Photos courtesy of Jubilee Studios
Aug. 11, 2026: Josh Staub has had a career anyone in his field would salivate over. Working on some of the most memorable moments in animation history, Staub could very easily retire off his resume alone (a resume that includes credits on Wreck-It Ralph, Tangled, and Disney’s animated juggernaut Frozen). However, he saw an opportunity to give something back to the world, and he’s offering it free of charge.
It all started with an idea for a film project. A few years ago, Staub began work on an animated series whose core family included deaf members. Entitled Small Talk, the show was Staub’s way of really understanding and identifying with the target demographic as a hearing person.
Josh Staub’s ASL Journey
Small Talk was sure a labor of love. So dedicated to creating the best experience for those within the deaf and hard of hearing communities Staub immediately began taking American Sign Language lessons. He’s gotten to the point that when he presents at schools for deaf students, he does so using ASL. Staub has immersed himself within the culture and the education of the deaf community.
“I began learning about Deaf culture and fell in love with the Deaf community, forging deep friendships,” Staub mused in a LinkedIn post. Those deep connections within the community provided the perfect quality control and lived experience necessary to bring the characters and the story of Small Talk to life.
In fact, it was within this discovery period that Staub began to dive deeper into his personal education with the help of ASL apps. Thus his decision to lean all the way in. With his own journey leading the way, Staub decided Small Talk would be a full-sensory experience, not only featuring the series, but an app to supplement the animated material.
While he insists and is adamant to ensure that learning from a Deaf teacher is the ideal way to get started on one’s ASL journey, he was very interested in creating an app experience that would actually get people learning with intention.
Say Hello to Oscar
The lack of engaging content was a pain point Staub identified within his own skill development. Say hello to Small Talk app protagonist Oscar. This friendly sprite is fully animated, meaning users can rotate him to catch the small details as he signs and fingerspells; visitors to the app can also fully engage with Oscar, noting his facial expressions as he signs.
“Facial expressions are supremely important with ASL and that is where the whole ‘character’ or ‘friend’ part comes in,” Staub said. “Pre-recorded videos of teachers tend to be pretty stern. Deaf folks in general are extremely outgoing and ‘animated’ when they communicate, so why not express that in the character?”
Staub challenges users to make Small Talk a stepping stone to opening up a new world. “For some of you, Oscar is your first Deaf friend. Don’t make him your last. Learn about Deaf culture. Seek opportunities to immerse yourself and communicate with the Deaf community. Make mistakes. Keep trying. The Deaf community is diverse and inviting and will embrace you as they have me. It might just change your life. It changed mine.”
The Bright Side
For those who have a passion, the ultimate gift is being able to use that passion to help others. Josh Staub is an artist who saw a need within greater society and decided to act. That’s all it really takes. A passion for something and the empathy to use that skillset for the betterment of humanity. The gifts bestowed upon us were never meant to horde. Gifts are meant to be shared. If you truly love something, use that thing to leave the world better than when you entered it.
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