By Vikkal Parikh, founding father of Ataboy.
Editor’s Notice:
On this sequence, we’ll hear from the founders of inventive studios recounting their tales of the way it all started. Every studio and founder are at completely different phases of their journey, however whether or not they’re 3, 10, 15, 20, or 25+ years within the making, these candid accounts supply distinctive insights into what it takes to personal and function a enterprise on the earth of Movement Design.
From deciding to do it alone to rising a workforce, to using the unpredictable wave of expertise, to evolving by means of a pandemic and gearing up for the longer term, these studios all have inspiring tales to inform.
Ataboy:
Ataboy is a design pushed manufacturing firm with a powerful emphasis on visible storytelling. Based mostly in NY and NZ, we’re a inventive collaboration of artists utilizing quite a lot of strategies creating contemporary content material for manufacturers worldwide.
Dwell Motion | Animation | 2D | 3D | CG | VFX | Movement Design | Illustration | Paper Craft | Augmented Actuality
Vikkal:
Meet Vikkal Parikh, the Founder and completed Inventive Director at Ataboy, a pioneering design-led content material studio that has redefined the artwork of storytelling. With a powerful portfolio of clever campaigns, Vikkal has left an indelible mark on international manufacturers reminiscent of Adidas, Coke, White Fortress, Progressive, IKEA, and GE.
Hailing from Mumbai, Vikkal’s journey started as an architect, instilling in him a singular perspective that seamlessly blends aesthetics and performance. His quest for creative expression led him to the USA, the place he pursued a Grasp of Nice Arts in pc artwork from Savannah Faculty of Artwork and Design. Armed with this interdisciplinary background, he launched into the trail of founding Ataboy over a decade in the past.
On the helm of Ataboy, Vikkal Parikh has grow to be a trailblazer in crafting breathtaking combined media narratives. His modern use of combined media, miniatures, animation and clever reside motion has breathed life into campaigns that transcend the extraordinary. Vikkal’s imaginative and prescient extends past the confines of typical visible storytelling; it’s a relentless pursuit to redefine how tales are informed within the digital age.
Ardour radiates by means of each venture Vikkal undertakes. He stays deeply dedicated to cultivating numerous inventive groups. By championing inclusivity, he not solely reshapes the narratives on display but additionally paves the way in which for underrepresented abilities to flourish.
My Begin
Rising up in Mumbai, I used to be all the time curious to push my creative expression. My journey started as an architect, instilling in me a singular perspective that seamlessly blends aesthetics and performance. My quest led me to the USA, the place I pursued a Grasp of Nice Arts in Pc Artwork from Savannah Faculty of Artwork and Design (SCAD). That’s the place I used to be launched to what again then was kind of a novelty time period – Movement Graphics or Mograph. Whereas at college I labored at SCAD TV which was a channel for all issues SCAD on the native station in Savannah, Georgia, my first ever Movement Design job!
Armed from my training with the instruments I wanted, I launched into the trail of founding Ataboy in 2011. Having labored in promoting because the early 2000’s, I itched for extra inventive management and the power to answer briefs with a contemporary method, and that meant taking extra inventive dangers that have been tremendous fascinating however dangerous enterprise selections. The post-production business again then was booming, however to be sincere, it was uninspiring as a result of each firm was doing the identical factor. This satisfied me that the one approach to do it’s to take the leap of religion and begin my very own enterprise.
Ataboy’s Beginnings
Ataboy began as a self-funded, lean startup. Having by no means run a enterprise on this nation earlier than, I didn’t even know who to method to be taught from, however as soon as I constructed a portfolio of trusted purchasers, the momentum began to kind. I initially opened up previous conversations with earlier purchasers and mates to get enterprise. Karen Hennegan, my EP on the time (who additionally was the primary workforce member at Ataboy) and I pitched particular narratives that we have been captivated with. We matched them with non-profits and actually focused them. We bought to create some cool but significant content material for trigger!
I had an preliminary workforce in thoughts once I began Ataboy, it was only a matter of time and a few strategic planning that I used to be capable of assemble the dream workforce to work persistently with us. It was actually the freelance financial system of our business that got here in helpful in beginning up the studio so rapidly. That’s actually how we constructed our portfolio and set to work on initiatives collectively as a workforce. We’re a licensed Minority Owned Enterprise so we take range very severely. I can proudly say we’re a very numerous firm from high down and all the time on the lookout for methods to advertise and help range.
There was nothing spectacular there within the very starting. We began off with one thing actually small and humble. When selecting a reputation for my firm, it really got here fairly straightforward. I used to be doing an train to see what the expertise was like working with this firm from a consumer’s perspective, and all I may take into consideration was irrespective of how large or small the task, I needed the purchasers to stroll away with a sense of a “job effectively achieved” – attaboy. I dropped the “t”as a approach to make it my very own and it reads higher. – to me anyhow.
Our brand is certainly impressed by my love for vinyl toys / collectible figurines. I got down to create one thing memorable such that you just don’t need to spell out the title. It’s immediately recognizable. The customized lettering for the title replaces the emblem as and when wanted. Branding is what we do for our purchasers so doing it for Ataboy has been numerous enjoyable. We attempt to inject our persona and temper into the branding of the corporate. We are likely to maintain it mild and enjoyable. Change issues round for a bit and never be overly treasured in regards to the branding. 
Preserving a sustainable enterprise
Success is relative, nevertheless I’m tremendous pumped to be thriving for over a decade. I wish to maintain issues contemporary and modern alongside the way in which. The best way I see it – each new consumer, venture or a contented workforce member is a win.
Certainly one of our greatest challenges, nevertheless, has been the ebb and movement of our enterprise. It’s not very constant. Though the business has matured and now we have grown our experience alongside the way in which, we nonetheless method on a regular basis with a contemporary method. Additionally, not selecting a “signature type” or “method” means we’re all the time making an attempt out new methods of doing issues. This gives hurdles in manufacturing but additionally retains us rising and pondering. Being foolishly optimistic and cussed has appeared to assist us get by means of these occasions, too!
There are not any proper methods of fixing inventive challenges. Modifications in expertise are inevitable and a problem that we welcome. Being downside solvers we welcome these modifications and readily incorporate them into our workflows. Now be it a 4 gazillion megapixel digicam or real-time rendering or be it AI.
With Ataboy I’m not afraid of sporting completely different hats and particularly when to put on them. That being mentioned, being a inventive led firm, the objective is all the time to place out the most effective product potential. Sustaining our inventive integrity whereas balancing the funds and schedule is all the time the tightrope now we have to stroll. 
Publish-pandemic
The pandemic was actually a watch opener for me. As a inventive and a enterprise proprietor. The uncertainity that lock down caused all of us needed to assume exterior of the field quick. The workforce was extraordinarily supportive and actually gave it their all. A few months later issues started to show round. Leaning into our experience in design and animation we have been capable of collaborate with our companions and we created some actually gorgeous work that I’m extremely pleased with. 
What the longer term holds
With a purpose to lead the cost to reposition Ataboy from an animation studio to an all encompassing inventive resolution for manufacturers, we launched a self-funded marketing campaign the place I, together with director Corydon Wagner government produced, developed the idea, wrote the script, packaged the expertise and directed the sequence of brief movies entitled “A Portrait Of An Athlete” — chronicling NYC-celebrity graffiti artist Sandro Figueroa Garcia’s (Sen2) course of of making a one-of-a-kind portrait of Olympian Natoya Goule.
We’re additionally celebrating a brand new evolution of our capabilities by opening a model new, state-of-the-art Studio in collaboration with a longtime collaborator in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This studio, geared up with state-of-the-art gear, is a spot the place we’ll have the ability to present technical companies in hopes of making sensible and immersive meals expertise tales for purchasers to proceed rising our presence within the meals cinematography area.
Ataboy is dedicated to progress and innovation. At present we’re engaged on growing varied verticals to additional our inventive imaginative and prescient and assist manufacturers craft actually efficient messaging. From technique to a kitchen studio serving to discover inventive methods to shoot meals with the assistance of latest tabletop administrators, to actual time animation utilizing gaming engines. We’re actually enthusiastic about the way forward for Ataboy and we’re shaping it now.
I see the evolution of Ataboy to be greater than only a manufacturing firm or a Movement Design studio. We need to leverage our expertise and experience to see storytelling as an artwork kind, making it environment friendly and efficient. 
