Introducing...Jens & Anna!

Picasso Pictures is extremely happy to announce the signing of new directing team Jens & Anna.

This imaginative directing duo, exude charm and humour through their fresh and quirky 2D character design and 3D motion and composition. Animating in 3D gives their cute characters an additional quality and freedom, they also utilise stop-motion to great effect, combining technology with creativity.

London based for the last ten years, both hailing from Germany; they have been making a great impact on the Short Film Festival circuits with their short films 'The Squirrel and The Penguin' and 'Cooked'.

Picasso: So who are Jens and Anna?

Jens and Anna: We are Jens Blank & Anna Benner. We met playing inmates of a lunatic asylum.

P: Where in the world were you born?

J&A: We're both from outside Cologne, somewhere between the city, the forest and suburbia. The latest bus to Anna's house would go at 7pm

P: Where in the world do you currently live?

J&A: London

P: How did you get into Animation?

J&A: We got pretty addicted while studying illustration. Being able to give your creations life that extends beyond a still image was a pretty cool moment and it just made -click-

P: Did you study film-making or animation? If so, where?

J&A: After our BA we worked in the industry for a bit. Jens went to study directing for animation at the National Film and Television School. Anna did a Masters in Film Aesthetics at Oxford Uni, spending a wonderful year thinking and writing about film and animation

P: How would you describe your style? How did it develop?

J&A: Playful, imaginative, funny, quirky and sometimes even cute. When we start a new project we bring together our individual likes and strengths. Anna enjoys to work with textures and handmade stuff while Jens brings in a graphical touch and a bit of 3D.

P: What's been the biggest influence in your career?

J&A: A Wacom, a brush pen, Quink, Forests, Ice Cream and our second monitors.

P: Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

J&A: How about thanking the academy? We'd like to be amazing at making people laugh, which is a very hard thing to do.

P: Is there one specific project that you feel best sums up your style?

J&A: Our latest short 'The Squirrel and the Penguin' the 'Greenpeace Ocean Action' video and 'Don't Swim after Lunch' give a good idea of what we enjoy doing.

P: Tell us a secret!

J&A: We fight about potatoes and cauliflower

Please enjoy some of Jens and Anna's work below! 

Introducing...Amelie Lambert!

Here at Picasso HQ we rely on a crack team of highly talented folks to keep things moving and get our Directors' wonderful work out there. Amelie Lambert (that lovely tanned woman you can see above) has joined Picasso fresh from a stint at shots magazine as Directors and New Business Representative. We caught up with the hilarious French native to chat about animation, opportunities and being 'cool'...

Picasso Pictures: You look cool, who are you?

Amelie: Thanks for the compliment, I never see myself as being "cool", but I'll take it! 

Gosh I never know what to answer to that question, every day I have a different ‘hat’ on.

P: We love your accent, where about do you hail from?

A: Paris, mon ami!

P: Tell us about how you got started in Animation, when did you know it was your 'calling'?

A: Chance, or luck, brought me to work within a field I’ve always been fascinated about from a young age. I have a secret admiration for this art, the intricacy of it all and the brains behind it.

Also over the past few years I have been surrounded by a bunch of close friends who specialise in all things 3D animation/graphic design/multimedia/web development, so it’s sort of become my universe.

P: What stands out for you over the course of your time at shots?

A: I’ve had the chance to travel a lot as part of a creative international industry …I love seeing what everyone is up to, wherever they may be. It's such a small community. shots covered Brazil back in December and that was a fantastic, memorable trip, full of wonderful encounters and findings. I wish them all the best! 

P: What brought you to Picasso?

A: I found, after having had the privilege to meet and talk to directors, producers and creatives, that sometimes the best things come unplanned. It seems moves within this industry just happen, one thing leads to another and it very often is for the best. I hadn’t specifically planned a move like this, but when the opportunity came up, I knew I wanted to go for it. 

I guess the time was right for me, so here I am, a lucky girl to join such a reputable institution within its field. I cannot wait to contribute to the company’s success. 

P: Summer is approaching, any nice plans?

A: Getting married! What is all the Cannes fuss about :o)

It's MOTOMICHI MARCH!!

Here at Picasso HQ, we decided to dedicate an entire month to the eccentric brilliance of the Artist, VJ, Director and all around creative force that is Motomichi Nakamura….so MOTOMICHI MARCH was born!

Motomichi was born in Tokyo and raised in Japan. He came to the U.S for the first time at the age of 16 as an international exchange student. He graduated from Parsons School of Design in 1996 and now currently lives in Quito, Ecuador.

A creator on a global scale, Motomichi’s art work, whether it’s a canvas painting or a VJ performance, focuses on a character or set of characters as its main element. The characters can be mythical creatures, most often cryptozoological animals or monsters. So celebrate this high impact art with us this month and head on over to our dedicated facebook page to join the buzz.