Team BarthaFebruary 27, 2015

Be Original

Animation: Bringing Client Stories to Life

Remember the first time you saw the animation of the NBC peacock’s feathers? In an age of mostly static black-and-white images, it was amazing and remains an iconic animation sequence. (If you don’t remember this, trust us: it was crazy. And in living color.)

Animation brings images to life. Animation artists study an image, disassemble it to its essential parts, and give life to those parts, creating something entirely new, something entirely incredible – like that peacock.

The ever-evolving art of animation includes everything from traditional 2D to 3D computer-generated animation, experimental animation, motion graphics, video and film, compositing and effects – all of which our talented animation team offers to clients.

Do you remember any other network logo from that time period? Probably not. Likewise, our animators make sure our clients’ events and projects stand out, with the kind of impact that will be remembered.

“I really believe we have the highest caliber of talent out there,” said President & Managing Director of Operations Dan Bashore of the animators. “I stand in the back of the room at an event and I’m just in awe of the work they’ve done. They work really hard to get to know the client and the event’s objectives, then we just turn them loose. They’re just so good.”

“Turning them loose” gives the animators a great deal of latitude in interpreting the client’s vision, in all the ways that each project demands. Being challenged in different ways strengthens their skills overall. It’s one of the things Philip appreciates most about his job.

“What I really like about what I have here is that there’s always something new. One week I’m animating a show logo to dance on stage, then I’m creating a giant particle explosion, or inspirational words flying around for an MLK tribute event. Every week there’s a different challenge. I like that.”

Combining existing footage with motion graphics to create a seamless effect is one of those challenges that Philip enjoys most. “It’s like combining the real with the unreal,” he said, comparing the process to adding an explosion behind an action hero in a movie, shattering all illusions that Denzel is actually walking calmly away from a real explosion. “Right. Real, unreal,” Philip clarified.

Our clients may not often have need of explosions to back up their speakers, but they always need animators, and ours work the hardest to be the best.

While the names of those peacock-animating pioneers may be unknown to us, our animators stand on their shoulders. Or would that be feathers?
Take a look at some of their best work here!