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They’ve been called “a bicoastal collective of ninja badasses.” What began as a small web support department of a commercial production company has become a digital design powerhouse boasting 20 staff members, supplemented by a small army of animation and production freelancers. With idiosyncratic, eye-popping creative and a unique business structure that promotes individual design directors instead of a monolithic agency, Transistor takes advantage of contemporary society’s love of celebrity, spinning it for the design industry. However, Transistor Studios isn’t just cool, it’s a serious design business succeeding in a freewheeling and lucrative market space.

WHO ARE THESE GUYS?
Founded in 2001, Transistor Studios grew out of an art school friendship between executive creative director Jared Plummer and executive producer Damon Meena. They were joined in 2002 by a third managing partner, Steve Weinshel, who serves as director of business development. Weinshel brought 15 years of experience in live-action commercial production and a history of business management to the studio. This dovetailed nicely with Plummer and Meena’s skills, which they had honed at pioneering motion firms H-Gun and Tricky Pictures, located in the Midwest.

Anchored by being a subsidiary of a successful live-action television commercial production company (Venice-based Backyard Productions), Transistor has offices in New York City’s NoHo district and Venice Beach, Calif. The studio creates motion, live-action, interactive, and print design for commercials, broadcast, and entertainment. They tout a stellar director roster that includes James Price, Anders Schroder, Saiman Chow, Joel Lava, Bradley Grosh (a.k.a. “gmunk”), Matt Pyke, and Patrick Bowyer. Transistor works best with clients willing to take creative risks, and empowers their talented design directors to open up and make things audiences have never seen before. Clients include MTV, Dodge, Revlon, VH1, Vidal Sassoon, HBO, Showtime, CNN, Gatorade, Fox Sports, Wachovia, EA Sports, Coca-Cola, Volkswagen, Sundance Channel, Miller, Adidas, and Virgin.

WHAT'S THEIR SECRET?
Transistor Studios’ rapid rise to the top is a story of hard work, seizing opportunities, and leveraging technology. The partners’ no-bullshit approach goes hand in hand with a serious respect for their design directors’ talent. “We respect individual creativity and personal freedom,” says Eric Reponen, Transistor’s director of interactive, “There’s no political hierarchy, and as a result, there is a personal sense of ownership by all members of project teams.”

In place of the Borg-like mindset often exhibited in large creative firms, fostering personal notoriety is a key factor in getting and keeping the white-hot talent that’s essential to Transistor. “We’re allowed to retain our individuality. It’s a different kind of environment,” says director Saiman Chow. While it may seem counterintuitive or even risky to promote individuals over a company identity, it’s working well for Transistor. This is because many talented young designers in motion graphics and interactive design are notorious for staying independent and not getting locked down into permanent jobs. Transistor’s directors are from all over—Denmark, Australia, Hong Kong, the U.K., and the U.S. Some were pursued by Transistor, while others solicited the firm.

Referrals from other directors, a unique show reel, and the right attitude all impact selection of a new design director. “Our directors need strong creative and strong management skills,” states Plummer. “They’ve got to be able to communicate their ideas, and lead teams to get the work done.” In return for an amazing support structure, Transistor’s management team expects 110 percent effort and brilliant creative. Luckily, the firm’s staff of high-adrenaline, tech-loving designers and animators thrive on the challenge of doing breakthrough work, even if it means late nights and killer deadlines.

Being a Transistor design director is like having the best of both worlds; freelance independence and full-. edged business and project management support that only seem to come with larger, rigidly structured companies. “When lots of creative minds get together great things usually come out,” comments design director Anders Schroder. “Most of my ideas are too complex to animate myself, and I love working with talented animators and 3D artists.” Transistor Studios also encourages talent to move up the ladder, working from junior to senior positions, promoting from within. The result of all of this is a real bond of loyalty among all members of the firm.

WHAT ABOUT CLIENTS?
Clients also like Transistor’s business model. One of the unique things that can happen is that a client or agency can come to the studio, speak to one sales and management team, then get several directors to pitch on a project. This one-stop-shopping approach also streamlines the review process and inspires healthy competition among the Transistor directors. “Sometimes clients call us requesting a certain director. Other times they just say, ‘I want to work with Transistor, but I’m not sure which director is right for the project, you guys tell me,’” says Meena. An added perk for clients is that directors work on their projects from concept through completion there’s no bait and switch.

TOP: A panda bear with a past meets a mackerel in a sergeant pepper uniform to tragicomic effect in BLACK, a stop-animation short film directed by Saiman Chow for Adicolor. Chow was handpicked by Adidas to create podcasts for the groundbreaking custom-sneaker relaunch.