Craft launches for animation professionals and fans

From the co-producers of the Oscar-nominated Song of the Sea and the award-winning Long Way North comes a new digital platform for the art of visual storytelling – Craft.

“We’re passionate about the art of animation, we’re passionate about the craft of filmmaking, and we’re passionate about the creative process. We know how long it takes to get an idea from script to screen—think of all of the amazing and inspiring work that goes into the making of a film that never makes it into the final product. It’s all part of the process, but why should that material sit on a shelf or languish on a hard drive somewhere? We love that stuff and believe other people love it too and will be inspired to be invited into the creators’ process.” So says Craft CEO and Co-Founder Frederik Villumsen, who is also behind the highly respected animation studio Nørlum.

Aimed at animation professionals and fans, “Craft” is an online subscription based
platform that allows a user to access the art and conceptual materials of highquality
animated films, series, and games–the sketches, scripts, concept art, character
designs, storyboards, animatics, work-in-progress animation and much more. The
initial content on the platform includes imaginative and beautiful making-of and workin-
progress material from both Song of the Sea and The Secret of Kells, courtesy of
Cartoon Saloon. The popular and innovative fantasy series Tales of Alethrion is also
available and more content is scheduled to come online regularly.

Industry professionals, students, and fans can explore all this material for learning and
inspiration–compare different versions, see the progression, and even download the
actual files to deconstruct how something was made and the thought process behind it.
Enter into the material either through selecting the project or by selecting your area of
interest or craft, such as concept art, animation, character design, scriptwriting,
storyboarding, editing, sound and music among others and browse from there.

Craft is also a community building around the making of films, series, and games.
Users can ask questions and creators can directly engage them, adding their notes and
comments or answering questions about the material. The Craft Store provides an
opportunity to access merchandise, print artwork, and order specialty items, such as
3D printed character figures or art books. Craft launched on May 1, 2016 and is
available now—check it out at www.itsoncraft.com