#78 Denver Jackson: What It REALLY Takes to Make an Animated Feature Film ALONE

About this episode

Denver Jackson discusses his journey of creating two solo animated feature films and shares insights on the animation process and motivation.

In this interview, writer, director, and self-taught animator Denver Jackson shares the incredible journey behind creating not one, but two solo animated feature films — Esluna: The Crown of Babylon and The Worlds Divide. From teaching himself 2D animation, to battling carpal tunnel and back issues, to reinventing his workflow in Blender 3D, Denver breaks down exactly how he built these full-length, anime-inspired films with a tiny team and massive determination. We dive deep into his creative process — how he writes, how he animates, how he stays motivated, and what it really takes to make a solo filmmaking dream a reality. If you're passionate about animation, indie filmmaking, anime films, or the idea of creating your own solo animated feature film, this conversation is packed with insight, inspiration, and practical advice. ➡️ The workflow behind creating two full animated features ➡️ Building worlds and characters as a solo filmmaker ➡️ Staying motivated through long-term creative projects ➡️ Advice for aspiring animators and indie creators ➡️ How combining 2D & 3D with Blender saved him VIDEO PODCAST DENVER JACKSON

People in this episode

Guest: Denver Jackson

Topics covered

• animated feature films
• indie filmmaking
• animation process
• creative motivation
• 2D and 3D animation

Keywords

• animation
• indie films
• solo filmmaking
• anime
• Blender 3D
• creative process
• motivation
• 2D animation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Blender

Books & works: Esluna: The Crown of Babylon, The Worlds Divide

More episodes of The VFX Process

• #84 Nikola Todorovic: Spielberg Backed This AI Filmmaking Tool… Here’s Why · March 6, 2026 · 1h 33m
• #83 Seiji & Dave: How We Adapted a Classic Novel into an Unreal Engine Cinematic | F451 · February 20, 2026 · 1h 19m
• #82 India Barnardo: Disney Animator Shares the Truth About Successful Animation Careers · February 6, 2026 · 1h 4m
• #81 Nishaan Singh: We Hired This Blender Artist at 16... He's Now Animator of the Year · January 23, 2026 · 48 min
• #80 David Stapp: This Battlefield Cinematic Proves Unreal Engine Is the #1 Filmmaking Tool · January 9, 2026 · 1h 49m
• #79 Aaron Blaise: The Emotional Story of SNOW BEAR: A Hand-Drawn Animated Masterpiece · December 26, 2025 · 1h 12m