Burch Unbuckled – part 2
Earlier this week, I posted the first half of my interview with Brendan Burch, one of the chiefs over at Six Point Harness Studios in Hollywood. Let’s dive back in and see what Brendan has to say about the Los Angeles talent pool, the future of 2D animation and ‘Vector Enhancers.’
AARON SIMPSON: Are you finding enough new talent in Los Angeles?
BRENDAN BURCH: We have been very lucky to have so many extremely talented people seek us out. There is a lot of talent in LA, but it is hard to find the right fit for Six Point. Our studio is one of the scrappiest in town. We run a tight ship and pride ourselves on our efficiency. Our strategy has turned to creating the talent we need on more neutral terms; we plan to begin training people at our studio in the most basic methods and find talent through the classes.
AS: What skills do you look for when you’re interviewing for new talent?
BB: We seek a mix of well-rounded artistic talent, strong computer skills, and people who are not intimidated by hard work. As trite as it may sound, we will always seek strong team players.
AS: Six Point Harness has recently started hosting life drawing classes at your studio. How’s this going?
BB: It is going very well. One of our star animators, Jaime Velasquez, has done a great job organizing the class. We consistently have 7-10 people on the floor drawing and painting on Wednesday nights. It brings a HUGE smile to my face when I see the crew taking the initiative to sharpen their traditional chops. I also have to confess I haven’t been to one class yet…. (email Jaime if you are interested at jaime@sixpointharness.com)
AS: Ten years from now, how much 2D TV animation do you see the US market supporting?
BB: It seems that the support of 2D will remain as consistent as it is now, or steadily get better. There are so many more outlets popping up that allow audiences to view entertainment in more ways. North America seems to be quickly climbing into the mobile entertainment scene, finally catching up with Asia and most of Europe. Technology will improve, and more people will be watching. One thing that has remained consistent since Gerty the Dinosaur is that people love cartoons and they love to laugh.
AS: How does today’s Flash-based character animation compare to the original ‘limited animation’ projects like ‘Crusader Rabbit,’ ‘Ruff and Ready,’ and ‘The Flintstones.’
BB: For decades, an economy-of-parts production method has been a strong option for animation teams with small production budgets. Flash offers many tools that the Hanna Barbera team would have loved to have in the days of early ‘Flintstones’. That being said, just because you are working in Flash does not mean that you have to use a limited set of parts.
AS: Cartoon Network’s ‘Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends‘ produces a great deal of their episodes domestically. Is US-based TV animation a trend you see continuing?
BB: I see it continuing if the quality of animation continues to remain a priority of the Networks. (notice I capitalized ‘Networks’ – respect) The coolest thing about ‘Fosters,’ and I don’t think this is mentioned enough, is that the creator, Craig McCracken, was able to retain significant creative control over his show by having the team in the same building. Those luxuries have not been afforded to many creators in a long time. The quality of the animation on the show is astounding considering the demands made on a team that was destined by many to go over budget.
There’s no denying that high-bar Flash production costs more than a lot of executives are comfortable spending, but the payoff is unmatched across the industry. The headaches of shipping a show overseas and receiving crap when it comes back can be eliminated. Flash is also a tool that proves its worth over time. As soon as assets are created and logged into a library, they can be used for years and years, reducing the force of animators needed over time.
Another factor that’s hampering this trend is the animation union. In my opinion, the union needs to modernize itself to meet the needs of a rapidly changing industry. Up until a year ago, Flash animators were being called “Vector Enhancers” by their very own union. They still seem to struggle with the change that’s happening. I know for a fact that many major studios are having a difficult time staffing their Flash productions with high end talent. I see no good reason for there to be more jobs than talented people to fill them. The strongholds of animation education (Cal Arts) and the union need to get with the times and figure out a constructive way of fulfilling these needs (and I’d be happy to help).
AS: Why do you think so many Flash animation companies collapsed after the Internet bubble burst?
BB: It’s unfortunate that so many rose and fell. In my opinion the basic reason many dotcoms failed was they did not sell the content they developed. With no cash other than initial investments, it was only a matter of time before they would falter.
AS: What animation DVDs have you recently purchased?
BB: Ren & Stimpy, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Wacky Races.
AS: Thanks, Brendan. Best of luck in 2005!
BB: Thanks for the opportunity for this interview, and for your continued fight for digital animation. Your efforts, this site and your dedication to the cause are appreciated by more circles than you might think. Thanks again and long live Cold Hard.
