Corporate Vision Issue 8

CORPORATE VISION / Issue 8 2018 41 , 1807CV01 The Animation Guys help businesses connect with their audiences through creative storytelling and effective video production. We spoke toManaging Director, JamienMiddleton who provided us with an insight into the firmwho have been helping companies tell their stories since 2015. Helping Company Tell Their Stories Established in 2015, The Animation Guys help various businesses connect with their audiences through creative storytelling and effective video production. So far, they have poured their passion into projects for the likes of Coca Cola, Royal London and The Drum. The firm offers a range of solutions from motion graphics and cartoons through to music videos and training tools. Jamien begins by explaining The Animation Guys’ overall mission and how the team are able to able to achieve it. “As a studio, we’ve always been very focused on taking care of our clients and making it as easy for them as possible. Animation is a very magical and interesting medium, however we understand that to the person who is commissioning the work, it can be quite scary. Overall, we want to create a good studio environment that has the capacity to always take on more exciting projects and work with passionate people. “Our process is one of understanding. From the very first meeting through to delivery, we ensure that everything is ‘thoughtful’ for our clients. We take time to understand our clients over the time we work with them to ensure that we are creating value in all our creations.” The Animation Guys work in several industries. First of all, the Animation Industry, which in itself is very competitive but also one of respect for one another. Then, they also work in advertising, internal communications and training. It’s hard for them to comment on the specific industry, since they work across quite a few. When working in multiple industries, is important that you have the ability to stand out from competitors. For The Animation Guys, Jamien informs us of the ways they have been able to differentiate themselves from their competitors, and marking them as the best possible option for clients. “We only work with people who get what we are about. We’re down to earth, passionate and good at what we do. Most of all, we don’t offer an ‘off the shelf’ solution. Our studio lets the artists work closely with the clients. At the end of the day, we’re emotionally investing in all of our projects just as much as our clients and so it needs to be a good fit for both sides. The best part about that is that we have a long list of happy clients who we love working with.” “Something that is really refreshing is working with younger talent. Since we’re a young studio, we stay on top of new innovations and software by seeking out new ways of developing our work, as well as attending conferences to keep our finger on the pulse of the ever growing industry. “In regards to new talent, our vetting process consists of quite literally travelling around the world to festivals and universities to ensure that we are attracting exceptional artists and people who are as passionate as we are.” Looking at the wider industry, there are lots of developments that are fast approaching. As Jamien explains there is significant developments in particular the use of “AI” and “Do it yourself” technologies. “With the rise of smarter technology, we foresee that elements of the industry will become more automated, as they have in the last 50 years. However, with every problem ‘solved’ another 10 problems open up. We all believe that a good idea is always going to shine through in the creative process.” Moving forward, Jamien is keen to highlight the plans that are in the pipelines for The Animation Guys. “Since we started, we have always been driven to share interesting stories through our skill sets in interesting ways. Most of all, we are excited to say that this year we opened our second studio in Manchester, and we are also pushing our pipelines to accommodate work in the entertainment industry.” Contact: Jamien Middleton Company: The Animation Guys, Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, London, N1 0QH, UK Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7288 6319 Web Address: www.theanimationguys.com