We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jacob Randall a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jacob, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is a shared animated universe I’ve been building for the past five years, based on characters I first started creating all the way back in first grade. When I was younger, I actually wanted to be an author, and I spent a lot of time writing little stories and early “books” with these characters, trying to figure out who they were and how they interacted. As I got older, that love for writing and storytelling naturally turned into an interest in filmmaking and animation, since it gave me a way to bring those characters to life visually. What makes this project so meaningful to me is how long it’s been a part of my life; it’s grown and changed as I have. I’ve always tried to make the characters feel grounded and real, almost like people you might know, and continuing to build this universe reminds me why I wanted to tell stories in the first place.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Jacob Randall, and I’m a recent graduate of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. I got into animation and filmmaking long before I ever considered it a career; it began with drawing. Growing up, I was constantly sketching superheroes, characters, and huge imagined battles, filling pages with stories before I even knew how to structure them. That love for drawing turned into an interest in writing, and for a while, I thought I’d become an author and illustrator. Everything shifted when I discovered the LEGO Stop Motion Studio app around the age of ten. I became obsessed with bringing my stories to life through animation, started experimenting nonstop, and eventually launched a YouTube channel called Crazy Toons Animation in 2014, which really cemented my love for the medium. Today, I create short animated films set within a shared universe I’m continuously building, with each project exploring a different tone or idea, from a man battling a massive sea creature to avenge his father, to stories that use animation as a metaphor for real-world discrimination and social issues. What sets my work apart is my focus on character and emotion; I want the stories to feel grounded, even when the worlds are surreal. More than anything, I hope my work makes people laugh, escape for a moment, and feel seen, while also reminding them that hurt people hurt people, and that empathy and creativity can genuinely make the world feel a little better.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part of being a creative for me is making people laugh and giving them a brief escape. If someone’s had a bad day or is going through a rough patch, the idea that they can sit down for a few minutes and get pulled into another world really means a lot to me. Even a small smile or laugh feels incredibly rewarding, especially if it helps someone forget about whatever they’re dealing with. That sense of escapism is why I fell in love with storytelling in the first place.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think the best way society can support artists and creatives is by genuinely valuing original ideas and taking chances on new voices, rather than relying so heavily on remakes, franchises, and safe, studio-driven formulas. Supporting independent films, small creative teams, and artists who are still trying to find their footing helps keep storytelling fresh and meaningful. It’s also important for society to be more understanding of the difficulties and uncertainties that can accompany creative careers. Instead of ridiculing people for pursuing art or pressuring them to choose more traditionally “stable” paths, there should be more encouragement, patience, and respect for the work it takes to survive in such a brutal industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jarandall3.wixsite.com/creative-vault
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jka_jacob?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-randall-a62a42270