CAN: Cincinnati Animation Network

Check out Rafael Rosado's talk Monday, March 20th at 6:30 at Otto M. Budig Theater at NKU! This is a great chance to see how someone has managed to have a successful career in animation while living in Ohio. It's in the University Center, highlighted here  He is an amazing illustrator and animator. He has storyboarded shows as diverse as Scooby Doo, Transformers, The Batman, Looney Tunes, Curious George and many others. He also illustrates graphic novels!

The first stop on my journey to find animation employers in Cincinnati is Epipheo, which is possibly Cincinnati’s largest employer of animators. Epipheo has a simple goal- to give people epiphanies with their content, hence the name.   They do this through writing and producing both live action and animated commercials and explainer videos for a wide variety of clients. A cool space awaits Nestled in Longworth Hall, Epipheo has a space filled with staff creatives that feels very similar to a cabin in the woods… minus the cozy fur-covered couch needed for napping. However, the whiskey and moonshine were present. This is how they work: they get the assignment from a client, and their storytelling teams find the epiphany and write up the script. For the animated videos they then either assign the script to an animator to complete from start to finish, or they put together a team of creatives who are each skilled at one aspect of...

lllustration by Julia Rothman Cincinnati can be a daunting place for animators.   It’s a city known for branding and advertising, weird chili and sports, but where do animators fit into that? With animation degree programs at so many schools and colleges in and around this city I thought it would be a good idea for the sake of all of us to start doing profiles of local companies that work with animators so our members and people who are shaping the educational landscape here can know what the professional field is like as they are considering a career in animation, or considering opening another animation program. The scene here is different from either the West or East coast.   The industry here as I mentioned before is based upon advertising.   On the coasts, or other larger cities in-between, the industry is fueled by advertising and also television, feature and game production. So there are a greater variety and number of employers in some other cities ...

***Important-directions to the room we're in!  When you get to Essex Studios, and you're standing in front of the genie in the parking lot- turn right and walk to the wooden steps. Climb them, and enter the building at the door at the top of the steps. Once inside, walk straight back until you reach the back wall, then turn right and walk straight. Studio 268 will be on the left side!  See you tonight!***** We are having a meetup! Important facts: 1) Bring your portfolios for review and your questions for answering. 2) Win Stuff + get free stuff 3) Bring your art supplies that need to be re-homed This is taking place at Essex Studios, Studio #268 (thank you to David Harz, it's his space) at 7:00 pm on Thursday Jan 28th aka in a couple of days. 2511 Essex Pl, Cincinnati, OH 45206 The door to Essex is kept locked but we will be there to let people in at 7:00pm,. If you RSVP I will look out for you. If you're going to be late or if you arrive late you can also t...

Hey guys- as everyone is freaking out about the holidays and getting gifts together for family and friends I am taking a moment to think about goals for the new year- mine usually involve learning more, getting business stuff done that I need to do, Getting cooler jobs, trying to buy equipment that would make my life easier, and trying to do things to keep my life enriched because that stuff feeds the creativity. So for a moment screw others lets think about ourselves as artists shall we <3 Ok, or be a better person and also consider your friends for these too :P Groupon contacted me because they exist for people like us, so I went looking to see what they have that would be useful for animators. And omg I found about a thousand things from art supplies to cheap tickets to art museums to affordable website building (and coupons for toys, ahem- I mean collectibles). I narrowed it down a lot, it's easy to get sucked into their site. Here's what I found Resolution1: I...

Earlier this year Bill Plympton's indie feature "Cheatin" played in Columbus followed by a Q+A by Bill Plympton. Well, the good news is that this event is happening again in Cincinnati this Thursday evening 8/6/15 in case you couldn't make it to the Columbus one! The feature will be followed by a Skype Q+A with Bill Plympton as well. This is a great opportunity to not only see a different type of feature but also to ask questions of a man who has produced multiple features on his own and has had a lot of really big clients too. He's basically the ultimate freelancer, which is why he's called the King of Independent Animation.  Can you make it? Cheatin' Still- Bill Plympton We could also meet up after for a drink! Here are details: Esquire Theatre, Cincinnati 7:30pm tix: $9.75 Student tix: $7.50 http://www.esquiretheatre.com/ events.asp#cheat Email me at cincycan@gmail.com with any questions :)

Guys! Motion Meetup with Animators and Motion Artists in Cincinnati is this Thursday 5/14/15 at 6pm! Come and meet people and network! Find out where they work and what they know! Debate the superior cartoons of the day! Halfcut 1126 Walnut St, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 381-1952

Join us  April 27th at the Gateway Film Center in Columbus  for an evening with the King of Indie Animation -- the only person to hand draw an entire animated feature film--  Bill Plympton. Schedule of Events: 7 p.m. Screening of Cheatin', his latest feature 8:30 p.m. Q & A with Bill Plympton in the theater Buy tickets online:  http://gatewayfilmcenter.com/bill-plympton-visits-gfc/ Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he graduated from Portland State University in Graphic Design. Bill Plympton moved to New York City in 1968. He began his career creating cartoons for publications such as New York Times, National Lampoon, Playboy and Screw. In 1987 he was nominated for an Oscar® for his animated short “Your Face”. In 2005, Bill received another Oscar® nomination, this time for a short film “Guard Dog”. “Push Comes to Shove” another short film, won the prestigious Cannes 1991 Palme d’Or. After producing many short...

He's probably trying to sell her an explainer video. Business Proposals and Marriage Proposals have similarities. They are both an offer that will hopefully lead to a leap of faith in the form of a "yes" on the proposee's part. The proposer puts thought into the presentation and tries to emphasize the positive in order to influence a "yes."   When saying yes to a marriage proposal, the target is trusting that you will be awesome to be married to and that you will not waste the life you are requesting. And in a project proposal, the target is trusting that you will be awesome at completing the project you are proposing and that you will not waste the money you're requesting.  Before any money changes hands or work starts there needs to be a proposal at least. The proposal is like a contract, only it's more informal. I tend to use proposals, but if I were dealing with larger projects where my risk is greater I would use a contract. Contrac...

So last night a bunch of animation folks squeezed into Flaming Medusa Studios to talk about art business stuff for 2 hours. I shall attempt to recap what was said for those who couldn't make it.  I expect after this is done it will be a pretty handy post for anyone who is starting freelancing. David Hartz (animator, fire sculptor, and professor of animation at UC Blue Ash) was also awesome enough to come and he was very helpful with providing his insight as well. And we begin. I have been hanging out with lawyers a little so let me also say that I am not a CPA or MBA or Lawyer so this is just based on my experience, but I'm no expert. I'm just telling you what I do. 1) INVOICES Invoices are important. If you are working as a freelancer or independent contractor (same thing) on a project you must give the client an invoice in order to get paid.  You don't get automatic paychecks if you're a freelancer like you would as an employee. I have had artists no...

Make money, not starvation! The idea of this meeting is to go over some basic business stuff like how to start a business, why to start a business, what it means to start a business, basic business terms, payment and invoicing, and how to apply business principles to your art. And also what some basic business principles are, because no one bothers to teach us these things in school:) March 28th at 7pm. at  Flaming Medusa Studios 3047 Madison Rd Suite 206A Cincinnati, Oh 45209 email Darcy at   cincycan@gmail.com   to rsvp! I need to be sure I have enough chairs set up....

Image from http://www.moleskine.com/ Hi guys!  We had pretty good attendance for the portfolio review session, we were lucky enough to have pro illustrator Christina Wald and Pro Animator Allison Craig as well as myself there so I think everyone got a good chunk of time to discuss what they were going after with someone.  I wanted to include this on the blog for those who weren't able to attend. Art life - It's normal to have a job outside of art before you get your foot in the door.  We all do it. DOn't let bozos make you feel bad about it, they're not trying to do something as competitive as you are. Your life will take a different path than other people's lives, that's normal.  We're different than civilians, we're artists- this comes with the territory. Getting in is hard, but once you're able to get in then getting more work is easier. And those same people will think you're glamorous and will be somewhat jealous! - Your competit...