEE-WAM-front.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/FLEE_still_4_Amin_and_Kasper_copyright_FinalCutforReal.jpeg) Still from "Flee". @Final Cut for Reel & Sun Creature > I am humble and grateful for how my story has been received. For that I thank you all from bottom of my heart. Thank you all for the heartfelt reception, this really means a lot to me!Amin wam#0013 ### The Thrift and Triumph of Animation in the Midst of a Pandemic URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/the-thrift-and-triumph-of-animation-in-the-midst-of-a-pandemic/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:02.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WAM008-35-20210523_135343.jpeg) ## The Thrift and Triumph of **Animation in the Midst of a Pandemic** Meet Bento Box’ Art Director Hans Ranum in Hollywood. ## It’s been Hans Ranum’s dream to go to Hollywood and draw cartoons. He would draw his favorite characters, and also create his own, fantasizing that they were the new stars of Looney Tunes and Disney. But by the time he finished 10th grade, he still wasn’t in Hollywood. Ranum ended up going to graphic design school—not exactly what he wanted to do, but it was better than other alternatives at the time. It was something that would still involve drawing and creativity. Then on the day of graduation, his academic advisor—who had recommended the design school in the first place—handed him a brochure for The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark. Immediately sold, Ranum didn’t hesitate to start over at another school. Since then, Ranum has made it to Hollywood, working on cartoons in California like Family Guy, Central Park, and the upcoming Koala Man. In a chat with WeAnimate, he talks about life in California, the greater demand for animation during the ongoing pandemic, and working on an experimental episode of Bob’s Burgers. ![WAM008-35-Duncanville_205_ThatJingYoudo_4_18_042_v1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WAM008-35-Duncanville_205_ThatJingYoudo_4_18_042_v1.jpeg) DUNCANVILLE: Jing and Jack start a child birthday band together and Annie takes on managing them. Meanwhile, Duncan and his friends try to raise money to buy a massage couch they tried out at the mall, by charging scooters in the “That Jing You Do” episode of DUNCANVILLE airing Monday, June 28 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. DUNCANVILLE © 2021 by 20th Television, Universal Television LLC and Fox Media LLC. ### WeAnimate Magazine: Could you talk about your successes as a character designer? ### ### What draws you to character design as a specialty in animation? Hans Ranum: For the first 10 years of my career, I did mostly environments, background design, and layout. It wasn’t until I started working on early designs for Disney’s Planes, followed by The Cleveland Show and later Family Guy, that I switched to character design as my main focus. I genuinely love doing both characters and environments and treat both very similarly, putting as much personality and story into whatever I’m working on. Characters have to feel like they’re about to start a conversation with me and environments have to feel like they have a history. While I was on Family Guy, I did some freelance development on a few projects for Bento Box Entertainment, which ended up with them offering me a full-time position, doing design development in Special Projects. I’ve been there for 8 years, and am now art directing on several different shows every week, developing new looks and styles, and it’s truly a dream job for me. Of shows currently on the air that I’ve done original design for, there’s Netflix’s Hoops and Fox’s primetime shows Duncanville and HouseBroken, with more to come. I’ve also done early initial design for Central Park and The Great North. A few years back I was contacted by Will Ashurst and Animando in Norway to do character designs for their movie Anchors Up, which I really enjoyed, as I haven’t had a chance to work much on Scandinavian productions. > Characters have to feel like they’re about to start a conversation with me and environments have to feel like they have a history.Hans Ranum ### You’ve also done character design for “Brunchsquatch,” an episode of Bob’s Burgers that combined multiple pieces of fan art. ### How did that work though? ### What did you design on an episode based on art from several fans? That was actually a very fun and different assignment…and a lot of work. What happened was, we got literally hundreds of very different takes on the Belchers from fans all over. I can’t remember exactly how many I was handed, but I had to make sure the design and look stayed as intact as possible, but still make them in a way that was more animation-friendly. So it was a lot about studying little details, drawing habits, and linework to mimic and nudge, without losing the original look of the fan art. Once I had done that for the whole family, I had to do full turns of them all as well and then on to the next one. ### Copenhagen, London, Indianapolis, Tampa—you’ve lived in a lot of places. ### Now you’re in Los Angeles. ### What’s it like living and working in LA? ### How has the ongoing pandemic affected it? Los Angeles is a “love it or hate it” kinda city and we—my wife and I—really love it. We have great friends here, who are like family to us, as both our real families are far away, with mine being in Denmark and my wife’s in the Midwest. California is an amazing state with so much to offer. If you wanted to, you could, within one weekend, be skiing in the mountains, sunbathing on the beach, and going wine tasting in the rolling hills. The nature here is unbeatable. Before the pandemic hit, I was full-time at the studio and I actually didn’t think I’d enjoy working from home. That turned out not to be true. I found there to be so many benefits from working at home that I’m now planning on continuing to do so, as much as possible, even after things return to normal. Besides being more productive, I also get to be around my kids and wife more, which is a win-win all around. Our daughter was born during the pandemic and because of me working at home, I’ve gotten to spend much more time with her, my 3-year-old son, and my wife. ![WAM008-35-AmyPoehler_82019_096_RF](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WAM008-35-AmyPoehler_82019_096_RF.jpeg) DUNCANVILLE: Amy Poehler records the voices of Duncan and Annie for the new animated family comedy DUNCANVILLE, premiering Sunday, Feb. 16 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. © 2020 Fox Media LLC. CR: Frank Micelotta/FOX/PictureGroup Workwise, things have also been going really great, with three shows coming out during this time that I have designed. I have been very fortunate to be working in animation and for a studio with very healthy growth and stability during the pandemic. While pretty much all live-action shows had to shut down, animation production has been able to continue undisturbed. In fact, even more animated shows have been put in production because of it. So I feel very, very fortunate that we have been able to go through all this so far—knock on wood—with our health, sanity, and everything else intact. ### So you’ve experienced an increased demand for animation as a production alternative for film/TV during the pandemic? A big yes! And I know this firsthand, because of my position in development, being in direct contact with everyone from creators and writers to network and everything in between. Studios and networks want the machine going constantly, so when they can’t produce live-action, their attention will be drawn to things they can produce and in this instance, that’s animation. There have never been as many animated projects in production as there are right now. ### While more animated projects are in production, have you noticed any misunderstandings working with people new to animation? ### For example, do you think studios that are new to animation and that look at it as an alternative to live-action have a lot to learn about the medium? I have and it’s a constant thing, not just now with more animated productions in the works. Many of the people we work with are creators and writers who have never done animation before, and are therefore not aware of how different it is to write for animation than writing for, or creating, live-action shows. So there’s a bit of a learning curve sometimes as well. It’s a whole different way of thinking when you have to design characters for animation, so it’s our job to really try and understand and “get” exactly what type of person and character they’re looking for, and then translate that into something that makes sense visually, but still 100 percent conveys what they had in mind. Ultimately we want to create and show something where they think “Yes!!! That’s exactly him/her!” It’s hard for non-animation people to know or imagine what works and what does not work in animation, but you also don’t want to say “that wouldn’t work” to all of their wishes and ideas. First of all, because nothing is more demotivating; but \[when avoiding such discouraging messages\] it also helps push creativity, exploring new ideas and ways to do things. It’s about finding a balance and a solution that makes everyone happy. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a person who has overestimated how difficult and expensive it can be to make animation. People are always shocked and fascinated when they realize how much work and effort it actually takes. > Before the pandemic hit, I was full-time at the studio and I actually didn’t think I’d enjoy working from home. That turned out not to be true. I found there to be so many benefits from working at home that I’m now planning on continuing to do so, as much as possible, even after things return to normal.Hans Ranum ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WAM008-35-BobsBurgers_1101_CrystalMess_B01_Promo_05.jpeg) BOB'S BURGERS: In order to help with anxiety about an upcoming oral report, Mr. Frond lends Tina a crystal that his new girlfriend alleges has special powers. Meanwhile, Bob and Linda buy a box of imperfect produce and try to use it all before it rots in the “Crystal Mess” episode of BOB’S BURGERS airing Sunday, Oct. 3 (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) on FOX. BOB’S BURGERS © 2021 by 20th Television. ### The Animation Workshop is critically acclaimed, with online hits like the graduation films “The Reward” and “The Saga Of Biorn.” ### What was it like studying there? It was such a great time in my life, studying there. It seemed like for the first time ever, I was learning stuff I actually wanted to learn and I eagerly soaked it all up. The school was still fairly new at that point and we didn’t even have a real building to sit in, so we were all sitting in barracks, with piles of animation paper and old animation desks all over the place. Studying together with a group of super enthusiastic and creative people was just an explosion of inspiration every day. The second year I was there, the school started to expand and we left the barracks to move into an old fire station. All our teachers were actual working artists, from all major studios like Pixar, Disney, ILM, etc., who were there teaching us 2-3 weeks at a time, so it just never got old. We were also lucky to attend a full weekend Master Class with Richard Williams, which left a big impression on me as well. I am still good friends with many from our class and I love seeing what everyone is doing, whether they continued in animation or went some other route. ### Do you keep up with animation trends in Denmark and the rest of Europe? I try the best I can to keep up with what’s going on everywhere in general. As an art director for a special projects team, I constantly have to come up with new looks and different styles for many new shows, so I spend a lot of time researching and seeing what’s out there to get inspired by. I think in general, European productions are still more willing to take chances with different styles that vary more from each other than here in the U.S., but I also think it has something to do with the size of the budgets. European productions have considerably smaller budgets, so the risks aren’t as great and it forces you to be more creative. I’m very proud of what comes out of Denmark and my peers over here are always impressed. > There are always trends in animation and I’ve seen that a lot too, with networks and creators coming to us, really liking the way this or that show looks and then wanting something similar and it’s often the same three shows they all like until it’s another three popular shows dominating.Hans Ranum ### Do you feel like there’s a particular style used in adult-oriented animated comedies in America at the moment? ### Like you discussed before, do you think this could be partly due to culture and budget concerns? Although I mentioned earlier there could be more variety and risk-taking in American animation productions, I think it’s getting better, but there still is and probably always will be a certain tendency to ride on the success of prior shows, instead of trying something completely new—but that’s just the entertainment industry in general. There are always trends in animation and I’ve seen that a lot too, with networks and creators coming to us, really liking the way this or that show looks and then wanting something similar and it’s often the same three shows they all like until it’s another three popular shows dominating. The reason I’m saying I think it’s getting better is that there seems to have been greater variety in what creators and networks have liked stylewise over the last couple of years and less of those “same three shows.” Besides that, different networks also don’t want their shows to look too drastically different from each other in style, ‘cause there’s an interest in “brand recognition” as well. Meaning they would like for people to be able to see a show and then immediately think “that’s a Fox Primetime show” or “that’s an Adult Swim show,” or “that’s a Disney show,” etc. A new show has to fit in with their existing lineup. My thinking is, that usually the more money is put into a new production, the less room there is for taking chances and risks. I think they would like to know that something works, before investing a lot of money in it. In many cases anyway. ### At the same time, there also seems to be growing diversity in American TV animation for adults across different genres, such as action and drama with shows like Primal and Castlevania. ### What are your thoughts on that? I think it’s super awesome that the industry has finally realized that animation is more than kids shows and satire. There’s literally no genre that cannot be mastered and enhanced by animation when done right. I hope maybe there’s a growing tendency to make more, but smaller productions with greater variety, over concentrating only on the big expensive “safe bet” productions. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WAM008-35-BobsBurgers_1105_BeachPlease_B05_Promo_07.jpeg) BOB’S BURGERS: When the Belcher kids participate in a beach clean-up for Wagstaff Volunteer Day, Louise gets drawn into a battle of wits with Mr. Fischoeder. Meanwhile, Teddy surprises Bob and Linda with a new look in the “Beach, Please” episode of BOB’S BURGERS airing Sunday, Nov. 7 (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) on FOX. BOB’S BURGERS © 2021 by 20th Television. I love seeing diversity in animation and styles. So much more inspiration to draw from and I applaud any type of risk-taking when it comes to design and style, ‘cause that’s the only way to stumble upon new things. You will never find the new Simpsons, etc., if you’re not willing to try something a bit “crazy” every now and then. There’s been a mantra for many years, saying “it’s all about the writing” and while yes, the writing is super important, I will dare to say, “so is the art!” Personally, it probably wouldn’t matter how well a show was written, if it looks horrible or even worse, boring, I’m very unlikely to watch it. The visual aspect is equally important in my opinion, just as it was when I was a kid, “reading” comic books before I could read. When the writing and the visual art are both excellent and compliment each other, that’s when you have a truly great show. ![WAM008-35-20211103_102617](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WAM008-35-20211103_102617-scaled.jpeg) ## Credits Words: **Alyssa Wejebe** for WeAnimate Magazine wam#0008 ### Dauntless and Delightful: Mette Tange’s Secrets of Success URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/dauntless-and-delightful-mette-tanges-secrets-of-success/ Last updated: 2026-09-24T08:49:55.000Z Mette Tange laughs easily and often. She describes every single experience in her storied career as “amazing”. Her sheer love of animation and enthusiasm for every aspect of it has made her fearless, embracing every opportunity with cheerful optimism. This engaging personality, backed by hard-won expertise, has taken her around the world, and most recently she has soared into cinemas as director of Richard the Stork and the Mystery of the Great Jewel. ![METTE_TANGE_EMF_V003](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/METTE_TANGE_EMF_V003-scaled.jpg) ### WA: What made you choose to become an animator? MT: I think it all started with The Lion King. I saw it in the cinema as a child and I was a lion for months. I wanted to be Simba so bad. I’m a bit of a dreamy person, so I didn’t really understand that the world of the movie didn’t exist, and I wanted to be part of it. Nearly every year after that we went to the cinema to see the next Disney film for my birthday, and I loved every one. At the end of high school, kids go to an education consultant to discuss what they want to do with their lives. I had no idea what I wanted to do. Outside, in the waiting area, there was a brochure for The Animation Workshop that said something about how you could work in drawing… I didn’t know anything about it, but I was like oh my god this is exactly what I want! So I went in to the consultant, and she said “No, it’s impossible, they only take 10 students a year and you have to be really good at drawing.” And I didn’t draw at all. So I signed up for journalism school, but took a drawing course in the meantime. In the summer, there are courses that are a week long or so, to go out to the countryside and learn to draw. Next to the place where the course was, a guy named Uffe Danielsen had a little animation studio. I went by and said hello, and was so fascinated with what he was doing that he let me animate a little bit. I made a little duck that played with a YoYo and it was the most fantastic thing. > In animation, you can become anything. You can be a bird, you can be a tiger, you can be a ten foot tall monster, or a tiny little fish. You can create your own little world and live inside it. You forget all the boring stuff of ordinary life… you can just leave it behind. > > \- Mette Tange During that drawing class, I also learned more about The Animation Workshop. It cost a lot of money back then, I don’t remember how much, but it was absolutely impossible to pay. But there was a media school in Viborg where you could take drawing lessons, and also learn some of the software. So I dropped everything and came home to my mom and dad and said “This is what I want, this is what I want!” So when I was 18 I went to the media school in Viborg and learned how to draw. Based on that, I got into The Animation Workshop, and it just became my whole world. I loved it so much. I already knew that my goal was to work on a big movie, to work on a feature film. I wanted my pictures to go into a cinema so I could give someone else the feelings I had when I saw Simba in The Lion King. ### WA: After school, how did you start your career? MT: I wanted to go to the big studios, but I didn’t have any work experience. So I got a job at a small studio in the south of France called TeamTO. It was in a small town, and the studio had just opened, so everyone had come from somewhere else, and we were all mega-nerds. I mean, we were so, so nerdy. We would challenge each other, like “Who can do a head turn with the fewest frames and still make it look good?” At that time, there was this 11 Second Club online, where you could make an animation and send it in and people would rate it. We would all contribute something like 2 euros, we didn’t have a lot of money, but whoever got the most votes that month would win the money. We pushed each other a lot. In retrospect, I think that was really helpful. We were treated like employees instead of interns, and we formed a great community. There were about ten of us, and they became my best friends, and some of them are still my best friends to this day. I learned a lot in that studio, and it was super cool. But after a couple of years I started to feel like I had done enough walk cycles and head turns, and I wanted to work with more purpose. And I wanted to do cinema movies; I just wanted to be part of it. So one evening I got a big bottle of wine and put together my showreel and my CV, and then I sent it to every single studio that made feature films. And I didn’t get anything back at all. That’s just how it goes sometimes. But a friend in Denmark was doing a short film, and I thought perhaps a change of environment would inspire me more. So I went and worked on her film, and then I did the same thing: bottle of wine, made a showreel, and I just applied everywhere. I heard back from a studio called Kandor Graphics in Spain. So I went to Granada and worked on my first feature film: Justin and the Knights of Valour. I met a lot of really good people there, and they were also super-nerds. Everyone I worked with there has gone on to other big studios, so my network really expanded. The group of people you meet at the studios is like a little family that just goes on, moving from place to place and project to project. > The thing is that I never really planned anything. I just took advantage of every opportunity, because I wanted to do it so much. My willingness to go anywhere and do anything helped me create a network, and the network you create is everything. > > \- Mette Tange After Spain I did the same thing: bottle of wine, new showreel, sent it out to everybody. Okay, I don’t really drink that much wine, but making a showreel is the most difficult part of the whole thing. ![METTE_TANGE_EMF_V006](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/METTE_TANGE_EMF_V006-scaled.jpg) I got a response from Sony. They were going to do Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, and it was a sequel to one of my favorite movies. I am really into that cartoonish style with lots of outrageous animation, but still with a heart. I had an interview with them, and I was so excited and nervous that I wrote a whole little book of answers to all the theoretical questions they might ask. Then the only thing they asked me was “Do you like pie or do you like cake?” I was shuffling through all my papers, looking for an answer, oh god! I didn’t prepare for that question! So I squeaked out, “I am mostly into cake.” They said, “Typical European!”. So then I asked them, “Which would you prefer: two-meter-long arms, or two-meter-long legs?” We just started bouncing off each other like that, and the chemistry was really good, and I got that job, which was amazing! So I went to Vancouver to work on Cloudy 2\. A lot of people who had worked at that studio in Spain had gone there as well, so I already knew a lot of people. It was the greatest experience ever: it was completely crazy, it was so much fun. I think that starting my career in TV was a huge plus for me. In a TV series, you go through the basic actions of animation over and over, and you have to do it fast. You make a thousand walk cycles, you make a thousand head turns, you make a thousand jumps, runs, all of it… so when you finally sit down at a bigger studio, you have the fundamentals down. You can get the basic physical body movements out of the way quickly, and have more time to focus on the acting. It’s best to have those fundamentals nailed completely down, and TV did that for me. Then I had a friend at Sony who was going to go to Illumination Mac Guff in Paris after Cloudy 2, but they didn’t realize that he was from Australia, and they were only hiring people who can work in the EU. When they realized that he couldn't go there, they asked if he knew anyone, and I pointed to myself, a European, standing right there. Because of him, I got the job. I was supposed to work there for six months on Minions, but they had a lot of overlapping movies lined up in production, so I ended up staying there for three years. After Minions I worked on Sing, where I was lucky to get on the preproduction team developing animation for the character Eddy. That was a really fun new challenge. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_04_METTE_TANGE_EMF_V036.jpg) ### WA: So what took you back to Denmark? MT: I was working on Captain Underpants at Mikros Image, and my mom died. I was in Paris, and of course it completely destroyed me. I was completely… my brain went a bit nuts, I think. I didn’t understand why I was sitting there, what I was doing. She had wanted me to come home; I had been gone for ten years, and I didn’t even realize it. I had just been going from one thing to the next all that time. So now my dad was alone, and I wanted to be closer to him and closer to my family. So I went back to Denmark. And I thought, well, now my career is over. I bought a little tiny tiny house in the countryside, and I started to knit. I thought maybe I would knit hats and scarves and go to the market, and that would pay for the house because I didn’t have any money left. I think the rumor might have gone around that I was just sitting and knitting. I started getting these freelance gigs, especially from the US, through a good friend Jais Bredsted who had recommended me. I started working remotely on VR films with Google Spotlight, working with directors like Jan Pinkava, Mark Oftedal, and John Kahrs. These were the kinds of directors I had always wanted to work with, and these opportunities happened just when I thought my career was over. Then I had always loved the work at Tumblehead. I had met Peter and Magnus at school, and loved their style and way of doing things, and also really liked them as people. They had a project that looked so fun, and I really wanted to do it. So I jumped in with them, and we connected really well. We just loved each others’ work, each others’ way of thinking, and all the craziness. And then they asked me if I wanted to become a partner in the studio, and I was just like Yes, yes, yes! We can do all this fun stuff together! ![METTE_TANGE_EMF_V007](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/METTE_TANGE_EMF_V007-scaled.jpg) > I don’t think I have a sense that I can’t do things, I don’t think I have an inner critical voice. I think I just keep moving forward and things keep happening. I think it all just happens because I truly love animation. > > \- Mette Tange At Tumblehead we made Tales From The Multiverse, working almost entirely with online animators, and there I got my first real experience of being a leader. We were such a small team, and we all did everything, so I got a lot of exposure to all the aspects of production. I was controlling the whole animation and the planning, and grew a lot as a leader. Also at Tumblehead, I wrote a treatment for a feature film called Nordic Ghost Hunters, and we went to Cartoon Movie to pitch it. Equipped with a stopwatch, I rehearsed like crazy with the great producer Simon Thomas in a hotel lobby. We thought that only one person could go on stage, and I was the chosen one. I had never done it before, there were 500 people in the room, I was alone, and I went out there to pitch. Fortunately, it went really well and we got many nice responses. I heard afterward that as a result of seeing me do that pitch, more people started to notice me as a director. My name started popping up at conferences I wasn’t even at, which is absolutely amazing! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/01_METTE_TANGE_EMF_V028-scaled.jpg) ### WA: How did you start on Richard the Stork and the Mystery of the Great Jewel? MT: I was contacted by the producer Kristine Knudsen who talked about Richard the Stork and said she was planning to do a sequel. I hadn’t seen the film at that point, but after watching it I fell in love with the characters and their personalities. I wanted to explore them further and take them on a new adventure, and I was so lucky that she allowed me to do exactly that. To be honest, when I first took the job I thought, well, how hard can it be? \[laughs\] It can be really hard! There is so much more to directing a feature film than a short film. Luckily I had the support of co-director Benjamin Quabeck who had feature experience in live-action. I also had great support throughout from line producer Sandra Salvador Perez and the fabulous and always happy production manager Antje Ehlert. Without this incredible team, the ice would have been a lot thinner. Also, back when I was in my oh god my mom died what am I going to do? stage, The Animation Workshop contacted me and asked me if I wanted to come and teach. I taught some professional masterclasses there, as well as some classes for the bachelor’s degree course. I found it inspiring to see how the students would learn and their understanding grow. It was so rewarding that some of my “blah blah blah” could actually help people. I took that teaching experience into directing Richard the Stork and the Mystery of the Great Jewel. I wanted people to get better and grow while working on the film. So I arranged some masterclasses from some of the people I had met during my travels. For example, I knew Brendan Body from Sony, who is an expert at birds. He made a fantastic lecture for the animators on how to animate birds. We also had Bernard Lizon from Pixar do a brilliant lecture on Layout. I have always loved those kinds of inspiring treats when working on films, so I wanted to do the same for the team. > My work as an animator has definitely shaped how I work as a director. I have worked with so many different people, and been able to figure out what I like and what I don’t like. I have tried to keep all the good things I have seen along the way, but I also have to try out new things and find my own way. I have to find a good balance between cheering and pushing. > > \- Mette Tange I recently went to a premiere of the film in Halle in Germany, and there was an animator who said, “Oh man, it was so so tough to work on this film, but I’ve never done anything better.” And I was like oh my god that’s exactly how it should feel! That was the best feedback ever! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WA_05_METTE_TANGE_EMF_V032.jpg) ### WA: What’s next for you? MT: It’s such a weird feeling. I had been working day and night and weekends for three years on Richard the Stork 2\. I just laid around for a month afterward staring at the ceiling. You live in this world, and you know the characters so well that they are like your friends, and it all actually does kind of come to exist. Seeing it all come to life was the most amazing feeling. And of course I’ve watched it a million times, I know every sequence, I know everything about every shot, I know exactly when every eye should blink. But you are so connected with it, then suddenly it’s not there anymore… it was strange. You just have to hope that people like it, and that they see the world of the film like I did. Ultimately it all made me so hungry, and I want to do it again. My brain is exploding with ideas. I am writing and developing some things, and meeting with people, but since making animated films is like working for the FBI, I can’t talk about it. There is more to come, and it’s going to be absolutely amazing! --- 💡 Text: ****Rebekah Villon** Photo: ****Emil Monty Freddie** ([montyfreddiestudio.com](about:blank)) wam#0020 ### The amazing success of Danish animation URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/the-amazing-success-of-danish-animation/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:03.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Animation-Denmark-header-wide.jpg) ## The incredible success of Danish Animation 2021 was a banner year for Danish animation at home and abroad, proving yet again the incredible cultural and economic impact of Denmark’s animation industry. ## The Covid crisis of the past two years has affected every part of society, not least the creation and production of animated films, and the ways in which audiences access media and entertainment. In the face of those challenges, the recent successes of Danish animated films are even more remarkable. Despite production setbacks, and a tradition of receiving a remarkably low percentage of institutional funding and support, Danish animation continues to out-perform by every measure. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/TN2.jpeg) Ternet Ninja / Checkered Ninja @ 2018-2022A. Film Production, Soduko & PopUp Production. All rights reserved ## Sweeping the Awards Season: Flee Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s Flee has been hailed around the world as one of the best films of 2021\. The animated documentary grew out of the Anidox program at The Animation Workshop, was produced with Copenhagen animation studio Sun Creature, and was backed by executive producers Nicola Coster-Waldau and Riz Ahmed. Flee has been recognized not just for the quality of the animation and compelling nature of the story, but also for representation of refugees, minorities, and LGBTQ communities. Over 33 international film critics have named it one of the 10 best films of 2021\. It has been nominated for (and won) most of the most prestigious awards in the world, including wins at Sundance, Annecy, the New York Film Critics Awards, the British Independent Film Awards, the European Film Awards, and an Annie Award. > What we bring to international productions is our ability to function really well within a team, understanding how we fit into the whole production, and understanding the limitations that we are working under.Sarita Christensen, Animation Denmark The unique format of the film, as an animated documentary with archival film footage, means that it was recently nominated for three Academy Awards, as Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary Feature, and Best International Feature Film. It is the first film in history to be nominated in all three of these major categories simultaneously. ## Slaying at the Box Office: Checkered Ninja 2 In 2018, Checkered Ninja broke Danish box office records, selling more than 950,000 tickets domestically and becoming the best-performing Danish film since 1985\. In 2021, Checkered Ninja 2 nearly broke their own record, selling more than 900,000 cinema tickets, and almost singlehandedly helping cinemas recover financially from devastating lockdowns. Directed by Thorbjørn Christoffersen and Anders Matthesen, and produced by Trine Heidegaard and Pop Up Production and Anders Mastrup at A Film Production, the Checkered Ninja films are based on Matthesen’s 2016 book of the same name. The engaging stories follow the adventures of a doll possessed by the spirit of 16th century Japanese bandit Taiko Nakamura, and his young friend Aske. The first Checkered Ninja film won three Robert Awards and was nominated for Best Danish Film by the Bodil Awards. It was dubbed and released for English-speaking audiences on Amazon Prime and iTunes in 2019, helping to expand the reach of Danish animation around the world. It’s no wonder, then, that Checkered Ninja 2 was so successful, breaking Danish box office records upon release. It had the best opening weekend ever in August 2021, and the best ever single-day admissions for a Danish film on its opening Saturday, exceeding all expectations. It has since been sold to Germany, Poland, France, Spain, and Columbia. Writer and director Anders Matthesen has also recently won an unprecedented Bodil Award for his voice acting in the film, showcasing his incredibly diverse talents. ## Shaping the Future: Animation Denmark The experts at Animation Denmark aren’t surprised by these recent successes. Founded in 2014, the trade association now represents 90% of Danish animation studios and producers. Denmark has long been a destination for international animation productions, and the professional community has been shaped by decades of first-class experience. Animation Denmark co-founder and vice chair Sarita Christensen says: *“We have spent years working with Disney and Dreamworks and Netflix and companies like that, and we’re very good at it.* *What we bring to international productions is our ability to function really well within a team, understanding how we fit into the whole production, and understanding the limitations that we are working under.* *However, we are also very creative within those limitations, so we bring more to the project, use our resources effectively, and put more money on the screen.”* > What’s the point of educating writers and directors if they will never get to create their own films, or if they have to go to another country to realize their vision?Sarita Christensen, Animation Denmark Now, Animation Denmark believes that it is time to invest in local productions. Bolstered by the success of projects like Flee and Checkered Ninja 2, the group has prepared a report of the state of the industry and presented it to politicians who may be unfamiliar with the opportunities and challenges that animation represents. Animation Denmark wants to secure funding that is earmarked for local animation, in amounts that are proportionate to the real costs of producing original films. Such funding would allow filmmakers to complete original films that reflect Danish culture and develop their own intellectual property, without spending years on the funding process. Christensen says: *“What’s the point of educating writers and directors if they will never get to create their own films, or if they have to go to another country to realize their vision?* *We have incredible potential right here, but we need the political support to make it happen.* *Animation Denmark allows us to speak with one voice, making our message more powerful.”* Animation Denmark has received a wide range of positive feedback from politicians, including a letter of appreciation from Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen, the Minister of Culture. In fact, their efforts have already resulted in a new higher priority for animation funding in the coming years, and the future looks bright indeed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/TeamNugget-stillClassRoom.jpg) Still from the TV-series “Team Nuggets”, © Sparre Production ApS ## Background Get more info about the Animation Denmark [animationdenmark.com](http://animationdenmark.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) ![FLEE_still_4_Amin_and_Kasper_copyright_FinalCutforReal](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/FLEE_still_4_Amin_and_Kasper_copyright_FinalCutforReal.jpeg) Still from "Flee". @Final Cut for Reel & Sun Creature wam#0019 ### DR’s New Approach is a Game Changer URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/drs-new-approach-is-a-game-changer/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:03.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/DRstrategy_cover_wide_1920x1080-2.jpg) ## DR’s New Approach to Children’s Programming **is a Game Changer** ## For Danish animation producers, the challenges of pursuing traditional funding and support have long been an open secret. The vast majority of state film funds are used to support live-action television and feature film projects, with just a fraction used to support animation. This approach is actually counter-productive for the goals of most cultural programs. Danish animation projects have an excellent record of meeting with commercial and critical success and repaying their investment funds more consistently than live-action projects. For years, the Danish animation industry has been advocating for change, but it recently seems to have recruited some unlikely allies in the form of international stream-on-demand platforms. In 2020, Netflix became the largest commissioner of new scripted TV production in Europe, and opened a Paris office to facilitate its French-language original programming. Amazon Prime recently announced $65M creative investment in Scotland, and Disney plans to produce 60 original series in Europe by 2024. This sharp increase in demand for local productions, coupled with the rapid approval and funding that streaming networks provide to local producers, are having a dramatic impact on the traditional production pipelines in Europe. ![DR Ramasjang Logo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/DRRAMASJANG_logo_primaer_RGB.png) ![Morten Skov Hansen Head of DR Kids & Youth](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Morten-Skov-Hansen-web.jpg) And nobody knows this better than Morten Skov Hansen, B&U chef at DR. He says: We used to be the biggest in the market, so we could cherry-pick the best ideas and the best shows and just wait for those programs to come along. But now the market has completely changed, and we have to be aware of Netflix and Disney+ and the other streamers and what they are doing. We don’t have time to wait three or four years for new shows: we need to move more quickly, we need exclusive rights, and we need high quality. **WA: And why animation, as opposed to other types of content?** The goal of our project is not specifically to fund animation, and not even really to finance productions at all. Our strategy at DR is to maintain our position in children’s programming, and we know that kids actively seek out animated content. If we want to strengthen our position against streaming networks, we need more animation. And we need animation that we can secure the rights to, so we can use it on different platforms and in different ways. Historically, animation hasn’t been very well supported in Denmark. It’s very time consuming to create; shows spend a long time in development, and then in production, and there is a lot of time spent to secure financing. In order to move forward strategically, we had to look at how we could accelerate that process, both in financing and in development. **WA: What is this new initiative?** The Nordic public broadcasters have had a co-production collaboration for a long time, called Nordvision. What we have done is made a new chapter of Nordvision, called B14\. B14 allows DR and other Nordic public broadcasters like NRK, RUV, SVT, and Yle to co-produce children’s content together, and commits us to produce a minimum of 14 original projects every year. This gives us a larger reach in the Nordic market, and helps us build an ongoing pipeline. This type of collaboration also works well from a rights perspective. My focus is on the Danish market and Danish audiences, so I can easily give rights to Norway. It doesn’t matter to me, because that’s not my audience. It isn’t the same when I’m talking with Netflix or Time Warner, because they are also trying to compete in my market. **WA: How is this initiative working with Danish animation?** DR has been doing local animation for 30 years, but it would be just one special, or a short run series of 6 episodes; maybe 10 episodes if we were really ambitious. What we are doing now is 8-10 series of 52 episodes each, so it’s a whole other order of magnitude. And the reason we thought this was doable is that we know we have the schools in Denmark that can deliver the talent, and the production companies that can actually deliver the scale we are asking for, at the quality we need. It’s a massive move, but we are doing it because we really believe that Denmark has the talent and the companies that can lift this task with us. **WA: Why is animation in Denmark so special?** When I look at Canada, for example, there are enough hours of animation being produced to fill all the channels, but so often they are all so much alike. That’s what makes Danish animation so strong in the market: the characters and stories stand out as being different from what’s been seen before. We have universal stories that everyone can connect with, but we are looking at the content and the market from a kid’s perspective. We take kids as an audience very seriously, and we know that we have to produce content that stands out, because they don’t care about the platform or the network: they are just looking at the content. So we need content that is more funny, more relatable, more brave, and I think that’s a big part of what we can do here in Denmark. Nordic animation expects more of kids, and is willing to challenge them with unusual topics and situations. Adults have a tendency to underestimate children, when in reality they are much more clever and more reflective than we might think they are. They walk around in a super complex world where they have to navigate so many different messages and relationships all the time, so if we give them content that is simply black and white, it doesn’t mirror the world they live in. That’s part of what we come with: there’s an expectation for kids to engage and think more deeply about the content. At least, that’s what we hope. ![W010_c00090_MLM_00001](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W010_c00090_MLM_00001.jpeg) *“Monster Loving Maniac” animated TV-series by JA Film* **WA: You were a very early supporter of Monster Loving Maniacs, which just got picked up by the BBC.** Yes, Monster Loving Maniacs was one of the first projects we funded with this new strategy. I love the pace and humor of the show, and it manages to combine monsters and characters you know, like vampires, and also build new stories that are totally unique. One thing we really liked about the show is that the siblings are the main characters, and you follow them as they navigate this very strange world. They are much more open and curious about this monster-filled world than the grownups are, and very interested in what is right and what is wrong. The level of script writing is really very good. It’s also one of the projects I use as a case study, to show others the kind of content we can create in Denmark. It showcases our high ambitions in capability and quality, and Ja Film has been so good at every step of the process. If we are to continue to create successful projects like this, we need the production companies and the talent pool, and we need to make sure that the rights and the funding meet the need. We need to make sure that, at least in Denmark, animation is supported just as well or better than live-action or movies. I hope that what we are doing with DR and B14 helps create more support from other sources as well. If you have the production companies who can make it, and the broadcaster who is asking for it, and potential for international sales; those are all the necessary elements to make something that is sustainable, and should help create more support for animation. It’s been a long journey, but to be honest I am super proud of what’s being produced in Denmark right now. ![TeamNugget-stillClassRoom](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/TeamNugget-stillClassRoom.jpg) *Still from the 52 x 7″ animated series “Team Nuggets” @Sparre Productions ApS* **WA: Is locally produced animation important?** There’s a huge need to focus on what animation brings, not just from a Danish, or Nordic, but from a European point of view. Kids are seeing more animation than ever before, and there are so many great American shows like Adventure Time, and shows I really truly love. But we need to give them animation that has a deeper connection to Danish or Nordic or European history and culture and stories. We need to give them that option as well, so they don’t always have to choose between either Asian or American animated content. It should be more diverse than that. So we are continuing to put new projects in development, and moving projects through the pipeline. We are also continuing to connect with other public broadcasters and find new ways to collaborate. Although this model has worked well in the Nordics, we need to expand it to other countries, because we are all facing the same challenge. Every public service broadcaster I talk to, from Belgium to Holland or Spain, they are all having the same experience of being disrupted due to the streaming services. So we can take the fight to them one by one, or we find a new way to collaborate, and the truth is that we have so much potential. ![W010_c00020_Femlingerne](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W010_c00020_Femlingerne.jpeg) *Still image from “Femlingerne” – an animated TV-series by New Creations.* **WA: Is there a difference for an animation company working with a streamer as opposed to a public broadcaster?** The old days when public broadcasters were the major players are over, so we need to make sure that producers and creatives feel that we are the best match for their project. And that means building a strong network, telling a strong story, and making sure that we have ambitions when it comes to animation. There is a big difference between something that is a public service, and something that is commercial. When you are in public service, you have more creative freedom than commercial players, because you don’t have to recover the money on every project every time. You can be more brave, and explore new and different areas that kids might be ready for, or relate to, or be able to use. One of the best and most important things that public broadcasters can give a generation of kids is the shared laugh. The thing they all recognize and can talk about in the school yard… a shared joke, a laugh, a reference, a saying… We want to create content that they can meet around, that they know and can talk about with each other. That’s part of what it means to be local and public service, because we can make the things that connect kids. There is so much different content out there, and so many different stories, different characters, different universes, and that’s great, but how can we give them a shared connection as well? This is also a type of public service, and one of our main tasks: building a strong culture for kids that grows from their world, that they can use and find value in. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W010_c00090_MLM_00007.jpeg) ## **Monster Loving Maniacs – season 1 trailer** ## Credits Words: **Rebekah Villon** wam#0018 ### Meet "Pinocchio" Animation Supervisor Brian Leif Hansen URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/meet-pinocchio-animation-supervisor-brian-leif-hansen/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:04.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W010-c00095_PinnochioNetflix_00010.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W010-c00095_PinnochioGDT_WAM009_BLH_00002-e1670923736814.jpeg) ## Meet Brian Leif Hansen Animation Supervisor on Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio” (Netflix). *By *Alyssa Wejebe* for WeAnimate Magazine #010* ## Talking foxes, a reanimated dog, an elephant ride for three, and now a wooden boy—that and more populate Brian Leif Hansen’s animation, a body of work seen by thousands over the years. With credits on stop-motion films like Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Frankenweenie, Hansen’s portfolio in animation is lengthy. It even includes work with stop-motion juggernaut LAIKA on several of their films: ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link. Now his latest work is featured in Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, a new retelling of the classic book by Carlo Collodi. But Hansen’s path to a substantial stop-motion career wasn’t always so direct. After growing up on a dairy farm in Jutland, Hansen became a chef. He cooked for restaurants across Denmark and France. According to Zerply Industry Magazine, he even worked for a place that was named “Restaurant of the Year” in 1996. But animating appealed to Hansen as another creative pursuit, so he trained at The Animation Workshop in Viborg for his second career. Hansen discussed his winding career path and approach to stop-motion, the areas where cooking and animation overlap and diverge, and more on Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio with WeAnimate Magazine. ![W010-c00095_BrianLeifHansen_00011](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W010-c00095_BrianLeifHansen_00011.jpeg) **WeAnimate Magazine: Could you talk more about your transition from chef to animator? What drew you to animation?** I always had a great fascination with puppets, starting with The Dark Crystal. The magic of having something clearly made out of fabric and silicon making a performance and taking you into whatever fantasy world they were living in, creating characters that you, as a viewer, know are not real but still have empathy with, is very interesting to me—of course, I didn’t have those kinds of thoughts when I watched The Dark Crystal as a 10-year-old, but still, there is a magic embedded in these films that draws you into the world in a very compelling way. Initially, it was the Muppets that I was drawn to, and if I had known that Jim Henson had a creature shop in London, I would probably have gone there. But I didn’t know, and the fact that I didn’t know anybody working in that kind of industry, and nobody in my family was occupied by anything looking like this, meant that I just chose the next best thing, which was working in the kitchen. I am immensely grateful that I tried and succeeded in this field, and it’s still a great part of me—there’s probably not a day where I don’t think about it or reuse some of the skills I got in the kitchen. **WA: Are there similarities between cooking and animating, like in terms of creation?** I actually think that being a chef prepared me for the job as an animator—there’s a need for certain stamina in both professions—working in the kitchen, there is a lot of repeating actions that have to be repeated to perfection every time while working fast and still producing a product, constantly assessing and quality checking one’s own work, trying to achieve high quality, proving that you can do it again and again as well and as interesting as the first time becomes part of the job. And then there is the creation of the art, which is also quite similar in the kitchen. You produce little masterpieces on the plate, all of them have to be individual and special, and all of them have to fit into a bigger narrative of the menu and the style of the kitchen—like when you’re making a film, shot to scenes to the whole thing. So yes, I would think there are a lot of similar traits—however, one thing that I really missed from the kitchen was the immediate feedback. Every night was like performing on the stage, and every night you went out and “bowed” in front of your audience. In animation, it can sometimes take months, even years, before anybody sees your work—I missed that instant feedback in the beginning of my animation career. A bit of a side advertisement, the kitchen I worked in most is still around; it’s just south of Randers in Denmark and still doing very well. ![W010-c00095_BLH_BehindTheScenes_00002](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W010-c00095_BLH_BehindTheScenes_00002.jpeg) **WA: Why did you specifically choose to specialize in stop-motion over other forms of animation, like 2D animation and CG animation?** As for the medium of stop-motion, it is probably a little bit of a coincidence. When I finally decided to try it out in the “film business,” I initially applied for a 2D course at [The Animation Workshop](https://animationworkshop.via.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) in Viborg. Out of random acts of the gods, a stop-motion course appeared out of the blue, and I really quite quickly fell in love with it—and my 2D skills were really not up to snuff anyway. I did quite a bit of CG animation in between stop-motion jobs for a while, but the interaction with sets, lights, cameras, and the crew on the stop-motion set is just so exciting that it’s hard to compete with. **WA: I’m more familiar with The Animation Workshop in Denmark as a place for 2D animation. But you learned stop-motion animation there?** Yes, I did two courses at The Animation Workshop, one in 1999 and one in 2001, and both ran for four months. At the end of the first one, we all went to The National Film School in Copenhagen to animate on two graduation stop-motion films—Trylle Vilstrup’s “Love Birds” and Kunuk Platoú’s “Nanoq.” I cannot praise The Animation Workshop enough for doing an excellent job reaching out to the absolute top talent in the business at the time and getting us a real solid foundation for a future in the stop-motion world. I’m uncertain how it is now, actually—but to my knowledge, I don’t think there are any organized stop-motion programs going on at this moment. I guess throughout my career, I’ve been extremely lucky timing-wise. I quit my job as a chef at the same time as Egmont Imagination planned to do a feature film with a mix of stop-motion, puppets, and marionettes, and therefore needed stop-motion animators, which there weren’t that many of in Denmark, so they collaborated with The Animation Workshop to train some new stop-motion animators. I believe that is the only reason they established the stop-mo course at The Animation Workshop in the first place—the workshop had this goal that they would only educate people that might have a chance to get work in the professional world—and after Egmont Imagination closed after making 75 episodes of the Little People (which also was my first professional job), they probably couldn’t see the industry going on, so the stop-motion courses stopped. **WA: Do you have advice for people who want to work in stop-motion?** Get animating! I think you could save a lot of time in your trial-and-error phase by reaching out to somebody who is already doing stop-motion. I bet most people would be happy to look at your stuff and give you pointers to better your work. Remember that not all stop-motion needs to have a puppet standing upright—it can be difficult to get your hands on a good puppet, but turning the camera downwards and shooting on the table takes away the gravity, and you can still do great performance. See Kiri and Lou, for example. Get some frames under your belt, practice, practice, practice! And getting a job on a TV series or something, where the turnaround time is a little bit quicker, is helpful later in your career because you get the experience of starting a shot, ending a shot, starting a shot, ending a shot. Remember, you’re working as an artist in an industry that wants to get things done in a reasonable amount of time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W010-c00095_PinnochioNetflix_00001.jpeg) *Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – (Pictured) Sebastian J. Cricket (voiced by Ewan McGregor). Cr: Netflix © 2022* **WA: What is your process for stop-motion?** You are kind of an engineer and an artist at the same time. Quite a lot of the things you do to prepare for the performance have a lot to do with getting all the hardware right and in the right place—rigging is a big part of this to help you achieve exactly what you want—and planning out positions of the camera and the puppets. And once you’ve got all that down, then you start to concentrate on the actual performance, doing all the normal things you do when animating, getting direction from the director, doing tests to make sure that the lighting and camera departments are happy, and then it is up to you to give the puppets life. Most times, you lean heavily into the voice performance. You listen to it a lot to catch all the little nuances there are in the voice—pauses, air intake—little sounds that, if you animate them, you sort of amplify them, and they become part of the character. Where if you don’t pick them up, they just fall in the background and disappear. **WA: Do you have any favorite performances that you’ve animated?** I’ve got some Snatcher shots from The Boxtrolls that I think are pretty good. I’m also very proud of the animation of the Elephant in Missing Link—it was quite a difficult thing to pull off, but I think it looks pretty good. And the scene of Victor bringing Sparky back to life from Frankenweenie is quite successful. **WA: Do you ever get involved with designing the puppets for stop-motion?** It depends a lot on when you come onto the project. If you are there from the beginning, it’s a natural process of your work that you interact a lot with the head of department in puppets and costume to optimize the performance of the puppet—one notable experience on that front for me is the Elephant from Missing Link. I took that from the very first build of the very first temporary armature to the finished result, which I also animated—that whole process of that build was about 11 months. I think it was a really great experience to collaborate with the rigging department and puppets department to make this beautiful purple creature come to life. **WA: Your CV online says you were the animation supervisor on Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, while for a number of other movies you worked as an animator, key animator, or lead animator. Was the role of animation supervisor different from your experience as an animator? Or was there little difference?** My job as animation supervisor on Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio couldn’t be more different from my previous jobs as animator—I only did some animation tests in the very beginning of the show and only animated half of a shot in the film. My job on the film was to initially set the animation style and the way we would approach the animation in this particular stop-motion film—alongside being very involved in the build of especially Pinocchio, but also the other characters, to help ensure that they were as animatable as they could be and be able to perform their task in the movie. I also advised on props when they were handled by puppets or had to be animated—curtains, flags, and so on. Secondly, I was a consultant to the directors Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson. I also spent day-to-day being Gustafson’s right-hand man on the studio floor, helping out with briefs and animation notes. And last but not least, helping the animation team of more than 40 animators—at the peak of the shoot—keep to the style, advising on performance, and helping out on particularly difficult, technically challenging shots, and being a general cheerleader for the entire animation team (which also included a small RP department and the rigging team). So, yes, absolutely, a different experience. ![W010-c00095_PinnochioGDT_WAM009_BLH_00003](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W010-c00095_PinnochioGDT_WAM009_BLH_00003.jpeg) *Guillermo del Toro reading WeAnimate Magazine #009 together with Brian Leif Hansen* ![W010-c00095_BLH_BehindTheScenes_00012](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/Screen-Shot-2022-09-30-at-4.09.06-PM.png) **WA: What kind of research did you do for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio? Did you read the original book and watch various adaptations of it? Or did research go in different directions?** I did read the original book by Carlo Collodi—it’s completely bonkers—and there’s so much more stuff going on than in the Disney version, which I didn’t watch again, because I didn’t want to be making decisions that were influenced by their version. There was a bit of singing and dancing in this version that we did research, also on the scope of the water and four-legged creatures. Guillermo del Toro’s version of the film is keeping to the same ideas (there is a wooden boy in it), but quite a few of the things we know from previous versions are either left out or changed to fit this particular version. One thing that is definitely different compared to most previous versions is that Pinocchio’s facial features are hard; there’s very little volume change, which I think suits the Wooden Boy—it’s always slightly creepy when the wood grain starts moving around on the face of Pinocchio, so we deliberately tried to stay as far away from that as possible. **WA: You’ve worked on a lot of stop-motion films. How do you view being in demand as an animator for these productions?** Again, I feel that I’ve been extremely lucky to land right in the middle of the “golden age of stop-motion.” As in any field, I think your career is formed by the connections that you make while working on the job, and for me, the stop-motion animation community has always been very international, so you’re very quickly able to build up a network of colleagues from all over the world, and because the business is relatively small, your services are quite often needed right after you’ve laid down your tools on your current job. **WA: What are your thoughts on how stop-motion in general has developed over the years?** The technology around the puppets has developed enormously. When I began animating, you quite often had to manually turn off your work light, move the camera to the next frame if it was on a MoCo rig, put in a green screen for an additional exposure, press another button to move additional lights, cover your screen up to avoid light spill, take the frame on your video assist camera, take the frame on the real camera, check that the frame is actually taken and then you’re done. Nowadays everything runs on a very clever computer that does all of these things for you. Set shifts, which occur quite often due to a temperature shift between night and day—it’s not a disastrous event anymore because of the digital powers that we have at our disposal. The images we work with are much clearer, so it’s easier to keep an eye on everything, which I think is part of why stop-motion animation is looking so much more smooth than it did just a few decades ago. Another thing that’s really developed is the rigging of the puppets, which means that you can control the increments better, and therefore do a more precise performance when you’re not completely reliant on the ball-and-socket joints, but have the option of a finer adjustment available. So, on a technical front, everything is different, but from the performance point of view, everything is the same—it’s about putting life and soul into an otherwise lifeless object. Another thing that has changed is that everything is much more accessible—all the films are shot on digital cameras, which anybody can get their hands on, and the computer programs that previously only belonged to large production companies are now, to a certain extent, available to anybody, which make a massive change to who can make films, which I think is very exciting. ![W010-c00095_BrianLeifHansen_00004](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W010-c00095_BrianLeifHansen_00004.jpeg) **WA: Do you feel like your motivation for working in stop-motion has changed or evolved from what first drove you to start working in the field?** No, it’s still the same thing, seeing the characters coming to life on-screen is just so magical that when you sometimes turn away from the screen, you wonder why the puppet is not moving around on your set! I know it sounds crazy, but that is sometimes how it really feels—and I think the artistic struggle is a part of it as well. If you had a form that would give you precisely what you wanted, it would all quite quickly become very boring—but every time I start a shot, there are always elements that I’m not quite sure how to tackle. I’m not even sure if it’s going to be any good, and I think that notion is what keeps it exciting and challenging. ***“Pinocchio” can be seen on*** [***Netflix***](https://www.netflix.com/dk/title/80218455?ref=weanimate.dk) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W010-c00095_PinnochioNetflix_00012.jpeg) ## **Images from Pinocchio** wam#0009 ### #WeAnimate Day 2023 URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/weanimate-day-2023/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:04.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WLOH_03.jpg) ## **#WeAnimate Day 2023** ### On June 3rd WeAnimate will be celebrating the WeAnimate Day at the Film School in Copenhagen. ## This year’s program offers unique insights into everything from creating a massive non-linear Netflix experience to pursuing your indie projects to next-level world-building. WeAnimate Day will inspire all members of the animation and interactive communities, so make sure to mark your calendars for this exciting event. ![WLOH_RikkeAbjoern](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WLOH_RikkeAbjoern.jpg) Rikke Asbjørn ![WLOH_ChrisGarbutt](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WLOH_ChrisGarbutt.jpg) Chris Garbutt #### **Keynote** ## "We Lost Our Human" We kick things off this year with a keynote from Rikke Asbjørn and Chris Garbutt, the writer/director team behind Pinky Malinky and Netflix’s groundbreaking We Lost Our Human. Premiering in March 2023, We Lost Our Human is the largest interactive special to date on Netflix, and an exciting step forward in non-linear streaming entertainment. Rikke Asbjørn and Chris Garbutt will share exclusive behind-the-scenes insight into the production of We Lost Our Human, discussing the specific methods and challenges in creating a story with billions of possible permutations. ![SimonJonAndreasen](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/SimonJonAndreasen.jpg) Simon Jon Andreasen #### **Masterclass:** ## World building WeAnimate Day attendees will also be treated to a world-building Masterclass by award-winning director, researcher, and educator Simon Jon Andreasen. Known for his work in early experimental games like Globetrotter and Blackout, he has continued to pioneer new frontiers in animation, games, and digital experiences. Through his years of working and teaching in games and animation, Simon has developed a completely new approach to worldbuilding. This fall, he will publish a new handbook on worldbuilding, and this masterclass includes a sneak peek from the book, along with expert insights and concrete tools to use in creating your own universe ![MadsVadsholt_04](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/MadsVadsholt_04.jpg) Mads Vadholt #### **Exclusive presentation:** ## The Forest Quartet The event also includes an exclusive presentation from Mads Vadholt about the creation of his indie game The Forest Quartet. A 3-act puzzle adventure game, The Forest Quartet was released in December 2022 and has won rave reviews from The Guardian, The Indie Informer, and others, while winning the Excellence in Audio award from the Independent Games Festival. Mads will share his process and insights as an indie game developer, animator, and composer, and his experiences working on a passion project. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/utf-8SnobarAvani_DREAM_Pige-lober-fra-krig-2-scaled.jpg) ![SnobarAvani_DREAM](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/SnobarAvani_DREAM.jpg) Snobar Avani "Dream" by Snobar Avani #### **Screening:** ## Dream This year’s WeAnimate Day also includes a screening of the animated short film “Dream” by Snobar Avani. This beautiful film is based on Snobar’s own experiences as a child fleeing to Denmark from turbulence in Kurdistan, and shares unique insight on how war can affect children. ## #WeAnimate Day 2023 Along with these inspiring events, WeAnimate Day is also a great opportunity to connect and socialize with other members of the Danish animation and creative communities, so make sure to join us: **● Date: June 3, 2023** **● Time: Starting at 12 noon** **● Place: The Danish Film School Theodor Christensens Pl. 1, 1437, Copenhagen** **● Registration: Registration is 375 kr for members of ANIS, and 2,450 kr for non-members.** [Get your ticket here](https://billetto.dk/e/weanimate-day-2023-billetter-825713?ref=weanimate.dk) ## Full program 12:00 **Arrival, networking and a sandwich** 13:30 **World Building Masterclass with Simon Jon Andreassen** 15:00 **Keynote on “We Lost Our Human” by Rikke Asbjørn and Chris Garbutt** 17:30 **Creating the game “The Forest Quartet” by Mads Vadsholt and screening of the short film “Dream” by Snobar Avani.** 19.00 **Dinner and socializing.** WeAnimate Day is financially supported by the Danish Film Institute and the The Danish Animation Society ANIS, and is organized in collaboration with The Danish Film School, Viborg Animation Festival, Open Workshop, Animation Denmark, and Danish Film Directors and is sponsored by Copenhagen Bombay. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/WLOH_01.jpg) wam#0017 ### Sara Koppel’s Animated Life URL: https://www.weanimate.dk/sara-koppel-poetry-in-motion/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T20:12:04.000Z ## Sara Koppel is an animator, filmmaker, illustrator, new media artist, educator, painter, and author. *Her independent films have been featured in hundreds of animation festivals around the world, and she has appeared in dozens of art exhibitions and augmented reality showcases.* *She is a pioneer in animation and art that celebrates human sexuality and body positivity, and she has been selected as the featured artist of the 2022 Viborg Animation Festival.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_00024.jpeg) ## Sara Koppel’s Background and Beginnings *Born in Copenhagen in 1970, Sara is the grandchild of celebrated composer Herman David Koppel, and the oldest daughter of musician and composer Anders Koppel.* *Her aunts and uncles, siblings, cousins, and now her daughter are all accomplished musicians.* *But she knew from a young age that this was not the life for her. At the age of 6, she refused further music lessons, and said she wanted to draw instead.* **SK:** Even as a child, I wanted to make my own way, and didn’t want anyone to control what I did. I was already a rebel in some ways, but it was also the time: it was the 1970s, and there was so much going on with music and art and culture. I knew I liked to draw, and said that was what I was going to do. I had a terrible time in school. I changed schools 5 or 6 times. I really couldn’t get it. I had so much trouble sitting still, and had a lot of discussions with the teachers. I didn’t like authority, I didn’t like grown up people. I had a lot of issues in that sense. I left my parents’ place when I was 12, and I was living on the streets as a punk. I was very young, and I met all these people on the streets, and I was so inspired by the political environment. At that time in Copenhagen there were a lot of empty buildings, before gentrification. So we would walk into empty houses and decide to live there, occupying them. And of course the police always eventually came and we got kicked out, but that was the choice we were making. When I was 14, I had to visit a company for school. I was supposed to visit a place where they made and printed art posters, because I thought maybe I would do something with graphic design. But when I came to the place, they thought I was really ugly. I had a mohawk, and I was quite dirty because of my lifestyle, and they said they just couldn’t have me there. But I had really been looking forward to that week, and didn’t know what else to do, and the school was closed. > From that first day, I thought, “This is going to be my life.” > > \- Sara Koppel ![W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_FotoMaleneNelting_00006](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_FotoMaleneNelting_00006.jpg) So it was 7 o’clock in the morning, and I called my father, because I knew he was composing music for an animated short film at the time, and thought I could go there. They agreed to take me that same morning, of course because they knew my father. So I went there. It was a long short film, like 40 minutes, and they were hand coloring everything on paper with gradient colors. I thought it was so amazing – I didn’t even know that you could do that. I loved animation, and I loved drawing, but I had never connected them before in a practical way. I just wanted to know everything about how to do it. And suddenly a lot of my problems just disappeared. When I was making animation, suddenly I could focus, I could sit still. I am like that to this day: I’m very hyper and energetic, but every time I am animating, I am so focused. It’s like when you meet something that is The Thing, you know? I stayed there for the week, and I was just so in love with it, so they kept me on for the rest of the film, another 3 or 4 months. I actually never went back to school: I dropped out and never completed my education. I just stayed in animation from that day onward. After the film was done, they wrote me a letter of recommendation. With that recommendation, I immediately got a job on Valhalla. I was a colorist on that film, painting on cells. Everything has grown from there. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_FotoMaleneNelting_00010.jpg) ## On The Pleasures of Paper *One of the most famous features of Sara’s work is that she still makes animation the old-fashioned way, with pencil on paper. She animates her films herself, drawing every frame by hand. This lengthy process, done alone, makes her prolific catalog of work even more impressive.* **SK:** Of course I can work digitally, and sometimes do, especially when I’m freelancing on other productions. I actually do a lot of work on the computer, with my coloring and editing processes. I’m not anti-technology, and do a lot of projects where I combine my own work with technology. But when I am sitting still in front of the computer, some of my issues start to come up, and it’s just not the same. Paper grabs me more. I like my pencil on the paper, and all the dirt that comes with it, and all the folds and creases in the paper from flipping it. I keep all those folds and lines on the page in my work – I don’t erase it, I keep it, because I like the sensibility it gives. Sometimes people ask me “What kind of loop did you make for the dirt?” And I’m like “It’s not a loop, it’s a real thing from the original drawings.” I also don’t like feeling like I’m doing the same thing every day. So sometimes I’m drawing on paper, and sitting in different places or on the floor, and then I can sit with the computer for a few hours doing coloring, and then I can go back. I can change my routine around, which helps the body and helps with concentration and helps with the work. I always animate on paper. I started animating on paper, and I still see my drawing skills, my animation skills, my artistic skills continue to develop. I’m not finished exploring the way my animation looks on paper. Every time it still feels fresh and new. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_00027.jpeg) ## On Going It Alone *All of Sara’s films are completely self-funded. Although she was just awarded a grant from the Danish Statens Kunstfond, she doesn’t work with film funds at all. I asked her why.* **SK:** Back when I started making my own artistic short animations, I did start out trying to get funding from DFI. I think the problem with that goes back to my trouble with authority. I felt like it was so slow, and I didn’t have the patience to wait for their process. When I have an idea, I just want to do it. I don’t want to wait years. This is my life developing through the making, so I cannot stop my own development as a person because of what someone else thinks. And when DFI was reviewing my project, all their questions were so un-artistic. They wanted to have everything settled and decided, and know exactly what’s going to happen. They also wanted to have this dramatic story arc, and wanted to know who would be animating the film. I really am more of a poet. I don’t want to make a complete storyboard and follow it, I don’t want to make an animatic where all the scenes are already cut. When I’m working with it, when I feel that it has to unfold, it may become much longer. If it needs to be 30 seconds, then it’s 30 seconds. This is my work. I want to do it myself – I don’t want to break it into pieces for different teams. Of course I make a kind of storyboard, but my process is more like making some drawings and then making some notes, and sometimes I write a script, but sometimes it’s just a half page of notes with small thumbnails. These are the very things I love the most about animation. I love doing it, I love making it. It’s not about what comes afterward, or getting some kind of result. If someone afterward wants to see it or likes it, that’s great. But what matters to me is loving it while I’m doing it. I really don’t care about other people’s opinions, and it’s not because I am arrogant: I really do love people. But I don’t care what they think about my work during the process. In fact, it’s a killer. I am fine with hearing what people think about my work after it’s done, and I am even interested in hearing criticism. But during the process, I don’t need it and I don’t want to get stuck by it. I don’t want anyone saying that someone’s nose is too big or asking why they move one direction or another. I am also a working person. I never just sit still with my hand out, waiting for something to come by and drag me along. I drag myself. I am very good at continuing my work flow, and I never sit around wondering what I am going to do. Of course I sometimes wonder, “Shit. Is what I’m doing any good?” but then I just start drawing with the pencil and it doesn’t matter what people think: I am already in it again. So that’s why I had to stop working with DFI. It’s too much of a risk for them, apparently, to work with someone who has that loose way of working. It’s a little sad that there’s not room for making other kinds of movies. I am not good at static situations, and I want to be free, and I do not want to compromise with anything. Naturally if someone wanted to just give me money for a film, and maybe look at it sometimes without interfering with my ideas, then of course it would be welcome. When you are doing your own animation art, it is not easy to survive financially. I work all around the animation field to make money. I teach animation, I freelance as an animator on other people’s projects, and I am always looking for ways to make money, because I have rent and food and all those ordinary expenses, and also need to finance my films. Like, I am about to turn 52, but just a month ago I stopped working as a coffee barista every Saturday. I’m not too good for that kind of work, and I actually think it’s a good thing for me, because I am so much alone with my animation. Going out and meeting people and doing something else is good for me, and it helps the money go around. We tell young people that they need to go out and be a success and make a lot of money and have people look up to you, but I really see it differently. I think we are here for such a short time, and it’s much more important that every day brings something new, and something to learn, and be full of love. ![W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_FotoMaleneNelting_00015](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_FotoMaleneNelting_00015.jpg) ## On Erotic Animation *Sara is a pioneer in erotic animation, with two of her most famous films (Naked Love – Ea’s Garden and Little Vulvah & Her Clitoral Awareness) dealing with women’s sexuality. I asked her about this theme in her subject matter, and where it came from.* **SK:** My interest in erotic themes started very early, when my dad gave me a series of books by Robert Crumb. Maybe it was a little too early, but I absolutely loved them. I loved the drawings, I loved the way the stories were told, Fritz the Cat, I was totally into all of it. And of course it was very focused on the erotic, on the nakedness, on the shapes of women… it was my first inspiration. I like to draw all kinds of bodies, and I actually love to animate flesh and skin and the way they move. The women in my films love themselves, no matter how they look, and I want to show that. I want to show love for the skin and the shapes and the volumes, and I am obsessed with movement, I want to put all that into movement. ![W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_00020](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_00020.jpeg) Photo: Kim Wendt. Illustration: Sara Koppel Then, for my 18th birthday, I got a huge very thick book of the history of erotic art, with all the famous painters like Rembrandt and Picasso. I was blown away by that book, and it also really influenced me. So when I started to make my own animated film, I was very interested in eroticism. I was living an erotic life, and it felt like animation and eroticism go so well together. When I did Naked Love – Ea’s Garden, I wanted to do something focused on female lust, because I felt it was a little taboo at the time. Things have progressed a lot in the last 10 years, but at that time there wasn’t much erotic animation going on. I just wanted to make a question mark, a little piece that could open up discussion about the clitoris, about sexuality. Eroticism is a great subject for animation. With animation, you can show a lot of things. For example, in Little Vulvah there is a scene where she discovers her vagina and her clitoris, and it opens up like a flower, which you can do in animation. You can make it more poetic, and more graphic, and easier to relate to, because it’s just a drawing. When it’s filmed, it’s much harder for people to look at. > I just wanted to make a question mark, a little piece that could open up discussion about the clitoris, about sexuality. > > \- Sara Koppel Of course there is an element of the political in this work. I’m never not political, but that’s not my first thought when I’m making my art. You’re always hoping that your art will have an influence and help to change something, but it can be difficult to see when you are working on it. It requires so much focus, so I sit and draw the lines. And while I am drawing the lines, I am not political. The very first line may be political, but then you have to focus on all the lines after that. So there will always be a political tone in what I do, but it’s not a lifted finger, telling you what you have to do. It’s much more abstract, in the sense that all the political thoughts I am having bring an influence to my work. If I had to boil it down, it’s about love. Love to people, and trust that we can change, and hope for the future. ## On Augmented Reality *Sara has created many AR pieces in recent years, featuring them in various exhibitions and showcases. Augmented reality allows her to combine static paintings with animation, bringing her art to life in a new way.* **SK:** I was always interested in combining paintings with animation. In 2010, I had an exhibition where I had five really large paintings with women on top of each other, and these paintings were featured along with very big animated installations with the same motifs. What I actually wanted at that time was to combine it, to have the animation inside the painting, but of course you couldn’t do that at the time. So when I discovered augmented reality, and the possibilities, I felt like I really had to try it. I’m an animator and illustrator and director, the classic combination, but actually I see myself much more as a poet. If my skill was writing, I would just write poetry. But my skill is animation, so I make animation poetry. In augmented reality, I can make one picture with that poetic sense to it. It’s not a drama with a storyline. I mean, of course I love watching films with storylines, but that’s not my own work. I am much more abstract, because I love the poetry. ![W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_00005](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_00005.jpeg) > I really am more of a poet. I don’t want to make a complete storyboard and follow it, I don’t want to make an animatic where all the scenes are already cut. > > \- Sara Koppel It’s important to me that not everything has to have a storyline. Something can just be body poses and movement, as visual poetry. I am trying to make body positivity poetry in my animation. I have had several augmented reality exhibitions now, where I have made animated pieces with a picture. It’s not a film, it’s just this moment. I think it’s so amazing to have a print or a painting or a drawing on the wall, and you can just take out your phone and watch some amazing animation. It’s a wonderful combination of analogue and digital art. I am going to do more augmented reality in Cairo later this year. ## Speaking of Cairo… Sara and her husband, composer and musician Sune “Køter” Kølster, have been working more and more in Egypt in recent years. Driven by a shared passion for Arabic music, they have repeatedly traveled to Cairo and held workshops and exhibitions. SK: My husband is the composer for all my films, and I started wondering if we could get an art exhibition together somewhere in the Middle East to explore more Arabic music and to get inspired. Because our money situation is what it is, we can’t just afford to travel for holiday, so we have to have a work purpose where it’s possible to get some help or support. I found an artist residency in Cairo, and we got it and went there for the first time five years ago. We were overwhelmed with how wonderful it was: it’s such an energetic town, with so many people, and with beautiful people and beautiful buildings. We were both amazed, and we fell in love with the contrast between Cairo and the Scandinavian life we come from. It’s been so inspirational. We made a new workshop last year, where we went to lots of different places so composers could compose in nature, or in the desert, and I was just sitting animating the whole time. I don’t want to be locked to a light table. So I made this little folder with some paper, so I can animate anywhere. I animated the first sequence of my new film out in the desert and on the airplane and on the streets of Cairo, and it wasn’t even roughs: it was finished animation. I can do the inbetweens when I am back at my light table, but in the meantime I can do it this way. There is a lot of waiting time when you are working in Egypt. The sense of time there is very different and unstructured, so you may be waiting for a half hour or an hour for people to come or for something to start. Because I am impatient, it’s very hard for me to wait. I didn’t want to keep being frustrated just because people have a different sense of time, so I had to find something beautiful to do while I wait. That’s why I started always having my paper and my pencil in my bag. I can always animate, anywhere and any time. Last year, I was invited to Cairo to participate in an exhibition at an amazing art and performance festival called D-CAF. So I had my Embraces exhibition, which has all these animals and human beings hugging. It’s about being open and accepting of others. I think they liked it a lot, because it was just after Corona, and people had missed all that contact with each other, so the piece got a new, even deeper meaning. I will go back to Cairo and have another augmented reality exhibition at D-CAF, but first I am really looking forward to going to VAF and seeing all the exciting work that is happening in Viborg, and meeting all the people. This September, Sara Koppel will be the featured artist at the Viborg Animation Festival. The festival will include exhibitions of her augmented reality pieces, a retrospective of her films, and other events that showcase her incredible career and unique artistic perspective. It will be a rare opportunity to experience the full scope and dynamic range of her work, and to be inspired by Sara’s energy, humor, and passion. ![W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_00010](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_00010.jpeg) Working in Cairo ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_00039.jpeg) ## Background Links to more of Sara’s work [nakedlovefilm.com](http://nakedlovefilm.com/?ref=weanimate.dk) [animationsfestival.dk](http://animationsfestival.dk/?ref=weanimate.dk) [d-caf.org](http://d-caf.org/?ref=weanimate.dk) ![W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_00040](https://storage.ghost.io/c/41/6d/416d3aee-e3c1-4f85-8e93-3926e97cd887/content/images/2026/08/W009-c00080_SaraKoppel_00040.jpeg) ## Words: ****Rebekah Villon** Photos: ****Malene Nelting (if nothing else stated)** Artwork: ****Sara Koppel** wam#0021