Industry research
I don't like the industry. I thought I'd try to make a joke but. honestly I can't muster one.
Another thing we were told to do over the summer break is to look into some animation studios/companies in our chosen area of expertise and do some research on them. Now since I know when uni finishes I'm not gonna go into the industry for at least a year and a half to two years. I only looked at ones that mildly piqued my interest. Since 99% didn't. They aren't all in england as well I’m willing to move for my work. Additionally, I didn't really engage with them cause that for me would be pointless and I'm still not even sure if going into the industry is what I want. As of the moment I know it isn't. But I did still research some companies that I at least enjoy a small percent of what they do.
Link to each studios website are their logos
So before we start, I must address that there is a chance in reading this that you may read some things that you don't like. Not tryna play devil's advocate or anything like that, it's just I'm gonna be brutally honest with my opinions and such. Above you can see the four studios I chose. I couldn't find five cause after looking for about a month and a bit I realised that these studios where among the ones I could at least tolerate. Not trying disparage you if you want to work at a studio just know I really am only seeing shills and the like in most of them. The 90% of their work is child safe boring advertisement that isn't even mildly clever or entertaining. That being said it is more then possible for any studio to do something good now and again. These pieces I selected to represent that I feel in my opinion our best of the studios work. Studios can be good and they can be bad there is nothing inherent about working in or for a studio, nor is there anything inherent about studios themselves I'd say the thing making it difficult for me is just myself. Looking for these was really depressing for me not gonna lie. It made me hate the industry I was about to get into. I don't want that. I love animation and now it's probably the only thing I could work in. But the industry is just toxic to me atleast. Anywhore I suggest you have a look at the studios websites and their work. As from here on in I shall be getting very analytical, or at least as much as I am capable of being analytical. So this will mainly be facts and numbers above art talk. Expect some but this is mainly factual now. bureaucratic to put it mildly.
The Line
Founded: 2013
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Founders: Sam Taylor, Bjorn-Erik Aschim, Wesley Louis, James Duveen, Max Taylor, and Timothy McCourt
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Location:
The Line Animation Studio Ltd
Studio 02, De Beauvoir Block
92-96 De Beauvoir Road
London N1 4EN
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Size: 1-10 employees
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Are they 2D based?: yes
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Programs used: Adobe flash/animate/tv paint
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Specialty: 2D, motion graphics, illustration and character design
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Internships/placements: none available at the moment, however they say they are always looking for good freelancers to help out with stuff.
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History: in 2014 the first film they made themselves together was nominated for a short animation bafta.
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Target audience: depends on the project they are working on at the time. so a mixed bag really.
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Notable staff: Sam Taylor, Bjorn-Erik Aschim, Wesley Louis, James Duveen, Max Taylor, and Timothy McCourt
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Clientele: Ubisoft, Gucci, Doritos, Gorillaz and Virgin Media
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Why I like them: well to sum it up in short. I really appreciate the fact that 90% of what they make is 2D.
Examples of their work:
Passion Pictures
Founded: 1987
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Founders: Andrew Ruhemann
Locations: County House 33-34 Rathbone Pl Fitzrovia London W1T 1JN, Melbourne, Paris and New York
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Size: 51-200 employees
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Are they 2D based?:​ no
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Specialitys: CGI, advertisements and film
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Internships/placements: none at the moment, however they do have actual jobs going at the moment of a business representative, producer and a FX and layout artist.
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History: nothing or real note.
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Target audience: mainly children or at least teens to young adults but it really depends on what they are making at the time.
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Notable staff: Andrew Ruhemann, Debbie Crosscup, Cara Speller, Robert Valley
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Clientele: Netflix, Gorillaz, Mcdonalds, Dominos, Cartoon Network, Marvel, BBC, Nike and Compare The Meerkat
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Why I like them: I think despite how much I have adverts they do make some technically impressive and creative ones or at least most of them, not including their compare the meerkat ones I'm afraid.
Examples of their work:
Powerhouse animation
Examples of their work:
Founded: 2001
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Founders: Frank Gabriel, Brad Graeber and Bruce Tinnin
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Location:
8140 N MO PAC EXKELLAN STOVERPY BLDG 2 Suite 225
AUSTIN, TEXAS 78759-8837
United States
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Size: 11-50 employees
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Are they 2D based?: yes
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Programs used: Adobe flash/animate
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Specialty: 2D, motion graphics, charter design, commercials and ad campaigns
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Internships/placements: no placements or internships but they do currently have an actual job as a full time 2D animator on offer.
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History: founded in 2001, 2014 the gained a new location in burbank california.
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Target audience: really large a wide variance on target audience again just depends on the project they are working but that have covered it all before.
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Notable staff: Frank Gabriel, Brad Graeber, Bruce Tinnin, Jason Williams, Kellan Stover
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Clientele: Netflix, Coke-Cola, Disney, Riot Games, Rooster Teeth and NetherRealm Studios
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Why I like them: again the 90% majority of their work is 2D additionally they have a wide range on their work both stylistically and thematically.
MIR studios
Examples of their work:
Founded: 2010
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Founders: Yoo Jae Myoung, Han Kwang Il and Seung-wook Lee
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Location: Seoul, South Korea
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Size: 24 employees
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Are they 2D based?: yes
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Specialty's: 2D, character/concept design and storyboarding
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Internships/placements: none at the moment.
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History: the first thing they made as the studio some may recognise as nickelodeon's The Last Airbender and eventually would also go on to make The Legend Of Korra and currently they are working on the new Voltron. the company mainly is based internationally and has very little national acclaim.
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Target audience: children through to young adults
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Notable staff: Yoo Jae Myoung, Han Kwang Il, Seung-wook Lee, Park So Young and Lim Kyung Hwa
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Clientele: Nickelodeon, Netflix, Marvel, Riot Games and Adult swim
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Why I like them: unlike every other company so far this studio is all 2D no 3D whatsoever, at least so far. they have made many series I am a fan of.
My decision to not go into the industry
So as I have touched on previously in this page and even ever so slightly on others that im not going into the industry yet but allow me to explain my specific reasoning why I as of the time being don’t want to go into the animation industry at large. Before I explain my reasoning know that this wasn't an easy decision for me to reach I pretty much have spent the last year and a bit having to think about this. Additionally I haven't thought about this myself I have asked my friends and family for their input. Even though they don't know the industry they know me and can still give me what they would do in my scenario. I have spoken to other animators and people in the creative sector on the whole. So this isn't just a rash decision I have made. I have got others thought and refined my own with the help of theirs. So, why am I not going into the industry right now? well I would say there are two major reasons which have smaller sub reason attached to them.
why?
The fist big reason and the main one is my health, and I mean that both mentally and psychically. Mostly mentally tough. For the past 3 or so years my health has been declining and speaking to my health professionals who are up to speed on what’s going on in my life and have a full picture of my health records, agree with me that they think it best for my mental and subsequent physical health if I were to take at minimum a year away. Which is my current plans, to have a year or 2 away on my own doing what ever the fuck I want using it to build my art/porfolio/style/brand and such mainly speaking without the outside influence from anyone else. Suffice to say I really don't care for authority. Essentially for me to grow as a person at my own pace that I am comfortable with. This in turn will also allow me to take up some commissions on the side to help make a bit of extra money and make the beginning of my freelance status and start gaining experience for that. With me not being in control since up until now I haven't really been living for myself. Me and my health care professionals believe it best for me to get away from it all the hustle and bustle of city and modern life and slow considerably down. Me being antisocial and bad with people as well as my many other mental illnesses really explains my slow decline into insanity over the past years. I realise thats alot to take in so imma put it in layman's terms. My mental health is deteriorating with me going into the industry to combat this I shall take a 1 to 2 year sabbatical to work on myself and my art and start getting experience for me to be a freelancer. Which will fulfill me wanting to be my own boss and my other creative needs.
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the second big reason, and this is more of an opinion I realise but it's still a reason. I believe that at the moment the industry is dog shit. It's all samey and there isn't much originality, and any bit of human passion and originality is taken up and chewed to the bone and spit back out. The industry has a veneer of creative people and I believe they are but the bureaucracy and the business is bogging everything down and stifling any real chance for something real to come out of the industry. Fuck I mean disney, DISNEY! Has officially run out of original ideas. If that doesn't speak miles I don't know what will. Also when looking though studios to select for this over the summer unit I realised that a majority were just essentially ad companies. If I wanted to do advertising I would've taken an advertising course. yet I didnt I wanted to animate not animate for NIke or Coke for a 30 second ad that no one will remember for more than 10 minutes. I’m not saying I’m better than that I'm just saying I have too much pride to bring my creativity and expression so low as to do it for the purposes of manipulation into buying something. I could go on about this second reason more but if I did you would be reading me rant for the next hour or so. so I shall spare you that and just finish up with my two reasons are my health and me having grown major dislike for how the industry is more business and bureaucracy then a free thinking creative engine of originality.
outiside of entertainment
So I've been going on all this time about companies that do 2D animation among other types of animation. One thing I haven't really touched on is the reasoning behind the animations that they have made. And in turn how that affects the animation itself. it's rather similar to how target audiences of young children will differ greatly to that of adults. Likewise for the message an animation can try to convey. examples being ads, we see these every day of our lives, unfortunately. another maybe if you think back to school, they may have shown you an animated video to teach you something? basically I'm referring to animation that's purpose isn't for entertainment but rather for something else. from advertisements to education these are different from entertainment and thus their animations dedicated to them will differ to. So thusly in this section that is what I shall be covering. just some of the various emerging sectors in animation that aren't for the express purpose of entertainment and rather may have a much more utilitarian function. over the summer, Dan asked us find 3 different sectors in the animation industry that aren't made for the purpose of entertainment. they don't have to be big or even well known sectors just niche parts of the animation market I guess? so I'll be going over my 3 that I picked and found now.
Product design
So I feel this one is probably the most basic in the list and it's also one that isn't that hard to imagine why animation would be useful in a product design environment and business. it is quite self explanatory to be honest. so allow me to explain it then? How is animation actually used in product design? when a designer or group of designers are going about making a product after the conceptualization stage they may draw it and what not but after that before they actually go into making it for real testing they probably will want to see some sort of 3D rendering. That is where an animators skill set can come in handy, provided that animator knows 3D. Anywhore they would contact and animator and maybe get them to model the product in 3D and maybe even animate it. They may want something like a lazy susan turn? so they can see it fully rendered in 3D from all angles to see if it looks right in 3D before manufacturing. They may also want you to rig the product and animate it depending on the product. and example I could give being they were making a toy. A doll/action figure that needs to be able to move its limbs and joints. The animator may model and then rig and animate the joints and limbs of the toy being maneuverable and opposable.
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On an even more extreme end of the scale depending on the programs the animator will be using or whatever, and depending on what that have been asked to animate or model or whatever. There is a chance that they may be asked to apply psychics with an engine to the modeled product to test its integrity. say if they wanted to make a chair, for example, they would model it, assign it properties like weight, density, material all that jazz. Then they would also assign the environment properties like gravity, wind or whatever they may need. Since it’s a chair they would need to test strength since people are gonna be sitting on it. so they would simulate a weight being placed on the chair as if someone was sitting on it. They would test the chair to see if it remains stable, etc. And you can apply this kind of logic to nearly any product one might be testing or in the process of making. having spoken to a couple of product design students at times, I discovered a software they use called 3D Rhino. so this is similar to maya in the it's a 3D modeling application. But rhino is more catered to design rather than animation. So you can make and break models but you can't animate them in Rhino. This being an industry used program in the field of product design I’d imagine that it if you know one program you can get a pretty solid grasp of the other with ease. So that's how animation can be and is used in the product design world.
architecture simulation/visualization
So similar to Product design, architecture is also quite easy to understand the application and transition from animation over to architecture. I mean you don't even need to do it for yourself, you'll most likely see it daily on the street but dont even take it in. Let's say you are walking past a building site. what will that site have? A board dedicated to show a visualization of what the building or buildings will look like when they are complete. Sometimes on a very fancy building site or in places like estate agents or other type places, they may even have a animated mock up/ simulation of the building. It would show different rooms, doors opening and closing along with the windows. obviously you're seeing what it would be like to live in that house and how they are planning for it to function and look. So from private mockups/simulations/visualisations for the architectes to all the way to the advertisement of properties themselves for the perspective buyers, it will still be the same. An animator essentially has become an indispensable part of the architecture industry.
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A yet additional part of the process I have not yet mentioned. Is that similar to the last job role. Architects, more than product designers, I'd say will need to know if their building will be structurally sound, and what's the best and cheapest way to test that without actually building it and seeing if it crumbles? A computer run simulation. A fraction of the time and a hell of a lot cheaper if you ask me. So you would get the specifics of the building such as materials, measurements, dimension. Set it up via modeling those as assets, structure them as the building and then applying some psychics to it and seeing if it will fail to be structurally sound? the computer would run the numbers and have multiple calculations going on to see if the building really would hold up against wind, rain, gravity, etc. so there again is another use of an animators skill set, if be it a much more niche and a specific use. but it completely makes sense once you start to think about it. personally I see architecture and animation merging even more as time goes on. All the way along the process it can and has been used. from design, to advertising, to testing. Animation or an animators skill set comes in handy.
Forensics
So lets say a crime has been committed? Or some serious roadside accident has happened? How, besides talking to those involved, does one find out the truth behind the events? Well that is where forensic animation comes in. So as the name implies the animator would be working with forensic in order to get details about the events in question. This is already being used in courtrooms and legal cases. The application of animation in the judicial system has already been recognized and applied. Say for example there is a car crash and they are trying to figure out who owes who money? get some stated info about both cars, model ‘em, give ‘em properties of weight and mass and the like, have ‘em crash in a physics engine test and BAM. You have your answer as to who really sustained the damage and then you can ascertain the has to settle.
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Or alternitavly it can be used for crime invetegations such as murder. One can simulate and animate the murderer in the process of the killing and find out more information that wasn’t available at the crime scene. This has already been used on such a case in america for a woman who shot her husband. They used a forensic animator to defend her claim that it was self defense rather then just regular o’l murder. So while this one may not be as obvious as the first two it is still definitely a sector outside of entertainment where animation is being used, has been used and will continue to be used. I estimate it will start to be used more as animation gets a lot more detailed, since that is what they are looking for by making these test/animations. detail to find evidence and such.