A few years ago, I took on a job managing production at a studio. It was undergoing a full restructuring, but the financing plan had been agreed upon and broadcasters were locked down.
Everything was on track. Next up: handling production management.
The studio had just sold its first-ever CGI production, but all development had been done in 2D. Nevertheless, a toy dealer joined the deal and bought out the merchandising rights to the show’s main characters. It looked like it was going to be a huge success!
Scoping out the project
First things first, I started by doing due diligence. I read over the first scripts and got familiar with the contracts. The deals with the broadcasters and the toy manufacturer seemed pretty standard, but something was off with the draft contract for the animation studio. I decided to dig deeper.
The animation studio had never seen a script or synopsis, so you can imagine my surprise when they were able to provide a quote and delivery schedule based solely on the pitch. Since then, the storylines had evolved drastically and the number of main characters had increased. The biggest change, however, was that each episode was now set in a different location. The worrying thing was that none of these changes were reflected in the quote.
Next, I turned to the visual guidelines. The 2D characters were beautiful, with a distinct cuteness: big heads, small bodies, and tiny limbs. The sales materials were equally beautiful, all in pastel colors. Development had been done by a team of just two, and when I looked more closely, I realized that no modeling or animation tests had been conducted. Could the characters touch their faces? Could they bend over? What did they look like walking on those tiny legs?
I needed answers but had nowhere to go: those who had worked on the project had already left. As far as I could see, no time or budget had been dedicated to testing at this stage. “It must be planned for pre-production,” I concluded. I also assumed our animation contractor likely did not have access to the latest 2D designs either.
Time for action
I decided to go to the source and asked if I could join my producer on his next visit to the studio. Surprised, he turned to me and said no visit had been planned. I presented my doubts about whether this mid-sized studio had the capacity to take on our project at the quoted price, and he agreed to schedule a visit just a few days later.
At the animation studio
It began with lunch. I tried to air my concerns regarding the many changes that had been made since the first quote. I insisted we wanted to work with them to find a solution that would suit everyone: not overwhelming the team, not trimming margins, and sticking to a fixed budget. The production would be long. We needed to get off on the right foot.
Lunch ended, and we were given a tour of the studio. The building was old and large, with several small rooms. Each room could easily host 10 graphic designers, even 12 in the winter if they wanted to stay warm!
We saw the first room, then a second. Both were empty, not a soul in sight. Something was up with the hardware, too. Shockingly few graphics tablets were on the desks, and underneath, there were no computer towers, just disconnected screens and keyboards sitting on top.
I pointed this out to my producer. He’d also noticed that in these warm, south-facing rooms, there was no air conditioning. It was early spring, and even in our four-person office, it was already stuffy and warm. How did they cope here?!
From room to room, we continued our tour of their office. Mentally, I counted the number of artists the space could house. I casually asked if we could bring in more artists if needed.
They took us to see an annex room, this time without insulation or electricity. The space was in such a bad state that my producer had serious doubts about whether we’d be able to start production in two months.
“No worries,” the contractor told us. “A little plasterboard, some extension cords, and we’re good to go!”
We ended the visit in the “IT office.” In reality, it was a lone man in the basement, surrounded by 50 half-open and partially assembled computers from entirely different brands.
“At least we’ve solved the mystery of the missing computers,” I thought to myself.
How were they going to render all the footage with such a poorly equipped studio and outdated hardware? My concerns were growing, so I asked the question. The answer? Everything got rendered at night, apparently...
It was becoming increasingly clear that the studio was going to really struggle to support our production. At the end of the day, we sat down to discuss the quote and scheduling. Around the meeting table, the contractor was nothing but reassuring about all the changes. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a big whiteboard with their production timeline for the coming year. There was only one line on it: ours.
It became instantly evident that the studio was willing to do anything and everything to keep this deal, even if it meant undervaluing their work and putting their business in danger.
By mutual agreement, my producer and I decided immediately to start looking for another contractor for our animation production.
Takeaways
It is crucial to check several things before signing with an animation studio:
- Reputation: Are they reliable? Can they provide high-quality work?
- Current projects: Do they have the actual capacity to take on your project?
- Technology: Is the studio operational? Is it well-equipped? Are they already staffed?
Once you are sure that those conditions are met, send someone from your team out to the studio. A dedicated supervisor will act as the vital touchpoint between the studio and the director.
In the long run, this will save an enormous amount of time and result in fewer back-and-forth trips. The supervisor can quickly identify recurring problems and correct them on the spot. Generally, you’ll see a massive improvement in the overall level of production just by having an expert on-site to share animation advice.
Now that you've built the right framework for working with an animation studio, prepare to see an increase in productivity, and fingers crossed that you ship your movie on time!
