ABOUT COLLECTION AGENCY FILMS
Born out of galactic necessity in 2005, COLLECTION AGENCY FILMS thought someone should set out to animate hilarious ads, music videos, and films at 'Keep-Austin-Weird' prices.
It all began when musician Ray Wylie Hubbard told Troy Campbell the ridiculous tale of the worst concert he'd ever played - involving drunkenness, lewd acts, and a devious German Shepherd ("You know the kind. With a bandanna."). The story was so hilarious, Troy knew it had to be shared with the world. He heard tale of animator Dano Johnson and over coffee told him all the bizarre details. Dano wasn't convinced that he should sign on to such an outrageous project until he re-told the events to family and friends over Thanksgiving dinner. The table (including a visiting Lutheran pastor) erupted in raucous laughter and Dano knew the idea would be a big hit.
Since that day founders Troy Campbell and Dano Johnson combined their knowledge of film, storytelling, music, tomfoolery, and animation to create a new Texas tall-tale: the one where they make an awesome cartoon for you.
COLLECTION AGENCY FILMS dreams that someday all the children of the world will have access to affordable, effective, hilarious, high-quality, award-winning animation services. Until then, we'll be happy to work with you.
You seem nice!
TROY CAMPBELL
Troy Campbell is an accomplished musician and a cultural ambassador for the City of Austin. One day he had the good fortune to record Ray Wylie Hubbard telling a funny 'tall tale' and had the idea to create an animated short film with animator Dano Johnson. Collection Agency Films was born and the viral animated short went on to play South By Southwest and other film festivals, while also getting the attention of advertising firms looking for a unique voice and style. Eight years later, Collection Agency Films has won numerous awards for its comedic political, musical, and educational short films and ads. Campbell also runs Austin's 'House of Songs' which allows international collaboration between visiting musicians and artists.
DANO JOHNSON
Dano Johnson studied educational television at the University of Texas at Austin and interned in the Creative Development Department at Sesame Workshop (producers of Sesame Street). After spending three years in the eLearning industry and teaching himself animation software, he founded Collection Agency Films. He has written and directed two award-winning animated films for the math education market - 'Flaltand: the Movie' and 'Flatland 2: Sphereland' starring Martin Sheen, Kristen Bell, and Michael York among others. Both films have received acclaim at international film festivals and in 2013 'Flatland: The Movie' was on exhibition at the Pompidou-Metz art museum in Paris. Dano has given standing-room-only keynote presentations to thousands of educators, appeared on the PBS Nightly Business Report to discuss intellectual property legislation, and is proud to note the Flatland films have been seen by over one million students around the world, inspiring children to see mathematics and science in new ways.
PRESS
Animation World Network (pages 2-3) - LINK
PBS Nightly Business Report - LINK
Channel Frederator 'Tall Tales & Other Big Lies' - LINK
Channel Frederator 'Dance Like a Monkey' - LINK
Channel Frederator 'The Insur-Animals' - LINK
Channel Frederator 'Flatland: The Movie' - LINK
Austin American Statesman - LINK (PDF)
Texas Music Magazine (page 5) - LINK
AWARDS
2007 Lone Star Emmy - First Place Advanced Media Commercial for "Kinkytoons #3: Save Your Vote for Kinky"
2006 Telly Award - Best Online/Internet Ad for "Kinkytoons #1: I Looove Texas"
2006 Bradford Animation Festival - Best Music Video for "Dance Like a Monkey"
2006 SXSW Film Festival - 2nd Place Best Animated Short for "Tall Tales & Other Big Lies"
2006 Channel Frederator Awards - Best Dance Sequence for "Dance Like a Monkey"
2007 Pollie - 3rd Place TV/Non-Broadcast Video for "Kinkytoons #1: I Looove Texas"
2009 Pollie, - 2nd Place Best Use of Web Animation/Web video, Public Affairs Category for "The Insur-Animals - Episode 1"
2009 Pollie, - 3rd Place Persuasion Online Advertising/Use of Humor, Public Affairs Category for "The Insur-Animals - Episode 1"
CLIENTS
ATSEC
Austin Film Festival
BBC Worldwide
Bleu Tuna Limited
BMG Music
Charlie Wheelan for Congress
Cooking PlanIt
CurrentTV
Faron West Productions, LLC
Flat World Productions, LLC
Gary Floater
Hayes Carll
Health Care for Everyone
HEB
I&O Communications
Kinky Friedman for Governor
Lost Highway Records
Ned Lamont for Governor
New York Dolls
North Woods Advertising
Paul Bernhard Exhibits
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Roadrunner Records
Sony Music Entertainment
Sphere World Productions, LLC
Sphincter Records, Inc.
Taylor Collective Solutions
The Lost Trailers
Threadgills
Universal Music
Voodoo Cowboy Entertainment
Yahoo Sketchy
LINKS
CLIENT FEEDBACK
Collaborating with the team at CAF on my Animated Film Short "Rhapsody" still feels like an amazing dream I had once! I came to CAF with a vision for the script and they absolutely NAILED it. Their animation is breathtaking and insanely UNIQUE. We finished ahead of schedule and under budget. How could a girl ask for anything more? I am so proud of this collaborative work and the final product. I recommend CAF to everyone, and they will be my first choice for the next project.
- Karen Chishom
Musician
I love working with Collection Agency Films. From top to bottom they are creative, professional, and always enthusiastic to produce the best work possible. Probably the best compliment that I can give is that they are consistent - in every collaboration I know I'm gonna get a great toon. It's gonna be on-time, it's gonna be hilarious, and it'll be technically right on point the first time. Love these guys!
- Allison Davis
Independent Producer
Not only was the final product amazing, but they were great to work with from the start. They really understood the message we wanted to convey and brought us amazing concepts. Now we are working on entries for awards for the work they did! I won't ever use anyone else.
- Tripp Wiggins
Co-Founder Cooking Planit
I partnered with Collection Agency FIlms in developing a five-screen, synchronized "animated mural" for the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas. Troy and Dano were a pleasure to work with, and the end result is a uniquely captivating presentation that has garnered kudos from museum donors and visitors alike.
- Paul Bernhard
Paul Bernhard Exhibit Design & Consulting
Dano and Troy are a great team. Even Gary Floater said so..
- Adam Carroll
Musician
Collection Agency Films used their arsenal of magic spells and
incantations to make our pictures move and entertain, and it's a
pleasure to work with their team of very gifted artists, writers,
storytellers, and marketers.
- Owen Temple
Musician
Collection Agency Films’ Dano Johnson is worth so much more than he charges. Occasionally, I have had to go with other animators due to scheduling conflicts, but my experiences with Dano have spoiled me. Once you’ve worked with Collection Agency Films, working with someone else feels like settling. Can’t sing their praises enough.
- Michael Neelsen
Co-Owner, StoryFirst Media