Renegade Animation is a Glendale, CA-based studio that produces cross platform digital animation, with a focus on smart, funny, original and occasionally remunerative animated content for all media, including film, television, advertising, direct to video, online and mobile. The studio develops and produces humorous and personality-based character animation, combined with a strong use of design, achieving a traditional look with non-traditional tools.
STRENGTHS: Renegade’s core strength is our foundation in traditional animation. We push technology on the back of strong, traditional training in innovative and productive ways. Another strength is the calm and measured approach we bring to every project, both those we create ourselves, and those we do for others. That is the secret to our success in consistently delivering exceptional results. It also makes us a place where gifted artists want to work.
WEAKNESSES: Independent animation studios like ours are often challenged to find the bandwidth, both financially and in terms of brain power, to develop and create original content. When you are busy with service work, original projects often take a back seat. We’ve recently addressed that weakness by tasking an individual to focus exclusively on developing our own intellectual property. That is already generating momentum. We expect it to pay dividends and to turn what has been a weakness into a strength.
Another weakness is the project nature of our business. It’s awesome when you have enough projects to keep things humming, but a single project can go away and tip the calculus. The solution is to manage financial resources wisely so that you can weather a change and to develop your own IP that generates its own revenue stream on a consistent basis.
OPPORTUNITIES: There are many opportunities for animation studios that do quality work. The industry has never been more robust in terms of service work and, with the arrival of Amazon, Netflix, Hulu and other new outlets, demand for content is at an all-time high. There has never been a better time for independent creators to have their ideas heard and brought to fruition. The appetite is there.
THREATS: Cyber security is a concern for everyone and one that we are very mindful of. We have a staff systems administrator who ensures that our security protocols are effective and up to date.
OUTLOOK: The animation industry is busier than ever. Demand for new content and new ideas will continue to grow in 2018. That’s good news for animation companies, because it means more work, but it will also pose a challenge, as it will bring more competition for talent. For independent companies like Renegade, the solution will be to continue to push technology so that we can be as efficient as possible while delivering creative, high-quality animation.
Ashley Postlewaite is an Executive Producer with Renegade Animation (renegadeanimation.com) in Glendale, CA.