Most animation journeys begin with a simple question: “How do I bring this story to life?. But French animator Gaylord Cuvillier Libessart asked a deeper one: “What makes this story worth animating in the first place?”
That question led to GODs’ School, a hand-drawn web series imagining the Olympian gods as teenagers in a floating boarding school. Gaylord created nearly the entire project on his own, from storyboards to final animation. His fascination with Greek mythology and his consistent taking of notes on details, epithets, and character traits enable him to reinterpret the gods in his own unique way. He built the series around themes of identity, outcasts, and flawed characters. Especially, through Eris, who’s not perfect, but deeply human.
Projects like this are rare because getting an original series greenlit without studio backing is almost impossible. “I pitched it to networks”, Gaylord recalls in the TOONBOOM Animation Livestream Interview. “They said it was interesting, but not the right fit.”
So he took another route: launching a Kickstarter and sharing early teasers. The response was immediate. Audiences from all over the world connected with the style, characters, and handmade feel. But even with support, it remained tough. “I had to do everything — animation, writing, compositing… it was exhausting”, he recalls.
His experience mirrors what many students face in the short film course: carrying a project from its initial spark to its final shot, often alone. You juggle ambition, time, doubt, and burnout.
“The hardest part”, Gaylord says, “is believing in your story when no one else sees it yet.”Despite rejection from studios and moments of serious doubt, he kept going because the story was personal and meaningful to him. He didn’t wait for approval. He made it because he believed in it. For students working on films without guarantees of recognition, Gaylord’s journey is a reminder: it’s hard. It’s long. But if you don’t give up, your story can come to life.
From Solo Indie Artist to YouTube Phenomenon
Gaylord started developing GODs’ School in 2013 as a hobby. “At first, it was really a side project… something that I was working on outside of work,” he explained. He posted a trailer in 2015, then shelved the idea for years. It might’ve ended there — like most passion projects — but something unexpected happened: “One year later, I realized that the trailer had reached more than one million views on YouTube. I was a bit shocked.”
That viral moment convinced him to apply for funding through CNC (France’s National Center for Cinema). “That’s how I had the opportunity to really start working on GODs’ School and make the pilot episode”.
Then Gaylord hardcore started working from home in France, handling writing, design, animation, direction, cleanup, coloring, and editing by himself. This level of personal involvement is what gives GODs’ School its charm. By early 2019, the pilot debuted on YouTube, quickly earning millions of views.
“There’s a huge gap between the episodes,” Gaylord admits. “Every time I post a new one, it feels like the first time. I’m always scared people will forget about the series… It can be a bit overwhelming”.Despite long production times and months between episodes, fans still responded enthusiastically, drawn to the evident dedication and artistry behind each frame.
By the way, we recently wrote a post about how to grow in animation. Follow us on Instagram for regular motivational updates.
Mythology Meets High-School Drama
In GoD’s school, characters like Eris, Athena, Hades, and Aphrodite are classmates navigating rivalry, friendship, identity crises, and first love on Mount Olympus. This isn’t a myth retold like a classic Greek epic. It’s mythology lived through the students’ drama of high school, sort of like Disney’s Hercules TV show, but with more historical context and flair. Eris, goddess of Discord, arrives as an outsider and gradually finds her place alongside Paris, a mortal, and Sfiga, a sphinx-classmate.
Gaylord smartly avoids the darker and more adult elements of Greek mythology, such as incest, extreme violence, or abuse, instead focusing on character dynamics that are emotionally complex but accessible to a younger audience.
“I always try to add the most that I can in the episodes,” he says. Typically, the characters are expressive and carefully designed for both clarity and style, reflecting the considerable effort he puts into them. “I love very simple characters — three or four colors max”.
His creative decisions are deeply intentional: “I use the epithets, attributes, and stories from mythology to reinterpret the gods into characters with real personalities”.
Current Status & Episode Count
GODs’ School is currently ongoing, with its first season comprising of 10 episodes. The pilot premiered on January 31, 2019, and the latest episode, Persephone, Hades and Minthe, was released on July 10, 2025. Episodes average around 9 minutes each, and while releases are infrequent, fans remain engaged and supportive.
As Gaylord explained, “There is a strong community of people who love and support the project—and that really helps.” That ongoing encouragement has fueled the series through its long production gaps and evolving storytelling.
With each episode release garnering millions of views and praise across Reddit, YouTube, and animation forums, fans continue to support the series on Patreon and engage in avid discussions about its fluid style and polished voice acting. Fans really appreciate its handmade quality and creative independence. Many compare its visuals to those of Monster High and Ever After High, but it stands out for its emotional sincerity and indie spirit.
If you’re interested in more stories about passion-driven indie animation projects, check out our article How Long Gone Gulch Was Made: Five Years of Passion-Driven Animation. It’s a great example of how dedication and community support help bring unique animated worlds to life.
Lessons for Aspiring Animators
Gaylord’s journey offers more than inspiration — it offers real, applicable insight:
- Don’t skip storyboarding. He learned the hard way: “I thought I didn’t need one since I was working alone… it was a huge mistake.”
- Trust your vision — but adapt. He regularly retools designs, rigs, and scripts mid-episode, saying, “I’m always experimenting… and I read comments from fans to adjust small things.”
- Seek out grants or public funding. Gaylord Cuvillier Libessart secured funding for GODs’ School through a government grant, which helped turn a passion project into a real production. “That’s how I had the opportunity to really start working on the series.”
- Simplify your tools. His character rigs look sophisticated but are intentionally “simple and adaptable,” which keeps production possible even when working solo.
And perhaps most importantly: “If I have advice to give: just do something that you love. Love your characters and your stories, because you’re going to spend a lot of time with them.”
If you want to start developing your own characters like those in GODs’ School, our Free Workshop: Introduction to Visual Development in Animation is a perfect first step. It guides you through creating your first character design tailored specifically for animation, helping you bring your ideas to life.
For those looking to dive deeper into animation techniques, our “Basics in Traditional 2D Animation” course is an excellent next step. In it, you’ll learn how to apply the timeless 12 basic principles of animation to create simple, lovable characters and smooth motion.
Both courses offer practical skills that can help you build a strong animation foundation and tell your own unique stories with confidence.
