Magnus Igland Møller and Peter Smith are the co-founders of Tumblehead, an independent animation studio based in Viborg, Denmark. In this conversation, they revisit the shared path that led them from drawing, architecture, early 3D tools and The Animation Workshop to building a studio around character-driven animation, comedy and a desire to push low-budget 3D into more flexible and expressive territory. Their story is also a story about balance.

Tumblehead began with short films and the dream that one online success might turn into a TV series, but commercial work soon became the way to fund their own creative experiments. Over time, the studio’s artistic work and client work began to feed each other, helping define a recognizable style built on strange characters, visual ideas and carefully designed production choices.

The interview offers an honest look at collaboration, creative stamina, burnout and the practical realities of running a small studio. Magnus and Peter also reflect on the Nordic-Baltic animation scene, the possibilities of AI and why young creatives should spend less time overanalyzing and more time doing the work.