Never Seen It Podcast — CRAFT EPISODE: Inner Child

How do you create an ambitious sci-fi fantasy short film with Minecraft, LEGO animation, live action, and Hollywood-inspired visual effects on a student budget? This week, we sit down with **Mauricio Dzierwa**, writer and director of *Inner Child*, along with VFX artist **Joshua Allen**, to break down the creative process behind one of the most inventive independent short films we've seen. We discuss how *Inner Child* evolved through more than twenty script drafts, why Minecraft became the perfect storytelling tool, and how careful pre-production made its visual effects possible despite limited resources. We also explore the challenges of making a student film, balancing creative ambition with budget constraints, working with Blender for animation and VFX, collaborating with talented artists, and finding inspiration from films like *Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith*, *Everything Everywhere All at Once*, and *The Matrix*. The conversation also covers the film's selection for the **San Diego Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival**, what it's like preparing for Comic-Con, the importance of following your creative dreams, and how independent filmmakers can turn passion projects into career opportunities. Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker, VFX artist, Minecraft fan, LEGO animation enthusiast, or simply love behind-the-scenes filmmaking discussions, this episode offers an inspiring look at independent filmmaking, visual storytelling, and creative collaboration. ## Topics We Cover - *Inner Child* behind-the-scenes - Writing and rewriting the screenplay - Minecraft filmmaking and cinematic shaders - Blender animation and visual effects - Student filmmaking challenges - Independent film production - San Diego Comic-Con Independent Film Festival - Practical lighting for VFX - Creative collaboration - Following your creative passion