Animating Innocence: The Enduring Journey of Mike Nguyen’s My Little World

Interview by Brenda Do and Haram Kim
Edited by Benjamin Arnold, Brenda Do, Haram Kim ​

“All of us experience life in our own way, and we all have something we want to share. For me, animation just happened to be the medium that allows me to express myself. Beyond that, I simply love making films.” — Mike Nguyen, Director of My Little World

Meet Mike Nguyen, an accomplished 2D animator whose credits include The Little Mermaid and The Iron Giant. While many would consider his past studio work the pinnacle of success, Mike’s true passion has taken shape in an entirely different realm. For the past 25 years, he’s devoted himself to My Little World, an independent film that aims to capture the purity of childhood in a way that only hand-drawn animation can. ​

Currently teaching in Korea at Chungkang College of Cultural Industries, Mike’s journey exemplifies the courage it takes to leave the big studio life behind and follow a dream that might span decades. Yet, to hear him tell it, this long road was never part of a grand plan. It “just… happened.” And once you discover how his personal memories, creative process, and unbreakable spirit all weave together, you’ll understand why My Little World is worth every frame of its quarter-century creation.

The Kickoff Moment: How My Little World Began

Surprisingly, this long-term labor of love began almost by accident. Initially envisioned as a short film about kids playing soccer, My Little World soon grew beyond a playful sports reel and morphed into a heartfelt exploration of childhood itself.

Mike: “I never sat there during my time in the industry dreaming of making this project. It just… happened. I kind of fell into it. It all started very innocently—as a little short film about children playing soccer. But then, it evolved into a feature. And at that point, I realized, well, it’s not really a sports film. Soccer is fun for 30 minutes, but it’s not going to hold up for an hour and a half. So, I started thinking about my childhood. Soccer was part of it, but really, it was about childhood itself.” 

Capturing Innocence on Screen: Why Our Childhood Matters

At its core, My Little World seeks to capture the kind of innocence that, once lost, many spend their whole lives trying to reclaim. For Mike, these memories are rooted in a peaceful childhood in Vietnam. The film became a way to preserve and honor that sense of unbreakable wonder. ​

Mike: “I have such wonderful memories of growing up in Vietnam—the friendships I had were warm… Pure. So I thought, 'What if I could put the innocence I felt into a film?' Innocence is something granted to all of us—it’s beautiful when we’re little, but we don’t realize it. And because we don’t know how precious it is, it’s easily broken. Then we spend our whole lives trying to find it again. So I thought, ‘Well if I haven’t lost it yet—or at least, I don’t think I have—maybe I can capture it in this film.’ If I can put pure innocence into a film, then nothing can break it. Because once it’s in the film, it’s there forever.”

​[ Left: “My Little World” Promotional Art,  Right: Photograph of ‘Little Mike’ ]

A World For Everyone: Crafting A Universal Setting 

Although My Little World draws inspiration from Mike’s upbringing in Vietnam, he chose to set the story in a fictional Southeast Asian town. The reason is simple: universality. He wanted to make the film resonate with anyone who has ever experienced childhood bonds and the pangs of growing up.

Mike: “The film is set in a make-believe town in Southeast Asia. I didn’t want to set it specifically in Vietnam because I wanted it to feel universal—something that could speak to everyone. But everything in my life has found its way into the film. Growing up in America, adapting to new places—that feeling, too, became part of it. Everything I’ve experienced has shaped the film—not just the events but the emotions.”

[ Color exploration by Dagyeong Lee ]

​25 Years and Counting: The Indie Animation Odyssey

When Mike first started My Little World in 2000, he had no idea it would become a 25-year (and counting endeavor). Working without the backing of a major studio, he embraced the slow, painstaking process of self-funding the project.

Mike: “Oh yeah… When I first started [in 2000], I never imagined I’d be working on it for more than 25 years. If I had worried about whether I could finish in three years or five years, maybe I wouldn’t have done it at all. Because if you start out focusing on all the obstacles, it can feel impossible. But for me, I just happened to fall into it. And because the subject matter is timeless, I knew I could take my time—and that it would still be okay.”

The timeless subject matter—childhood innocence—gave Mike the freedom to let the film evolve naturally without rushing to meet the usual commercial deadlines.

[ The first July Films crew! Year 2000 ]

Fresh Eyes on a Timeless Vision: Building the Right Team

While many independent filmmakers might chase industry veterans, Mike took a different path. He surrounded himself with newly graduated animators—“my young friends,” as he calls them—whose fresh ideas and unspoiled creativity matched perfectly with the film’s spirit.

Mike: “Everyone who worked on the film had already graduated. My young friends—that’s what I call them. The reason I chose young friends instead of professional animators is because there’s a kind of freshness in them. Their innocence is still intact. Their way of doing things is new, not locked into a system. A professional might approach a scene [in] a certain way that is in line with the industry’s taste, but that approach didn’t fit the film. The film needed something more intuitive.”

The production started with a team of about 15 young animators who helped build the core of My Little World. But as funding ran dry, the team’s size inevitably shrank. The project continued off and on through the years, supported in part by any extra income Mike could earn. Despite the challenges, his passion never waned. ​

Mike: “No matter how much contract work we took on, it wasn’t enough. Eventually, it just became me carrying it on my own. Now, whenever I have extra income, I bring in young friends to help. That’s how we’ve made it this far.” 

Yet, passion alone couldn’t foot the bill for a feature-length animation. Faced with financial realities in the United States, Mike made a life-altering decision—one that would allow him to keep creative while also helping the next generation of animators.

The Journey East: Finding New Roots in Korea

After years of teaching at CalArts, Mike saw that producing an independent film in the United States was increasingly cost-prohibitive. Rather than return to the mainstream industry full-time, he chose to move to Korea, where he could balance teaching and keeping My Little World alive.

Mike: “Around 2010-2012, I realized I couldn’t continue making films in the U.S. because it was too expensive. My only other option was to return to the industry full-time, but I didn’t want that.
I chose Korea because I believed it would allow me to keep making films and spreading my love of animation at the same time. Also, while I was at CalArts, many young Korean students were coming in, and I felt a connection to them. Culturally, I was already familiar and comfortable with Korea since I’m from Asia as well. Korea felt like the best place for what I wanted to do.”

In Korea, Mike found a promising environment to teach budding animators and continue piecing together his film, frame by painstaking frame.

Drawing from Memory: Directing Through Personal Stories

Despite the new surroundings, Mike’s core creative philosophy remained the same: empowering the animators to draw from real life. By encouraging each artist to mine their own memories, he brings authenticity to every scene.

Mike: “As a director, I give direction. And sometimes, that direction can be very straightforward. For example, I assigned a sequence to one of my young friends (but actually near my age)—his name is Kompin, a wonderful animator and director from Thailand.

I said, ‘In this sequence, the children go to the market to buy some dried fish. Then it starts raining, so they end up playing soccer in the rain.’

​Then he went on his way and brought his own childhood experiences into it. In Thailand, there are a lot of stray dogs. He chose to add that little element, and suddenly, the scene became something much stronger.” 

Mike loves these spontaneous additions because they infuse the film with authenticity and individual flair:

Mike: “Everyone brings their own personal experiences into the film. And they do it beautifully but with a need for adjustments. That’s where I come in. Like an assistant animator, I go in, refine their rough animation, and unify everyone into one cohesive look. And that’s what makes it special.” 

[ Sketches of ‘Dog’ by Mike Nguyen ]

Keeping the Spark: Advice for Aspiring Filmmakers

For those inspired by Mike’s journey, he has simple but profound advice: choose your passion wisely and cherish the right collaborators.

Mike: “I think it starts with love—your love for wanting to do it. You have something meaningful to say, and that should come first. There’s an idea you think about, and you get excited, thinking, Oh, this is great! But then, three days later, you lose interest. That’s a sign it wasn’t the right idea.
And [you also need to] get along well with the people you work with. Sometimes I think working together is harder than making the film itself. Maybe the film isn’t as difficult as just figuring out how to work together. But if you find the right friends, the right team, it’s beautiful.”

Mike also believes in what he calls “chemistry,” comparing creative teams to the perfect alchemy of The Beatles.

Mike: “Think of people as elements—chemical elements. We interact, and that changes the chemistry of whatever we’re creating. The Beatles were four guys. But four guys with just the right chemistry. Take one away, and it’s no longer The Beatles. They said that themselves. And I truly believe that. So, make sure the chemistry is right. Or else? Trouble.” 

[ Left: Clean-up process with pencil, Right: Caricatures of Korean production crew 2017-2020 by Hanhee Lee ]

No End In Sight? The Road Ahead for My Little World

A question that burns in the minds of anyone following Mike’s story is: how much longer before My Little World is complete? Mike remains both candid and optimistic.

Mike: “Oh, well. I’d like to know that as well. Right now, the film is about 30 minutes long, cleaned up. Cleanup animation is the most time-consuming part of production. So yeah... maybe 10 more years.”

Interviewers: “10 more years?!”

Mike: “Well, [fewer] years if some funding comes. But I think I can get there without much budget. That would put me in my seventies!” 

It’s a daunting timeline, but Mike’s sense of purpose remains unshaken despite the challenges.

A Love Letter to Childhood: Wrapping Up the Story

Mike Nguyen continues to inch closer toward his goal of completing My Little World. His personal and professional journey is a testament to the power of unwavering passion. From his beginnings on high-profile studio productions to his current life teaching in Korea and crafting My Little World frame by frame, he has remained true to the essence of what animation can be—a vessel for storytelling, emotion, and, above all, innocence. 

Mike: “If I can put pure innocence into a film, then nothing can break it. Because once it’s in the film, it’s there forever.”

As we revisit these words, they resonate like a promise—one that assures us My Little World is more than just a movie. It’s a love letter to the magic of youth and a tribute to all who dare to hold on to their dreams, no matter how long it takes to make them real.

• Learn more about Mike’s film here: https://julyfilms.net/home 
• Mike’s Instagram: @mylittleworld.movie 
• Mike’s Animation Advice: https://rainplace.net/ 

A heartfelt thank you to Mike Nguyen for sharing your story and the journey behind My Little World.