We had the good fortune of connecting with Steph Swope & Craig Staggs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Steph and Craig, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Craig and I were ready to work for ourselves, and maximize our potential to take on bigger and more interesting projects. We also wanted to work with Richard Linklater, which we got to do in 2020-2021 on Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood. It was a dream come true!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Minnow Mountain is a rotoscope animation company. We’re the only ones in the world who do what we do, and although we have a ton of fun making animation, we also take it very seriously. Nothing about making television or film is easy, and animation even more so. The timelines can be challenging, as well as finding an art style that satisfies our production needs as much as the director’s vision. Finding a way to do all of this while also staying on budget, hiring skilled animators, and coordinating the many steps in the process can be difficult at times. It’s a puzzle that we add pieces to every day and seeing it all put together is very satisfying.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Minnow Mountain is based in Austin, and we’re always happy to show friends a good time! We love taking people to see a film at the Alamo Drafthouse, it really is a unique movie-going experience that can’t be beat. Craig never misses a chance to take friends to Asti, a really incredible Italian restaurant. Steph has recently discovered bingsu, served at a neighborhood place called Snow Ball Rice Ball. Anybody who comes to visit will definitely be going to one of both of these places!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Minnow Mountain wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the support of our friends and family! It is difficult to start a business, particularly in animation, and having reliable folks in our corner was a huge help. Our company also got a big boost from working with Keith Maitland, director of “Tower.” And we would not have been part of “Undone” and “Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood” if it weren’t for producer Tommy Pallotta. Working with those powerhouses has helped our studio immensely and we are eternally grateful.

Website: https://minnowmountain.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minnowmountain/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/minnowmountain

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/minnowmountain

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/MinnowMountain

Image Credits
Craig Staggs, Steph Swope

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