How a Passion Turned Into a Studio

Forming a collective with like-minded people as a platform for creativity and artistic expression has been a common practice amongst the arts, crafts and design all throughout the ages. It has provided individuals with the collective support and inspiration one needs in order to concept and materialise certain ideas. A safe environment where these can be born, bounced, questioned, challenged, elevated to their highest potential. Animation in its nature is a collaborative practice, consisting of layers of techniques and processes that patiently and diligently come together to create the magic of motion. Consequently, an ideal practice for a collective set-up. But like in any form of ‘team’ in life, there needs to be the right amount of ingredients provided by its members, blended together at the right moment, to produce the perfect elixir which will allow it to function and grow, in balance. In this talk, we will be meditating on the circumstances, the values and the momentum that allowed Moth to turn from a collective into a full-time studio, as well as explaining how we maintained the collaborative process despite our growth, through the exhibition of our most celebrated work. Marie-Margaux is an animation director and co-founder of Moth Studio, an animation studio based in London known for its perceptive and emotive storytelling with a strong emphasis on character and design as communication. Born in Athens, Greece, she studied Illustration and Animation at Kingston University London and the Royal College of Art where her work developed into documentary animation and used observational and life drawing as its basis. When not in the studio, Margaux enjoys doing talks, teaching and mentoring in universities and festivals worldwide.