Character Animation Studio

grasshorse

a few words about us

Drawing your viewers’ attention is the first step to engaging, entertaining and informing them. We are a character animation studio that approaches our development like jazz. We specialize in hybrid techniques combining 2D, 3D and other forms of animation and puppetry. Grasshorse has produced work for MTV, Walt Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, LEGO and most recently, 20th Century Fox. Our clients are regional, national and international studios, networks, advertising agencies and new media.

In early years, Grasshorse began as a sole proprietorship with Steve working on shows including Craig McCracken’s The Powerpuff Girls for Cartoon Network, Warner Bros.' Johnny Test, Genndy Tartakovsky’s Star Wars: Clone Wars and Megas XLR. Steve pioneered 2D/3D hybrid animation techniques on The Powerpuff Girls; he was one of the first to mash the aesthetics of 2D animation with 3D animation in broadcast television.

meet our team

Steve Jennings

Steve Jennings is Founder and Director at Grasshorse Studios, a character animation business located in Southeast Iowa. Jennings’ was acknowledged for his direction of The Sacrifice as 2010 Best Animated Short at Dragon Con. Jennings contributed animation to Powerpuff Girls, Star Wars: Clone Wars and Johnny Test. Since then, he has received 50+ awards for his direction of regional and national commercials. His inventive spirit has ignited new development in technology, mixing aesthetics and combining disciplines of animation, animatronics and puppetry. Most recently, Jennings directed an homage to AMC’s Mad Men for the upcoming 20^th Century Fox movie, Hitman: Agent 47.

Kathy Buxton

Kathy Buxton is Producer, director of story development and co-owner of Grasshorse Studios. She is experienced in all aspects of creative production, from concept through post-production – especially in character animation. Buxton adapts to a production’s changing demands having worked on advertisements, public services announcements, music videos, and short and long form narrative for television, film and multimedia production. She has produced work for 20th Century Fox, MTV, Walt Disney Channel and LEGO. Whimsical, quirky and with a wicked sense of humor, she is experienced in capturing the attention of audiences. Most recently Buxton produced The Flare Virus Explained, a mock PSA for Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials.

Our Unique Business Model

As an adaptable company, we staff our crews based on production needs. Using a unique business model featuring cost-effective location, talent and customized technologies, we are able to offer both top-notch work and affordability to our clients. This model also benefits our artists with low cost of living, high quality of life and a great work culture here at Grasshorse.

Location

The Midwest is not the obvious choice for an animation studio, but there are many advantages. Cost of living is significantly more economical than in areas on the coast. Artists with families benefit from less expensive housing and quality public schools. Our centralized location is helpful for scheduling to clients on both coasts.

Talent

Great work is created by great artists. We foster and develop talent locally; half our animators are graduates of an animation program we developed for a local college in 2008. Steve and Kathy remain highly involved on the advisory board for the program.

Technology

Our facilities are outfitted with 10 artist workstations that are configured with state of the art software from Adobe, Autodesk, Apple, Blender and Toon Boom. Leveraging open source technologies for 3D animation has benefited our business by reducing overhead costs, with savings passed on to our clients. With strong programming and database design backgrounds, Steve and Kathy have developed proprietary tools to speed up animation, asset organization, and streamline the production pipeline.

interesting info

Our Look

Grasshorse has continued developing techniques to blend multiple styles; in blending 2D and 3D animation, Grasshorse often uses orthographic cameras to eliminate 3D perspective, making the animation appear flatter. The effect is further emphasized through limiting the angles in which 3D models can be displayed to reinforce a 2D-like aesthetic.

Our Facilities

Grasshorse studio is fully equipped with leading edge equipment and software to satisfy any pre-production, production and post production needs. The 6,000 square foot building has a basement, first floor and, in a partial second story.