Jamie Celebrates 10 Years at Stone's Throw Media

Jamie Cartwright, a long-standing member of the Stone’s Throw Media team celebrated 10 years with the business recently. We caught up with Jamie to talk about his career, life at Stone’s Throw Media and top tips for those wanting to embark on a career in the industry.

What does your role entail?

My role is professional doodler, AKA animation project manager. I lead and oversee all animation projects with my team of three animators.

My main role is to manage client relationships, oversee animation projects together with animating, storyboarding, scripting and editing.

How did you find out about Stone’s Throw Media?

I joined the business fresh out of the University of Wolverhampton where I studied animation.

During my final year at university, we had to make a short film, in my case it was a cartoon which was put forward for a Royal Television Award- and won! On the way to the ceremony, I received a phone call from Stone’s Throw Media co-founder Mike Chinn to say they had seen my animation and were interested in speaking to me. I was offered a role supporting animation projects, and the rest is history!

What do you enjoy about your role/ Stone’s Throw Media?

The fact that it does feel like a second family. We are based in an open plan office so the friendly banter and conversations over shared interests are always flowing. This creates a great environment to work and be creative. Work doesn’t have to be a job, you get to share your passion with like-minded individuals. Our personalities just flow and speak out.

Matt and Mike are great leaders and that has flowed through the business. I never thought I’d be part of a company where I have had the opportunity to mould the side of the animation business. That’s super cool.

Being able to develop and grow the animation department to a team of three with a huge selling point for the business.

I have always wanted to make content that people can see but also that makes a difference. Going through college and university I thought I would be making content for TV and kids shows but animation can be used for so much more. I have worked on projects for names such as Melanoma UK, the NHS and Compton Care and it’s great to be able to use animation to present important information.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Being able to develop and grow the animation department to a team of three with a huge selling point for the business.

Funniest/ most memorable moment?

As a team we like to have fun. At Christmas we always do a team bonding activity. We either run quizzes or play party games. I remember a couple of years ago I didn’t perform too well so as a forfeit I had to dress up as a Christmas pudding, where I was filmed dancing around and it was uploaded onto social media!

Some projects really stick in my mind, Compton Care and Leukaemia Care are two examples, making videos for people in need are really memorable.

What advice would you give to someone looking to embark on a career in digital?

I have always been a big fan of slapstick humour and growing up enjoyed watching cartoons such as Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry. For me, they are a great form of escapism. I loved to draw and spent a lot of time copying images from magazines and creating my own characters.

This followed through high school and college where I realised I wanted a career in animation.

In terms of advice I would say broaden your horizons and think about applying to work at smaller companies. There is a misconception that animation only exists for big businesses and in cities. Lots of design agencies, marketing agencies, charities and small businesses in towns and villages will need animation services.

Also, if you are an animator it shouldn’t stop you from applying to businesses who don’t have animators currently. You will still have design skills which would be appealing to marketing companies for example.

Finally, make friends with people and make connections at university. You don’t know who they might know and where that could lead.

How has the business changed in 10 years?

We have grown for a start! From Mike and Matt to now a team of nine.

We have encouraged work experience and opened our doors to young people who want to explore a career in the industry.

Animation has grown too. It’s been great to be part of the journey and help establish animation as one of our core offerings.

If you could have one song play every time you walked into a room what would it be and why?

‘Be a man’ from Disney’s Mulan. It has a wicked beat and is all about overcoming struggles- you can do anything if you put your mind to it.

Favourite biscuit? Are you a dunker/ anti- dunker

A bourbon, a good classic bourbon, dipped in warm milk or tea is just perfection. A top tip is to take a bite of your biscuit, then a swig of tea- you remove the risk of losing your biscuit in your cuppa!

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