Intro – Why Write This?
Episode 5 of Worlds Apart Season 2 has just been released — which marks the halfway point of the season!
As with each episode, this feels like the perfect time to take a breath, reflect on how production is tracking, and revisit the goals we started with. Are we still on course? What’s shifted? What have we learned?
Strap yourself in and join us for a trip down memory lane as we take a halfway-point review of the season so far.
What Went to Plan
Let’s start with the wins.
A Pipeline Shift That Paid Off
The move from OpenToonz to Moho has been a positive one. OpenToonz is a fantastic tool and the first season was built solidly around it, but Moho just works more intuitively with the kind of pipeline we’re following now.
The tools and the overall look are more in line with the original vision I had for the project. Being able to optimise characters and sets on the fly has allowed us to update base characters between episodes, especially when it comes to hand and mouth libraries.
Moho’s more flexible file structure has also been a big win. Rather than being forced into a workflow we have to learn, we’ve been able to build a folder system that we can follow. And with the wide range of tools available in Moho, there’s always something new to explore.
A Solid Script Foundation
Having the scripts locked down for the entire season before production started was a great move.
All the voice work has been recorded for the full season. Since each episode runs about 2 minutes, it’s a fairly small recording session — but honestly, those sessions have been one of the highlights of production for me.
A Little Win: AniMunch Cameo
It was a real buzz to have AniMunch featured in Episode 4, even if it was just a poster on the back wall of the lunchroom. A small moment, but a fun one to include.
What Didn’t (and How We Adjusted)
Let’s talk about the challenges.
Budget? What Budget?
This is still a zero-budget passion project. And I’m not a fan of asking people to contribute their time and energy in exchange for just a “credit.”
Instead, I try to add value in other ways:
Skill trade: You storyboard a sequence, I help with 3D animation for your project. Experience: “I have a theatre background and want to try voice acting” — let’s make that happen. Upskilling: “I want to learn Moho” — great, here are some shots to work on.
The Day Job Factor
I still work full-time and that’s how I’m funding this endeavour. The downside? Limited time to dedicate to Worlds Apart.
We were close to launching a merchandise line to help with funding, but that fell over at the last minute. We’ve recently set up a Ko-Fi donation page, but it’s still early days and we haven’t started promoting it yet.
A Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign is on the table — but we haven’t developed a proper pitch strategy for those platforms yet.
Social Media Curveballs
Just before Episode 5 dropped, my creative partner shared that life had changed and managing the Worlds Apart social media was taking up too much personal time.
That left a big gap to fill — right when the marketing push for Episode 5 needed to ramp up. So, in addition to production duties, I’ve been getting up to speed on our social media platforms, figuring out how to keep things active and growing.
Our biggest challenge? Small numbers. I believe this mostly comes down to irregular posting and lack of volume. I’m now building a content pipeline to help with planning, scheduling, and syncing social media with production milestones.
Tools, Tips & Techniques We’ve Discovered
Moho has continued to surprise us in the best ways. Two standouts so far:
- Pin Bones for Arms
In the first two episodes, I wasn’t getting the arm movement I wanted. That changed when I discovered Pin Bone setups with ShyBones.
Being able to parent the pins to different objects allowed characters to lean, grab, walk — and then be reparented back to the rig. It took about two weeks to rework all the characters, but it was absolutely worth it.
- Full-Screen Viewport Mode
I can’t believe it took me until after Episode 4 to find the full-screen option for the viewport.
Being able to undock menus and move them to a second monitor gave me so much more real estate to animate in. It honestly made animating a lot more fun.
What Surprised Us
Our most-viewed content to date? Instagram – Episode 4: 1,191 views.
Unexpected, but very welcome!
- What’s Next
Each episode this season is designed to push our boundaries and introduce something new. Coming up:
A style shift to better support the story A full-on movie montage An episode that involves a war And of course, more of Babs’ tantrums (they’re only getting bigger)
Stay tuned — it’s going to be a ride.
- Reflections & Gratitude
Huge thanks to everyone who’s been along for the ride so far.
To my co-creator Kamal Saleh, who’s been cheering this project on from the beginning. To the original voice crew returning for Season 2 — Brennan Smith, Jasmin Bartlett, and Kamal — and our new voice talents: Jules Berry, Addy Hunt, and Austyn Goveas.
And a massive thank you and shoutout to Paul Ziola.
Have you followed us on YouTube yet? https://www.youtube.com/@WorldsApart-lg8mz
What do you want to see more of in Worlds Apart? Drop a comment, send us a message, or support the project on Ko-Fi. We’re still learning — and still loving the surprises along the way.