The latest news from your buddies at Buddy System Studios!

Blogging at the speed of stop-motion.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

December EOTM - Ward Swan

For excellence in helping us get a clue with GSN.com, while monopolizing profits, in our pursuit of happiness.

Scrabble.

You can watch the spot HERE.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Happy Holidays from your Buddies!!

Stay frosty, friends!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Stop-Motion Magazine: Meet the Buddies!

This month, our very own Harv and Towner had the pleasure of being interviewed by John Ikuma, Executive Editor of Stop-Motion Magazine.


Check it out HERE - issue #3!

Monday, November 30, 2009

November EOTM - Dick!

Dick Kaneshiro is like that Bob Seger song, "Like a Rock".  Except replace rock with rig.  Dick, thanks for making those moco shots "arrow straight".

Sunday, November 1, 2009

2nd Annual BUDDY BALL!!

The undead rose!  Blood was sucked!  Awards were given!  Scar-E-oke rocked!  Our Spooktography attraction was a big hit, as were the Mummy Dogs!

Another delicious John Sumner cake!
Magnum P.I. and the Native American Ninja Cowboy™ preparing to slice.
DJ Dumlao rocks the spirits awake.

Thanks to those that helped us set up and to our fang-tastic guests for making this the best Buddy Ball EVER!

Friday, October 30, 2009

October EOTM - Craft Robo

This little machine is like having your own little Edward Scissorhands in a box.  Craft Robo, you are awarded Employee of the Month for producing paper delights the likes of which this studio has never seen.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Spot for GSN.com underway!

Let's face it.  The Monopoly race car PWNS.  I mean, who fought over being the iron during those late-night Monopoly sessions?  We're gonna animate this thing racing like a bat out of hell.  A race car bat, not an iron bat.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

September EOTM - Liz Harvatine

Making cute things is serious business.  We pulled out the big guns for the Yo Gabba project by bringing in Emmy Award-winner, Liz Harvatine.  Of course, we had to give Liz something more prestigious than an Emmy... Buddy System's Employee of the Month award!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Yo Gabba Gabba! Golden Goose!

Yo Gabba Gabba! is back at Buddy.  This time they've traded in their fruit for some old-school fairy tale action!  "Golden Goose" has got all the classic elements!  Stinky dragons, sneaky bandits, and a princess up in a tower!  Combine the awesomeness of pop-up books and the catchiest song ever written by The Submarines, and you have yourself one unforgettable tale!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Congrats to Liz on Emmy win!

Congratulations to Liz Harvatine for winning an Emmy as a character animator on Moral Orel!  Last year she was nominated for an Annie as an animator, but lost out to this guy.  This year she takes home the big prize, and we're not talkin' about this guy!  Nice work Liz.  Perhaps next year you can win two.

Monday, August 31, 2009

August EOTM - Mario De Jesus

Mario doesn't like the spotlight very much.  Alas, it is inevitable when you do amazing work at Buddy.  We told him, "The spotlight is good for you, man.  Good FOR you!"

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Wrap BBQ!

We can't say enough how awesome the guys from GreenTruck are!  Their service was top-notch and more importantly their menu was varied, fresh, and delicious.  We gotta wrap on these top-secret projects more often!  Oh, and we like saving the planet, too.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Modest Mouse Music Video


"Satellite Skin", the opening song on Modest Mouse's latest album "No Ones's First, and You're Next" has finally been released!  With it is a music video with some creepy stop-motion animation produced by Buddy System Studios.  The off-beat video features hungry bird-eating birdhouses and a child who has a passion for their eggs.  It was directed by the talented Kevin Willis, and you can check it out HERE!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

July EOTM - Jake Johnson

For those not in know, Jake's got these huge man-paws.  He uses them for bullwhipping stuff and making pretty little clay sculptures.  July's Employee of the Month Award is for you, my friend!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Don't ask...

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Independent Feature

We've been hard at work on a clay animation sequence for an indie feature called "Son of Mourning" - produced by Zach Schiller.  It involves a giant beaver flying around a psychedelic version of Miami in a helicopter.  It's Donnie Darko meets Willy Wonka... just less candy.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

June EOTM - Ricky Garduno

Ricky pumped out SO many great looking storyboards for us, his whole world must've been like a never-ending "Take On Me" video.  Cue 80's synthesizer for June's EOTM!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

May EOTM - Brian "B-Dogg" Kokoszka

Don't be fooled by B-Dogg's happy facade.  In order to appease the rabid beast, Stella, we all had to pretend that she was actually the recipient of May's EOTM.  That's how their relationship works.  B-Dogg does great compositing and Stella gets the credit.  Ruthless...

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Greater Than > Your Bank

We just finished three 30 second TV spots for MATCU (Memphis Area Teachers Credit Union).


Maybe someday we can have nice wooden floors like that in the studio...

Behold, the secret to financial security!

Thursday, April 30, 2009

April EOTM - Jeremy Spake & Shea Bordo

"Buddy Twins Powers Activate!"  Form of water?  Check!  Shape of eagle?  Check!  Ain't nuthin' these guys can't build.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Top-Secret Disney project underway...SHHH!!

It's so secret... we can't even blog about it... except for this post... which is devoid of information... except for the information we're talking about... which isn't really that much... intrigued?  Or just confused?

Yeah, we are too.

Monday, March 30, 2009

March EOTM - The Bago

This deserving Employee of the Month was long overdue.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Buddy glamour shoot!

Let's be honest, this was simply an excuse for a bunch of nerds to screw around with some Power Gloves™.


Photography by The Imps of Marge and Fletch

Saturday, February 28, 2009

February EOTM - David H. Brooks

After being the ultimate Line Producer this month, we approached Mr. Brooks and said, "You can have whatever your heart desires."

Did he choose stacks on deckPatrone on ice?  Nope.

Brooks only said, "Just the Buddy EOM would be nice."

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Superbattle wraps!

Look at the concentration being demonstrated by a dedicated Ethan Marak -- just MOMENTS away from completing the final shot for his short Superbattle: Episode 1!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Buddy Systems turns ONE!

A wise man once said that most 90% of new businesses fail within their first year.  Well, that wise man died last year, but Buddy Systems is still going strong!!

Thanks to everyone for their support over the last year, we couldn't have done it without you!

Saturday, January 31, 2009

January EOTM - Joe Mello

Bam!  Joe Mello, our first Employee of the Month for 2009!  Joe channeled his inner young rap-artist like no other, and was able to bust out some sweet animation on the Soulja Boy projects.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Soulja Boy video released!!

The music video we did with Soulja Boy Tell'em dropped today!  It was a whirlwind production, being conceived, shot, animated, and edited together in just a month!


It's a hybrid style that combines live-action footage with cut-out characters animated on the downshooter.

Animators Sihanouk Mariona and Misha Klein
Harv location scouting
Derek Dintzner compositing
Soulja puppet on downshooter
You can check it out HERE!!

We're also producing an animated pilot for the Soulja Boy web series!  More on that soon!

UPDATE 01/13/09:  Video hit 1,000,000 views on YouTube!!