We usually publish product case studies exclusively over at the Product Blog but this one is so cool we wanted to share it here too…Sequence, an animation and design house with a strong focus on motion comics, has been working on a series of “Batman: Black & White” short form digital motion comics. The team there runs productions using Basecamp for project management and internal reviews of quicktimes/audio asset sharing/shot animation assignment. Sequence’s Ian Kirby tells us more below.
When your company consists of just a few people, a daily chat is all that’s needed to keep everyone up to speed. However, when a company grows to 10 or so people in a very short time, keeping everyone on the same page is easier said than done (especially when the workload is heavy). Enter Basecamp.
The Batman Black and White motion comics started with flat artwork scans – we literally received scanned comic books. That’s it. Our artists take these pages and break them apart, separating characters from backgrounds, redrawing scenery, extending frames to fit a 16×9 aspect ratio for HD delivery, etc.
Preproduction, flattened artwork is brought into Avid and timed with dialogue. We do a locked timing pass so that music can be scored and each shot (panel) can be given animation direction and duration – this is where we really rely on Basecamp.
Each shot’s page and panel number is entered in the Basecamp to-do list along with, again, a frame count and direction. Depending on workload of other projects, shots might be assigned to ‘Sequence’ or to specific animators. If a shot needs 3D, or has heavy facial animation, they’ll be assigned to the animator most fit for the job. We all have our strengths.
Sequence doesn’t have any ‘managers’ per se. We all do our part, with Caleb and Ian running the show. That being said, if 5 shots just aren’t done, the animators will just jump on Basecamp, check the shot that needs animating, assign it to themselves, and boom, you’re done. Basecamp saves us the need for a full-time production manager by assisting with shot assignment(s). This also makes it easy to finish client meetings and have designers/animators post milestones, client notes, and anything else that needs to be shared for everyone.
And that, of course, is just scratching the surface. Calendar subscriptions, file sharing, Writeboards – everything you’d ever need, really. We love Basecamp and Basecamp loves us.
Do you use a 37signals product in an interesting or noteworthy way? Let us know.
Tim
on 24 Apr 09This is so “cool” because Sequence used a to-do list to help them manage the creation of the animation or “cool” because Sequence used one of your products 37signals.
Lots of people use Outlook for email, not seeing Microsoft posting blog posts saying … “hey – look how cool it is that Company XYZ used Outlook to send emails” ... or Google blogging about how Jason Fried used them to make a simply Internet search.
J
on 24 Apr 09Tim, it’s Friday. Go outside. Get some sun. Why are you so bitter?
Andy
on 24 Apr 09@Tim, get over it. Find something meaningful to do with your time.
Pies
on 24 Apr 09Congrats :) It’s always cool when someone you admire uses something you’ve made, even when it has little relevance to the product.
I remember how thrilled I was when the first popular website announced that they’re using the programming framework I created, even though they didn’t use much of it :)
Kevin
on 24 Apr 09@Tim I guess that means that 37s is better at marketing then MS or Google… Maybe you should take a nap? Always helps me :-)
Punkito
on 24 Apr 09@Tim “First Poster 2.0”
Mark
on 24 Apr 09‘Can’t we all just get along?’ (gotta love Rodney King for that line…). Bottom line is that if big projects/companies are using 37s products, 37s product-users like to know about it. It shows us that even the largest of players recognize the benefits of thinking lean and working with a clean interface, and this affirms in our minds that we’re working with a company/vendor who is flexible and understands both complex needs and smaller-scale needs. In fact, 37s proves this often (every other day or so?) by celebrating our own smaller victories at their Product Blog. Beyond the celebration, these postings become grist for other users who may not have thought of using the app if just that particular way, or who realize other new adjustments they can make to their own project workflow because of the educational content of the post. So, thanks for the post, Matt—keep ‘em coming.
thismat
on 24 Apr 09Honestly, it’s cool because it’s always interesting to see examples of peoples workflow.
It has less to do with 37 Signals products and more to do with seeing how people manage their daily workloads, that’s always interesting and you know, you can learn from that as well.
I would also go for seeing how people utilize MS Outlook…oh wait, the Outlook 2k7 team DID have a blog about using their product, they just didn’t put up examples of other people doing it (example: http://blogs.msdn.com/melissamacbeth/archive/2006/07/19/671821.aspx).
Lee
on 24 Apr 09@Tim come on man… if you spent the last few years building a company and someone this large was using your app you sure as hell would be bragging about it. I know I world.
@37signals congrats! very cool and another industry that can benefit from a cool tool.
Have a fabulous weekend everyone!
david in portland
on 24 Apr 09Hey, keep these coming. Workflow management and streamlining is a constant struggle. Hearing how other creatively-focused businesses are doing it is hugely helpful. And, as a 37S product user, it’s helpful to have real-world examples to think about and model after.
@tim—why don’t you go somewhere else if 37S vexes you so much?
Happy
on 24 Apr 09“Basecamp saves us the need for a full-time production manager by assisting with shot assignment(s). This also makes it easy to finish client meetings and have designers/animators post milestones, client notes, and anything else that needs to be shared for everyone.”
That is cool. Less time and people spent on administrivia and management means more time and people getting creative work done. I like it!
Happy
on 24 Apr 09“not seeing Microsoft posting blog posts saying … “
Thank goodness that 37signals doesn’t give a damn what Microsoft does or does not do.
ML
on 24 Apr 09Thanks for the spirited defense guys. And Tim, re:
Isn’t this what Microsoft’s “I’m a PC” campaign is all about?
brad
on 24 Apr 09@tim, you need some friends. seriously. @37s, you lads rule. Is nice to see you doing so well when the bigger guys are all doom and gloom.
/brad (a former bitter poster)
jforth
on 24 Apr 09Basecamp is such a great tool. I think its awesome that you guys get to share how other are using it.
Josiah
on 24 Apr 09Let me just say, I love how these “real world” shots look. It’s a very different feel from just a plain old screenshot.
Matt Radel
on 24 Apr 09Man, what a sweet project to work on…I think I’d just use the screen shots with Batman in the background for all your BC marketing materials now. :)
Brian
on 25 Apr 09If someone was using my software to manage Batman animation projects I’d brag about it too. Hell yeah that’s cool.
BS
on 25 Apr 09Seriously… we are talking about friggin Batman here!!! It is TOTALLY cool that Sequence uses basecamp. Tim dawg… cmon man, you totally “jumped the shark” dude.
Alex
on 25 Apr 09I wish I could work in a cool animation studio on a cool project with cool workflow.
Most of us end up working on uncool products for companies we don’t care about.
But seriously, congrats to 37signals and thanks for sharing. Like others have said, it’s always interesting to see how others manage their workflow.
Paul
on 27 Apr 09@Alex: Good point. I am always thinking this way when reading this kind of posts.
ahmet kekilli
on 27 Apr 09Honestly, it’s cool because it’s always interesting to see examples of peoples workflow.
Stephan
on 27 Apr 09I thought the story put a more ‘human’ face on the product and 37Signals…compared to the faceless monoliths that are Outlook and Microsoft.
coskunlar vinc
on 28 Apr 09It has less to do with 37 Signals products and more to do with seeing how people manage their daily workloads, that’s always interesting and you know, you can learn from that as well.
This discussion is closed.