Julian Curi is a director and artist best known as the creator of "Gruff," a short film made with handmade paper cutouts that took almost three years to complete. Our discussion stretches across the personal inspiration for the film, Julian's background, and the drive to create. Hear what it takes to make a short film and how to connect to your audience while being honest with yourself.

Watch Gruff:    • GRUFF | A Short Film by Righteous Robot  
Find out more about Julian: https://www.righteousrobot.com/

00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:05 "Gruff" Impact and Background of Alec's Grandfather
00:08:51 Inspiration for Gruff
00:13:05 Empathy and it's Limits
00:21:52 Timeline of Film's Creation
00:30:44 Funding and Monetization
00:38:43 Imposter Syndrome, the Audience, and Artistry
00:41:40 The Reverse Engineering of Modern Media
00:45:06 Sustainable Short Films
00:49:59 Julian's Background
00:57:57 Balance and Honesty
01:01:24 Follow your Truth, Not the Trends
01:05:48 The Right Metrics