When it comes to breaking barriers in filmmaking, Haz Dullul isn’t just talking about it—he’s living it. From redefining animated features with game engines to harnessing new technology to greenlight his own projects, Haz embodies what it means to “bypass Hollywood.” His journey from VFX artist to independent filmmaker is packed with lessons, and he’s here to share how you can disrupt the system too.
Haz, how did you get into filmmaking?
It’s been quite a ride! I started in visual effects because I couldn’t afford film school. Back then, filmmaking wasn’t as accessible as it is now. I learned by working alongside directors and producers as a VFX artist, and over time, I climbed the ranks to VFX supervisor and executive which gave me a great insight of the entire filmmaking process right through to studio executive meetings etc.
My turning point came with Project Kronos, a short film I made that went viral (Vimeo Staff Pick and tons of press coverage too). It got me signed to an agent and manager in Hollywood, and there was even a bidding war announced in Variety.
Which I thought – I had ‘made it,’ right? But I was still working in VFX whilst writing scripts on spec, so after two years of development and no feature film greenlit, I realized I needed to take control. That’s when I decided to finance and shoot The Beyond, my first indie feature, using my savings. It was a massive risk—mortgage money kind of risk—but it paid off.
How did The Beyond perform?
It was surreal. The film which is essentially a fake documentary – NASA meets Spinal Tap, had no big cast, climbed to #2 on iTunes alongside Blade Runner 2049 and Wonder Woman. Even better, it recouped its costs within its second quarter of sales (worldwide sales by Gravitas Ventures) and from that point on-wards became a profitable indie film. Then after 8 months, Netflix came knocking, offering a one-year, non-exclusive deal for US / Canada and Europe (I don’t think this deal exists today..).
The Beyond is still generating revenue today, which is rare for indie films. Both myself and my business partner Paula Crickard decided to use our share of the profits to set up our own production company (called HaZ Film which later became HaZimation).
The film led to my second feature film 2036 Origin Unknown starring Katee Sackhoff, and then I got hired to direct and EP on the Disney+ Show – Fast Layne.
You’re known for being one of the first to use game engines like Unreal for full-length features. How did that start?
It began just before the pandemic where I started experimenting with Unreal Engine 4.12 and was blown away what I was getting in real-time (on my MacBook at the time!) and I created a short proof of concept film called BATTLESUIT (which was financed by the comic book company the IP was based on). When the Pandemic hit- My live-action projects were put on hold, so I started using Unreal Engine merely for previz to show as part of my pitch to financiers, studios and even agents for actors. Executives were blown away by how polished it looked. That’s when it hit me: why are we not using Game Engines to create an entire animated feature? Yes there had been shorts done before in Machinima style, and even a YouTube series which ended up becoming a full on series called Red vs Blue (Halo), but for an actual fully released 90+ mins feature film, there hadn’t been one.
Everyone told me it’s not proper animation, even the big animation houses were skeptical. But I saw the potential to streamline the animation process and cut the costs to allow for more hands on control creatively in animation, so I went for it.
The result was a full-length animated film that we greenlit ourselves called MAX BEYOND, released May 2024 worldwide on Apple Store and Amazon Prime, Sky Movies (UK only) and also on YouTube Movies.
What tools are you using now?
We use accessible tools like Unreal Engine 5, Reallusion iClone, and Character Creator for animation. For motion capture, we use everything from high-end Vicon systems to affordable options like Xsens, Rokoko, Perception Neuron and even Sony’s Mocopi. The beauty is that talent now matters more than specific tools. If you’re a great animator, it doesn’t matter if you use Blender or Maya—we can integrate your work via universal file formats and pipelines.
Your family is from Mauritius. How has your background influenced your work?
I’m based in the UK, but my family is from Mauritius—a small island near Madagascar. Growing up with a mix of cultures, definitely shaped my perspective. It’s probably why I’m so drawn to creating diverse & global teams. We’ve worked with talent from all over the world, thanks to remote tools and platforms
.What’s your advice for aspiring filmmakers trying to break into the industry?
Greenlight yourself. Seriously, don’t wait for permission to make your own content. Stop thinking you need the latest RED or ARRI camera to shoot your movie, stop thinking you need a million dollars to make your first animated feature film, or you need an agent / representation to get anywhere in the industry. Just start making stuff and putting it out!
Download Unreal—it’s free! Use free assets from marketplace and mocap libraries like Mixamo to start building. You don’t need to be a 3D modeler or animator. Focus on storytelling. Use your phone for motion capture or record voiceovers yourself. If you’re bad at acting (like me), recruit friends or post on social media for help by showing off some early tests you have done to get people excited.
Also, I am so surprised a lot of creatives don’t realize the power of LinkedIn, LinkedIn is a game-changer for visibility. Unlike Instagram or TikTok, it connects you with industry pros—producers, financiers, and recruiters. Show your work and engage with studios you admire. That’s how I’ve hired most of my team—people I noticed on LinkedIn.
Discoverability is tough with so much content out there. How do you stand out?
Find what’s trending. When virtual production and real-time animated features became crowded, I pivoted to user-generated content (UGC) platforms like Fortnite. For example, we moved our animated series project Moontopia, which was in development – into Fortnite, and this created a whole new way to engage audiences with an original IP that was still in early development.
If you want to break through, don’t just make content for traditional platforms (Cinema, TV etc) —tap into what’s gaining traction with the audience (your audience base for your IP / idea), whether it’s TikTok shorts, Instagram Reels, Roblox, or Fortnite.
Where do you see the industry heading in the next 2-3 years?
We’re moving into a creator-driven economy. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Roblox & Fortnite are where the next wave of original IP / stories will come from. Individual creators can now reach massive audiences without traditional gatekeepers and take control not just creatively but also distribution.
I also think we’ll see more brands and tech sponsors funding indie projects. My own YouTube channel, Beyond the Pixels, grew from 100 subscribers to 45K+ in months because people resonate with authentic, creator-driven stories as opposed to ‘on the nose” commercial advertising in brands / IP.
Resources:
HaZ Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haz-dulull/
Beyond the Pixels: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondThe_Pixels
Hazimation: https://www.hazimation.com/
The Making of Max Beyond: https://youtu.be/7zSfL-cSAgU
The Making of The Beyond: https://youtu.be/VEmkBAjrcDI
