{"id":897,"date":"2026-04-22T04:07:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T04:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/?p=897"},"modified":"2026-04-22T04:07:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T04:07:00","slug":"axolodyssey-exclusive-clips-from-bts-and-indie-shorts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/?p=897","title":{"rendered":"\u201cAxolodyssey\u201d: Exclusive clips from BTS and indie shorts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><em>axolodyssey<\/em> \u201cStudio Fresco Animation\u201d is a hand-drawn short animation created by Studio Fresco Animation, an independent artist collective working across studios and countries. Animated entirely in TVPaint, the film brings together contributors from a variety of backgrounds, from major studios in the United States to smaller studios in Europe and Asia, all working together on a project that began as a personal idea during the pandemic and gradually expanded into a full production.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"AXOLODYSSEY | Official Trailer\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0ve61wyppaU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Directed by John Densk, the film follows Jojo, a young axolotl stranded alone in a fantasy-inspired Mexican lakeside ecosystem. As he sets out in search of his missing family, the story unfolds as a journey through strange environments populated by strange creatures, fleeting companions, and looming threats. In addition to its adventure framework, the film takes real-world inspiration from the endangered axolotl and its habitat, grounding its fantasy in an ecological context.<\/p>\n<p>We recently met Desk to talk about his films. And the filmmakers provided us with exclusive access to a short clip. I will link it below.<\/p>\n<p><!--googleoff: index--><\/p>\n<aside class=\"cb-ad cb-post inset\"\/><!--googleon: index--><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Origin of the pandemic<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This project, like many pandemic-era works, began as a personal experiment. &#8220;It started out as just me making something&#8230;I&#8217;d never made a movie before&#8230;I didn&#8217;t have anything else to do at the time,&#8221; Densk recalls. It then slowly evolved from an exploratory storyboard to a full-fledged work, partially funded through Kickstarter.<\/p>\n<p>Even then, economic conditions were unconventional. &#8220;All the money we made from Kickstarter was going to other people&#8230;They just liked the project and had already started doing it for free, so I felt terrible.&#8221;The result was a film that was completed largely through goodwill and shared enthusiasm, with artists on board, major studio credits, and time and effort invested in a common vision.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>short, and maybe longer<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><em>axolodyssey<\/em> It was about 12 minutes long, but it was almost much more. Early versions lasted quite a while until some candid advice from a colleague working at Pixar led to the project being restructured. \u201cShe was like, we need to cut this in half.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That editorial discipline paid off. The completed short story now serves as what Densk calls &#8220;a great test pilot for the larger story.&#8221; Plans for a graphic novel adaptation and full-length version are already in the works, suggesting that JoJo&#8217;s journey isn&#8217;t over yet.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_260180\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-260180\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-260180\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Creating the cover for the \u201cAxolodyssey\u201d graphic novel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>East meets west<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Visually, <em>axolodyssey<\/em> It borrows from multiple animation traditions. Trained under Nashville-based Disney veteran Tom Bancroft in what he calls the &#8220;Disney way,&#8221; Densk set out to fuse that foundation with the sensibilities of Studio Ghibli. &#8220;My intention was to take inspiration from my favorite studio, Studio Ghibli, and take everything I&#8217;ve learned in Western animation and fuse them together,&#8221; he explains.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s the special clip we showed you earlier for a closer look at the film&#8217;s captivating aesthetic.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"&#039;Axolodyssey&#039; - Exclusive Clip\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ghxFCRkk4Vg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>That creative choice made the project perfect for producer Usman Riaz, the creator of outstanding Pakistani films inspired by Ghibli. <em>glassworker<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>In Densk&#8217;s film, characters move with restrained naturalism, deliberately reducing the exaggerated squeezing and stretching associated with American animation. The environments lean towards saturated colors and a child-like perspective. As Densk explains, the goal was &#8220;not something like an illustrator&#8217;s world, but something similar to how a child would see this little world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Yes, there is also a cooking scene. \u201cI have to,\u201d he jokes.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Monsters, humans, and forms of threat<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>One of the film&#8217;s most striking design choices is its depiction of humans. They look amorphous and looming rather than clearly defined shapes, looking more like environmental disasters than traditional letters.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;There was a lot I learned about how humans affect axolotls in real life. I wanted the axolotl to be kind of gelatinous and amorphous&#8230;almost grime-like,&#8221; says Densk. Their bright yellow eyes emphasize their predatory ambiguity. They&#8217;re not outright villains, but they do feel dangerous.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_260178\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-260178\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-260178\" src=\"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776840892_648_Axolodyssey-Exclusive-clips-from-BTS-and-indie-shorts.jpg\" alt=\"Axolodyssey lineup\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776840892_648_Axolodyssey-Exclusive-clips-from-BTS-and-indie-shorts.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Lineup-380x214.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Lineup-580x326.jpg 580w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Lineup-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Lineup-145x81.jpg 145w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Lineup-180x101.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-260178\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u201cAxolo Dyssey\u201d character lineup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>frog eyes<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>overall character design <em>axolodyssey<\/em> We&#8217;re all about simplicity with dotted eyes and graphic silhouettes, except for one notable outlier: a frog named Francis whose pupils are fully rendered.<\/p>\n<p>This distinction was not carefully planned. &#8220;I just drew him like that one day&#8230;and I thought, oh, this design is really nice,&#8221; admits Densk. It still serves a narrative function and subtly enhances the character&#8217;s presence. &#8220;He was a little bit of a star compared to the other players&#8230;It was a happy accident.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>assemble the plane while flying<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Manufacturing process behind <em>axolodyssey <\/em>It was far from conventional. Densk wrote the story directly using storyboards, a choice he regrets and has no plans to repeat in future films. &#8220;I did the crazy thing of using storyboards to write it,&#8221; he says, crediting the comic book background with giving him the confidence to take on the challenge.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_260175\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-260175\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-260175\" src=\"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776840892_910_Axolodyssey-Exclusive-clips-from-BTS-and-indie-shorts.jpg\" alt=\"axolodyssey storyboard \" width=\"1667\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776840892_910_Axolodyssey-Exclusive-clips-from-BTS-and-indie-shorts.jpg 1667w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-1-380x584.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-1-580x891.jpg 580w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-1-768x1180.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-1-180x276.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1667px) 100vw, 1667px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-260175\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8220;Axolodyssey&#8221; storyboard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_260177\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-260177\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-260177\" src=\"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776840892_879_Axolodyssey-Exclusive-clips-from-BTS-and-indie-shorts.jpg\" alt=\"axolodyssey storyboard \" width=\"1667\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776840892_879_Axolodyssey-Exclusive-clips-from-BTS-and-indie-shorts.jpg 1667w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-3-380x584.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-3-580x891.jpg 580w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-3-768x1180.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-3-180x276.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1667px) 100vw, 1667px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-260177\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8220;Axolodyssey&#8221; storyboard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_260176\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-260176\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-260176\" src=\"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776840892_707_Axolodyssey-Exclusive-clips-from-BTS-and-indie-shorts.jpg\" alt=\"axolodyssey storyboard \" width=\"1667\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776840892_707_Axolodyssey-Exclusive-clips-from-BTS-and-indie-shorts.jpg 1667w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-2-380x584.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-2-580x891.jpg 580w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-2-768x1180.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cartoonbrew.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Axolodyssey-Board-2-180x276.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1667px) 100vw, 1667px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-260176\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8220;Axolodyssey&#8221; storyboard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This approach came with trade-offs. &#8220;What I didn&#8217;t realize until much later was that [Miyazaki] &#8220;There&#8217;s definitely at least something like an outline&#8230;that was my mistake,&#8221; he explains, with a nod to his idol&#8217;s penchant for story-writing. Due to the learning curve, the schedule took about two years for solo development and then two years for production.<\/p>\n<p>Even after the team expanded, Densk remained heavily involved in layout, animation, and direction. &#8220;For me, it was just faster&#8230;People have jobs, and I would go crazy if I didn&#8217;t work for a month.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>national geographic<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The film&#8217;s premise is based on a surprisingly recent discovery. \u201cI just found out, [axolotls] What started as a curiosity about endangered species evolved into something more personal, Densk said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;At the time, I hadn&#8217;t seen my family in a year and a half&#8230;I was isolated, and this little lizard and I just kind of hit it off.&#8221; That emotional throughline anchors the film&#8217;s fantasy elements in a real-life experience.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Festival circuit and beyond<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>the current, <em>axolodyssey<\/em> is participating in several summer and fall events and is preparing for the festival. &#8220;We&#8217;re basically just waiting,&#8221; Densk said. General release is scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend, but the team is keeping its options open depending on what happens on the festival front.<\/p>\n<p>In the long term, Densk envisions movies extending beyond the screen. One of the goals is to return the axolotl to its real-world habitat. &#8220;We want to show this movie to kids for free, like a zoo in Mexico. This is yours, use it as you like.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For a project born in isolation and built through collective effort, that sense of giving back feels central. <em>axolodyssey<\/em> I&#8217;m trying.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>#Axolodyssey #Exclusive #clips #BTS #indie #shorts<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>axolodyssey \u201cStudio Fresco Animation\u201d is a hand-drawn short animation created by Studio Fresco Animation, an independent artist collective working across studios and countries. Animated entirely in TVPaint, the film brings together contributors from a variety of backgrounds, from major studios in the United States to smaller studios in Europe and Asia, all working together on &#8230; <a title=\"\u201cAxolodyssey\u201d: Exclusive clips from BTS and indie shorts\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/?p=897\" aria-label=\"Read more about \u201cAxolodyssey\u201d: Exclusive clips from BTS and indie shorts\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":898,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2365,1116,2366,1293,2367,2368],"class_list":["post-897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-axolodyssey","tag-bts","tag-clips","tag-exclusive","tag-indie","tag-shorts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/897","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=897"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/897\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/898"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yasbou.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}