Nexus Studios has added director Mike Anderson to its roster for global representation spanning commercials and branded content.
Self-described as a blessed and cursed jack-of-all-trades, Anderson started his journey as a painter and set designer. His work includes high-profile music videos for DJ Steve Aoki and indie artist Ashnikko, along with standout original content. Co-created with Ryan Dickie, his acclaimed series Good Morning, Pickles! and animated short Hot Future blend traditional craftsmanship with advanced technology. In Good Morning, Pickles! he hand-painted clay characters, 3D scanned and integrated them into Unreal Engine, earning recognition in the The New York Times and Animation World Network. Hot Future is a post-apocalyptic world driven by dance, celebrated for its clever parodies, witty humor, and captivating choreography. Utilizing motion capture and real-time textured CG to enhance the comedic dance sequences and forge its distinctive visual style.
Anderson has garnered industry recognition in the form of two Cannes YDA Awards, a D&AD Graphite Pencil in Animation, and Vimeo’s Best of 2017 award for his work on “The Giant,” along with a 2018 Webby Nomination. His work has received nine Vimeo Staff Picks and two UK Music Video Award nominations. Additionally, Anderson has further refined his craft through fellowships at Ox-Bow, Arkansas Arts Council, and Make House. With a comedy talent hosted at Adult Swim and FXX, Anderson captures today’s diverse visual, social, and technical landscapes, exhibiting an acumen for character creation while traipsing between digital cutting edge gaming aesthetics and handcrafted traditional animation.
Anderson was directing freelance most recently before signing with Nexus. Earlier he was repped as part of a trio (with Dickie and Abigal Horton) by New Media Ltd. in the U.S.
“Mike has a great talent for creating contemporary aesthetics in animation, alongside a unique comedy sensibility. He really understands the new frontiers of animated storytelling, while his ambitions for the technologies and platforms driving creative opportunities make him a powerful addition to the roster,” said Chris O’Reilly, co-founder and chief creative officer of Nexus Studios, which maintains studios in London, Los Angeles and Sydney.