Happy (almost) New Year!

Well folks, we’re down to the last few days of 2011.  It’s been quite a year.  To recap, the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl, Toy Story 3 won best Animated Motion Picture of the year (and is one of the very few Oscar movies I saw for the year), a new Miss America is crowned (Miss Nebraska), Will and Kate were married (yes, that Will and Kate…), the world was supposed to end—and it didn’t…

To say that 2011 was an uneventful year throughout the world would just be wrong.  Many things have happened in the last three hundred sixty-something days.  Positive changes have been made, steps toward progress taken, and lives changed for the better in 2011.  It was also a year of struggle for many.  Natural disasters, political unrest, and Iowa losing to Iowa State at football this fall* were also themes of the year.

Here at Grasshorse, we are grateful.  We’re grateful to be where we are, in a small town surrounded by wonderful people—both family and friends.  We’re grateful to be doing what we love every day.  We’re grateful for our clients who allow us to stretch our imaginations in order to provide them with amazing products.  We’re grateful for the opportunities we’ve had to grow and learn and adapt to an ever changing world.  2011 is almost in the books, and to sum up in one word how we feel at the end of this year, it’s grateful. 

As we look to 2012, we hope that it’s another great year; both for us, and for all of those who we are lucky enough to consider friends, colleagues, and acquaintances.  We send our very best wishes for a year filled with good things—good friends, good health, good memories, and good fortune—to all of you. 

*Opinions expressed in this blog do not necessarily represent the opinions of all employees at Grasshorse…

 

We’re baaaaack!

Much has happened since our last blog post…  Projects have been completed, birds have migrated south for the winter, and the temperature has dropped about eighty-five degrees.  So… it’s been awhile since we’ve posted.  We get that.  We’ve just been saving up all the good stuff for a really good post.  That was the plan all along.  You believe me, right??

One of the most exciting things that happened since August was the airing of yet another animated commercial for the Iowa Lottery.  Joining Mr. Monopoly on the list of animated icons Grasshorse has brought to life for them was a flock of foam fingers and a couple of football helmets. 

The commercial, which aired statewide, was for the “Great State Tailgate” scratch game and promotion.  In it, foam fingers and football helmets square off at mid-field, before breaking into scenes to show off the prizes available in the promotion. At one point, a foam finger spins around a custom tailgate trailer with ease.  That’s right, folks–if Grasshorse is going to animate foam fingers, it’s going to animate them with superpowers!  It was great to work on another project for the Iowa Lottery and The Integer Group.  Stay tuned, you never know what kind of commercial Grasshorse is working on next!

Another exciting development is that we have a new member of the Grasshorse team.  Her name is Lindsey Pogmore and she’s great at tooting her own horn.  Seriously folks, she’s a jazz saxophonist!  As a Production Coordinator, you all will get a chance to work with her on your next project with Grasshorse.

There are a couple other projects that are almost done that I’d love to tell you all about… but they’re still super top secret.  What’s that?  You really-really-really want some hints?   I guess you don’t have to twist my arm that hard. We’re finishing up work on not one but TWO feature films, and we’re almost done with a new mobile app.  Details are still on the down-low for these projects, but as soon I can, I’ll fill you in!

That’s all for today, ladies and gentlemen, stay tuned until next time.  You’ve been a beautiful audience.

 

Interview a Grasshorse Intern: Josh – Marketing

If a person asks themselves a series of questions, can it still be considered an interview?  What if they do it out loud?  In the middle of a Starbucks?  Too much information?

In this addition to the Grasshorse intern blog series, I will be answering questions, written by me, to myself.   Hopefully the post will provide some insight  into how to nail an interview, establish world peace or just become a knowledge-hungry Marketing/Sales/PR intern at Grasshorse.

Name: Josh Krakauer

Age:  Twenty-One

School: University of Iowa  – Tippie College of Business

Major: Marketing with an Entrepreneurial Management certificate

Hobbies:  Googling fancy words for my LinkedIn profile.  Scribbling notes, ideas and action plans for the next best start-up business venture since sliced bread.  Tuning high-horsepower street and drag cars.  Networking.  Netflixing.

Why did you choose to apply to Grasshorse?  Tell me what that  was like and why you think you got the job?

After researching dozens of companies attending an upcoming  Job fair, I discovered a hidden gem in the sea of Iowa-based Communication and Technology firms; Grasshorse.   Although I don’t recommend going into a job fair with a  completely narrow mind, a targeted approach is much more effective than a broad one.  I spent hours researching the company’s background and playing the Poke My Voodoo application.  The deeper I dug, the more ideas came to mind. By the end of the night, I had compiled a list of things to talk about that would easily surpass the short time I would have to meet with them.

By analyzing their needs for a Marketing intern with the skills I had to offer, I was able to make a valuable first impression that ensured we were a perfect match.   That, or they were mesmerized by my Purple ‘P.Diddy’ tie,

which is also awfully hard to forget.

Takeaway advice:  Brainstorm list of prospects based on industry or open positions.  Research individual companies and narrow down list based on relevance/interest.  Modify resume/cover letter.  Research DEEPER.  Come prepared with a list of ideas, comments and questions.   Wear a purple tie.

What projects have you worked on / are you still involved with?

Since beginning at Grasshorse, I have immersed myself in Poke My Voodoo everything.  I am responsible for managing its presence in Social Media, which means coming up with witty and engaging Facebook contests and posts on a regular basis.   Maintaining a consistent voice is a critical component of a brand’s identity.  The tone and sentence structure that we use to communicate with our fans and update Facebook content is an important part of that.

I also contributed to the development of the text and design for the trading card characters we unveiled at the Licensing Expo.   Hundreds of these were transported to Las Vegas and distributed to professionals from all over the world.  I still keep a couple of my favorites in my wallet, you know, “just in case”

I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to discover and master extremely relevant Marketing tools (ie Google Analytics, MailChimp) that I can adopt to new business and marketing strategies down the road.

Biggest accomplishment so far?

Helping the Fan page grow over 100 fans organically in a short period of time was a big one, and watching it hit the 1000 LIKES mark was even bigger.

Being able to put some of my own ideas into action was another rewarding feeling.  At the end of the day, I can point to real-life things (both tangible and digital) and say that I had a significant part in creating them.

Toughest/most stressful day?

Besides one particular Monday morning in Mid-June when the coffee maker stopped working, there were very few times where I felt compelled to fold under pressure.

Meeting deadlines can be stressful though, especially when juggling multiple projects.  During the same time frame I was tasked to revise the business plan for the semi-final stages of the John Pappajohn Business Plan competition, we were also scrambling to prepare marketing materials for the Licensing Expo.   Needless to say, the week was overwhelming.  Luckily, I was surrounded by a strong group of creative-minded mentors who encouraged me to “just write”.   Once you realize you do not have to complete a perfect draft the first time around, you learn to just let the words flow out.   Between my mentor’s advice and the invaluable assistance of another Marketing intern, we cranked out both assignments just in time.

Overall, being presented with a new set of expectations everyday was just as exciting as it was challenging. 

Biggest takeaway about Marketing?

With any campaign you create, keep your target market in mind.  Sounds simple enough, but it really helps to keep this lodged in your brain when you hit a brick wall and need to reevaluate your message.

After school plans?  Future in Marketing?

Call me in a year.  I will either be hunting down creative agencies across the Midwest, or pulling all-nighters in my Iowa City apartment trying to launch a new concept into a profitable business.

Recommendations to people looking into internships with Grasshorse, in Marketing or just in general?

At Grasshorse, everyday is a new adventure, as well as a new obstacle.

Be sure to take notes, notes, and more notes.  Even if you spend all day on a computer, pencil and paper will be your best friend.  Buy a notebook, notepad or 500 neon colored sticky-notes if that’s your thing.  Organization is going to be key to surviving a hectic work week with multiple projects going on simultaneously.

What an average Grasshorse work week looks like on paper

Lastly, never dismiss internship opportunities based on short-term satisfactions like close proximity or high pay.  I turned down a promising local sales job to drive a 90 mile daily commute and work for free, yet it was the single best decision I have ever made.  Instead, consider other factors such as relevance to major, overall experience, company culture and work environment.

I get to create entire Marketing plans for new technology while wearing sandals and playing with a dog.

Selling insurance to your friend’s neighbor’s aunt in a suit and tie during a 10-day heat wave?  Pass.  “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

——–

Big picture:  Time-crunching tasks are inevitable, so stay collected.  Look at the experience as an opportunity to learn resource management.  If you get stuck — stand up, take a lap, sit back down –  and “just friggin’ write”.  Don’t be afraid to ask mentors for help or guidance.  If you want to dive into the industry, prepare for a full-time (and a half) commitment.

Grasshorse Marketing internships in summation:

Creative control.  Applied marketing strategies.  Sandals on the reg.  Dogs in the office > Your summer job.

————

Creep on Josh to learn a little more about him and his obsession with purple ties.

joshkrakauer.com

 

Interview a Grasshorse Intern: Kyle – Graphic Design

Nobody wants advice from an intern.  We are young, inexperienced, and make mistakes like it’s our job.  But if you are a student looking for that temporary blast of ‘real world’ into your life (and resume), who better to seek advice from than someone who has completed a program in your field of study and lived to tell the tale?

For those brave ‘doers’ who truly value personal development, the three month summer adventure becomes a once-in-a-lifetime chance to build and strengthen skill sets, apply yourself creatively, and churn out some game-changing work.   

In this new blog series, we will be putting our summer interns in the proverbial hot seat.   Ranging from Design, Animation and Marketing, they cover all bases of Grasshorse’s specialties and have unique perspectives on their internship experience.

First to walk the plank is Kyle DeDecker, a Graphic Design intern and hardcore gamer who against all odds managed to survive the summer without some serious hazing from his University of Iowa counterparts.

Age: 21
School: Iowa State University
Major: Graphic Design
Hobbies: Movies, Weight Lifting, and video games.
Favorite games:  Portal and Portal 2, Battlefield series

Contrary to (my) belief, internship opportunities don’t appear out of thin air.  How did you find out about Grasshorse?  What did you do to prepare for the interview and why do you think you got the job?
The owners of Grasshorse had become regulars at Iowa State’s “Explore Graphic Design” event, which is basically a career fair for graphic designers. I had visited their booth the previous year and liked the work they were displaying.  This year I went on to the school’s career management website that posts job listings and saw that Grasshorse was advertising a graphic design internship, so I posted my resume and a couple of sample pieces of my work.  Lisa Horak sent me a response email saying that Steve and Kathy were going to be at Explore GD this year, and that I should interview with them.  So I got my portfolio together, dressed up in business casual attire, and had a successful interview with them.

I believe I got the job due to the strength of my portfolio and my ability to articulate the thought process behind the various pieces I showed in my portfolio.

What types of projects have you worked on during your internship?
The majority of the work I’ve done was centered around Grasshorse’s Poke My Voodoo brand.  I was tasked with updating the PMV website, creating in-app ads for the new premium content that was being rolled out for the brand, and creating 3D assets for future updates to the game.  The Louisa County Development Group also asked me to do a brand identity project for an event that they are planning.

Biggest accomplishment (during internship)?
Getting working knowledge of both 3D modeling and web development, two things that I knew little about before starting at Grasshorse.

Toughest day/most stressful day?
Luckily the atmosphere at Grasshorse is relatively laid back for the most part, I would say the toughest time I had was trying to learn a bit of web programing in both Javascript and PHP.  I had done some coding in the past and it isn’t really one of my strong suits.

Important things you’ve learned about GD?
Basically the technical aspects of the various design programs I used.  School is great for teaching design theory and composition, but it doesn’t do a great job of teaching you how to use the design programs quickly and efficiently, they sort of expect you to pick up all these tips and tricks on your own.  I think I’ve learned more about the functionality of these programs in this two month internship than I have in the rest of my school career.

Post-Grad plans?  Specific industry?
As of right now nothing very specific.  I’m hoping to have a varied enough skillset and portfolio to be able to apply for a wide variety of jobs.

Recommendations to people looking into internships with Grasshorse, Graphic Design or just in general?
Start your search early and apply early.  I can’t imagine the amount of stress other people put themselves through trying to scramble to find internships at the last minute.  Make sure your portfolio is in order and your resume is up-to-date before applying, anything half-finished does not look good.

——–

Take-Aways:  Grasshorse design internships offer an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience applying class concepts using REAL programs and software.   Oh, and Iowa State isn’t so bad after all.

Like Kyle?  Network with him on LinkedIN

 

Grasshorse Produces Animated TV Commercial for the Iowa Lottery Monopoly Scratch Game

When an animated 3D board game character starts talking to you through the TV screen this month, you can thank Grasshorse for making it happen.

The new commercial promoting the Iowa Lottery’s Hasbro-inspired scratch game was produced through the collaboration of Integer Group and Grasshorse Studios.

Skilled artists and animators  worked day in and day out bringing the prominent, fictitious figure to life.   Starting with a 3D model of the character and environment, deep textures and shading were incorporated to craft the rich look and feel of the spot.  The goal was to make the 3D space appear as comfortable and inviting as possible.

“It’s really rewarding getting to see your work on broadcast television”, remarked Lisa Horak, the Production Coordinator for the project.

Several days after the project’s completion, Iowa Lotto buzz can still be felt throughout the office.  Well, that, or Mr. Monopoly’s vivacious voice is still echoing from the looping audio sample that played all week.  It has a surprising way of sticking to you.  And persuading you to buy scratch-off Lotto tickets.

[Mr. Monopoly could not be reached for comment]

Special thanks  to some of the talented individuals involved with the project:

Graphics – Eric Brandt

Background – Brandon Humfleet

Modeling – Brandon Humfleet, Stephen Jennings

Rigging – Stephen Jennings

Animation – Joe Carney, Tom Heineke

Texturing and Shading – Brandon Humfleet, Tyler Horn, Stephen Jennings

Lighting – Tyler Horn, Stephen Jennings

Render Setup – Brandon Humfleet

Rendering – Brandon Humfleet, Tyler Horn, Stephen Jennings

Compositing – Stephen Jennings

Editing – Stephen Jennings, Joe Carney

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Oh and one more thing.   Back here we gave a little preview of another Visual Effects project we had our hands on.

That work was for Kickin’ it, an action-packed Disney comedy starring a group of Karate-trained teen misfits.  Over the past two months we have completed four separate post-production jobs for the new live-action series.

Grasshorse animators helped the actors defy gravity by applying 2D rotoscoping techniques and painting out suspended wires with ninja precision.

The end result were some extreme shots that leave the show’s tween audience wondering, “How did they just do that?”.   Tune into the Disney XD channel to catch Grasshorse’s acrobatic ass-kicking edits.

 

A Lesson in Social Voodoo Marketing

Alas. It’s done.  After months of potion-making, ritualistic research and good old-fashioned computer programming, your Voodoo gaming application has been created.  Perhaps more importantly, approved for sale in the Apple iTunes store.  It is now ready to be released to the world, downloaded by the millions, and established into globally-loved artwork licensed to everything from plush doll pillows to branded backpacks.

Sounds good?  We think so too.

Unfortunately, the real world has a cruel way of crushing digital-startup dreamers like ourselves.  So fine, we don’t have teenage girls lining up by the dozen on Black Friday for a chance to snag a limited edition Poke My Voodoo lunchbox.  Yet.

But 225,000+ downloads is not something to sneeze at.

Since Poke My Voodoo’s inception, we have dedicated thousands of hours, dollars, and cups of coffee to extending the cool casual game into an interactive brand with growth opportunity over multiple platforms.  In this post, we will share a tiny smudge of what it takes to market a mobile gaming app with the combination of some new media outlets and old Voodoo tricks.  Enter:

Social Voodoo Marketing

Type ‘Social Media’ into Google’s magic search box and it will spit out 413,000,000 results.

That’s a lot of reading material.  For the basis of simplifying an otherwise enormous discussion on social media, we will focus on our most-used social networking tool when it comes to PMV; Facebook, heard of it?  The Poke My Voodoo fan page has proved to be  a valuable way to build the brand, release new content and communicate with our growing fan base.

 Default Setting Dilemma

The greater number of impressions (unique views) our Marketing efforts receive, the bigger the impact we will make.  No-brainer there.   Ideally, we’d like to show up at the top of the News Feed of all 990 of our fans.  If  all 990 of those fans LIKE the story, it would be shared on all 990 of their friend’s News Feeds.  In a matter of minutes, nearly 100,000 hypothetical people have just hypothetically been infected by the hypothetical Poke My Voodoo virus.

Hypothetically.

In reality, our Marketing efforts are halted by a hypothetical barrier of entry.  Enter:

The Default News Feed setting

This restrictive Facebook setting allows only the pages you interact with MOST to be visible by default. Unless the user clicks the option to see ALL new updates, most passive fan page followers never catch our daily, game-changing content.

So, it is up to us to work even harder to create a page that invites fans to see “What’s going down in Voodoo Town” more often.

Establishing a Brand Voice

Although PMV targets a couple specific demographics, there are no restrictions to who LIKE our fan page.

As you can see, we have the Pirate speakers on lock.

To engage a diverse group of followers, we have to present a charismatic and consistent message that everyone will appreciate.   Enter:

The Voice of Voodoo

We found an effective way of creating a brand voice by transforming the wall’s undisclosed poster into a character of its own.  The “PMV Lab” is a magical and mysterious, digital-app factory that churns out exclusive PMV news, updates, secrets, tips, and everything in-between.  The language is jam packed with alliteration, eccentricity, and completely made-up jargon that keep fans tuning in, laughing and asking for more.

Show and Tell

Poke My Voodoo is all about the artwork.  The characters.  The digital voodoo dolls getting pins stabbed through their exposed-brains.   That’s why we when we have something to SAY about Poke My Voodoo, we usually follow it up with something we can SHOW as well.   Consistently we see a connection to posts with pictures and higher impressions/feedback.   Fans that may ordinarily pass over us in their sea of statuses are more likely to stop and click-through our page when we attach a Voodoo doll to the post.   Which is more likely to cut through your News Feed clutter and grab your attention?  This:

- Or this -

Yes, even real-life Voodoo dolls like to get their Poke My Voodoo on. PMV lab here saying, enjoy your Freaky-Fun Friday everybody! Lots to look forward to next week

 

Diversifying Content

When you are a game developer working on a hair thread budget (step below the shoestring), you have to find ways of making a BIG impact with little resources.  There is a mind-boggling amount of features we would like to incorporate into the game, upgrades we believe could make PMV as viral as those clumsy crashing birds.  But without ‘Zyngantic’ advertising funds, we have to find creative methods of engaging new and old users with existing content.  Enter:

Trading Cards

By incorporating some twisted text to pre-created artwork, we turned a few unreleased dolls into an exclusive trading card series that fans can view online and licensee’s can hold at conventions.    The response was phenomenal, both in website traffic and fan feedback.  With catchy tag lines and intertwining back-story bios, we launched a line of cards that leaves room for additional character development and thickening plot schemes.

Doll Stars

A new feature which promotes fan creativity (and perhaps some fan insanity).   Game players now have the chance to be a featured on the Poke My Voodoo website.  Unique dolls are handpicked from the rapidly growing PMV database, ‘World Hexts’.  This feature provides a  regular stream of new content to publish on Facebook, as well as a new incentive for users to download in-app accessories. It also leaves room for new social integration features such as polls, commenting and sharing.   For those keeping count, that’s three NEW’s for ZERO dollars of developmental cost.

Measuring Results

No marketing campaign has ever wrapped up with the line, “OK.  Well, hope that worked.”   Every detail of our marketing efforts are tracked, analyzed, reviewed and optimized.  Enter:

Google Analytics 

We use Google’s famous metric tracking interface every time we create a campaign with links to the website.   Here you can see our fans really did go ‘Gaga’ for Voodoo-fied Gaga back in May.

Facebook Insights

We may not be able to control our fans minds, but with Facebook Insights we can get a better picture of who they are, what they LIKE and what they eat for breakfast.   More or less.

iTunes Sales Data

When it comes down to the nitty gritty, the most influential piece of data to monitor is in-app sales.   OK, so two-thousand people downloaded Poke My Voodoo this week.  So what?  Apple’s sales trend data answers the question, “Are people ACTUALLY buying premium content once they’ve downloaded the game?”    If not, it’s time to dig deep into the customer-submitted suggestion box.   This direct form of communication with the fans has led to the conception of everything from new assets to new pricing strategies.

What’s Next for PMV Marketing?

Enter:

Facebook Ads

By setting specific target objectives based on demographics and interests, we can create customized advertisements for individuals that are most likely to become a fan of the brand.  Becoming a fan of the brand means more motivation to share the game with friends, purchase in-app content, and tattoo our logo on their lower backs.   By using the CPM pricing method, we have the potential to reach more unsuspecting Voodoo victims (by the thousand) for a weekly expense lower than our intern’s Thursday night bar tab.

In-Game Ads

With over one thousand people logging into PMV2 every week, in-app ads are the most direct way to influence behavior.    Future plans include advertisements for PMV Youtube videos, Doll-Stars pages, and weekly Facebook contests.

Social Integration

Top-secret meetings have begun for the next version of Poke My Voodoo,  and users may soon be able to control their siblings actions social functionality elements are being explored.    How cool would it be to cover your best friend’s doll in ugly zits, rate your creation against the top dolls of the week, and chat with other PMV users right from your iPad?

Wrap-Up

There you have it.  A small sample of the secret sauce that makes up Poke My Voodoo Marketing.   Minus the Voodoo spells of course.  Those are protected Intellectual Property.

Wrap-Up Question:  How do you use Social Media to create a brandable voice and experience for your fans?

 

Grasshorse Blog Revival and other Big Projects for Summer 2011

Oh Hi, remember us?  That award-winning Animation, Design and Technology company from Smalltownsville, Iowa?  Yup, we’re still Kickin’ it, but more on that later.

First off we would like to apologize for the lack of updates this year.  We have been really lagging in the blog department.  Just a reminder but if you are ever craving your fix for Grasshorse Going-ons, you can always creep by our much more regular Fan page and Twitter.  With that said, look forward to some serious blogging coming soon!  That means you won’t have to wait for the snow to touch ground before you find out what we did in July.

Some exciting things to look forward to:

EXPO RE-CAP

We came to Las Vegas with an arsenal of Voodoo tricks up our sleeves.  OK, there wasn’t any magic, but there were Poke My Voodoo trading cards, custom iPad stands, a real-life PMV plush doll, new banners, tons of PMV swag and four passionate members of the Grasshorse crew pitching the brand to every Licensee in sight.

SUMMER INTERNS

We have six extremely talented and strikingly attractive Summer interns (especially the one writing this blog post) who have been applying their skills and creativity to a variety of projects.  From brand development and social media marketing, to graphic design and 3D animation, and most importantly — phone-answering and morning-coffee-making.  Like wild animals in their natural habitat,  they have proved to be very hard to photograph.  However, you can look forward to a multi-post series (with pics) showcasing all of the exciting things our interns have been learning and doing during the three-month period we are borrowing them.

One of our star Marketing interns hard at work updating the PMV fan page

BIG PROJECTS

So big, we can’t even tell you about them yet. Literally.  We CAN tell you about the wire removal jobs we completed for the new Disney Channel TV show, Kickin’ It, and that there is more to come.  For everything else we will have to leave you hanging, but hopefully we piqued your curiosity.

OFFICE PLANS

Our 6,000 Sq. Ft facility here in Winfield is getting a MAJOR overhaul.  Progress is being made daily so we’ll be updating you brick-by-brick.

POKE MY VOODOO MADNESS

Our little digital application is BLOWING UP in the casual gaming world.  With over 225,000 downloads to date, we think it’s safe to say that Poke My Voodoo will be around for quite some time.   PMV has been a real eye-opening experience.   We have gained knowledge in everything from mobile app development to direct marketing efforts, and we can’t wait to share it!

—————————————————————————————————————————-

And that’s just the beginning!  We are really looking forward to jumping back into the blog and showing you what Grasshorse is all about this Summer.   Thank you for your continued support and interest in our company!

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Take-aways:  Grasshorse is back in the blog game.  Poke My Voodoo made a huge splash at the Licensing Expo.   We are busy as ever working with big name clients.   We love our fans.  Our interns are good-looking.

Wrap-up Question: What big progress have you made this Summer in your personal career, business or life?

 

Poke My Voodoo in Vegas June 2011

The Poke My Voodoo ™ Brand  is coming to the International Licensing Expo next month–Come see us at Booth: D418! Starting June 13th, our Booth will be set up in Mandalay Bay for all to see. We will be featuring our Poke My Voodoo Brand Characters,  Merchandise, and Mobile Games.

Grasshorse is also happy to announce that we will be unveiling our new CELEBRITY CHARACTER DESIGNS. We released our Limited Edition Osama and President Obama Trading Card for all to enjoy.  Check it out!

There are more designs that will be released at the Expo, and we are excited to share them with everyone. We are looking forward to hearing about merchandising, Toy, Game Opportunities, and more.  So come on by our booth to chat with us!

Contact: Gwen.Barker [at] Grasshorse.com for Licensing Expo Inquiries.

 

Grasshorse Develops High Quality 2D to Stereoscopic 3D Conversion Process

2D to 3D Post Conversion is an Art Form. Go ahead and read that sentence again.  While others are attempting to use software that claims to automate the process, we have been busy perfecting the art of adding a third dimension to footage originally filmed in 2D.

Oh, and we’re building a rotoscoping army, but we’ll come back to that.

When Grasshorse moved to its new location in Winfield, we unpacked a very large 3D capable flat screen television.  And with that, a dream was born.

Since then we have been working at the conversion process.  While we’ve been working on perfecting the skill, many bad 2D-converted-to-3D films have been tarnishing the good name of Post-3D conversion work.  Our conversion process doesn’t happen overnight, or over 7 nights.  We don’t want it to, because it wouldn’t be good enough.  James Cameron seems to agree with us. And, after Avatar, he’s pretty much God of 3D. Or everything. Jury is still out.

A software cannot replicate the skill of an artist, no more than a word processor can write a poem.  Similar to the way that one artist prefers oil paints to charcoal, all post production artists will have a preferred method of conversion.  However, one thing is for certain.  Those quickie conversion processes cannot possibly be as discerning as the human eye.  So, we use the eyes we were born with, and talent we have honed, in order to create impressive Stereoscopic 3D Post Conversions.

Ok, so that was a lot of tooting our own horn, but hey, toot toot.

It’s a growing process. We’ve learned a lot, and we still are learning.  We’ve observed why ineffective 3D is ineffective– We have noticed the depth between even the smallest extra in the background and the foreground can make all the difference when viewing.  (It does give a new meaning to “there are no small actors.”) And through this process we are becoming most efficient in some ways, and we take our time with others.

What’s important is our feedback from major studios has been fantastic, and so we know our end product is something special.  Onward!  Which reminds me…

Back to the “Rotoscoping Army.”

We have a vested interest in showing tech savvy folks in Iowa that they can have a home with us, and grow with us.  That’s why we are starting a Rotoscoping Ar–Workshop. A Rotoscoping Workshop.

We will be holding a rotoscoping lecture to inform potential talent of the art, followed by a portfolio review.

Secondly, Grasshorse will be offering an intensive rotoscoping workshop to select applicants as an introduction to the industry.  It can help potential artists determine if they have an interest in pursuing a career as a rotoscoper.  These are high-tech, high demand jobs, with year-round employment opportunities.  Specifically, Grasshorse has a potential need for entry-level positions in the not-s0-far future.  Exciting stuff!

Persons interested in the above opportunities should attend the Rotoscoping Informational Session and bring their resumes, demo reels and portfolios. More information can be found HERE. Rotoscoping Artist, contact and RSVP to Lisa at lisa.horak@grasshorse.com, or call 319.257.3388.

Thanks for promoting us!

We have to take a quick moment to thank Des Moines Egotist for consistently offering us a forum to showcase our wares.  We love keeping up with others in the creative market here in Iowa and Nationally–so check out their blog or your local Egotist website.

 

Grasshorse collaborates with Big Tent Entertainment to Produce Animated Pilot

 

 

Grasshorse and Big Tent Entertainment wrapped the “Tom Mule Show” pilot earlier this month.  The collaboration allowed Grasshorse to flex its creative muscles on all fronts, as Big Tent enlisted us to write, character develop, design, direct, and animate the 5 minute pilot.  The project pooled talents from the West Coast, Midwest, Canada, and the East Coast to create a team of over 15 amazing talents coming together to make it happen over the course of 3 months. We devised a workflow to accommodate talents from the various regions, as they developed character designs, rigged, and animated our nutty characters.

CLICK a Picture to View the Trailer!

The Tom Mule Show tells the story of Tom, the underappreciated Mule, who hosts a nightly talk show in the barn, unbeknownst to their old farmer, Nester.  We hope to see much more of the Tom Mule Gang soon!

 

‘The Sacrifice’ continues the Independent Film Circuit

We received word the day of our Holiday Party that ‘The Sacrifice’ will be making an appearance at the Savannah Animation Film festival next year.  We are excited at our little film’s continued success!

 

 

Have a Happy New Year!

We are looking forward to 2011, and are excited for things to come in in the new year.  So long, 2010–hello 2011!  Let’s make it a good one.