As far as we can tell, IdeaRocket is the only US animation studio with a production facility in Argentina. Recently, our U.S. team took a trip to Buenos Aires to visit.
“It was really nice to meet face-to-face with people we work with everyday on Zoom,” said Producer SaraJane Askildsen.
Make no mistake, our Argentine team members aren’t contractors or hired hands. They’re employees of our employee-owned business. That means they’re fully invested in IdeaRocket’s success and the success of our clients.
To put it another way, we’re all part of the same creative family.
Our Founder Lives in Buenos Aires
Our founder and creative director, Will Gadea, moved to Buenos Aires in 2019. He and his wife have lived there ever since.
“Right now, we are a bi-national company, with strong roots in the U.S.,” Will said. “I’m a U.S. citizen and I still feel very much like an American, but we have employees in both countries.”
Will and his wife still maintain their home in New York, but they found the creative scene in Buenos Aires irresistible. Will’s wife, a jazz musician, finds many more opportunities to sing and play jazz than she did in the U.S. And the cost of living is a nice perk.
Speaking of costs, observers might think that adding employees in Argentia is a smart cost-cutting measure, but Will sees it a different way.
“In Argentina, we can afford to put more love into each project. We came here to raise quality, not cut costs,” Will said.
And the quality is certainly there.
Art and Animation in Buenos Aires
Will first became aware of the Argentine animation community when he was visiting animation showcase sites online. He found wonderful work coming out of Argentina, with talented artists and rising studios.
Le Cube is a Brazilian-Argentine studio Will recognizes as doing world-class work as seen in the demo reel linked below.
It’s obvious that Argentina is a hot-bed of animation.
Bringing the U.S. team to Buenos Aires was a way to create a stronger bond between the US and Argentine staff.
Breaking Bread and Making Art
Zoom and other internet tools allow our cross-continental team to stay closely connected. We can’t make a visit to Buenos Aires every week, but there’s something special about being together in the same room.
“This is the conundrum of remote work,” Will said. “It’s in many ways more efficient, in many ways a lifestyle boon, but you need to put in the work so that you can make relationships that are lasting and significant. Because that’s what facilitates easy communication.”
Our team made a good start of that by gathering in the office for an asado, an Argentine barbeque.
We create together everyday, but for the first time in years, our entire team was able to share a meal and even a song. Our Motion and Art Director, Carolina “Caro” Mendez Ferro is also a talented musician as you can hear for yourself in the playlist below.
Connection Fuels Creativity
At IdeaRocket, we believe in the power of connection. We’re committed to creativity and are convinced that building a cultural bridge between the U.S. and Argentina lets us serve our clients better.
See for yourself. Contact us to get started on your video project today.
