collideascope...

i heard the unfortunate word today that collideascope animation will be closing its doors as of this october.

super sad news.

i had worked in animation during the web boom before starting at collideascope back in 2001, but they were my first real experience in "saturday morning cartoon" animation and really the people that opened the door for my career.

i know everyones first animation job is always kinda a special one, but i feel like the move from the west to east coast, and working on a production with a crew of people made up of almost entirely rookie animators, gave my experience a uniquely exciting vibe.
i can still very vividly remember walking into the studio for the first time and being so intimidated by all the people that would eventually become my friends over the next nine months.

in any case, its sad to see such a positive and genuine studio go.
one of the few places i can say ive worked where you felt that passion for animation present with your first step in the door, and a complete lack of that "industry" vibe that made the place so pleasant and fun to be in.

a lot of credit should go to ron and curtis and james and breandan for helping make that place a great creative learning environment for me and a lot of other animators that im sure still feel the benefits of spending time there.

heres an audioless sequence i dug up of some animation i did on ollivers adventures while i was at collideascope back in the day. good times...