Sweatbox Animation

Sweatbox Animation is a Danish animation studio run by Dan Harder, operating on a project-by-project basis with a network of freelance animators, inbetweeners, cleanup artists, background painters, CG artists, programmers, musicians and sound designers. The studio was initially founded as Dan Harder Animation in 1990, with the primary aim of providing classical animation and related services for features and animated commercials. In 1993, a second business leg, Sweatbox Software, was introduced to produce a PC-based animation line-test system; the name 'Sweatbox' comes from the room at the Disney studios where Walt used to review animators' work. The software focus quickly shifted toward PC-based computer games. In the late 1990s, as technology became more affordable and allowed small businesses to compete with larger animation players, the company began producing TV commercials from storyboard to finished film. The animation and computer businesses merged into one entity, Sweatbox Animation. In the new millennium, aside from occasional computer games or animated commercials, the emphasis has been on providing services such as animation, storyboarding, character design and story development on various Danish and international feature productions. The studio's portfolio includes work on 'To Bee or Not to Bee' (a hand-animated short), 'Tivoli' (a CGI feature), and storyboard credits on 'Shaun the Sheep', 'Marco Macaco (Primates of the Caribbean)', 'Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms', 'Olsen-Banden (The Olsen Gang in Deep Trouble)', 'Jungledyret Hugo (Amazon Jack)' and 'Mullewapp (Friends Forever)'. Sweatbox Animation remains a private, owner-operated studio based in Denmark, serving both domestic and international clients.

Sweatbox Animation traces its origins to 1990, when it was founded as Dan Harder Animation. The studio's primary aim at the time was to provide classical animation and related services for feature films and animated commercials. In 1993, a second business leg called Sweatbox Software was introduced. Its original purpose was to produce a PC-based animation line-test system used by classical animators to test their work; the term 'Sweatbox' comes from the room at the Disney studios where Walt used to review the animators' work. The focus of Sweatbox Software quickly shifted toward the production of PC-based computer games. In the late 1990s, as technology became more affordable and allowed small businesses to compete with the bigger players in the animation industry, the company started producing TV commercials all the way from storyboard to finished film. The animation and computer businesses merged into one, and became Sweatbox Animation. In the new millennium, aside from the occasional computer game or animated commercial, the emphasis has been on providing services such as animation, storyboarding, character design and story development on various Danish and international feature productions. The studio is run by Dan Harder, supported by a number of talented people connected to the company on a project-by-project basis. These include animators, inbetweeners, cleanup artists, background painters, computer graphics artists, programmers, musicians, sound designers and more. Among the people contributing to the work of Sweatbox Animation are Thomas Dreyer, Anders Hald, Niels Bach, Tine Karrebæk, Ilan Hatukah, Doron Meir, Karsten Lund, Uffe Danielsen, Sara Koppel, Søren Itenov, Jeppe Kaas, Lasse Elkjær and Steffen Addington. The studio's project portfolio includes 'To Bee or Not to Bee', a hand-animated short, and 'Tivoli', a CGI feature. Storyboard work includes 'Shaun the Sheep', 'Marco Macaco (Primates of the Caribbean)', 'Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms', 'Olsen-Banden (The Olsen Gang in Deep Trouble)', 'Jungledyret Hugo (Amazon Jack)' and 'Mullewapp (Friends Forever)'. Through the years, the pursuit of the highest possible quality has remained a guiding principle.

• 1993

  Sweatbox Software introduced to produce a PC-based animation line-test system; focus later shifted to PC computer games.

• 1990

  Studio founded as Dan Harder Animation, providing classical animation and related services for features and animated commercials.

• In the late 1990s, company began producing TV commercials from storyboard to finished film.

• Animation and computer businesses merged into Sweatbox Animation.

• In the new millennium, emphasis shifted to animation, storyboarding, character design and story development services for Danish and international feature productions.

A boutique Danish animation studio offering end-to-end classical and CGI animation services, from storyboard to finished film, for domestic and international feature productions.

• To Bee or Not to Bee

• Tivoli

• Shaun the Sheep

• Marco Macaco (Primates of the Caribbean)

• Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms

• Olsen-Banden (The Olsen Gang in Deep Trouble)

• Jungledyret Hugo (Amazon Jack)

• Mullewapp (Friends Forever)

1. 1Sweatbox Animationsweatbox.dk
2. 2Sweatbox Animation - Aboutsweatbox.dk
3. 3Sweatbox Animation - Storyboardsweatbox.dk
4. 4Sweatbox Animationwikidata.org