Our industry is changing, but the change is actually good. Audiences have begun looking to on-demand content, versus traditional forms of broadcast. This new trend has put a strain on larger networks, as they scramble to keep up with the changes. But it has also given way to smaller, more independent productions so that they can thrive. These productions don’t have to abide by the same rules, and they are more free to be expressive, and different, without the usual corporate constraints.
The budgets are not the same, we may no longer be able to score those big TV production projects from a few years ago, but we can take on smaller jobs that scratch our creative itch in more meaningful ways. As artists, what we’re looking for is growth in our work. Because of the changes in the industry, we are now able to develop new techniques, and dabble into other forms of expression, which in turn informs our traditional broadcast design techniques. For example, we’ve taken on some amazing new projects that require both 3D and traditional animation, and total freedom to just have fun. We have since begun to inject the same sense of freedom and fun into our more corporate work.
We believe that our new, connected economy makes it possible to live and work from anywhere in the world. With today’s cloud computing — and powerful desktop machines — studio equipment and operational costs are much more manageable. With connectivity, we’re able to tap into talent around the world, to share projects, and collaborate seamlessly. We are taking advantage of the changes in our industry to explore exciting new types of creative output. Installations, large format displays and stage graphics were projects that were not as accessible in the past as they are today, because the technology just wasn’t there. Currently, various types of large displays have become ubiquitous, giving us many new and exciting creative opportunities.
We chose to open a new studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico, because of the robust creative community that thrives here. The state of New Mexico offers great production incentives, which has led to dozens of television shows and films being produced locally. We saw a need for post production in New Mexico’s television and film industry, and naturally thought we could fit the niche. We relocated to Santa Fe because we were looking for a new perspective, to find different influences, to gain new inputs, and to break from the sometimes-repetitive trends that are so prevalent in our industry.
Cynthia Beauclair is a Co-Founder and Creative Director at Little Big Bang Studios (littlebigbangstudios.com), which has locations in both Santa Fe, NM, and Miami, FL.