masterclass
masterclass
Can innovation solve an ‘impossible’ timeline?
Can innovation solve an ‘impossible’ timeline?
When MasterClass approached Society in 2020 to produce their first-ever fully animated course, we faced an extraordinary challenge: create two hours of high-quality animation in the same timeframe typically allocated for a two-minute piece. The global pandemic had halted live-action production, and MasterClass needed an innovative solution to bring Emmy Award-winning voice actor Nancy Cartwright's teaching to life.
When MasterClass approached Society in 2020 to produce their first-ever fully animated course, we faced an extraordinary challenge: create two hours of high-quality animation in the same timeframe typically allocated for a two-minute piece. The global pandemic had halted live-action production, and MasterClass needed an innovative solution to bring Emmy Award-winning voice actor Nancy Cartwright's teaching to life.
The scope was unprecedented - nearly 120 minutes of animated content requiring multiple characters, environments, and consistent quality throughout. Traditional animation pipelines would typically require 6-12 months for such an undertaking. We had three months.
The scope was unprecedented - nearly 120 minutes of animated content requiring multiple characters, environments, and consistent quality throughout. Traditional animation pipelines would typically require 6-12 months for such an undertaking. We had three months.
Society's response exemplified our approach to technical innovation. Rather than simply scaling up conventional processes, we fundamentally reimagined the animation pipeline. The breakthrough came through our development of a hybrid 2D/3D character system. Working with our longtime animation partners Fraser Davidson and Ben Skinner, we created 3D character models with integrated 2D mouth animations.
Society's response exemplified our approach to technical innovation. Rather than simply scaling up conventional processes, we fundamentally reimagined the animation pipeline. The breakthrough came through our development of a hybrid 2D/3D character system. Working with our longtime animation partners Fraser Davidson and Ben Skinner, we created 3D character models with integrated 2D mouth animations.
The project demanded we design and animate:
10 distinct characters across three main categories
Multiple environments ranging from Nancy's home studio to stylized memory sequences
Nearly two hours of character animation
Supplementary B-roll footage for marketing
Title sequences and educational graphics
The project demanded we design and animate:
10 distinct characters across three main categories
Multiple environments ranging from Nancy's home studio to stylized memory sequences
Nearly two hours of character animation
Supplementary B-roll footage for marketing
Title sequences and educational graphics
Our global team, coordinating entirely through Zoom, delivered animation at a pace that rivaled top-tier studios - shipping minutes of high-quality content daily rather than weekly. This efficiency didn't come at the cost of creativity or quality. Each character retained its distinctive personality, every environment was carefully crafted, and the educational content remained clear and engaging throughout.
Our global team, coordinating entirely through Zoom, delivered animation at a pace that rivaled top-tier studios - shipping minutes of high-quality content daily rather than weekly. This efficiency didn't come at the cost of creativity or quality. Each character retained its distinctive personality, every environment was carefully crafted, and the educational content remained clear and engaging throughout.
The project's success validated Society's approach to technical innovation: identify the core challenge, develop new tools and processes to address it, and maintain quality while dramatically improving efficiency. The result was MasterClass's first animated course, delivered on time and on budget, during a global pandemic.
The project's success validated Society's approach to technical innovation: identify the core challenge, develop new tools and processes to address it, and maintain quality while dramatically improving efficiency. The result was MasterClass's first animated course, delivered on time and on budget, during a global pandemic.
