Epoch Ink Animation is a full service animation studio, specializing in producing high quality animation, concept, design and development for all aspects of the medium including TV, video, film, commercials and video games.
With a history spanning more then fifteen years in the competitive Los Angeles animation industry, Epoch has produced more then 80 half hours of top quality animation for the U.S. TV marketplace, numerous animated shorts, pilots, and music videos, and developed an industry-wide reputation as an animation concept and design powerhouse.
Epoch was founded in 1993 by animation creator and producer-Joe Pearson. A thirty-year veteran of the animation industry, Joe's personal mandate was to found a studio that would consistently produce animation and design at the highest level possible for the budget, in an artist friendly environment.
Writing about Epoch Ink in an extensive article in "The Animation Report", animation writer and historian, Harvey Deneroff, wrote: "Much of the Studio's work seems influenced by anime and the work of such studios as Warner Bros. (especially as seen in “Batman: The Animated Series”) John Kricfalusi and Ralph Bakshi. "My own personal style," Joe Pearson says, "is post-Warner’s, though “Collet .45” has a Bakshiesque style. I like a really rich color palette, with strong shadows. Brad Combs favors the post-Batman style we used in Space Monkeys and Roswell, while Young Yoon is a real devotee of the hard anime look of “Akira” and “Robot Carnival"’. Perhaps the most distinctive part of the studio's approach is reflected in Pearson's penchant for creating new worlds. "I pride myself on the fact that everything that I've directed or produced has a really unique look". The Animation Report, January/February 1998.
Currently located in the Venice Beach area of Los Angeles, Epoch has assembled a top team of animation creatives writers, designers, directors and producers. Epoch’s mission to provide the best in service animation and design for their clients as well as developing an extensive line of original animated properties for the marketplace.
In 1993 Epoch produced its first independent animated short—“Collet .45”. Ten minutes in length, “Collet .45” is a fully animated SF action/comedy that recounts the violent story of sexy private detective, “Collet .45”, and her adventures on the wild space city —The Spike.
In 1995, Epoch produced 26 episodes of the animated "Captain Simian and the Space Monkeys" series for Hallmark Entertainment. Produced on a modest budget, the series boasted high quality production values and Epoch's unique "American anime" design. The series ran for four years on American and International TV.
In 1996 and 1997, the studio produced the "Dot and Spot's Magical Christmas Adventure" Special for the Bohbot Kids Network (BKN) and Toy 'R Us, as well as fourteen episodes of "Mummies Alive" for DIC and Ivan Reitman, two episodes of "Blues Brothers" for Film Roman, three episodes of "Tex Avery Theater" for DIC, and two episodes of the animated "Robocop: Alpha Commando" series for MGM.
In 1998, Epoch was involved as an associate studio in the production of Wildstorm Entertainment’s direct-to-video feature, “Gen 13”, providing design and consultation services.Over the years, Epoch has produced numerous shorts and pilots, including the "Atomic Babies" pilot film (for Landmark Entertainment), "The Adventures of the Spanish Fly" short (with Graham Morris Animation), a critically acclaimed main title for "The Weird Al Show", and an animated pilot film of “Mighty Joe Young” for RKO Pictures.
Epoch has also built a solid reputation as a top design and development house, doing work for numerous clients including Matt Groening ("Futurama"), Dreamworks Animation ("Small Soldiers"), MGM Animation ("Robocop" and "Stargate"), Pressman Films ("Mutant Chronicles", “The Animated Crow Feature—Inferno”), Rick Unger ("Com-batz"), Cloud Nine ("Quantum Kids"), The Rainforest Café (line of animal merchandise), Maui and Sons ("The Adventures of Sharkman") and Kevin Eastman Studios ("Underwhere").
Epoch moved into the music video arena, producing two Grammy and MTV Award nominated, animated music videos for Todd McFarlane Entertainment—Pearl Jam's "Do the Evolution" in 1998 and Korn's "Freak on the Leash" (the latter in association with Graham Morris Animation) the next year. "Freak" won two MTV awards, as well as the Grammy for Best Music Video of 1999.
In late 1998, Epoch merged for two years with the Bohbot Kids Network where Joe Pearson served as the Network's Creative Director and the Epoch staff served as the core of the fledgling Network's creative animation team. While at BKN, Joe and the Epoch crew produced the forty-episode, animated, science fiction epic—"Roswell Conspiracies" for American and European TV.
Epoch has also done extensive development and design work for the growing video game industry. In the mid-90’s, Joe was one of the key concept artists and writers on Sony's top selling “Crash Bandicoot” video game. Joe and the Epoch design team also worked for Insomniac Games ("Spyro the Dragon"), Capcom Entertainment ("Maximo the Black Knight 1 and 2"), Ritual Entertainment ("Heavy Metal, FAAK2"), and Electronic Arts.
In 2003, Epoch produced the design, direction and storyboard for 45 minutes of Cut Scene animation (FMV's) for the newest Crash Bandicoot game, "Crash Nitro Kart". In 2004, Epoch produced design, direction and FMV storyboards for the "Crash Twinsanity", and "Spiderman" (PSP) games. In 2005, Epoch produced the FMV storyboard for the Crash Bandicoot game, "Crash Tag Team Racing".
In 2007 Epoch produced the "Meltdown" animated short for Microsoft Entertainment and the short "The Cartoon" for the Filmmaster Group and Hogan Clothing.
In 2008 Epoch entered into a long-term partnership with Tripod Entertainment to develop, fund and produce both animated and live action films and TV series. Our first project, "War of the Worlds: Goliath" is being released in summer of 2012 in stereoscopic 3D.
Epoch Ink has done work for the following clients:
TV
FILM
MUSIC VIDEO
VIDEO GAMES
COMMERCIALS