Character driven

Karactaz Animation has arrived in Sydney, after a few successful years on the ground in New Zealand. CREATIVE caught up with one of the newest animators in town to find out the motivation behind the Tasman cross.

Established as a traditional, independent animation studio in 2002, Karactaz Animation has built up a strong core of talent. Last year, the Kiwi-based animation studio established a new head office in Sydney to focus on the business and marketing side of the business.

Headed by managing director and SPAA member Greg Harman, the Sydney office facilitates the projects undertaken at its production studio in Wellington, and any new local business enquiries.

The studio’s production capacities stretch across all pre and post production, including short and long-form animation, illustration, concept art and motion graphics.

And its audio post production studio, according to Harman, boasts the most-powerful mastering control room in the Southern Hemisphere.

Karactaz began doing business on Australian turf back in 2008, when the studio was selected to design and produce the animation for an original television pilot created by MTV Networks Australia, titled The Chest Nuts, which rolled out across its pay TV, online and mobile phone services.

“The MTV job was the company's first foray into original property to come out of Australia, so that was exciting,” Karactaz’s founder and creative director Dylan Coburn says.

“It's very ambitious for MTV to create its own content and ideas. It was an excellent opportunity for us to show off plus MTV is rock ‘n’ roll and who doesn't want to be a rock star?"

Having worked with Karactaz over an extensive period to create the pilot, MTV Australia producer Dan Mansour was impressed with the team. "I can say without a doubt that their team is one of the most professional and competent I have ever worked with," Mansour says.

"Deadlines were always met, the quality of their work was exceptional, and any issues that arose were consistently dealt with in a positive, creative and cost effective manner."

Since then, Karactaz has produced animation for Sydney-based clients Ambience Entertainment and Resolution.

Its list of other client work includes projects for Panasonic, Nokia, Saatchi & Saatchi, Clemenger BBDO, and not to forget the Blackwood Communications Group, which commissioned Karactaz to bring to life its ‘Bakery of the Year’ campaign, with gingerbread men set to conqueror Mount Everest.

Karactaz Animation has won a gold and a silver at the Asia Image Apollo Awards, two silvers at the New York Festival Awards, and two Bronze Phoenix Awards for outstanding craft in animation.

In early 2009, Karactaz produced Superman: Red Son, a 60-minute animated motion comic for Warner Premiere in Los Angeles.

It was an ambitious project because Warner was looking to produce 25 episodes in the scope of a four-month production schedule, and on a challenging budget, explains Ralph Sanchez, production liaison at Warner Premiere Digital.

"To work on a project that was as creatively rewarding as this one, with a company that hit all of their milestones and delivered on budget and on schedule, is a gift in this business," Sanchez says.

"There is no question that Warner Premiere will find another project to work with Karactaz on, because we value them now as a key resource."

Supervising and completing all areas of production, the studio delivered 60 minutes of high-definition, digital cinema content with Dolby 5.1 audio, in only four months. The motion comic was released at Comic Con 2009, held in San Diego, to rave reviews from press and fans.

Coburn was also invited to sit in on panel of professional directors at Comic Con, answering questions from the audience of other animation pros and hard-core comic fans.

In the last quarter of 2009, Karactaz produced its first short film, Rocket, which in March this year had its premiere screening at the Byron Bay Film Festival. Both Coburn and Harman believe that it was well worth entering the film at one of Australia’s most recognised and locally supportive film festivals.

“We chose this festival to enter because we wanted to build up a presence in Australia and also love the chance to make character-driven animation films which showcase the power of the medium,” Coburn says.

karactaz.com