An animated short made for my son
A 10-minute story about crashing, rebuilding, and finding the courage to return to the race.
The story
A young boy enters the Iron Circuit determined to win. When his first race ends in disaster, he rebuilds his vehicle and returns to face the track, his childhood hero, and his own fear of falling short.
Revved Up: The Iron Circuit is a high-octane animated short about what happens after we lose: the choice to rebuild, keep moving forward, and climb the next mountain.
Because sometimes the greatest victory is finding the courage to race again.
From the Iron Circuit
Festival journey
Why I made it
I made Revved Up: The Iron Circuit for my son. When he was younger, losing a soccer game or video game could feel devastating. I wanted to reach him through a story instead of a lecture. An animation to show him that falling short is not the end and that there is always another mountain to climb.
The film took five years to complete, created while I worked a full-time job and balanced life as a husband and father of four. Most nights, I had only thirty minutes to an hour to give it. Sometimes that meant animating a shot or solving a technical problem. Other nights, progress was as small as laying out a UV map or organizing files so I could continue the next day.
The progress was gradual, but the commitment never changed. I kept returning to the film until it was finished.
In the end, the production became part of the story. Perseverance is not always one heroic moment. Sometimes it is showing up for thirty minutes, doing the next small piece of work, and returning again tomorrow. Finishing the film required me to live by the same lesson I hoped to share with my son.
Contact
Whether this story reminds you of your child, your own setback, or the dream you are still chasing, thank you for being part of it.
We get back up and keep moving forward.
Fill in your details and I’ll be in touch with screener access.