When Nexus Productions signed Minivegas to their group of directors in January, it demonstrated one of the emphatic trends going on in animation at the moment; while Minivegas’s animation skills are indubitable, we suspect that Nexus was just as interested in the more experimental work Luc Schurgers and Dan Lewis have been doing.
The voice-triggered video idents for S4C and the more recent interactive sculpture projects show that Minivegas has no trouble combining innovative coding and illustration with motion content.

The modern world of animation wants more from its creative’s then the ability to manage a timeline add an effect or make characters shake their booties. Aesthetic judgement and attention to detail are necessities. The myriad of styles and the crafting capabilities of today’s illustrators bring texture and authenticity to the mix. The recipe also requires dollops of experimentation and innovation. As with Minivegas, that might involve playing with code, or it could mean storytelling skills, a great eye for detail or a gregarious let’s-try-it attitude.
The world of animation is crying out for these ingredients because there are so many things clients want to animate. Movies and television have been around for decades, but today companies want to hit consumers via their mobile phones or the web – look at the rise of YouTube virals. There are animated posters in airports, underground stations and at bust stops. It’s as though the still image is losing its significance.

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