MCP is a 2D, 3D and flash animation studio owned and managed by our ‘Annie Award’ winning ex-Disney director Steve Trenbirth. Steve established MCP in 2002 after an enormously successful 20 year animation career that included a 14 year tenure at Disney Australia and LA. MCP is an internationally renowned studio because of Steve’s guidance and immaculate artistic experience and because MCP provides a high standard of quality service.
Our full service production facility specialises in pre-production, production and post-production of flash, 2D and 3D animated television series and feature films. These services also extend to the gaming, live action, publishing, advertising and corporate industries.
Most recently, MCP completed the pre-production of a new 3D animated film by JC Squared Animated Entertainment, “The Legend of Secret Pass” due for international release in 2009. Steve was the feature’s director with MCP supplying all pre-production services - from development, storyboard, art direction & production design.
Our recent accomplishments also includes the development of an internationally produced 3D animated feature film titled “The Fixies” and locally, the Screen Australia & Optimistic Pictures co-produced 3D telemovie titled “The Adventures of Charlotte & Henry”. Currently, we’re in co-production negotiations with local and international studios. As well as providing our services to others, we are also developing our own catalogue of exciting new projects for television and 2D and 3D feature films.
MCP is recognised as one of the premier Animation Studio in Australia.
What can MAD COW do for you?
Our creative team is dedicated to giving our clients what they want. We can offer all aspects of the creative development process from story concept through to screenplay. We are intensely service driven and the services we offer include character and prop designs, model packs, color styling, background and location designs and storyboards. We also provide services for animation, 3D modeling, rigging and rendering, visual FX, digital compositing and interactive web design.
Our Services :
 2D Animation 2D or traditional animation is the oldest form of animation. Our Managing Director and some of our key creative staff has a strong background in traditional animation and this gives our studio the edge in this area.
 3D animation
3D animation or CGI (computer generated imagery) is produced solely by computers. Objects and characters are built and rigged with a virtual skeleton and movement is created through a process called tweening. Key frames are created and the computer is able to automatically calculate the missing information between key frames. Once modeling is complete the animation is rendered. Mad Cow Pictures has an active CG department and offers internships to promising students.
 Flash Animation
Flash was initially used as a medium of animation where small animation files were created to be displayed on the web and it was also used for displaying graphics and menus for DVD movies. Flash is now a medium used for feature films and television series. Mad Cow Pictures has a team of flash animators experienced in all areas of Flash animation.
 Storyboards
The storyboard is the visualization of the script where the action and cutting of the show is carefully choreographed to meet the director’s needs and save expensive revisions on the backend of a production. In animation storyboards usually consist of more artwork and detail than their live-action counterparts. Mad Cow Pictures has a well-established and experienced storyboard department that produces storyboards for both feature films and television series.
 LayoutsOnce the storyboard process is complete, the layout process then sets the stage for each scene of a sequence. The layout artists will establish the lighting and shading of each scene and all the camera angles and paths and they will also provide character position guides. Mad Cow Pictures regards this as a vital process in all our productions.
 Art Direction And Production Design
Art direction and production design work hand in hand to establish a ‘look of picture’. It is the overall style and design from concept through to final artwork. The creative team at Mad Cow Pictures is able to provide a broad range of artistic styles to ensure a strong sense of consistent design throughout all our productions from feature films to television series.
 Conceptual Development
The conceptual development process is the creative evolution of a project that gives visual inspiration to an idea. The experienced artistic talent available at Mad Cow Pictures consistently gives ‘life’ to all our productions from feature films to television series.
 Digital Compositing
Digital compositing is the final process of bringing together all the elements to produce the final image. Mad Cow Pictures provides a comprehensive digital compositing service.
The People behind the MADness...
Steve Trenbirth - Managing / Creative Director
Steve Trenbirth is the owner and Managing Director of Mad Cow Pictures. He is an ‘Annie Award’ winning director with 20 years in the animation industry with a 14 year tenure at Disney Australia and Disney Los Angeles on series, direct to video and feature film productions.
Steve began his 20 year animation career at Hanna Barbera in 1985 where he worked as an inbetweener for projects such as Snorks, Top Cat and Scooby Doo. He joined Magpie Productions and was an inbetweener on his first feature Footrot Flats in 1986. In 1988 he joined Walt Disney Animation Australia as a clean-up artist on the Emmy Award winning television series Winnie the Pooh’s New Adventures. He then became an animator on other Walt Disney television series such as Timon and Pumbaa, Darkwing Duck, Gummi Bears and Winnie the Pooh. In 1989 Steve was then promoted to a Unit Director/Animation Director on Disney’s television series Timon and Pumbaa, Gargoyles, Jungle Cubs and Bonkers. He was also Unit Director/Animation Director on the direct to video projects – Annie Award Nominee Lady and The Tramp II, Annie Award Winner Lion King II, Aladdin and The King of Thieves and the Aladdin Sequel The Return of Jafar. He directed his first Walt Disney feature fil ‘Annie Award’ winner Junglebook II in 1999.
In 2002 Steve left Disney to form his own animation company/studio Mad Cow Pictures. Since starting his own studio Steve has worked on projects for well-known companies such as Cartoon Network, Disneytoons Australia, Scholastic Entertainment, EM-TV, Film Graphics, BFC Germany and Plastic Wax. In April 2005 Steve was appointed as the director on the 3D animated feature film ‘The Legend of Secret Pass’ for JC Squared Animated Entertainment. Negotiations are under way on a new 3D animated feature and Steve is slated as the film’s director.
Karen Emery - Line Producer
Karen joined Mad Cow Pictures as the Production Co-ordinator for the up and coming 3D Animated Feature Film, "The Legend of Secret Pass". With a background in Communications & Media Production, she entered the Animation Industry by accident and has loved it ever since. Her career in the industry has included production assisting and management of numerous Australian & International animated TV Series.
Darren Carney - Art Director
Darren has over 8 years animation industry experience and is also an exhibiting artist and illustrator with work that has been published in numerous magazines and books. He has worked for many of Sydney's top animation studios - Disney Toon Studios, Kapow Pictures, EM-TV and Halo Pictures to name a few. He has found his niche as a background painter, art director and concept artist.
In May 2005 he joined Mad Cow Pictures as their Art Director and is responsible for many of the beautiful backgrounds that will appear in the 3D animated feature The Legend of Secret Pass.
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