Some Juicy business news
By Tyler Austin Bradley
For the past five years, multimedia powerhouse Juicy Studios has called the floor above the post office home.
In that time, aside from enjoying the sorting room selection of classic rock tunes blared from the main, the line up at Juicy has recruited, groomed, employed and subcontracted a veritable who’s who of local tech talent. It has served as a hub, a gathering place and lightning rod for creative types, an uncommon open-door policy admitting Looky-Lous and Louises into the fast-paced, deadline heavy world of entertainment and information media production and design.
That’s right – if you were ever curious as to what went on at the corner of Columbia and Queen, second floor (“What do they do in there anyhow?”), all you had to do was ask.
Now, however, with an evolved business model and the luxury of being able to pick and choose between a vast client base and its accompanying projects, Juicy finds itself in a transition phase as new challenges and projects announce themselves; the floor above the post office sits vacant today. Few traces of the motion graphics magic and five years of creative ebb and flow remain, the liquid nature of creative enterprise now percolating elsewhere.
Fortunately for us, though, we can all rest assured that the glass sits well above half full. A new (and still Rossland-based) location is in the works; Juicy Studios alive and well.
Juicy co-founder Scott Carlson recently tore himself away from the allure of pixel-land to describe what’s in store for him, the studio/business, and the other key Juicers involved (“Juicers” in this instance being Juicy Studios affiliates, not bodybuilders with a penchant for horse steroids).
Taking in what could very well be the last of the warm autumn afternoons, Carlson sips his coffee thoughtfully as I lob him questions to smash off of his favourite street side eatery’s deck.
“Change is scary,” he admits. “But it’s time. We were [above] the post office for five years, and that space… [thoughtful pause] it was sad to say goodbye, but I’m excited about the next stage.”
Emphasizing that Juicy is less about the physical space it inhabits than the sum of its creative parts, Scott is currently exploring options for a new location while continuing to work collaboratively with Juicy elder Jeremy Kenning and other associates.
“We started (Juicy) eight years ago, fresh out of college,” Scott explains. “We came out, guns blazing, ready to take on the world.”
Now, though, the approach has changed significantly.
Continued learning, striking a balance with work and family time, taking the time to set sights on personal goals and take aim rather than blasting away at any and all moving targets has enabled the key players to not just specialize, but to recognize what it is they are most passionate about.
“One thing that has characterized our work is perseverance,” Scott explains. “Doing it as long as we have lets you gain insights into who you are and what you want to do. In eight years, we’ve tried everything. Web design, branding, commercials, true multimedia. Really diverse work. Everyone kind of fell into their niche: Jer [Kenning] specializes in visual effects and will be pursuing that as he goes back to school in Vancouver. Alynn [Smith] likes web design and that’s her focus, while my passion is directing.”
With Kenning going back to school, and Smith and husband expecting, Carlson is reflective about what the future holds for Juicy.
“I want to come back at doing original work, generating new content, developing new ideas and partnering. Collaborating. And you can do that here, in what I call “The Shire;” Rossland has so many people with unseen or hidden skill-sets, it’s unbelievable. Designers, filmmakers, actors, sound and lighting people. Drawing it all together: that will be amazing.”
Downing his coffee, Carlson notes that it is the local people and offerings here in “The Shire” that continue to inspire. Nursing a beat-down shoulder and bruised ego from a recent mid-day trail ride, he shrugs off suggestions of going elsewhere for prospective expanded horizons and opportunities.
“Support from friends, clients, and town over the years has been so integral. We’re all looking forward to the opportunity to continue impressing, shocking and making you proud of us.”
Stay tuned.
