WATCH: Blink Industries and Adult Swim SMALLS unveil ‘Wilem’
Skwigly
Emmy, Annie and BAFTA-winning production studio Blink Industries has partnered with Adult Swim SMALLS to create more home-grown, original animated content. Their brand new short film, Wilem, is set to broadcast exclusively on Adult Swim SMALLS’ YouTube channel from today.
Wilem is the brainchild of London-based director James Papper, who first imagined this world a few years ago as a rough pencil sketch animatic that follows a bratty barbarian calling his dad after slaying a village. Over time, James worked closely with Blink in-house animation director Bárbara Oliveira, co-directing the final film together and shaping it into a fully-realised, unruly but hilarious fantasy kingdom.
Crafted in 2D, the world of Wilem fuses Y2K nostalgia with classic fantasy, drawing visual inspiration from Moebius and 90s Nintendo aesthetics. The kingdom itself is a bizarre collision of eras, where mud huts, witches and brutal wars coexist alongside iPhones, capitalism, familiar brands, music, and other contemporary touches. The kingdom’s largest natural resource? Pink crystal gloop, which runs through the castle in the opening shot, a whimsical detail that hints at the world’s quirkiness.
Wilem (Blink Industries/Adult Swim SMALLS)
At the centre of this kingdom is Wilem: a Gen-Z barbarian prince and reluctant heir to the throne. Until now, Wilem has lived a shielded life, preferring to play Village Destroyer VI with his best friend Finn rather than hitting the battlefield. But on his sixteenth birthday, his parents force him to confront his destiny by joining them in battle.
Music and sound were also integral to shaping Wilem. From early metal influences to Y2K pop revival tracks, the soundtrack spans a wide emotional range. Friends contributed nu-metal guitar riffs, jungle rhythms and playful soundscapes, while frequent collaborator Charlie Pelling enhanced the scenes with detailed sound design.
Wilem (Blink Industries/Adult Swim SMALLS)
The animation process itself was also highly collaborative. James and Bárbara riffed on designs with the team, exchanging rough sketches and refining them together. James reflects:
Rather than being rigid and grinding my brain out on a page in solitude, I wanted to just throw things around with people and have fun. My ultimate aspiration is to develop this world into something I can build and share with friends so that going to work just feels like playtime.
Bárbara adds:
I’m delighted to share with the world this sneak peek into Wilem’s chaotic family and kingdom. I hope you all enjoy watching it, even half as much as we enjoyed making it.