In the solipsistic world of the director, it's more often 'me' than 'we', which makes meeting the creatively pluralistic Psyop, each member rather endearingly finishing the other's sentences, a refreshingly ego-free affair. The quintet - Marco Spier, Marie Hyon, Todd Mueller, Kylie Matulick and Eben Mears - celebrate their 10th year together in 2009. They've grown into an animation powerhouse, expanding physically and financially on the back of 12 months of stellar, blockbuster work that is redrawing (excuse the pun) the perception of animation and vying creatively with the finest live action being produced.

Building on the success of Coca-Cola "Happiness Factory", the collective produced a behind-the-scenes adventure short film "Happiness Factory - The Movie" and expanded those personas online with the Happiness Factory recruitment site, built by AKQA. Europe proved fertile ground this year, as their alliance with Stink reaped creatively fruitful rewards, including the extraordinary Orangina "Naturally Juicy" and Renault "Fisherman". They were also winners stylistically, throwing just about everything into the mix from live action to CG, 3D, 2D, line-drawn illustration and more in projects for Fanta, Guinness and adidas.

The expansion goes beyond the work. Psyop LA opened its doors and the company, which has grown from five to almost a hundred, secured a whopping $30 million in financial backing (don't call it a buy out) from VC firm Fortissimo to extend its reach. Where? They're not telling, but expect to see much more of Psyop - the company and the directorial collective - in 2008.

You all met variously at MTV but decided to leave in 1999 to start something different. What was the initial thought process behind setting up Psyop?
MARIE: The concept was starting this small efficient creative group, [and] boutique-style design shop. It was something that wasn't really here in New York at the time.
MARCO: We were constantly thinking, what can we do with these tools? At the time 3D was used in a very ugly way. We thought, why is 3D always so ugly? It doesn't have to be like that, it's just the way people are using it.
MARIE: We came together and immediately saw that we had great strengths in multi-disciplines and all together we made one really great head. We wanted to create a company where we can just have fun, create cool spots and really explore the creative as much as possible. We've always tried to keep it fun to work in our environment.

You started out in broadcast design - what made you decide to move into commercials?
EBEN: Creatively we were much more interested in the :30 time slots and formats. It was interesting to try and create a visual journey and tell a story and be able to absolutely be brand recognizable. It was a challenge for us: you have to have such a potent dose of information distilled down to the most basic messaging for consumers, but also have this beautiful poetic journey that you can take something through.

How does the collective work in practice?
MARCO: The directing team is something that we discovered when we started. We felt like this way we work, the multi-disciplinary approach, needs more than one lead. There are two reasons for that: one, it opens up the team. If you have more than one directing team, you can easily integrate a designer or an animation lead. It's so complex that I think you need somewhat of an expert in each area. It's the same way we do live-action shoots; we like the idea of having four eyes. One director is concentrating on the camera moves, while the other is concentrating on the performance. That kind of formula works really well and it's more fun.

What's the financing deal all about?
MARIE: We didn't sell the company.
EBEN: We used to do a project at a time; now we're averaging six projects at a time. That means the whole flow of people and money matters more. We were reluctant at first. The big thing for us was retaining the control but having the financial backing to try new technologies, new IP stuff, short films or whatever and expand into those new marketplaces. We're right at this place where we're so massive that it feels very nerve-racking on a daily basis that we've got to do $2 million a month of business or whatever it is. If we can get the backing to stay creative, doing exactly what we have been doing without so much financial stress then it's a good deal.

Orangina looks like it was a crazy job...
KYLIE: When you get the opportunity to spray Orangina all over the chest of a sexy bunny girl, you go for it. That was the basic motivation and creative charge throughout the production; raunchy naughty furriness.
TODD: It's a bit sad to leave that crazy world behind. There's so much more to find out about this forest and these sexy creatures!

INFORMATION
production affiliations: Repped as Psyop in the US and by Stink for the UK and Europe.

raise a glass to them: While now housed on Rivington St. in Manhattan's Lower East Side, Psyop had originally set up shop closer to Avenue C, in what used to be a local watering hole. "[The old owner] actually left the liquor license!" jokes Spier.

Psyop http://www.psyop.tv
Stink http://www.stink.tv