Get out of my own way

Many years ago I was told to get out of my own way because my indecision on some growth opportunities were slowing business. So today we added Mark Samber, a longtime business associate who started and ran a very similar company in the late 90s. Mark will stick to business and growing our very good partnership basis and allow me to concentrate on the Creative part of the company.

I have often been told that I did my career backwords. This is the way most people do it

1. Intern
2. Work for a big firm
3. Freelance
4. Start your own firm
5. Consult for other firms

Well I went from Interning to Freelancing to Starting my own firm. Skipping the working at a big name place wasnt in the cards for me because I didnt want to leave New Hampshire where I had a great family base to help with my kids. I have noticed that people who have even spent a year as VP of Animation Development at XYZ studio get their projects funded a bit easier than I have.

How Did I start

I am an eager self starter that started working professionally in my 2nd year of college. I had 2 kids by the time I graduated and didnt want to leave New England for Tinseltown or Gotham. So I started freelancing as an cameraman, editor and eventually an animator. after a few long projects for series on PBS and Discovery Channel I took a job as the head of CGI at a stop motion animation studio named Wreckless Abandon. 2 years in to the company they had to lay off everyone while they were waiting on the next big gig so I went into my garage and started what became Hatchling Studios.

Hatchling is now 25 people strong and the largest animation studio in the state (ok so its a small state). in 2006 we released our animated CGI short "http://www.thetollmovie.com/" which has now won 12 awards. We have also created a web series starring Billy West http://www.endurancechallenge.com/, which has been invited to over 10 film fests and won 2 best of awards. Now we sit working on our day to day commercial gigs as we keep developing more animation and live action ideas, and we work and wait untill one sells.

Starting the studio and why do the blog

I have been asked many times how did I start my animation studio and a few times I have been asked to articles and even a book about my experience. I have never been able to spend enough time concentrating on one thing to get more than a small 2 page article completed.

I am no John Lasseter (though I would love to be) But I did start an animation studio 3000 miles from LA and I hopefully have some wisdom and insite as to how you too can create something outside the norm in the area you want to live in.
So I start this blog at my companies current state, and I will work my way back to the beginning. trying to post backdating the info.


I hope it educates and entertains you.



Thanks

Marc