Futur et Médias Podcast: How Animation Studios Kept Production Level Healthy during the Lockdown
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It’s March 2020. While COVID-19 has totally shut down live-action production, animation studios manage to rapidly implement new ways of working that allow them to continue full production without missing a beat or a deadline.
Their high-speed adaptation wasn’t easy, but it was more than worth it. What many of these animation studios had going for them was an organizational culture already open to teleworking, the ability to make significant technological adjustments on the fly, a singular focus on the collaborative process, and an obsession with employee needs and working conditions.
In this episode of Futur et médias, Squeeze Studio Animation CEO and Co-Founder Denis Doré and Guru Studio Vice President of Technology Jean-François Charbonneau discuss the personnel and technological challenges they faced in the migration to teleworking for everyone in their animation studios, and the lessons they learned from the experience.
In this episode, you’ll learn about:
- How planning and a rapid migration to teleworking allowed Guru Studio to stay ahead of the COVID-19 wave (01:55)
- How existing connections between its Quebec City and Montreal locations gave Squeeze Studio a jump on getting everyone teleworking (06:34)
- The impact of teleworking on quality and studio productivity (12:35)
- How the studios see the future in a post-COVID-19 world (16:37)
> Download a translated transcript of the episode
Go deeper
- Visit the Guru and Squeeze studios websites to see what they’re up to;
- Guru’s director of animation has come up with a way of collaborating remotely with his team. Read all about it in The animated advantage: How Canadian cartoonists are staying home and staying busy;
- Read: Self-distributing and Accelerating Talents: the Ingredients Explaining the Success of Squeeze Studio;
- Read COVID-19: What’s Next for TV Production? to understand why when it comes COVID-19 security protocols, animation has the wind in its sails;
- Learn more about the important role animation plays in the production of Canadian content in the ‘Profile 2019’ report published by the Canadian Media Producers Association of Media Producers (CMPA) in collaboration with the Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM), the Department of Canadian Heritage, and Telefilm Canada;
- Read Hollywood North: Animation sector working hard during COVID-19 pandemic.
Credits
- 06:24 – 'True and the Rainbow Kingdom,' courtesy of Guru Studio
- 16:12 – 'Cracké,' courtesy of Squeeze Studio Animation
About Futur et médias
Futur et médias podcasts feature meetings with leading industry players to discuss major changes and emerging trends in the media and entertainment sector. The Futur et médias podcast series is presented by the Canada Media Fund and hosted by CMF director of industry and market trends Catherine Mathys. Season 2 of the series is produced in collaboration with Transistor Média.
