LOS ANGELES - In an effort to reflect changes in creative and technical direction, animation house Duck Soup Studios has changed its name to Duck (www.duckstudios.com). The facility was established 30 years ago by Roger Chouinard and the late Duane Crowther, and early on developed a strong reputation for its cel animation. It later set up an in-house CGI division.
Duck is now offering broadcast design services and has further broadened it list of offerings with the development and production of original content. The studio created the CG animated short "The Snowman," directed by its CGI division head Lane Nakamura. It was a finalist for nomination in the short-film category for the 2001 Academy Awards.
Duck is currently nurturing a number of in-house projects, including Nakamura's "Kozo," a CGI short about a sumo-wrestling hippo due for completion later this year. "Nightowl" is also in development. The project features a cel animated super hero spoof featuring an animated Adam West.