The Golf Warehouse, My World

August 27, 2010
Source: Scary Ideas

June/July
Source: Screen Magazine

Just last fall Intake Studio, the multi award-winning Wichita-based boutique specializing in the TV commercial arena, tested the waters in Kansas City with the launch of a satellite office. Now, just eight-months later, it’s clear to Intake’s president, Troy Lott, from the positive feedback that the KC annex has attracted, that the new division has found a niche in the Kansas City advertising community, and it’s time to do more than just get his feet wet. In response to demand for its services, the satellite company has relocated to an expansive new renovated space in an historic train depot in West Bottom, downtown’s emerging artistic Mecca.

Motion graphics artist Brian Simpson is the first member of the KC sister company’s team to be signed. Formerly of Barkley Evergreen and Partners, Inc., Simpson brings a diverse background in motion graphics, design and editing to the table. The Sonic’s 2009 and 2010 Lee National Denim Day ‘Survivor’s Stories’ commercial campaigns, as well as the music video ‘Caney Mountain,’ which garnered a silver national ADDY Award in 2009, are among the diverse roster of projects on his reel. At the same time, Intake Studio’s flagship boutique in Wichita continues to grow with the addition of editor Kevin Wildt. A sought-after music video director and still photographer, Wildt brings a fresh perspective to Intake’s editorial services.

“We’re very proud of our loyal following of return clients and the dozen of awards Intake Studio/Wichita has garnered,” says Lott. “We’ve already doubled our space and staff in Wichita. The next logical step in our expansion is to bring the same commitment to quality, innovation, personal attention, over-the-top client services – and our cost-effective approach – to a larger market in a more central location. Our new space in Kansas City does just that.”

Intake Studio’s new KC division is built upon the six-year old Wichita-based flagship company’s reputation as a multi award-winning visual effects, animation, motion graphics, production, editorial and finishing boutique dedicated to providing agencies with a design-driven approach to video content for multiple platforms. Partners Troy Lott, creative director Heath Balderston and DP Todd Schwartz head up its team of artists and provide a one-stop, concept through completion creative environment.

Intake Studio Follows Up Three Top Honors At The 2010 ADDY Awards With A Shift Into Expansion Mode

June 21, 2010
Source: Millimeter

Intake Studio, the Wichita-based motion graphics, visual effects, animation, editorial and production company, has been building a reputation as a world-class regional creative resource for commercials, cross-platform advertising and interactive media since it opened its doors in 2004. This year the one-stop boutique continues that tradition, garnering over a dozen ADDY’s– including three top honors – at the Wichita and Tulsa award shows. The accolades come on the heels of an expansion that doubled the company’s size and talent roster, and are being followed up by yet another growth spurt as the boutique expands its staff and finalizes the leasing of space for its new Kansas City-based satellite company.

The company’s animated campaign for Tulsa Health Department, comprised of four :15 seconds spots earned ADDY Gold in the ‘Elements of Advertising’ and “Best of Broadcast’ categories at this year’s Wichita ADDY’s and ‘Best of Show’ in the ‘Electronic’ category at the Tulsa ADDY’s. The campaign was produced for Littlefield Advertising, which called upon Intake Studio to come up with an innovative approach to a series of four spots for their client. The team at Intake Studio brought the commercials to life using stylized illustration, animation and music, effectively conveying their serious messages with light, whimsical storylines – rather than gravity.

In addition, Intake Studio took home nine Silver ADDY’s for a mix of work for WSU Men’s Basketball Open, Iron Wu Animation, Riverfest, Kansas Lottery: Adam’s Story, Via Christi: New Weapons New Hope, COX Spring Sale, COX Summer Splash, Wesley Medical Center, Do the Deed, AG Financial and Kansas 22 Promo – as well as numerous bronze awards.

“Intake’s collaborative team of talent brings its slightly askew, fresh, artistic sensibilities to every project that comes through our doors,” notes its president, Troy Lott an award-winning editor in his own right. “We find that agencies really appreciate working with inspired creative talent that they can rely upon to take their projects from inception through completion and deliver a final product that consistently exceeds their expectations.”

When Intake Studio’s trio of hands-on partners – Lott, live-action director/CD Heath Balderston and DP Todd Schwartz – first decided to launch the company, their goal was simple: To create a high-end boutique that would provide Midwest agencies with the level of talent, work and personalized client services traditionally found only in major markets.

Intake’s partners remain committed to establishing it as the premiere creative resource for commercials, cross-platform advertising, and interactive media in the region – and it appears that they are well on their way to accomplishing just that. Along with earning a long roster of awards and a loyal following of clients, Intake Studio has the distinction of being recognized as ‘Small Business of The Year’ by Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce in 2008.

“Today’s business environment is global, so being based in a local market is not an issue,” notes Schwartz. “If anything, our location allows us to offer clients more value for their dollar, while at the same time raising the creative bar for projects with modest budgets.”

Located in Wichita’s Old Town, the heart of the city’s artistic Mecca, the company’s new space was designed to provide clients with a comfortable, stress-free creative playground where a collaborative team designers, animators, graphic artists and editors are dedicated to making every job the best it can be. A-list talent and cutting-edge technology come together in a contemporary and fun space with over-the-top client services and the creature comforts of home.

Troy Lott, who helms the company, notes. “My philosophy is simple: Anticipate your clients’ needs, exceed their expectations and never settle in or become too comfortable. The landscape of the industry is constantly evolving – and we’re committed to always staying ahead of the curve.”

“The driving force behind Intake’s success is a consortium of multi-discipline motion graphics artists, animators, art directors, editors, compositors, directors and creative directors that brings a diverse mix of backgrounds in advertising, production, graphic design and illustration to their craft,” notes Balderston, “And put their heart and soul into every job.”

The ideal complement to the boutique’s FX, animation and editorial services is its production division, headed up headed by Balderston and Schwartz, masters at maximizing the production value and cost effectiveness of jobs that call for live-action production services. It allows its team to get involved in the preproduction phase of a project while collaborating with its animation, FX and editorial team as its concept evolves.

Motion graphics artist/art director Corey Tyrell’s design sensibilities make him a perfect fit with Intake’s philosophy. The fusion of the artists’ experiences and personal aesthetics adds yet another dimension to Intake Studio’s work. A new member of the team is Lonny Quattlebaum, an editor with a strong background in production whose distinctive visual style brings a fresh perspective to Intake’s creative voice.

Still in growth mode, Intake remains on the lookout for top-tier talent. Currently Lott is finalizing the signing of another high-end motion graphics artist and two more editors to his full-time staff. At the same time, the company is readying for the official launch of a satellite company in Kansas City, which is slated for July.

“Our clients rely on our innovative approach and creative problem-solving skills to ensure the best final product. They also appreciate the fact that we provide a cohesive, one-stop creative environment that keeps a tight reign on their project and gets the most out of their budgets,” notes Balderston. “We want clients to leave with a final product that’s even more than they imagined – and come back again and again.”

“Intake Studio is like the little engine that could…steadily building a reputation and brand that reflects our philosophy and commitment to our craft as we gain momentum, attract more challenging work, and maximize the production value our clients get out of every dollar,” adds Lott. “We’re thrilled to have been honored with a dozen ADDY’s for our work in 2010. It’s reassuring to know that we’re on the right track as we continue to expand our company.”

Intake Studio sees demand on the rise, leading to expansion in Wichita and KC

May 21, 2010
Source: Wichita Business Journal

Intake Studio is adding staff locally and expanding its presence in Kansas City.

The video production company has added two new staff members at its Wichita office, 501 E. Douglas, and added another to its new Kansas City office.That shop, which Intake opened in the fall as a satellite office, is also moving to renovated space in an historic train depot in Kansas City’s West Bottoms district. It had been staffed by two of Intake’s local personnel. Now it will be manned by employees from the Kansas City area as Lott says the company looks to round out a permanent three-person staff. The local hires give Intake a staff of nine in Wichita.

The company in September secured work to make commercials for the Kansas Lottery’s Midwest Millions game out of the Kansas City office. And though he wouldn’t identify other clients, Intake President Troy Lott says the company is garnering enough work to make the move there more permanent. And if business keeps picking up locally, Lott says the company could hire more people here later this year. The increase is being driven by what the management at Intake says are customers ready to spend for services they put off during the recession.

“We noticed in third quarter last year the momentum starting to pick up,” Lott says. “It was pretty busy in the fourth quarter. And (the momentum) has not stopped.”

Re-Emerging Market

Heath Balderston, Intake’s vice president, says the momentum is largely driven by businesses looking to reach their customers at the start of the economic upswing. “We’ve seen the change in our agency clients as well as our corporate clients,” he says. “It’s kind of an across-the-board mentality of ‘get noticed.’ Make your clients aware of when the time (to take advantage of the market) does come.”

And Todd Schwartz, Intake’s other vice president, says the money clients are spending seems to indicate that time is now. “Last year was a slow year for everybody,” he says. “They just weren’t spending those dollars. But, since the beginning of the year, we’ve been extremely busy.”

Schwartz says the market as a whole is growing, but that there’s enough growth that Intake and other studios are rarely bidding the same jobs. “There’s plenty of work to go around,” he says.