My name is Ethan, and I'm a 15-year-old animator and digital creator. I started animating in 2017 when I was just 7 years old, bringing my LEGO figures to life through stop-motion animation. Although my early animations were rough, I kept creating stories with the encouragement of my family.

As I got older, I began experimenting with clay animation in my bedroom and upgraded to a better camera from my dad. I started taking animation more seriously and gradually improved my workspace with better lighting and a dedicated desk.

When I was 12, I learned how to edit videos in iMovie, which gave me full creative control over every part of the filmmaking process. Soon after, I created a YouTube channel and began uploading my animations. At first, my videos gained almost no traction, but after two years of consistently creating and learning what resonated with viewers, I reached 1,000 subscribers in May 2025.

As I continued making videos, I explored 2D animation, claymation, stop-motion, and eventually 3D animation. Along the way, I realized that what truly motivated me wasn't growing a YouTube channel. It was creating animated films.

That passion led me to produce my first official short film, Bob the Gnome, while documenting the entire production process. The behind-the-scenes videos quickly gained traction on TikTok, where I built a community of around 500 followers. Bob the Gnome also became the first film I submitted to a film festival. Although it didn't win any awards, the experience showed me that very few people my age are pursuing animation at this level.

Today, I'm continuing to develop my skills in 3D animation, and my goal is to one day work professionally in the animation industry.