Buzzco Associates
Buzzco Associates, Inc. is an animation studio that was founded in 1968 (as Perpetual Motion Pictures) by Buzz Potamkin[1] with Candy Kugel and Vincent Cafarelli as co-creative directors and Marilyn Kraemer as executive producer. Early work of the studio included the "I Want My MTV" campaign, and the "Top of the Hour" network ID for MTV. The spots mixed live action, rock stars, music and animation. Buzzco continued with production of commercials, titles, insert programming, sales films and segments for such clients as Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop, MTV, HBO Family and ABC, as well as for educational shows such as Sesame Street and Square One Television.
Potamkin left New York in 1984 to form Southern Star Productions in Los Angeles. As part of the continuing partners' agreement in forming Buzzco Associates, Cafarelli, Kugel and Kraemer decided it was important for them to make independent films.
The studio’s Sesame Street segments include "Jake the Snake" (1988), "It’s Hip to Be a Square" (1989) and "Redwood Tree" (1988). Commercial clients often come to Buzzco because of its ability to integrate diverse print styles into motion. They have often worked with humorous illustrator Norm Bendell, designer of commercials for First Morris Bank and the flea-control program CIBA.
Planned Parenthood: Talking About Sex, created and produced for Planned Parenthood won the Grand Prize for an Educational Film at Annecy in 1997.
It’s Still Me: A Guide for People with Aphasia & Their Loved Ones is a 17-minute film which explains aphasia and offers ways of communicating without words. It was inspired by Kugel’s mother who lived with aphasia for 12 years after surviving a massive stroke.
Clients and shorts
Clients
- Dan-E
- ABC Entertainment
- WGBH Boston
- Hewitt Associates, Inc.
- Visa
- Bell South
- Scholastic
- AnMed Health Medical Center
- Big Bear Supermarkets
- Fisher Price
- Nick Jr.
- HBO Family
- Sesame Workshop
- Pinnacle
- GCI
- Tyco
- Gravy Boat
- Hallmark Entertainment
- Nickelodeon
- Burger King
- American Girl
- Planned Parenthood
- CIBA
- First Morris Banks
- Southwestern Bell
- Connecticut Academy for Education
- Sports Illustrated for Kids
- Playboy Channel
- USA Network
- Clearblue Easy
- Children's Television Workshop
- Chef Boyardee
- CD 101.9
- Comedy Channel
- ABC
- Budget Gourmet
- NexView
- New Concorde
- NSF
- ActMedia
- VH-1
- Southern Star Productions
- Xerox
- HBO
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- USA Network
- MTV
- New York State Department of Education
Shorts
- dEVOLUTION (2008)
- Right (2007)
- What I Want (music video, 2005)
- Command-Z (2005)
- Juan Bobo's Birthday Party (2002)
- Piscis (2001)
- (it was . . .) Nothing At All (2000)
- Life: A New York Ani-Jam (animated contribution, 1999)
- KnitWits Revisited (1999)
- KnitWits (1997)
- The Ballad of Archie Foley (1995)
- We Love It (1992)
- Fast Food Matador (1991)
- Snowie and the Seven Dorps
- Animated Self-Portrait (1988)
- A Warm Reception in L.A. (1987)
- My Film, My Film, My Film (1983)
- The Berenstain Bears Play Ball (1983)
- The Berenstain Bears' Easter Surprise (1981)
- The Berenstain Bears Meet Bigpaw (1980)
- The Berenstain Bears' Comic Valentine (1980)
- Audition (1980)
- The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree (1979)
- Confessions of a Starmaker (technical assistance, 1978)
- Inbetweening America (1977)
- Woman: Who Is Me? (1976)
- Weekend Pieces (1974-1979)
References
- ↑ Variety Staff (May 8, 2012). "Marshall 'Buzz' Potamkin dies at 66". Variety.com (Reed Elsevier). Retrieved 9 July 2012.