John Morena makes animated micro-short films that either encapsulate an experience or have some cultural commentary or social critique in an abstract or metaphorical way. He believes animation is not just kid’s stuff and should be viewed as art. He approaches all of his films with this in mind. In 2017, Morena worked on a year-long personal project called AREA 52. He made one experimental animation micro-short film each week for the entire year. This entire project was officially completed on February 10, 2018. He is a native New Yorker; born in The Bronx, migrated to Brooklyn.