iAnimate's Animation Podcast Comeback with Disney Veterans
Forevergreen: Disney veterans unveil an Oscar-nominated short on the iAnimate Animation Podcast comeback with Episode 104
iAnimate's comeback episode of Animation Podcast talks about an Oscar-nominated film that blends a pioneering "wood carving" animation style with a story of redemption, built by two working Disney animators and roughly 200 volunteers.
LOS ANGELES, CA, US — June 10, 2026 —After years of nights, weekends, and a volunteer crew of around 200 people, Forevergreen, an animated short film from Disney veterans Jeremy Spears and Nathan Engelhardt- has earned an Oscar nomination for its distinctive handcrafted visual style and emotionally resonant story.
Forevergreen follows a grumpy bear and a falling redwood tree in a story about redemption and unmerited grace, inspired by the parable of the Prodigal Son. The film began development in 2019, evolving from a concept loosely based on the classic story "The Three Trees" into an original narrative built around the symbolism of a tree as a bridge across a divide.
A New Visual Language for Animation
What sets Forevergreen apart is its "wood carving" animation style, a technique co-directors Spears and Engelhardt describe as resting on three pillars: variable frame rates, internal textural boil, and external silhouette geometric boil. Combined with a "truth of materials" philosophy, in which wood-textured elements move and bend the way real wood would, rather than like standard CG, the result is a film that looks carved by hand rather than rendered on a computer.
The technique draws partial inspiration from stop-motion replacement animation, traditionally used to physically swap character mouth and face models frame by frame, adapted digitally to preserve the film's handmade feel throughout.
That handcrafted approach extends to the film's world-building as well. A waterfall is rendered in the same carved-wood texture as the rest of the environment, while vacuum-formed plastic elements represent trash and sin, a deliberate contrast between organic and synthetic materials that reinforces the film's themes.
Built by a Volunteer Crew, Not a Studio
Spears and Engelhardt, who together bring more than 18 years of experience at Disney, built Forevergreen entirely as a passion project alongside their full-time careers. Rather than relying on traditional studio funding, the team mobilized approximately 200 volunteers, an approach the directors describe as getting enough people to each "lift a corner of the table."
"There's a tendency in modern animation to focus on breadth instead of depth — scale instead of soul," said [Spears/Engelhardt — TK quote]. "Forevergreen was our answer to that. One bear, one tree, one moment of grace."
About Forevergreen
Forevergreen is an animated short film co-directed by Jeremy Spears and Nathan Engelhardt, both veteran artists at Disney. The film explores themes of redemption and unmerited grace through the story of a grumpy bear and a falling redwood tree, brought to life through a pioneering "wood carving" animation style developed over seven years of production.
A Comeback for the iAnimate Animation Podcast
The conversation with Spears and Engelhardt marks Episode 104 of the iAnimate Animation Podcast, and an exciting comeback for the series, with more episodes planned in the months ahead. The full episode dives deeper into the making of Forevergreen, the directors' time at Disney, and the philosophy behind the film's handcrafted visual style.
Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/wIwPnWDqFnQ
iAnimate Upcoming Workshop — July 6, 2026
In connection with the growing interest in Forevergreen's techniques, iAnimate will host a workshop on July 6, 2026, allowing animators to learn character animation and production fundamentals from industry professionals.
Registration: iAnimate workshop registration
Spots are limited. Interested animators can register at iAnimate.net.
About iAnimate.net
Founded in 2010, iAnimate.net is a premier online animation school offering specialized workshops to equip aspiring and professional animators with industry-relevant skills. With courses led by seasoned animators from top studios like Pixar, DreamWorks, Disney, and Bungie, iAnimate provides hands-on training in Feature Animation, Creature Animation, Game Animation, Maya, Motion Capture, and more. Through personalized mentorship, real-world projects, and a focus on storytelling and performance, iAnimate empowers students to build professional demo reels and advance their careers in animation. Learn more at iAnimate.net.
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