Pro Hello: Emma Burch
Emma Burch is an award-winning animation producer and creative in her own right. Since 2001, she’s worked on numerous animated campaigns for global ad agencies and brands, as well as developing her own short films. She produced over fifty black and white 'Simon’s Cat' episodes, as well as co-writing and producing ‘Off to the Vet’, the first 10-minute colour episode which won The McLaren Award Best British Animation in 2016, gaining over 54M+ YouTube views to date.
Emma started her Kong Studio journey on a high in 2018 when the studio landed its first award for her inaugural project -- IMAX Shazam! Her favourite Kong project to date is 'Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures', beyond her own short 'Hairy Houdini'.
Today, Emma opens up on her journey so far.
Emma started her Kong Studio journey on a high in 2018 when the studio landed its first award for her inaugural project -- IMAX Shazam! Her favourite Kong project to date is 'Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures', beyond her own short 'Hairy Houdini'.
Today, Emma opens up on her journey so far.
LBB> What do you do, and where are you based?
Emma> I’m the executive producer at Kong Studio, a boutique animation and illustration studio in Hackney, East London. We work all animation styles from traditional hand drawn, to stop-motion. We make all sorts of content from simple corporate explainers and music videos, through to TV commercials and family / kids’ series service work. But our main expertise, I guess, is in 2D. Saying that, there’s not much we don’t like turning our hand to. It’s more rewarding when you produce work that’s out of your comfort zone, as you learn so much.
LBB> What recent campaigns might we know you from, and what was your input on these campaigns?
Emma> We haven’t produced as many ads as we would have liked this year, but we’ve still been busy on lots of exciting and very different projects. We just released a promo for best-selling author Ben Aaronovitch’s latest book, ‘Masquerades of Spring’. It’s a lovely Harlem renaissance-inspired piece.
Prior to that, we published a music video for Fulham FC Midfielder, Alex Iwobi’s debut track, ‘Don’t Shoot’. It was a fun, retro video game-inspired film which Kong Studio founders, Bill Elliott and Tom Baker, directed and designed (under the directing name of Elliott Baker), with the help of a few of our lovely freelance crew.
But our biggest project from the last 12 months was two 26-minute episodes of the first season of 'Quentin Blake's Box of Treasures' series. The first of our episodes to air was 'Mrs. Armitage on Wheels' in Easter 2024. Our second episode, ‘Loveykins’, is due out later this year. The series is available on BBC iPlayer, so if you’re a fan of Quentin Blake’s work and / or have kids, we highly recommend you checking it out! It’s a wonderful series.
LBB> How did you first get into the industry, and how did you realise what you wanted to do?
Emma> I fell into animation by chance, but it was one of the happiest accidents of my life. I graduated in 2001 from Westminster University after studying Contemporary Media Practice. I definitely came out a jack of all trades with no clear direction or interest, other than to work in the creative industries.
Like most graduates, I blanket messaged production companies and publishers across London, and walked around Soho knocking on doors. I secured five interviews in a day, and my last one was at Loose Moose, a stop-motion animation company based on Berwick Street. I got a job as a runner and then worked my way up and learned my trade there for the next 10 years. I worked with amazing people and had the best bosses that even supported me in making my own directing debut short film, 'Being Bradford Dillman'.
Loose Moose were behind Peperami's infamous ‘It’s a Bit of an Animal’ campaign, and we built lasting relationships with US agencies producing 14+ strong ad campaigns for brands like Kellogg’s and Nabisco Chips Ahoy!. We even made a Super Bowl ad featuring Danny DeVito one year for Pepsi Lipton Brisk. I look back at it as a golden age in the industry.
Loose Moose were behind Peperami's infamous ‘It’s a Bit of an Animal’ campaign, and we built lasting relationships with US agencies producing 14+ strong ad campaigns for brands like Kellogg’s and Nabisco Chips Ahoy!. We even made a Super Bowl ad featuring Danny DeVito one year for Pepsi Lipton Brisk. I look back at it as a golden age in the industry.
LBB> Tell us about your journey so far.
Emma> After 10 years at Loose Moose, it was time for a change. I did a little freelancing work at Seed Animation. At the time, they predominantly made CG animation. They were friends, so it never really felt like work. But I missed working in stop-motion, so when the now closed Tandem Films invited me over for some sabbatical cover, I jumped at the chance.
I then got to produce with Oscar winning director, Daniel Greaves, and ran his crowdfunding campaign for his short film 'Mr. Plastimime'. Tandem had helped Simon Tofield, one of their regular animators launch his online series, 'Simon’s Cat', so when sabbatical cover came to an end, I joined Simon as his producer, but ended up learning a lot about YouTube channel management and social media -- and of course, a lots about cats!
I then got to produce with Oscar winning director, Daniel Greaves, and ran his crowdfunding campaign for his short film 'Mr. Plastimime'. Tandem had helped Simon Tofield, one of their regular animators launch his online series, 'Simon’s Cat', so when sabbatical cover came to an end, I joined Simon as his producer, but ended up learning a lot about YouTube channel management and social media -- and of course, a lots about cats!
After taking maternity leave, I needed a job closer to home and something new I could get my teeth stuck into. So when Bill Elliott and Tom Baker (neither a ballerina or timelord!) asked me to join Kong and help grow their animation company, it seemed like the perfect fit. We’ve had bumps along the way with Covid, and we’ve had to move locations a few times, but I really love the studio we’ve developed together. We started in a box room with four people and no windows, and now have a great space in Hackney Downs that offers the flexibility we need to expand and contract to keep us nimble.
Since I joined, we’ve picked up various nominations and awards, worked with AMV BBDO, BBC, IMAX, Disney, Thomas & Friends and Mencap -- and developed a great relationship with The Open University, too. I’ve even managed to write and produce another stop-motion short film, ‘Hairy Houdini’ with the help of the talented Mr. Trevor Hardy.
LBB> What projects / campaigns that you’ve been involved in have been the most personally satisfying to work on, and why?
Emma> Most recently, it would have to be the wonderful 'Quentin Blake's Box of Treasures'. It was Kong’s biggest project to date and despite being exceptionally challenging, we had a great time working on the animation. It was a co-production with two other studios in Europe, so building those relationships and learning new pipelines etc. was a great experience. We put together our own wonderful crew including masters of their craft, and some fantastic juniors who were hugely talented too (we’ll probably be working for some of them one day!). And then to watch our episode with a full-scale orchestra at the Barbican was something that gives you goosebumps.
But the most personally satisfying is probably Simon’s Cat's ‘Off to the Vet’, purely because of the effort that went into raising the money for the film. After making 50+ episodes of the black and white Simon’s Cat mini episodes, the team decided to make a full 10-minute colour film.
I co-wrote it with Simon and then I put a crowdfunding campaign together to fund it. It ended up breaking the UK record at the time. Crowdfunding is not free money, it’s hard work. Then making a 10-minute film that pleased all the funders, while delivering on all the other crowdfunding promises, was also tough. But we had a brilliant team and I’m very proud of the film. We had a few animators relatively early on in their career on that too, and they have all gone on to wonderful things. 'Off to the Vet' has been viewed over 54 million times on YouTube so far, and went on to win The McLaren Award for Best British Animation in 2016, among others.
I co-wrote it with Simon and then I put a crowdfunding campaign together to fund it. It ended up breaking the UK record at the time. Crowdfunding is not free money, it’s hard work. Then making a 10-minute film that pleased all the funders, while delivering on all the other crowdfunding promises, was also tough. But we had a brilliant team and I’m very proud of the film. We had a few animators relatively early on in their career on that too, and they have all gone on to wonderful things. 'Off to the Vet' has been viewed over 54 million times on YouTube so far, and went on to win The McLaren Award for Best British Animation in 2016, among others.
LBB> What’s been your proudest achievement?
Emma> It would have to be personal work, as that is usually the hardest to see through to the end, due to life and work getting in the way. Not being an animator or a designer myself, I have to find a team that believes in the project as much as I do. My first short film 'Being Bradford Dillman' took 10 years to complete from the moment Pete Williamson and I started writing the script, but probably only 12 months after we discovered the perfect animator in Daniella Orsini, with her paper cutout animation style. We realised Daniella’s paper animation would keep all the charm of Pete’s illustrations that other techniques we had tested stripped away. I gave up work for six months to assist Daniella while she filmed it in the basement of a hairdressers on Berwick St.
Every one of the crew gave so much more to it than they were paid. But I think everyone genuinely believed in it. I couldn’t have done it without Loose Moose and Glenn Holberton’s support. When the odds felt stacked against us, he was always there with encouragement. And with it being such a personal story to me, it was great to have closure once it was finally finished in 2011. Pete and I said we would be happy if it was seen by 100 people. It went on to 65 film festivals and picked up 16 awards, so sticking with it more than paid off.
LBB> What do people (clients, agencies etc) come to you for specifically?
Emma> What I love about Kong Studio is that we don’t have a house style, so every project we make feels very fresh and unique. It can make it a bit more difficult to sell us as a studio as people often need to see what they’re getting before they buy it -- but I believe our clients recognise the expertise we bring and like coming on the journey to find a style that fits their project perfectly.
People and partnerships genuinely are at the heart of how we approach things, so our clients (partners!) appreciate the effort we put in to building the relationship with them, too. We are all passionate about animation and love finding new and established talent to work with. As a producer, it’s my favourite part of the job -- putting together a team and then watching them create something wonderful. We always try to balance experience with emerging talent. Giving someone their first break into the industry can also be one of the most rewarding things about the job. We all have to start somewhere -- and we never forget where our first break was!
LBB> What are your strongest opinions relating to your specific field?
Emma> When I first started in the industry, there was a lot more respect for individual skillsets, and people could be specialists in an area. With budgets being squeezed, and a lot more companies competing for work, I think the industry has evolved into a generalist approach to things. At Kong, we're used to having tight budgets and deadlines to meet, and we’re forced to take a generalist approach. This is more frustrating when decision makers spend months debating what to make, continually squeezing the time left to make it.
I know it’s just the times we live in, but it can chip away at the enjoyment and sometimes quality when not enough time is given to the creative process. We want to be proud of every project we produce for its quality – not just for overcoming the restrictions and obstacles that were in our way.
LBB> What sort of projects really get you excited at the moment?
Emma> Definitely projects that are out of our comfort zone and push us to use a new style or technique. Not only because it can open new doors for us as a studio, but because we keep learning. What was it Bowie said? “Go a little out of your depth. When you don't feel your feet are quite touching the bottom, you are about to do something quite exciting.”
LBB> Who are your creative heroes, and why?
Emma> I find this a difficult one to answer. I don’t have any particular creative heroes. There are certain films that have really stuck with me, or music that’s made me feel things no other song has, and books that I can’t get out of my mind for weeks. But I can’t pin it on a short list of names.
LBB> Outside of the day job, what fuels your creativity?
Emma> Real life stories, mainly -- or at least drawing from them. The one thing AI can’t fake (I don’t think at least), is real human experience and complex emotions that come from that. And the fact that modern life is so fast-paced and stressful, and thanks to my husband’s lack of ability, full of admin! For me, being creative helps to balance the boring life stuff, and also with stress and mental health -- that is the biggest driving force behind me wanting to work in the creative industries. I meet lots of people who I think are compelled to keep creating for their own wellbeing.
In terms of the 'What do you do in your spare time?' aspect, we’re a musical house. My husband is constantly on his decks and my son is learning the drums, so there’s never a quiet moment. I’ve discovered while they’re making a racket (but playing music I love), I’m at my happiest crafting. But I am a bit of a perfectionist when crafting. There have been a few awkward moments when it’s clear my son’s homework might have been made with some help...
