The Ebeling Group and London-based prodco Stink have joined forces to represent each other's animation talent in their respective markets.

The partnership, branded TEG x Stink, will make several TEG directors including, MK12, Lobo, Tennant, Nakd, XYZ Studios, Bearfight, Bitstate and X & Co. (Marco Brambilla), available via Stink in the UK, Europe and Asia, while Stink directors Gaelle Denis and Peppermelon will work through TEG in North America.

The companies first began discussing a collaborative venture earlier this year around the time animation company Psyop left Stink for Smuggler. The deal will boost the animation talent on Stink's traditionally live action-oriented roster and give TEG a stronger presence in the European market.

"The thing that always anchors us in all these conversations is the mutual respect that we have for each other's talent pools and also the pursuit of creative," explains The Ebeling Group founder Mick Ebeling. "There's kind of the tendency in the market - especially right now - to chase projects purely for business reasons."

Both Ebeling and Stink EP Daniel Bergmann hope the venture will lead beyond commercial projects toward a long-term goal of creating original content and entertainment properties.

"I believe animation is becoming more important in advertising, in digital and generally in entertainment," says Bergmann. "[Animators] understand technology, they understand how things work in cyberspace, so I would say it's more like a symbiotic, very applicable set up."

"It's not just a representation deal," adds Ebeling. "It's more about taking our strengths and combining forces on the animation front."

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