Longtime creative partners Elliot Lim and Aaron Kemnitzer have teamed to launch Bullpen, a design and animation studio with bases of operation in Brooklyn, NY, and the Northern California community of Menlo Park.
Lim and Kemnitzer open their new venture with over 25 years of combined experience in the motion design industry. After first meeting at design shop Digital Kitchen, the two became fast friends, collaborating off and on ever since. In that time, they have worked with postproduction and animation studios including Buck, Psyop, Gentlemen Scholar, Hornet, and Not to Scale leading to a string of creative successes, most notably a Lim-created animated homage inspired by HBO’s seminal series The Wire.
Lim and Kemnitzer are a directorial duo. The former had most recently been on the roster of Not to Scale while Kemnitzer had been freelancing in Chicago and New York for the past 10-plus years.
With Bullpen, Lim and Kemnitzer are looking to create a new kind of studio defined by its leaner model and hands-on approach–flexible, agile and adaptable to clients’ shifting needs. “Working in the industry, we have learned a lot about the dos and don’ts of servicing projects and clients. That’s why for everything we take on, the client is always assured that both principals of the company, Elliot and I, are fully dedicated to the project,” explained Kemnitzer. “This is unlike other studios where you might be passed to freelancers or less experienced creatives within the company. Also, our lower overhead allows us to be competitive while still remaining nimble enough to expand for bigger projects.”
This approach has already attracted such clients as HP, Amazon and Charles Schwab.
To showcase its creative range, Bullpen is releasing several new projects and animations created especially for its launch. Consisting of a mix of illustrative 2D and 3D short films–from an overweight bumble bee to a factory that produces the alphabet–each piece purposefully plays with different looks, tones and rhythms to show the breadth and impact of well-crafted design.
These shorts all culminate in a text-driven animated video in celebration of the concept of “style,” using a host of techniques to demonstrate how distinct visual elements play a vital role in conveying emotion, shifting expectations and telling a story. According to Lim, this film perfectly encapsulates Bullpen’s abilities and sensibilities. “We’re capable of a lot of different styles. We’re flexible. When you look at these brand films, you can see that diversity of techniques and our love for using style to tell a good story.”
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More