The AFA Podcast Interview: With Sevan Najarian (The Whitest Kids U Know's Mars)

·21 min·1 clip

Sevan Najarian shares how fans pushed to finish Mars as a tribute after Trevor Moore's tragic death.

This interview features Sevan Najarian, director of the animated feature "Mars" from the comedy group The Whitest Kids U' Know. Hosts from the Animation For Adults podcast speak with Najarian about his career and the film's production. Najarian began his animation career at the monthly film festival Channel 101 in Los Angeles about twenty years ago. At Channel 101, he collaborated with friends including Justin Roiland, known for "Rick and Morty," and created early projects like "House of Cosby's." "Mars" originated as a live-action script written by The Whitest Kids U' Know over a decade ago. The project transitioned to animation during the pandemic, facilitated by the ability to work remotely and record voices separately over Zoom. Najarian had nearly full creative control over the film's visual style, character designs, and editing after the group provided the completed script. The visual style was developed by hiring an art director whose work became the "Bible" for character designs, starting with caricatures of the comedy troupe members. Major creative influences on the film include the sci-fi series "Farscape," absurdist comedy from shows like "Childrens Hospital," and a specific, lesser-known Whitest Kids sketch set in a spaceship. A significant production challenge was the death of group member Trevor Moore in August 2021, which initially threatened the project's completion. Fan support and donations increased following Moore's death, motivating the team to finish the film as a tribute. The budget ultimately doubled from an initial goal of $300,000, requiring cost-saving creative adjustments. Najarian wore multiple hats as director, animator, and editor, a skillset he developed out of necessity at Channel 101. He contrasts the lengthy, multi-year process of finishing a feature film with the faster feedback loop of television production. Najarian is currently working on a dark comedy animated short about Arabic kids and a long-term documentary about a cat rescuer. The documentary presents an editing challenge due to a decade's worth of footage and the subject's death. The conversation is informal and focused on the practical realities of independent animation production. Najarian reflects candidly on creative compromises, budget constraints, and collaborative dynamics. Fans of The Whitest Kids U' Know or those interested in indie animation filmmaking will find detailed insights here. Listeners seeking a highly polished, studio-focused narrative might find the discussion of budgetary and technical hurdles less engaging.

As heard by us

A straightforward animation interview about process, budget pressure, and settling the final look.

The episode works best when it stays close to the making of Mars. AFA and Seven Najarian talk through learning by doing, shaping the feature around budget, and reaching the point where good enough has to be enough.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you like animation talk that shows how a feature gets built.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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