Pakistan's 1st Hand-drawn Animated Feature - The Glassworker with Usman Riaz | E029

Genius is often a term used when discussing Usman Riaz.
Learning and performing intricate music, touring globally with TED, being offered a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music, recording in Coke Studio, having a Tiny Desk Concert. The man is the traditional definition of success. But that wasn’t his dream.
Animation was.
He dropped out of Berklee after a conversation while visiting Studio Ghibli, and decided to start his own animation studio in Pakistan. Recruiting the amazing creative minds around him, Mariam Paracha and Khizer Riaz. Over the next 10 years he would lead them in the overwhelming challenge of making a hand drawn animated feature, in Pakistan, a country that has no infrastructure to support something of this scale. Recruiting doctors, dentists and anyone with a passion and commitment to animating, but also having to convince their parents that this was a viable career path.
10 years later they premiered The Glassworker at Annecy.
Usman’s passion is so raw, so truthful and in all honesty, so infectious. I’m honoured to be swept up along the trail he’s blazing.
These are a few of the things we talked about:
- Why start a hand drawn animation studio?
- The pursuit of passion in the face of cultural barriers
- Influences of the Glassworker
& so much more!
I’m really excited to hear your thoughts.

[@DeepBlueInk]

Amazing! He's in such a unique position in the world of animation, I'm really glad you got to interview him so we could hear his perspective!

[@Any-mation]

He is isn’t he? Especially since they reverse engineered how to make a hand drawn animated feature from scratch. Insane stuff

[@JAli-gy4wj]

Thank you for this warm conversation!❤️

[@Kera_Damo]

The root of the word courage is cor - the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant “To speak one's mind by telling all one's heart.” Thank you both for this powerful conversation 💗

[@Mystic_Dragon_Art]

A fantastic interview. So heartfelt and inspiring by both the interviewee and the interviewer. The story of how "The Glassmaker" was made is just as fascinating as the movie itself. I can't wait until it gets an international release date!

[@nawalkhawar7602]

ANY-MATION AND USMAN RIAZ?? THIS IS A DREAM COME TRUE

[@Evyy_draws]

I don't understand why this hasn't heen universely recognized

[@Nkanyiso_K]

I feel like this is such an important film for people outside of the major animation markets, that proves we can create something meaningful with enough effort & luck

[@Any-mation]

I think luck and effort is a great way to sum it up, but also in spending time around Usman, his commitment and vision is infectious. You know nothing is going to stop him so you want to help him get there

[@Xaforn]

Isn’t the definition of luck “hard work meets opportunity”?

[@kishwarsiddique492]

An absolute rare humble down to earth human..as a Pakistani so proud of him.. He's the pride of our nation...

[@LightWolfArt]

What an awesome episode. Hearing about this really is inspirational

[@haziqmalik8273]

Usman is legend 💚

[@PranavBhasin]

Kudos. This is brilliant and brave.

[@ahmadnawaz6612]

❤❤❤ proud of him

[@ValhallaForArtists]

I resonate with this so much

[@Sumaira-kilani]

❤

[@sultanalibhatti7818]

Good Dear

[@mmkamal]

[@Wushu17]

Why is this dude trying to look like Richard Ayoade? LOL

[@leem48]

How exactly is he trying to do that?

[@catpoop7]

I was going to say Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock.

[@LG-xq8zc]

Who is Richard Ayoade?

[@leem48]

@@LG-xq8zc literally just another brown guy with glasses and hair lol

[@mahaabbas9486]

Not really

[@aa-tx7th]

here before this vid and channnel blow up 😊

[@Any-mation]

Hahaha thank you