Jumpstarted by a wild R-rated lunchtime idea with friends, I turned a shelved live-action project into my first animated short, channeling influences from “Taxi Driver” to “The Office,” with a main character inspired by my brother. Mastering Adobe Character Animator was a challenge, but Okaysamurai’s tutorials on YouTube were a lifeline, making features like webcam triggers and draggers essential tools in bringing my vision to life. Finishing this project wasn’t just about making an animation; it was fulfilling a childhood dream, and I couldn’t be prouder of the result.