BTRY: Biting the Bullet

BTRY knows how to get things moving.  This multi-disciplinary Toronto-based studio of five specializes in motion design, 3D animation, and live action, for both commercial and non-commercial projects.  BTRY’s reel is an explosion of form in all its dynamic possibilities, demonstrating a vast range of skills that spans the world of moving images.  We sat down with the team to discover how they set their ideas in motion.

BTRY’s success starts with a simple but not-always-easy-to-accomplish formula - bring together a stellar team in which each member contributes something unique, but the group functions seamlessly as a whole.  In their case, Ron Gervais and Mike McDougall act as creative directors (both have art degrees, in Fine Arts and Contemporary Art Theory & Experimental Sculpture, respectively).  Dave Greene and Steve McArdle are behind the 3D production and animation. And Suzy Bradshaw is the producer that keeps it all working.  As they explain, “Each of us has a unique perspective in our approach to a project but as with most small studios there is quite a bit of overlap in disciplines.”

Perhaps the most important overlap is their collective drive to create work of which they are proud, which is the engine that moves them forward.  As they explain, “The general drive to create a good piece of work is the force that keeps BTRY organized.  Finding the interest and the drive to produce something beautiful and informative forces us to find a logical method to work through it.  The constraints of making sure what we create is achievable, and the reality of deadlines and requirements force us to structure and organize.”

Of course, any team needs practical processes in place that give structure to their passion and motivation.  BTRY tells us,  “As jobs become larger and more multifaceted we are developing tools so that we can stand back and digest the whole, while moving in and focusing on the specific.  Breaking any job into logical chunks, and not letting the weight and enormity of the whole engulf us is the most effective method we’ve found to getting through what is necessary.”  And they offer this additional advice:  “Hire a good producer. Don’t skip the early steps of a project. As [Ron’s] father always says ‘measure twice and cut once’ and always evaluate what worked and what didn't work on each project so that the process becomes smoother and more refined the next time.”

But sometimes, they’ve found, it’s necessary to abandon practicality and ignore constraints in order to create work they truly love.  As they tell us, “Many of the projects that we are most proud of are often the result of us biting the bullet, in terms of time and budget, and going beyond the scope of the project to create something that is far more ambitious than the original idea. For one such project, we took a very simple script and expanded it so that we were able to do certain things that we were interested in, such as shooting and directing live action.  In this specific project we ended up doing the art direction, shooting the live action, producing the CG production, then compositing and editing. Because the budget was so small we had to be very imaginative and we ended up casting ourselves as the talent and shooting the whole kit and caboodle in our studio on our small green-screen.  It ended up being a fun and interesting spot that we are really proud of.”

At the end of the day, BTRY’s success perhaps stems from perfecting a combination of humility and self-respect.  In their words, “You need to be willing not to let your ego be the sole driving force in what you do.  Some ideas will work, some won't. The only thing in your control is to put forth good solid creative ideas, and stand by them. If you're not confident in them, don't put them out there. It’s the old adage: if you agree to do something, do it to the best of your ability. That is what makes us accountable.  We all have to bend and flex to time constraints, budgets, clients etc., but you must respect the job you're doing and find the ways in which to make it your own.”
 

BTRY will be presenting on November 11th at PAUSE NYC; an exploration of concept and design within Broadcast and Film.  From :30 commercial spots to feature film projects, PAUSE examines the creative and technical approaches of industry leading studios and agencies.  The first 25 Behance Magazine readers to email "julie[at]fitc[dot]ca will receive complimentary tickets.  Please email your name, company, and email address...