Timbuktoons Studio

Timbuktoons won bronze at the 33rd Annual Telly Awards for work on a series of "how-to" webisodes.

The Telly Awards has named Timbuktoons as a Bronze winner in the 33rd Annual Telly Awards for their piece titled Superhero “How-To” Webisodes.

With nearly 11,000 entries from all 50 states and numerous countries, this is truly an honor.

Timbuktoons helped develop a series concept of fun animated “how-to” videos to help encourage, inspire and train officials on new reporting procedures for helping former military in their educational endeavors.

Timbuktoons worked on the concept and visual development, scripts, art direction, character design, and final animation.

The Telly Awards was founded in 1979 and is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films.

Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world.

A prestigious judging panel of over 500 accomplished industry professionals, each a past winner of a Silver Telly and a member of The Silver Telly Council, judged the competition, upholding the historical standard of excellence that Telly represents.

“The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,” said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards.  “Timbuktoons’ accomplishment illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.”

“We’re excited that our hard work was recognized as award worthy by industry pros among such an amazing group of creatives who entered this year,” said Todd Hampson, Chief Artistic Officer of Timbuktoons.

“It encourages us to keep doing what we do with excellence and it validates our clients’ efforts,” said Sean Copley, Creative Director.

For more information about this and other animation and illustration projects Timbuktoons has worked on, visit www.timbuktoons.com.

About Timbuktoons
Timbuktoons is a leading pre-production and 2D animation cloud based studio with customers all over the world. Founded in 2003 by animator and illustrator Todd Hampson, they specialize in creating family-friendly media for the broadcast, education and gaming industries.

Client, Project: Graebel, art direction, multiple character design, ink and paint

Description: Graebel is the leader in relocation and moving services worldwide. When a major client asked Graebel to storyboard the best possible moving service, Timbuktoons was chosen to develop a series of presentation panels to illustrate the Graebel high-touch customer service that’s matched with its cutting edge technology.

We approached the quick-turnaround (weekend) project the same way we handle storyboards for animation or production boards for film. The Graebel team wrote the script and Timbuktoons illustrated the character design and backgrounds for each panel. The panels were then printed in large format by Graebel and were met with ‘applause’ following the team’s successful presentation.

Client, Project: Orbie for Orphans, concept and script development, visual development, art direction, character design, frame by frame and limited animation, post production, sound design (software used: Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Flash, Harmony)

Description: Orbie for Orphans contacted Timbuktoons to create a promotional video to explain their main initiative, Project 99, and motivate donors to give. Project 99 is an animated curriculum in development that is designed with the specific and unique needs of orphans worldwide. Timbuktoons worked with Orbie for Orphans on writing the script and setting the art direction that will also be used in segments of the curriculum (in addition to frame by frame animation created with Harmony).

Client, Project: Saddleback, concept development, visual development, art direction, character design, frame by frame and limited animation, post production

Description: Saddleback’s thriving work with preschoolers includes a turtle puppet character as part of their castle themed environment. They contacted Timbuktoons to create an animated version of the turtle and an intro sequence to kick-off events. We also created a graphics package including loops and background stills for use with green screen filming.

Talking about animation can be hard sometimes.

Although this is a fictional account, it’s based on actual conversations we’ve had with clients, friends and family. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Timbuktoons:
Thanks for choosing us for your animation needs. We’re excited about starting your project!

Client:
Thanks! So, is this going to be like Toy Story?

Timbuktoons:
Not quite. That’s 3D, and we’re primarily a 2D animation studio.

Client:
Oh…so you can’t make stuff fly out at you? Cuz I really like that! I brought my glasses.

Timbuktoons:
I mean 3D animation versus 2D animation, you’re talking about Stereoscopic 3D.

Client:
3D stereo? Isn’t that called surround sound?

Timbuktoons:
No. Let me explain it this way. Toy Story is CG, as in computer generated. Anything that flies out at you is Stereoscopic 3D…where you wear 3D glasses to see it.

Client:
You mean your animation isn’t computer generated?

Timbuktoons:
Yes, it is. Let me try and explain it again, 3D animation is like moving sculptures and 2D animation is like moving drawings.

Client:
I want a cartoon, not sculptures and drawings.

Timbuktoons:
Ok, nevermind, I understand. You’re cartoon will be either hand-drawn…on the computer, or it’s stylized 2D graphics moving around on screen. Sometimes we’ll do 2D animation composited with a 3D camera. It’s known as 2.5D.

Client:
Ok, so you draw on your computer and think you can split dimensions. Sounds like a personal problem to me. I’m starting to wonder if part of my budget needs to go to your psychiatrist.

Timbuktoons:
Listen. You will like what we produce for you. It will make your wildest dreams come true. People will flock to see it.

Client:
Oh. So, it will be like Toy Story then. That’s exactly what I’ve been saying I want. Why are you confusing me with all that parallel dimension, stereo, and drawing on your hardware talk? I’m not into that string theory stuff.

Timbuktoons:
Sorry. Let’s get started then.

Client:
Great!

YouTube version also available here.

Timbuktoons is an award winning pre-production and 2D animation cloud based studio with customers all over the world. We have produced over 60 hours of original creative content and specialize in creating family-friendly media for the broadcast, education and gaming industries.

Thanks for a great year of fun projects!

Timbuktoons was recently featured on Buzz on Biz, a media outlet that provides “topical information, trends, and resources for budding and current entrepreneurs” in the CSRA. Today’s Buzz: Local Design and Animation Firm Wins National Award