Cuppa Coffee Studios

Cuppa Coffee Studios are based in Toronto, Canada. 

Cuppa Coffee Studios have been making original and innovative animation for over twenty years. They have become the largest stop motion facility in the world and pioneered many of the techniques that are now commonly used in the industry. They make TV series, feature films, short films and are very successful. I think they are successful for the amount of time and detail that they put into their puppets and the professionalism that they work with. They seem like a great company and have created some amazing work and I would definitely like to visit and maybe work there one day. I would like to try and save up to go to Canada and while I am there I would definitely see about getting a studio visit. 

Flying Gherkin

Flying Gherkin are an animation company based in Melbourne, Australia and were established in 1993.  They specialise in stop motion animation, claymation, and puppetry, and also work with mixed media and live action, mostly for film and television commercials, music videos, idents and title sequences. They have worked with a lot of big companies, including Coca Cola, McDonalds and MTV. Their work is really diverse, ranging from simple blobby morph type characters to very detailed slightly grotesque characters. I really like their work, I think their characters move really well and the detail in some of their puppets is amazing. I think their many years of experience really shows and this is why they are so successful.

Mammafotogramma

Mammafotogramma are a creative studio in Milan, Itlay. Their animation studios were founded in 2008 and they mostly specialise in stop motion animation. They make commercials, promotional videos and clips for TV. Their work is technically really good and of high quality, but I am not a big fan of it. It seems too arty and conceptual to me on the most part and that isn't really my style. I would not like to work here.

Trikk 17

Trikk 17 are an award winning animation company in Hamburg, Germany who specialise in all areas of animation, but they started out as a stop motion company in 2001. They work with a broad range of animation, including stop-motion, cel animation, cut-out animation, CGI and live action puppets. They produce commissioned work as well as original content for TV, cinema, internet and mobile devices, and have a wide range of national and international partners. 
I really like their stop motion work, their characters move really well and they are really good at telling a story. I think all their work is beautiful and well thought out and their style of puppets is similar to what I like/ would like to make. 

Beast Animations

Beast animation are a stop motion company based in Belgium. They create very interesting animations and are mostly focused on character animation. They have a lot of experience working with stop motion puppets, actors and life size and miniature objects and have spent a lot of time studying movement and expression to create 'credible and coherent characters'. They make commercials, short films, feature films and TV series and are responsible for every part of the project, from concept art to the finished piece. 

Beast Animation are behind a very interesting animation that I saw at Bradford Animation Festival the other year called 'Oh Willy', which featured puppets unlike anything I had seen before, as the puppets were made of felt and so had fluffy skin. 

Their work is really diverse and always tells a good story, which is why I think they are successful. You can really see the experience and the time that goes into each animation. 

I would definitely like to apply to work here one day, although not for a year or two as moving country would be very difficult at the moment.

Two Left Hands

Two Left Hands is an animation studio in Paris, France. They specialise in Stop Motion Animation but also work in other types of media. They work with clients, have worked on commercials, music videos and short films and are quite successful. I think they work well because they are quite diverse in the material that they produce and they have a very unique style which I think works really well for the commercials they produce. I like their work, but I do not think it is somewhere I would like to work as I their style is very different to mine and I don't think we would be a good fit.

LoopDeLoop

Tumble

This months Loop de Loop theme is Tumble. I have decided to use Anna Denison's puppet and animate a short 10 second looping stop motion based around this word. I am using Anna's puppet because she asked me to animate it so that she can see how it moves and include it in her showreel. This works really well as it means I can get some more stop motion into my showreel as well. Her puppet is beautifully made, although not completely finished, although it should be fine for the competition entry.

I have been thinking about how I can make a deer fit to the theme of tumble. Some of the suggestions I have thought about are:

- A deer eating some grass in a field, looks up in shock as a tumble weed rolls by.

- A deer walking on ice, it slips and slides bambi style before regaining balance and continuing walking. On a loop.

- A deer tripping over a log or something and then getting back up to its feet.

Of these options, I am going to try the slipping on ice one, as it means I don't have to worry about making a prop and I am running low on time. I would greenscreen the background of the frozen lake and I will be using footage of deer slipping on ice as reference. 

I will be doing this animation in a week or so once the deer puppet is completely finished and the second rig has been added.

Deer Animation.

Anna Denison has built a deer puppet and has asked to me animate about 10-15 seconds of the deer moving so that she can include it in her showreel to show how her puppet moves. I agreed because it would also be extra stop motion animation for my showreel and therefore a great opportunity. The puppet moves really well, however needs another rigging kit to support the front of the deer if I was to make it walk, as it had a habit of toppling over when I tried to animate a walk cycle. Because of this, I have been unable to create a shot of the deer walking, but have four shots of the deer moving in other ways that make up 15 seconds. I will be going back to this deer when Anna has added another rigging point and I will the hopefully be able to create a realistic walk cycle and maybe a gallop and a jump too. The puppet isn't 100% finished, as the front legs are still just bare armature, but those will be finished soon and I will be able to do more animation with him then. I have left them all with greenscreen backgrounds so that Anna can put in any background she prefers.

Once the puppet is completed and the second rigging point has been added, I plan to do a short animation for LoopDeLoop and enter it in the competition.

Clay Animations

Clay Animations are a stop motion studio in Valencia, Spain. They create children's TV series, adverts and video games using stop motion. 
They offer courses in model making, animation and cinematographers and many of the students end up working for the company. The course in model making is something I would be interested in and would be a great opportunity. 

I think their work is successful because they have a simple and recognisable style. The simple style appeals to children and their use of bright primary colours also helps.

Moving to Valencia sounds incredible, the studios are in a beautiful location and would be an amazing step for one day in the future but I am not ready to move there at this point in time and apply for a job at Clay. I will however, look into getting a studio visit and maybe some work experience if possible.

Loose Moose

Loose Moose are a company based in Soho, London, and are an independent production company. They have worked with many well known clients, including Unilever, Kellogg, BBC, Channel 4, Nickelodeon and Universal Studios. They produce films and TV shows, mostly using Stop Motion and puppets, but occasionally they also use live action and visual effects.
Barry Purves is one of the directors at Loose Moose.

Loose Moose are a very successful company and it would be amazing to work there. I have considered applying for there and could potentially email Barry Purves for feedback or advice. However, ideally I would not like to have to move to London as it's very expensive.

Factory Animation

Factory are a stop motion company based in Altrincham who make stop motion programs for CBBC and CBeebies and other things. They have made Strange Hill High, Scream Street and the remake of the Clangers. They work a lot with Mackinnon and Saunders who make most of their puppets and they make amazing stop motion animations.
I have been on a studio visit there and now have a contact there. I also volunteered at Leeds Young Film Festival with Paul Couvela who is an animator there so I have two ways in there. They aren't hiring at the moment but I have kept in touch with the guy who showed me around and he has given me some tips for getting into the industry and is keeping my information on file for when they are hiring. I will email him again in a couple of months to see if there is anything going then. 

I would really love to get a job at Factory and I will apply to every job available at Factory.

Aardman Animations

Aardman create both stop motion and cgi animations at their studio in Bristol, England. They are behind Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and Morph, among many many others and are one of the most well known stop motion companies in the UK. They work with a variety of materials but are best known for their plasticine puppets. They also work with resin, and silicon. 

Sara has given me the email address for the head of model making at Aardman so that I can email and see if he can sort me out a couple of weeks work experience, which I will be doing this week sometime. 

They are also currently hiring a puppet coordinator which I am considering applying for, although I wouldn't be able to move to Bristol for at least a year if I did get it.

Immortal Pictures

Immortal Pictures are a stop motion company based in Wales and are currently working on 'Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires'. They mainly work in TV series and commercials but Night of the Trampires is full length feature film. They make all their own puppets in house and are currently recruiting for this feature film and I have considered applying, but Wales is a bit too far for me at the moment because I have already paid and signed for a house for the next year and I am not ready to move to Wales. 

Animation Toolkit

Animation Toolkit is a company based near Manchester that makes and sells armatures and materials useful for stop motion animation. They also build puppets for companies and clients and have their own studios. 

I have reached out to Animation Toolkit about work experience or internships and got two replies from different people. 

I have decided that I will send them my CV and showreel for when they are hiring and send them a follow up email in a couple months to see if they are ready to take on new people by then. 

360 degree animation

Annabeth is planning on doing a 360 degree stop motion animation experiment over the summer which she has invited me to help out on. No one has done a 360 degree stop motion yet that we know of and the plan is to do it before anyone else to see if it works. It would be an amazing thing to put on my showreel and in my CV as it would show that I am experimenting with new software and branching out. 

Other companies, like blue zoo and Aardman have done 360 degree animations, although not in stop motion. The chance to do it before any of the big companies is an amazing opportunity. 

Laika Studios

Laika Studios is a Stop Motion Company based in Oregon, US. They create full length feature films in stop motion. They are behind 'Coraline', 'Paranorman' and 'Boxtrolls' and are currently working on 'Kubo and the Two Strings' which will be released later this year. 
Laika films are some of my favourite stop motion films and are some of my main influences when creating my own work. 
They used to work with Mackinnon and Saunders, having them create their puppets until they opened their own puppet making studios. They use 3D printing to create hundreds of facial expressions for each of their puppets. 
I have a contact at Laika, Mark Shapiro, who I have met a few times and offered once to show us around if we came to Oregon which I intend to take him up on one day. This would be an amazing way to make more contacts at the company and an opportunity to get feedback on my work.
They are one of the best stop motion film companies in the world and it would be incredible to work for them one day. 

Business Cards

I've made some business cards and had them printed off ready for the exhibition. I used a still from my final year animation on the front as I thought it would be useful to be able to see  an example of what I have done for people that might potentially want to hire me.

Online Portfolio

I have created an online portfolio on Portfoliobox.net and have uploaded a selection of photos of my puppets and some sets and shots of me animating. I will be able to give this link to industry people and put it on my CV for when I am applying to jobs.

Mackinnon and Saunders

Mackinnon and Saunders are a puppet making company and stop motion company that are based in Altringham. They started up after the end of Cosgrove Hall and have made puppets for both stop motion films and tv shows. Their armatures are usually made in house or by Animation Toolkit and are very intricate. They have worked on films such as Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie, and have created the puppets for hit CBBC show Scream Street. They also animate Postman Pat and other shows in house.
They don't often do internships or work experience, but they do apparently take part in the trainee finder scheme with creative skillset, which I think would be a good way to find my way into the company. 
To apply for a job here, I would need my CV complete with a list of all the materials I can work with, and a portfolio of my puppets that I have made, or a showreel of animations I have done, depending on whether I'd be applying for a model making job or as an animator.

I am a huge fan of the work done by Mackinnon and Saunders, and they are one of the main influences I have had that has made me want to make puppets and do stop motion. I will definitely be applying here in the future once my portfolio has expanded a bit.

Ben Greenwood

Grace has put me in contact with a friend of a friend who used to work at Aardman and Mackinnon and Saunders who is looking for an animation assistant for a few weeks to help on a stop motion. 

This would be a fantastic opportunity and would look amazing in my showreel so I hope I get it.
It's looking like I'll be starting on Wednesday so I won't have anything finished by the deadline, but I'm really looking forward to it.