> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The Production Behind 'Chase Your Dreams' - URL: https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/chase-your-dreams-interview/ - Published: 2026-10-29T01:41:51.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-29T01:43:44.000Z - Description: A Q&A with InBetween (Directors Brandon Oldenburg & Limbert Fabian) and Wayne Miller - Author: Bill Arceneaux - Tags: Views ## Dear Moviegoers, Recently, I [reviewed some selections](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/sf-short-2026/) from this year's San Francisco Shorts Film Festival. And while most of the movies impressed, one in particular stood out to me - *Chase Your Dreams*. It wasn't merely the story of a young lady journeying through childhood to adulthood, moving from age to age to find herself and her passion in life that I enjoyed, but rather its production. So many colors, so much definition, and plenty of time to toy with. Filmmakers Brandon Oldenburg & Limbert Fabian (referenced as their duo name "InBetween") and Executive Producer/Head of Production, Virtual Production Institute, Texas A&M University, Wayne Miller, were kind enough to answer a compendium of different questions regarding *Chase Your Dreams*, how it came to be, [how it was made](https://vimeo.com/1212952166/143c5f8175?fe=ci&fl=sv&share=copy&ref=moviegoingwithbill.com) (this hyperlink is a special behind-the-scenes video), and more. [*Chase Your Dreams*](https://chaseyourdreamsfilm.com/?ref=moviegoingwithbill.com) screens at the [Austin Film Festival](https://austinfilmfestival.com/?ref=moviegoingwithbill.com) on 10/31 and 11/5: --- **How did the project come together? Did InBetween bring the story to the Virtual Production Institute at Texas A&M University, or did the institute offer the stage and technology first?** **Wayne Miller (WM)**: As part of the branding effort for the VPI (Virtual Production Institute at Texas A&M University), we wanted to produce a film that would not only promote the Virtual Production Institute to the rest of the world but also show our capability and technology that we use on our stages. We currently have 3 stages and are building 2 more, so the idea was to produce a short film that would be a brand builder and also that would indirectly touch on the different art disciplines in our college-dance, music, theater, animation, visual FX, computer science etc. In deciding who we would work with, David Parrish, the director of the College of Performance Visualization and Fine Arts in Fort Worth, had worked with Brandon Oldenburg and Limbert Fabian during his career in the VFX industry. When we met with Brandon and Limbert, we presented the idea of creating a film and the challenge of being able to show off the use of an LED volume and to indirectly touch on the different areas of the arts that are in our college. They went away and thought about it for a couple of weeks and came back with the idea for *Chase Your Dreams*. They presented the idea to us, showed us some storyboards, talked through the narrative and by the end of their presentation, I was excited and knew their creative and them as storytellers and filmmakers were the right choice. We then spent a few weeks tweaking the story, tweaking the visual approach, and all along they were given the challenge of shooting the majority of the film on an LED volume. And ultimately that's what we did. 85 to 90% of the film was captured on one of our LED volume stages. [Sign up to Moviegoing with Bill and leave online comments!](#/portal/signup/free) **Was the story written with virtual production in mind, or did you adapt it once you saw what the LED volume could do?** **WM**: The story was written with virtual production in mind because the goal was to be able to present and show to the world what the virtual production institute is capable of doing and how the stages can be used. **Why a fantasy about a child's dream becoming a young dancer's search, and why this technology for it?** **Limbert Fabian (LF)**: The idea of chasing a dream as embodied in our story was creatively enticing for us. The word DREAM sounds fantastical on its own. It lit up our imaginations to consider what a dream would look like and what, if embodied as a character, would it want as an antagonist in our story. When you really want something, you really have to chase after it and work at it was the guiding nugget in our minds as we considered what sort of obstacles we could encounter. In the back of our minds, we knew we wanted to do something surrealist and surprising. Hopefully keep the audience guessing what was going to happen next. So to challenge ourselves, we thought about what creative desire offered the most flexibility for surprise, delight, and whimsy…we chose Dance! The technology was a perfect fit for this project, allowing us to make leaps and bounds in her timeline as she chased her dream. The biggest challenge being how far could she run or dance across the stage. **Animation, live-action, and blending the two together: What are the challenges and the rewards of doing either form, or both, in one project?** **LF**: We love mixing mediums not for spectacle but in support of a story and sometimes to cut production corners. Our desire is to bring heart and elevate the emotional stakes of our characters, and each medium allows us to do that in exciting ways. It may seem daunting to consider all the rules you can break in animation and just as daunting to find restraint within the limits of live action. Our backgrounds have spanned everything from Visual effects on live-action films to full-blown CGI animation, so we have learned when to make the work “in your face” or subtly hidden. It only matters if the audience feels the moment we are trying to craft vs. noticing how we did it. When mixing the worlds together, Brandon and I have a unique shorthand: when we describe a sequence to each other, we see it in our minds right away and can imagine what the final composite will look like. **How did you design those very different looks on the stage?** **Brandon Oldenburg (BO)**: Like with everything we do, it always starts with drawings. Limbert and I bonded early on over a shared love of illustration and cinema, so bringing those initial sketches to life is the heart of our process. When tackling all these distinct looks, our drawings served as the blueprints for every team involved. Our physical production team handled everything in the foreground and mid-ground right on stage, while our digital team built out all the depth beyond the screen. Being able to dial in those CGI environments in real time on the LED wall is incredible—it feels like standing inside the Matrix, manifesting your art around you on the fly, surrounded by the brilliantly talented team at the Texas A&M Virtual Production Institute. ![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/2026/10/DSC02517.jpg) **Previously, you worked in miniatures and practical effects. How did that sensibility mix with LED-wall environments? Where did the two approaches clash, and where did they reinforce each other?** **LF**: We treated the wall like we would have treated a greenscreen shoot with the advantage of instantly seeing our composite world on set. This affirmed our choices about lighting, performance, and motivations for actors; they could see the set in real time… Where, of course, it became challenging was redressing and setting up the foreground elements at the pace we wanted to move or create at… I personally enjoyed “location scouting” within the virtual sets we had to play on the LED wall… it was like opening up a favorite video game and dropping a camera on the set of that world and deciding where to tell the story… **BO**: We’ve always thrived on the cutting edge and embraced new technology, but we never let ourselves get enamored by the tool itself—it always has to serve the story. We naturally gravitate toward the tactile, hand-made, and organic. If you look across our entire portfolio, we’re constantly finding ways to merge physical crafts with digital tools, or striving to inject a human soul into something built on a computer. When you work in the cutting-edge space of new technology-forward tools, you often get “cut”. It's fun to play in this space, but it’s also the Wild West where rules are being invented as you go. This can be hard for some who follow the standard set paths within the traditional craft of filmmaking. **Were students involved in the production? If so, what roles did they have, and did a teaching mission change how you ran the set?** [Nab a subscription and enjoy supporter benefits :)](#/portal/signup) **WM**: Students were production assistants, were on the set to learn production and filmmaking, and assisted in the post-production administration. **What does it mean for students to see professionals work in the space they're learning in?** **WM**: For students to see firsthand the level of this production, see the many different elements of filmmaking coming together to produce this story, all in the collaboration of technology, technique, and creativity, is an invaluable opportunity for students, and they get to participate firsthand. **Was there a moment where technology got in the way of the story? Or expanded what was possible?** **BO**: Technology is alluring, shiny, and fun, but in the past, we've caught ourselves getting too enamored with it. We made stories for emerging platforms like AR and VR that didn't reach a broad audience simply because people weren't adopting the hardware as fast as we were pushing the tech. The technology became a barrier between the viewer and the story. Coming out of that experience, our focus completely shifted. We want to meet people where they are and tell stories for hungry, accessible audiences. It’s no longer about doing the 'hot new thing' that only a small group can access. It’s about using technology behind the scenes to expand what’s possible while connecting with people in a deeply human, meaningful way. ***Chase Your Dreams*, for its 5-minute duration, goes through plenty of sub-themes, such as maturity and compromise. Do you believe that those are necessary elements to deal with when “chasing a dream?** **LF**: Absolutely! Chasing your dreams is full of maturity and compromise. Life can surprise you with obstacles that you never see coming if you are only focused on your dream; sometimes discouragement can wedge its way in, doubt and insecurities all play a part on how we navigate our journey toward a dream. When speaking about those obstacles, we saw them as opportunities to craft the world in our story. **What expectations, if any, do you feel that audiences have when buying a ticket to see an animated film in a theater, over waiting for a streaming option?** **LF**: Going to movies is a communal experience. And more and more, the justification for the price of tickets may be how big of an event the film is… something that lands as a cultural event is something that warrants the trip to the cinema for a lot of people. Whereas smaller, more intimate films may feel more comfortable to watch as streaming. I think films can be and should be enjoyed wherever the audience has the most access. As long as they get to watch movies! The hope is that audiences continue to want to embrace films as part of their entertainment. It's such a crowded marketplace with games and social media. Both of which offer something completely different for audiences ![](https://www.moviegoingwithbill.com/content/images/2026/10/DSC02498.jpeg) **What advice would you give to a first-time filmmaker who wants to shoot an animated project using amateur video tools?** **LF**: Make something, play with tools as a way to express an idea and emotion that is looking for a way out. The tools have come such a long way to allow anyone with an idea to make it, distribute and find an audience. It's kinda a perfect time for new filmmakers to work at their craft. That advice applies to both animation and live action films… You are only limited by your imagination and dedication to pursuing that dream… What I love about the access to amateur tools is that you can experiment a great deal and develop an idea before seeking investment to do something bigger. Go craft your calling card. **BO**: Stop waiting and just start making. Grab whatever tools you can get your hands on—don't wait for a fancy piece of software or high-end gear to validate your idea. The truth is, everything you actually need is already available to you right now. Be scrappy, be resourceful, and put all that energy straight into the story, because that’s the only thing that ultimately matters. Fill your world with inspiration, but draw a clear line between consuming art and creating it. Think of inspiration like an energy bar before a workout: it’s only useful if you actually go burn the fuel. Get out there and start exercising; build a habit of creation. You will learn from doing. ## Sincerely Yours in Moviegoing, ## ⚜️🍿