The VFX Process Podcast #61 | Caleb Worcester breaks down his stunning stylised 3D Blender short Under The Thicket and how Blender is helping indie animators take on big studios after Flow's Oscar win. WANT EXCLUSIVE CONTENT? BECOME A MEMBER: TVFXP NEWSLETTER - If you enjoyed this video, check out the latest episodes of The VFX Process Podcast: The VFX Process... Getting Intimate With Your Industry! Subscribe for more behind-the-scenes looks at the world of animation, VFX and filmmaking. Don't forget to like, share, and leave your questions and comments below! @thevfxprocess?sub_confirmation=1 🎙️ EXTENDED VERSION AVAILABLE AS A PODCAST: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Caleb Worcester, a Kansas City-based illustrator and animator, blends traditional and 3D art to create striking, immersive visuals. In this video, he takes us behind the scenes of his stunning stylized 3D short film, Under The Thicket. We explore his creative process, from developing the story and characters to refining the film’s unique style to his rendering techniques in Blender. Caleb also walks us through a few key Blender scenes, offering insight into how he brings his vision to life. WATCH UNDER THE THICKET: Beyond the technical side, we dive into the inspiration behind Under The Thicket, discussing how nature influenced its design and how he crafted an emotional story without dialogue. As an independent animator, Caleb shares his thoughts on the growing impact of Blender in the animation industry. With its powerful tools and accessibility, Blender is leveling the playing field, allowing indie creators to produce high-quality films that rival those of major studios. We also discusses Flow, the independent Blender-animated film that recently won an Oscar—beating out giants like Pixar, Disney, and DreamWorks. Directed by Gints Zilbalodis and created by a small, passionate team, Flow proves that with vision, creativity, and Blender, indie animators can compete at the highest level. This win marks a turning point for independent animation and the power of open-source tools. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH CALEB: @UCPj4jIkGEUAbkzbd6X-Nj_g ETSY SHOP: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH US @thevfxprocess ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ⏰TIMECODES⏰ 00:00 - INTRO TO CALEB 03:02 - UNDER THE THICKET: THE CHARACTER 05:09 - UNDER THE THICKET: THE STORY 06:36 - MAKING A STYLISED 3D FILM 09:20 - BLENDER TOOLS & LIGHTING 11:03 - DIVING INTO CALEB'S BLENDER SCENES 16:58 - CALEB'S TOP RENDERING TIP 19:23 - SOURCING FEEDBACK ON YOUR FILMS 21:02 - CALEB'S UNIQUE COLOUR GRADING PROCESS 22:03 - INDEPENDENT ANIMATORS TAKING ON HOLLYWOOD 24:34 - BEING INSPIRED BY NATURE 27:19 - ADVICE FOR BLENDER FILMMAKERS 31:56 - SNEAK PEEK: CALEB'S NEXT FILM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MUSIC: Motion Array - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This video is NOT sponsored. some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we will receive a small commission. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #vfx #blender3d #film #visualisation #animation #vfxpodcast #animationpodcast #b3d #maya #thevfxprocess #3dartist #unrealengine #preproduction #filmindustry #blenderanimation #blendercommunity #blenderrender #blendercon #eeveerender #cyclesrender #filmmaker #flowmovie #indieanimation #oscars #stylised3D