What’s the most relevant business and/or creative lesson you learned in 2020 and how will you apply it to 2021?
I think most of all, because of the circumstances, we really had to open our eyes to what is most important to us as a collective group of artists and producers. We were surprised at how smooth a transition we were able to make to working remotely. It was a real test of the culture we have built. In order to withstand the lack of proximity, we had to really concentrate on the art of communication between ourselves, as well as, with our clients. We were able to really peel back the onion so to speak and see just how strong our relationships had become both on a personal and a professional level. In the end our business is about taking care of the people we collaborate with.
How will the events of 2020–from the pandemic to the call for social and racial justice–impact the content you create and/or the way you work?
That’s a really good question. For us, when the pandemic started, we talked as a group about showing empathy for others. Work was important but we didn’t want to be tone deaf. We realized that treating people with respect and humanity was most important. We quickly realized how much people had going on away from the office. There were sick relatives to consider, child care and all the stress and anxiety from the circumstances that had a really big effect on how people were able to approach their work. Going forward we hope that empathy, patience and understanding continue to take priority in the way we do business.
Gazing into your crystal ball, what do you envision for the industry–creatively speaking or from a business standpoint–in 2021?
I think the key to thriving in 2021 and beyond is finding new ways to handle more with less. The days of overpriced client lunches and dinners, unnecessary travel and lavish client sessions are a thing of the past. The budgets and schedules have been more challenging for years now but there was no correction in the expectations of the quality or amount of work being produced. Having gone through these last several months and scaling back, I think people realize that all of those things aren’t necessary to do great work or have a great experience. Hopefully that money saved can go back into what’s important which is the creative and the productions.
What are your goals, creatively speaking and/or from a business standpoint, for your company, division, studio or network in 2021?
It was our first full year as a company in 2020 and considering the environment, we’re very proud of where we are today. We fostered some new relationships, made some really great work and formed some amazing creative partnerships all over the world. I think in 2021 our main focus will be on continuing to perfect our pipeline and technical infrastructure which is always evolving. We also developed great partnerships with stellar creative shops overseas like Juice in Poland. We look forward to continuing the successful collaboration going forward. Lastly we have been integrating Virtual Production and Unreal Engine into some recent projects and that has us really excited because of the creative flexibility and efficiency it provides.
Tell us about one current project you are working on for early 2021.
We had a really busy end of year on multiple projects. Some of which are carrying over and some new ones starting up. Currently we are working on spots for Michelob, Subway, AIG, Best Buy and PayPal to name a few. It’s a nice mix between hard core VFX, CG animation and motion graphics. The Subway project is through Dentsu/mcgarrybowen. In one of the spots we used Unreal Engine and Motion Capture technology on set to create and bing to life a video game version of Marshawn Lynch. We’re video game geeks so that was a fun one!
How did your company, agency, network, service or studio adjust/adapt to the marketplace in 2020 (new strategies, resources, technology, health/safety expertise) and what of all that bodes well for 2021?
We actually built our business on utilizing remote technology. Working and rendering in the cloud, virtual work stations, etc was already a huge part of how we had our pipeline set up. Our strategy has always been utilizing a talented core group of Creative Directors, VFX artists, Designers, Animators,Technologists and Producers. Beyond that we call on talent from all over the globe depending on the ask. We have always believed you shouldn’t have to retrofit talent to creative if it isn’t a match. We like to stay flexible for our clients, while giving them the level of talent they come to expect when working with Bonfire. Continuing to expand our relationships with global partners and re-enforce the remote pipeline is always the top priority.
What’s your New Year’s resolution, creatively speaking or from a business standpoint, for your agency, department or company?
I would say our New Year’s resolution is to listen to our clients even more than ever before. Not just listen to them when it comes to the details of a project but listen to them and be proactive about solutions that can help them get to where they need to go on a larger scale. The old way of doing things with expensive colorists, fancy edit suites and huge office spaces have proven to be obsolete and unnecessary in many ways. You don’t have to sacrifice quality and talent to be efficient. We want to put the money to work in the most important places, the ideation, the production and the post. We want to stay resolute in not shying away from new technology even if it means relearning the process. We are looking to be around for a long time and we’re not afraid to lean into this new paradigm shift.
