Creators Spotlight: 5 Questions with Teez

In this edition of Quigo Creators Spotlight, we spoke with Teez, an animator and creator based in New York known for his stop motion work, LEGO animation, and videos that have reached millions of views. With 25k+ followers on Instagram and a clear creative style, Teez is part of a generation of artists who have built their work through patience, experimentation, and a genuine love for animation.

We asked him five questions about how he started, what inspires his stop motion style, how he sees AI affecting animation, and what advice he would give to young creators.

1. How did you start animating?

Teez started animating at a young age using a simple tool, an old flip phone.

I started animating in 5th grade or so using an old flip phone. It let me take a video and pause/resume, so I used it to make my Legos walk across the table.

That early experimentation eventually led him to discover other creators online, especially Forrestfire101, whose videos inspired him to start making animations of his own.

From there I started watching Forrestfire101 videos which inspired me to make some of my own. I started a YouTube channel when I was in 6th or 7th grade around 12 years old.

His story shows how animation can begin with curiosity and persistence. Long before professional tools or polished workflows, it can start with a phone, a table, and the desire to make something move.

2. Your work has a lot of stop motion. What inspired that?

For Teez, stop motion is both a visual style he enjoys and a medium that connects naturally with what he grew up building.

I like the visual style of stop motion and I have always used my Legos since I grew up building them, and it's an easy source of characters, settings, props, vehicles, etc.

He also explained that LEGO gives him access to a wide range of creative elements without needing the same resources required for other types of stop motion. As opposed to claymation and other forms of stop motion, which are more difficult to acquire the resources for. That practicality does not take away from the craft. If anything, it highlights one of the strengths of stop motion. The artist works directly with physical objects, frame by frame, turning small movements into personality, action, and story.

3. How do you think animation will evolve in the next 10 years with AI?

Teez has a pretty straightforward view on AI in animation. He is not against technology helping with smaller tasks like editing or VFX cleanup, but he does not think generative AI should replace the actual creative side of animation.

I personally don't think AI should be used much in film/animation except for maybe speeding up minor editing/VFX brush ups or things of that nature. Anything 'generative AI' takes away from what makes animation special.

At the same time, AI tools are becoming a bigger part of the creative industry, especially for speeding up workflows and helping smaller creators experiment with ideas that would normally require bigger budgets or teams. The debate now is less about whether AI will exist in animation, and more about how people choose to use it.

In 10 years I would hope that it is only used sparingly or not at all, and that real human-made art is still superior.

It is an interesting perspective because it reflects how divided the creative world still is on AI. Some artists see it as a useful tool, while others feel the value of animation comes from the manual process itself. With stop motion especially, a lot of people appreciate the effort and patience behind physically moving and capturing every frame by hand.

4. Who's one artist you look up to, and what's your favourite animated movie?

Teez looks up to artists and studios across different styles of animation and filmmaking.

Strictly stop-motion I look up to Aardman Animations (Wallace and Gromit) and other brickfilmers like Keshen8, Forrestfire101. Other artists like Miyazaki and David Lynch.

When asked about his favourite animated movie, he chose two widely loved films, Toy Story or Spirited Away. Both choices reflect different strengths of animation. Toy Story showed how emotionally powerful computer animation could become, while Spirited Away remains one of the most admired examples of imaginative hand crafted animation.

5. What advice would you give to a kid just starting animation?

Teez's advice for beginners is practical and encouraging. He does not suggest waiting for perfect equipment or advanced software. Instead, he recommends starting with something simple.

I would say just start with a webcam and something easy to animate like Legos. Watch other animations, or even old cartoons, and study movement and physics.

From there, the key is to begin with basic movements and slowly build confidence. If you can find a free stop motion software, that's great. Just play around with your subjects, whatever it is you're animating and try basic movements first. Slowly you can challenge yourself to make more complicated movements.

But just have fun with it when you're first starting.

Final Thoughts

Teez's answers show the patience, care, and hands on effort behind stop motion animation. His work is a reminder that animation is not only about the final video. It is also about the process, the small movements, the repeated attempts, and the creative choices that make a piece feel alive.

At Quigo, we are interested in conversations with artists like Teez because they help show what creativity looks like from the perspective of people actually making the work. Whether someone creates with stop motion, hand drawn animation, filmed scenes, digital tools, or interactive storytelling software, the artist's intention and craft should remain at the centre. Teez's journey is a strong example of how dedication to a medium can grow from early curiosity into a recognizable creative voice.

Follow Teez on Instagram at @teez_shorts.