Motionographer® Studio Stories: 12 Years of Ataboy

By Vikkal Parikh, founding father of Ataboy.

Editor’s Note:

In this collection, we’ll hear from the founders of artistic studios recounting their tales of the way it all started. Each studio and founder are at totally different phases of their journey, however whether or not they’re 3, 10, 15, 20, or 25+ years within the making, these candid accounts supply distinctive insights into what it takes to personal and function a enterprise on the earth of Motion Design.

From deciding to do it alone to rising a crew, to using the unpredictable wave of expertise, to evolving by way of a pandemic and gearing up for the longer term, these studios all have inspiring tales to inform.

Ataboy:

Ataboy is a design pushed manufacturing firm with a robust emphasis on visible storytelling. Based in NY and NZ, we’re a artistic collaboration of artists utilizing quite a lot of methods creating recent content material for manufacturers worldwide.

Vikkal:

Meet Vikkal Parikh, the Founder and achieved Creative Director at Ataboy, a pioneering design-led content material studio that has redefined the artwork of storytelling. With a powerful portfolio of clever campaigns, Vikkal has left an indelible mark on international manufacturers comparable to Adidas, Coke, White Castle, Progressive, IKEA, and GE.

Hailing from Mumbai, Vikkal’s journey started as an architect, instilling in him a singular perspective that seamlessly blends aesthetics and performance. His quest for creative expression led him to the United States, the place he pursued a Master of Fine Arts in laptop artwork from Savannah College of Art and Design. Armed with this interdisciplinary background, he launched into the trail of founding Ataboy over a decade in the past.

At the helm of Ataboy, Vikkal Parikh has turn into a trailblazer in crafting breathtaking blended media narratives. His modern use of blended media, miniatures, animation and clever dwell motion has breathed life into campaigns that transcend the bizarre. Vikkal’s imaginative and prescient extends past the confines of standard visible storytelling; it’s a relentless pursuit to redefine how tales are instructed within the digital age.

Passion radiates by way of each venture Vikkal undertakes. He stays deeply dedicated to cultivating numerous artistic groups. By championing inclusivity, he not solely reshapes the narratives on display screen but in addition paves the way in which for underrepresented abilities to flourish.

My Start

Growing up in Mumbai, I used to be at all times curious to push my creative expression. My journey started as an architect, instilling in me a singular perspective that seamlessly blends aesthetics and performance. My quest led me to the United States, the place I pursued a Master of Fine Arts in Computer Art from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). That’s the place I used to be launched to what again then was kind of a novelty time period – Motion Graphics or Mograph. While in school I labored at SCAD TV which was a channel for all issues SCAD on the native station in Savannah, Georgia, my first ever Motion Design job!

Armed from my schooling with the instruments I wanted, I launched into the trail of founding Ataboy in 2011. Having labored in promoting because the early 2000’s, I itched for extra artistic management and the power to reply to briefs with a recent strategy, and that meant taking extra artistic dangers that had been tremendous attention-grabbing however dangerous enterprise selections. The post-production trade again then was booming, however to be sincere, it was uninspiring as a result of each firm was doing the identical factor. This satisfied me that the one approach to do it’s to take the leap of religion and begin my very own enterprise.

Ataboy’s Beginnings

Ataboy began as a self-funded, lean startup. Having by no means run a enterprise on this nation earlier than, I didn’t even know who to strategy to study from, however as soon as I constructed a portfolio of trusted purchasers, the momentum began to kind. I initially opened up previous conversations with earlier purchasers and buddies to get enterprise. Karen Hennegan, my EP on the time (who additionally was the primary crew member at Ataboy) and I pitched particular narratives that we had been enthusiastic about. We matched them with non-profits and actually focused them. We received to create some cool but significant content material for an excellent trigger!

I had an preliminary crew in thoughts once I began Ataboy, it was only a matter of time and a few strategic planning that I used to be capable of assemble the dream crew to work persistently with us. It was actually the freelance financial system of our trade that got here in helpful in beginning up the studio so shortly. That’s actually how we constructed our portfolio and started working on initiatives collectively as a crew. We are an authorized Minority Owned Business so we take range very significantly. I can proudly say we’re a really numerous firm from high down and at all times on the lookout for methods to advertise and help range.

There was nothing spectacular there within the very starting. We began off with one thing actually small and humble. When selecting a reputation for my firm, it really got here fairly simple. I used to be doing an train to see what the expertise was like working with this firm from a shopper’s perspective, and all I might take into consideration was irrespective of how huge or small the task, I wished the purchasers to stroll away with a sense of a “job well done” – attaboy. I dropped the “t”as a approach to make it my very own and it reads higher. – to me in any case.

Our brand is unquestionably impressed by my love for vinyl toys / collectible figurines. I got down to create one thing memorable such that you just don’t should spell out the title. It’s immediately recognizable. The customized lettering for the title replaces the emblem as and when wanted. Branding is what we do for our purchasers so doing it for Ataboy has been loads of enjoyable. We attempt to inject our character and temper into the branding of the corporate. We are inclined to preserve it gentle and enjoyable. Change issues round for a bit and never be overly treasured concerning the branding.

Keeping a sustainable enterprise

Success is relative, nonetheless I’m tremendous pumped to be thriving for over a decade. I wish to preserve issues recent and modern alongside the way in which. The method I see it – each new shopper, venture or a contented crew member is a win.

One of our greatest challenges, nonetheless, has been the ebb and move of our enterprise. It’s not very constant. Although the trade has matured and we’ve grown our experience alongside the way in which, we nonetheless strategy on a regular basis with a recent strategy. Also, not deciding on a “signature style” or “technique” means we’re at all times making an attempt out new methods of doing issues. This supplies hurdles in manufacturing but in addition retains us rising and pondering. Being foolishly optimistic and cussed has appeared to assist us get by way of these occasions, too!

There aren’t any proper methods of fixing artistic challenges. Changes in expertise are inevitable and a problem that we welcome. Being drawback solvers we welcome these modifications and readily incorporate them into our workflows. Now be it a 4 gazillion megapixel digicam or real-time rendering or be it AI.

With Ataboy I’m not afraid of sporting totally different hats and particularly when to put on them. That being stated, being a artistic led firm, the aim is at all times to place out the most effective product potential. Maintaining our artistic integrity whereas balancing the price range and schedule is at all times the tightrope we’ve to stroll.

Post-pandemic

The pandemic was actually an eye fixed opener for me. As a artistic and a enterprise proprietor. The uncertainity that lock down caused all of us needed to assume outdoors of the field quick. The crew was extraordinarily supportive and actually gave it their all. A few months later issues started to show round. Leaning into our experience in design and animation we had been capable of collaborate with our companions and we created some actually beautiful work that I’m extremely happy with.

What the longer term holds

In order to guide the cost to reposition Ataboy from an animation studio to an all encompassing artistic resolution for manufacturers, we launched a self-funded marketing campaign the place I, together with director Corydon Wagner govt produced, developed the idea, wrote the script, packaged the expertise and directed the collection of quick movies entitled “A Portrait Of An Athlete” — chronicling NYC-celebrity graffiti artist Sandro Figueroa Garcia’s (Sen2) course of of making a one-of-a-kind portrait of Olympian Natoya Goule.

We’re additionally celebrating a brand new evolution of our capabilities by opening a model new, state-of-the-art Studio in collaboration with a longtime collaborator in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This studio, geared up with state-of-the-art tools, is a spot the place we’ll have the ability to present technical companies in hopes of making real looking and immersive meals expertise tales for purchasers to proceed rising our presence within the meals cinematography area.

Ataboy is dedicated to progress and innovation. Currently we’re engaged on creating numerous verticals to additional our artistic imaginative and prescient and assist manufacturers craft actually efficient messaging. From technique to a kitchen studio serving to discover artistic methods to shoot meals with the assistance of recent tabletop administrators, to actual time animation utilizing gaming engines. We are actually enthusiastic about the way forward for Ataboy and we’re shaping it now.

I see the evolution of Ataboy to be greater than only a manufacturing firm or a Motion Design studio. We wish to leverage our expertise and experience to see storytelling as an artwork kind, making it environment friendly and efficient.