Today we’d like to introduce you to Allie Crawford

Hi Allie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

In 1998, I started my degree in Visual Communication at Edinburgh College of Art with the intention of studying graphic design. However, I quickly fell in love with the magic of animation and I never looked back. I completed my degree (specialising in 2D animation) in 2002 and then moved to London to pursue a postgraduate degree in 2D animation at Central Saint Martins. That course was incredible and set the foundation for my career in commercial animation.

In the early years of my career, I worked on several animated TV shows, including Gordon the Garden Gnome, Pedro and Frankensheep, and a series for Nickelodeon. For four years, I worked full-time at Bin Weevils, a fabulous company where I led a team of animators and designers. During my time there, we were honored to win three BAFTAs for The Children’s Choice Awards.

After leaving Bin Weevils, I transitioned to advertising, focusing on motion graphics and editing alongside 2D character animation. I had the opportunity to work with major brands such as Nike, Google, Jaguar Land Rover, BMW, Vodafone, Lego, Old Mout Cider, Hellmann’s, and Violife. In 2020, I was honored to be awarded Freelancer of the Year.

By then, I had grown weary of working for production companies that charged exorbitant fees while allocating minimal budgets to animation. This inspired me to establish my own production company, Kymera Media. Over the past few years, I have been growing Kymera Media, which allows me to spend more time creating a video but at a lower cost, benefiting both my clients and myself.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

The industry has been very good to me over the last 23 years. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard starting out. In the early years, I did my fair share of temping work between animation jobs. However, the industry has seen me through several recessions and the recent cost of living crisis, which has turned the industry upside down. I’m very grateful for having a steady flow of work throughout my career and I don’t take that for granted.

As you know, we’re big fans of Kymera Media. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?

Kymera Media is a multi-award-winning video production company that specialises in crafting animations that resonate deeply with audiences and drives tangible results.

We’ve witnessed the exorbitant prices charged by large production companies, where only a fraction of the costs contribute to the video’s production. As a small boutique studio, we operate with minimal overhead, allowing us to create high-quality videos at a fraction of the cost. We believe in a very personal approach and pay meticulous attention to even the smallest details, ensuring our client’s vision is realized with utmost care.

Encountering a production team with three BAFTA wins and a myriad of other accolades is a rare occurrence. Crafting an advertisement that catapults a product to become the top-selling item or the most successful ad on Google isn’t within everyone’s reach. Yet, fueled by our expertise, passion for video, and dedication to our craft, we persistently redefine the limits of our capabilities.

We are trusted by brands around the world. With a 5-star rating on Google and a stream of glowing feedback from our clients, we consistently exceed expectations. Explore our testimonials on our website to discover the wonderful things our clients have to say about us: https://kymeramedia.com/

Any big plans?

We’re looking to grow Kymera Media and collaborate with more amazing brands and businesses in the coming years. Our goal is to help them enhance their communications through the power of top-quality videos that drive results. Additionally, we have several TV series in development that we are very excited about.

Pricing:

• * Ballpark costs for a basic animation fall roughly between £1,500 and £3,000 per minute.
• * Intermediate animations cost between £3,000 and £7,000 per minute
• * Advanced animations fall between £7,000 and £20,000+ per minute.
• * Live-action video production costs vary, with a basic video costing between £1,500 and £5,000 for a 2-3 minute video.
• * An intermediate live-action video may cost between £5,000 and £15,000 for a 3-5 minute video

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kymeramedia.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kymeramedia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kymeramedia/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Suq1zSWOXLqJm0wnCwuiQ

Image Credits

Kymera Media