All Good Things...
Well, here we are.After 13 years in the business, Collideascope Animation Studios will no longer exist as of October 1st. Through some unforeseen circumstances, we are forced to close our doors. I'd like to say we had a good run; with over 90 hours of footage produced over the last 8 years (with over half of that being our own original properties) we've made lots of cartoons over the years, and I for one, am proud of the many things we've accomplished.
A combination of many different factors have lead the owners of the company to this decision, but in the end we simply could not stay open any longer. With the state of the industry and the position that Canadian broadcasters are taking nowadays, it's gotten much tougher to produce new shows lately. You can see M-A's closing speech here for more details.
I'd like to personally thank all the people I've had the pleasure to work with these past few years at Collideascope. I've enjoyed meeting and collaborating with hundreds of artists on lots of incredibly cool projects. The challenges of pushing ourselves and our tools to their limits while inflating the company to over 120 people as we juggled 3 projects at once was exhausting and highly rewarding at the same time.
I'm eternally grateful for all the hard work everyone's done with me (and for me) over the years. We produced and developed some very enjoyable and creative shows, we've had some great laughs and some unforgettable moments along the way. I don't know what the future holds for me, but I know for certain that all the immensely talented artists and employees at Collideascope will have no problem expanding their skill sets to other projects and studios.
I'll keep this blog alive for a couple more months. I'll create a new home for all the surprisingly popular Flash FX tutorials, and I'll link them off of Flooby once I've made a new blog to host them all (plus more new ones).
When I first arrived here, nearly 9 years ago, I would have never dreamed that I was going to participate in making so many cartoons with so many amazing people, so I must thank Sean, and Curtis for giving me the opportunity to start here, and a big thanks to Steve and M-A for giving me the freedom in managing the studio the way I did these past 7 years.
See this Eulogy.
I've had an amazing experience and an incredibly fun time working at Collideascope. The most kind and generous people I've ever met have been at this studio, and I thank you all for the fantastic time you've given me.
-Ron
posted by Ron at 12:12 PM
33 Comments:
As your main competitor in the region I'm sure you'd expect me to celebrate.But this certainly isn't good news for Atlantic Canada. Or the Animation Industry in Canada.
Collideascope was and will be remembered as an animation powerhouse.
I'm sure where one studio goes down, more will spout up. But we'll remember that it was Collideascope who was first to pave the way and inspired others to open up their own animation studios.
So thanks to you M-A, Steve and all folks at Collideascope.
Sincerely,
Gene.
i enjoyed working with the collideascope people and the studios atmosphere was truly encouraging and inspirational. it is to bad something so great had to be gone so soon.
Hey man.
Really sorry to hear the news. This business can be hard at the best of times and you guys have consistently stood out as a quality studio.
Good luck with whatever you decide to tackle next.
Best of luck to the crew that made up Collideascope and to you M-A, and Ron.
All the best.
I am bummed Ron. I've got good memories of the crew and the place. always figured it would be around and that I'd gravitate back someday. sad news.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! *cries*
I was completely mind blown when I seen this. Going to school at NSCC everyone thought of Collideascope as that big busy place where you'd wanna end up workin' some day. Never believed you'd end up closing down. Theres definately some quality work being pumped out of that place. Definately sad to see it go because of the shape of the industry. Especially since I haven't had the chance to even work there yet. From my experiences from the couple of visits to the studio, it definately seemed to be the most fun filled work environment I've ever seen. Definately like the wall murals done with the sharpies too. Just completely shocked that his is gonna happen.
This is depressing news indeed. Throughout my time in the Digital Animation course at the NSCC I've admired Collideascope and hoped that one day maybe I'd be lucky enough to work in such a fun environment. You guys have pumped out some quality animation and showed us what flash is capable of. Hopefully more people will follow in your footsteps and new studios will pop up. Preferrably in Nova Scotia!
best years of my life.... seriously ... it was all about the people... like an elephant, i'll never forget.
smac
Omg !! I can't belive it !
So that say, no more episodes of Johnny Test, etc ? aswer me : rock.jay@hotmail.com
I will tell to you, you have do a great work with Johnny Test and Delilah and Julius. That was my 2 favorite TV Shows.
NOOOO:'(
I was always hoping to work there again some day.
Me, along with several others ended up leaving for what we hoped were bigger and better things, but the other studios out west are just factories.
Little did we know that Collideascope was one of the good ones, it WAS the bigger and better thing, but we didn't know it. We worked for other companies, but we were always comparing it to Collideascope, and found ourselves missing the wonderful environment that you had created there.
You did a great job managing that place Ron, it's too bad your bosses have the urge to do other things, you'll do great, and I'll make cartoons for you anytime!
I'll miss being there, I've worked for a few other directors, but no other place I had worked in made me feel as appreciated as that place.
It very much was a collaborative effort and the well-oiled machine that was Collideascope made you work hard but you felt honored to be there, and the directors and supervisors inspired you to push your skills even further, I learned sooo much when I was there.
I'll work with you anytime Ron, you were demanding, but fair, and you never gave up on me, I'm glad you kept pushing me to work harder, and I got so much better for it. Though I didn't see it at the time you made me into the successful animator that I am, you got a lot of us our first start in the industry, and you were incredibly patient during our learning curves.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you and the wonderful place you had created for us. Anytime you need some work done, buddy, I'll be there for ya.
-J
I'll miss that place, I had always hoped to get back there, you're work ethic was incredible, I have yet to meet anyone that pulls in the hours that you do, I don't know where you found the motivation and energy but it inspired me every week I was there.
It's very sad, I think many considered Collideascope the central core of animation in Eastern Canada, and despite the fact some may have seen it as 'too corporate', the truth is that it was managed by animators and artists and it grew to be an amazing family.
You rescued many of us from other dying studios, or other companies that were treating artists horribly and you gave us a home, and I thank you for that.
-T
Wow, this IS heart breaking.
It was a very comfortable place to grow your skills and to meet other animators, despite the fact that it grew to about 150 people when I was there I never felt left out, I know some people at the B studio complained about being treated differently that was mostly self-defeating attitudes.
I worked at the C studio and the A studio, granted working under different supervisors and managers on different floors made the atmosphere different everytime, but there was no complaints from me, I enjoyed every minute of it.
I'm glad I worked there, and eternally grateful for the patience you showed me. You guys are pioneers! No one was using Flash as straight digital paper like you guys always have!!! And people still don't! It's only catching on now 10 years later with the arrival of Cintiqs! You were ahead of your time!
- CM
You'll finally get a rest Ron, it's been too many years since you took a single week off. You're still the hardest working guy I know, you deserve a break, I hope you take one - don't stress... you're an amazing commander and supervisor, you'll do great!!!
- DB
It's so sad to see this place go.
You created an amazing working environment and you were the most organized studio I had ever worked in, hold your head up high, you treated your artists and crew with respect and you always paid us well and consistently. Ron, I thank you for your hard work and dedication.
- Matthew
WHere's our candys store going to go now?! sad...
very disappointed to hear the news. coolest environment and best crew i ever worked with. i've moved on to a new profession since the ollie days, but it will be hard for any workplace to top the atmosphere and ethic that was established by ron, curtis, james and breandan. where one door closes, another window opens.
josh n
Lots of kind words here, sad to hear we are losing another animation shop. I never worked with Collideascope directly, but have always heard great things.
To any of the artists, I'm looking to take on about 5 flash animators. Feel free to give me a shout: mikeofottawa@sympatico.ca
Thanks, and good luck to everyone.
Mike Valiquette
Collideascope was my first job in the animation industry that I ever had. You've gotta love that first time.
Earlier, Gene said something about how when one studio shuts down others will pop up. It may also be true that when one studio shuts down many others will too. That's the dark side of the equation of course. I really hope THAT doesn't happen. With the Conservative government currently slashing funds to more arts every single day, we need aniamtion studios now more than ever. I hope everyone affected by this shutdown bounce back on their feet as soon as possible.
wow, that's really sad news. I moved here a year ago looking for animation work, it's really mind-blowing that the biggest studio in town now no longer exists. best luck for the future, guys.
Holy Crap! This is very sad and unfortunate!
You guys pioneered MUCH of the ways Flash are used by countless studios today.
Using 3D plugins like Vector3D long before anyone else thought of building and compositing 3D vehicles in Flash and simply drawing everything frame by frame with tablets, making sure traditionally-trained animator could transfer their skills easily to a digital/classical animation system.
You guys used Flash like no one else and the quality and unique look of your work was amazing.
I remember when old school veterans would visit the studio 7 years ago and couldn't believe what you guys were doing was made in Flash.
Hahahha and the time that Toonboom representative visited a few years ago to pitch their newest software, he was shaking his head for two days, he couldn't believe what you guys were doing with just Flash all the crazy FX and compositing and fluid cartoony animation. He was completely dumb-founded.
I feel blessed and privileged that I worked their, thanks a lot for all the fond memories.
I'll definitly miss this place. It's been a blast for the last 4 years. Big thank yous to everyone who gave it their all, all these years. It's been a wonderful experience working with all of you.
~Wil~
AWWWWWW
Ron u were great
all the best
It's too bad... ron you made that place amazing, you treated everyone fairly and got a lot of us our first chance in the industry, you would spoil us with great work and great pay. I say "spoil" because I have yet to work in a better place.
This is absolutely awful..
I've just heard the news, and this IS very sad. As bad as the industry can get at times, talented people can always find work, and there were MANY talented people at collideascope. Studios come and go and it's difficult for some to adapt quickly enough to the changing times and the industry HAS changed dramatically in the past 12 months.
Collideascope is not alone, with Story City and many others that have fallen this year due to ignorant broadcasters and distributers pulling back funding... it's no wonder so many casualties have surfaced.
You were a great studio, you will be missed.
It was an amazing studio, with great directors and supervisors and lots of fun, the puppet shows were especially entertaining. You're a great leader, Ron, you will have no trouble finding work, take it easy though, this is probably your first vacation in years.
You folks did some super stuff. I'm reading all the comments on both blogs and they are a real tribute to the hard work to the key players and all the teams throughout the 13 years.
I salute you for building a top-notch studio. I salute you for producing content...in Canada.
All the best,
Lee Williams
Boomstone Entertainment Inc, Ottawa
"Johnny Test" has received top honors from the prestigious Alliance for Children and Television, winning the grand prize for best program at the alliance's 2009 awards of excellence, held last night in Toronto.
Congratulations to everyone involved in making this show a great success!
Reading these kind of posts reminds me of just how technology truly is ever-permeating in this day and age, and I am fairly confident when I say that we have passed the point of no return in our relationship with technology.
I don't mean this in a bad way, of course! Ethical concerns aside... I just hope that as the price of memory drops, the possibility of downloading our memories onto a digital medium becomes a true reality. It's a fantasy that I dream about every once in a while.
(Posted on Nintendo DS running [url=http://www.leetboss.com/video-games/r4i-r4-sdhc-nintendo-ds]R4i SDHC[/url] DS BlogServ)
very great images.nice work you do, it is very helpful for me..
wow ! what a great tips and very good image thanks for sharing with us
Post a Comment
<< Home