Belfast-based creative technology business pushes the limits of innovation with sector-changing animation tool
The world of animation is on the brink of a paradigm shift as Belfast-based, RETìníZE - one of Europe's fastest-growing creative technology companies - prepares to unveil a ground-breaking tool that will revolutionise the way creatives collaborate and produce 3D animations. Animotive, an immersive real-time animation tool, is scheduled for launch this month. Having recently won the prestigious 'Best Innovation in Animation' award at the Irish Animation Awards 2023 for its collaboration with Flickerpix Animations, Animotive is poised to redefine the animation industry.
By enabling remote collaboration in a virtual space using virtual reality (VR), Animotive empowers users to work together seamlessly, regardless of their physical location. With the ability to embody characters, manipulate lighting, shoot scenes, and export content in real-time, Animotive streamlines the animation production process, offering unprecedented creative freedom, efficiency, and cost savings of up to 80% when compared to traditional workflows.
Some of the world’s largest animation studios are already using Animotive to produce their animated content.
RETìníZE was co-founded by father and son team Phil & Jack Morrow in 2019. Prior to forming RETìníZE, their reputations were built over many decades, producing high-end Global Film & TV.
Phil Morrow, RETìníZE’s CEO, previously founded Wild Rover Productions in 1999 which became one of Ireland’s most successful TV entertainment production companies.
Jack Morrow, RETìníZE’s CTO, worked as a technical supervisor in the London TV industry, where he became increasingly interested in immersive tech and won a Cannes Golden Dolphin for his VR film for Save the Children.
Phil Morrow reveals how they first came up with the idea for Animotive: “We’ve always loved to stretch our creative and technical frontiers so, a few years back, we set ourselves an impossible challenge: To take a 3D animation project from script-to-screen in 24 hours. That kick-started a journey that soon became a mission - to revolutionise 3D animation production”
Creating 3D animated content has long been recognised as a complex, costly, and time-consuming endeavour. The intricate nature of the process often requires significant resources, technical expertise, and extensive production timelines. Animotive aims to disrupt this conventional approach by providing a fast, fun, and affordable solution accessible to creators from all backgrounds.
Phil Morrow, emphasises the need for a transformative tool like Animotive, stating, "Anyone who's tried to create 3D animated content knows that it's complex, costly, and time-consuming. Our goal is to make it fast, fun, and affordable for creators from all backgrounds." By removing the barriers of complexity, cost, and time, Animotive seeks to empower creators and unlock their true potential.
Animotive introduces a virtual environment that serves as a shared workspace for remote collaboration. Through the power of VR, artists and animators can connect and collaborate as if they were physically present in the same studio. This virtual space provides a dynamic and immersive platform where creators can interact with scenes, characters, and lighting in real-time.
The real-time capabilities of Animotive are a game-changer in the animation industry. Animators can instantly visualise the impact of their decisions, making adjustments and refining animations on the fly. This immediate feedback loop fosters a more iterative and organic creative process, resulting in animations that more accurately reflect the artist's vision.
Furthermore, Animotive's intuitive interface and user-friendly features empower creators of all skill levels to unleash their creativity. With its seamless integration of character embodiment, lighting manipulation, scene shooting, and content exporting, Animotive allows artists to focus on their artistic expression rather than technical constraints. This newfound creative freedom fuels innovation, opening doors for captivating storytelling and imaginative animations.
In addition to enhancing creativity, Animotive brings significant cost savings to the table. Traditional animation production workflows often demand expensive hardware, extensive rendering times, and a multitude of specialised software licenses. Animotive disrupts this model by streamlining the process, reducing the need for costly infrastructure, and offering an affordable pricing model.
With cost savings of up to 80% compared to traditional workflows, Animotive democratises the animation industry, making it accessible to creators with varying budgets. This affordability allows independent animators and small studios to compete on a more level playing field with established industry giants. The reduced financial burden also enables creators to allocate resources to other aspects of production, such as storytelling, character development, and marketing.
The accessibility of Animotive is further amplified by its pricing structure. The tool will launch in July 2023 with a free version, enabling aspiring animators to get started without any financial barriers. For more advanced features, pro subscriptions will be available starting from $66.99 per month, making Animotive an attractive option for professionals seeking cutting-edge animation tools.
One of the most significant advantages of Animotive is its ability to facilitate remote collaboration among creatives. In the traditional animation production process, collaboration often requires physical proximity, limiting the ability to work with talent and experts from around the world. Animotive's virtual space eliminates these geographical barriers, enabling artists, animators, directors, and other stakeholders to collaborate seamlessly in real-time.
By connecting individuals from different locations, Animotive enriches the creative process by fostering diverse perspectives and collaboration between talents who may have never had the opportunity to work together otherwise. The tool empowers teams to work concurrently on different aspects of the animation, reducing project timelines and increasing overall efficiency. Whether it's character design, scene setup, or lighting adjustments, the real-time nature of Animotive allows for instant feedback and collaboration, resulting in a more cohesive final product.
Furthermore, Animotive's virtual space offers a unique opportunity for educational institutions and aspiring animators. Through virtual classrooms and tutorials, educators can guide and mentor students remotely, providing hands-on learning experiences that were previously limited to physical classrooms. As well as for teaching animation, Animotive can be used to teach filmmaking, as it is essentially a fully virtualised multi-camera TV studio. Students can collaborate to create short animated films extremely quickly. It can also be used as a teaching tool by other disciplines, such as medicine and psychology, that can utilise its rapid scenario-building capabilities.
The 3D animation industry stands on the precipice of a transformative era. The introduction of this ground-breaking real-time animation tool promises to reshape the way animations are created, offering unparalleled creative freedom, efficiency, and cost savings. Animotive's ability to enable remote collaboration, streamline workflows, and enhance accessibility marks a turning point in the evolution of animation production.
With its fast, fun, and affordable approach, Animotive empowers creators from all backgrounds to push the boundaries of their imagination and bring their visions to life. The tool's potential extends beyond traditional animation, encompassing applications in film, gaming, advertising, and virtual reality experiences.
The animation industry eagerly anticipates the impact this revolutionary tool will have. RETìníZE's commitment to making animation accessible and enjoyable for creators of all skill levels reflects the company's dedication to fostering innovation and empowering the next generation of animators.
In the not-too-distant future, we can expect to witness a new wave of captivating animations brought to life through Animotive. The tool's ability to revolutionise remote collaboration, unleash creative freedom, and transform the animation production process positions Animotive as a true game-changer in the industry.
This article appears in the summer edition of Sync NI magazine. To receive a free copy click here.
