MAKE: Commercial Workshop

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions:

What is MAKE Originals?

• MAKE is a commercial animation and production studio from Minneapolis. Most days, we’re making ads for brands you know: Sour Patch Kids, Mattel, Adidas, and many more.

• MAKE Originals is where we tell stories for ourselves on our own dime. How? Sacrifice.

Think of it as a collective sketchbook come to life: a library of social-first animated micro-shorts built from curiosity, craft, and the occasional cosmic joke (death).

Commercial work keeps the lights on. Originals keep the sparkle alive.

Why did MAKE start doing Originals?

Because creative people need to play to stay sane. Originals give our artists space to explore, experiment, and build worlds from scratch. And everything we learn in the making makes our commercial work x10 better.

Where are you guys from?

We’re based in Minneapolis, Minnesota… DONTCHA KNOW. But we collaborate with artists, directors, and creative teams from all around the world.

How many people work on MAKE Originals?

MAKE Originals runs on the same team behind our commercial work. Around 30 in-house artists, directors, and producers jump in depending on the project.

What’s the purpose of MAKE Originals?

• Corporate Response: To explore new ideas, sharpen our craft, and continuously break through visual storytelling ceilings.

• The Truth: We get to MAKE whatever the f*** we want and just like to have fun while we learn.

Why are the episodes so short?

Because short-form is what we do best. It’s what we love, what we’re built for, and… let’s be real… what we can actually afford.

BUT even if we had the budget for a feature, we’d still pick the short series. There’s something addicting about getting people hooked on bite-sized content they can’t stop watching/replaying. (Also… we work in the ad world, we’re a lil’ toxic.)

How do you choose what to make?

Ideas can come from anyone in the studio. Some are pitched formally, others start as passing jokes that turn into full stories. If it excites Danny the founder & funder, we MAKE it.

How do you fund MAKE Originals?

MAKE Originals are fully funded by the studio’s commercial (client) work.

Where can I watch them?

All episodes live on our MAKE Originals YouTube channel.

youtube.com/@MAKEOriginals

When did MAKE Originals start?

MAKE Originals officially launched in 2023.

But we’ve been making weird social content for fun since forever-ago. Cough, cough... Fruitless Efforts, one of the real OG’s.

Are any shows coming to streaming platforms?

We’d love for any of our series to get picked up.

But if none do, that’s A-Okay. That is not the purpose. And we love the creative freedom of YouTube, where anyone can watch and share our work instantly.

Will there be new seasons or spinoffs?

Some stories are one-and-done. Others have more to say. But if a short gets over a million views, you bet your bottom dollar we’re continuing the series.

How long does it take to make one?

Anywhere from several months to years depending on the commercial (client) workload, animation style, and team availability.

What’s the dream for MAKE Originals?

The dream? To just keep MAKING and getting enough LOVE to MAKE MORE ORIGINALS!!!!!!

We want to be known for creating epic short stories that anyone could watch and obsess over.

Are you hiring?

No roles are currently open for hire.

BUT We’re always open to meeting new storytellers, animators, and designers who love what we do.

Good eggs are always welcome.