Freelance Animators New Zealand (also known as Freelance Graphics Ltd.) was a New Zealand animation studio based in Auckland founded by John Ewing and Barry Pierce in 1989. Some of its animators later went to work for Toonz Animation, also based in New Zealand. Today, co-founder Pierce runs Animation College
, training a new generation of animators. Ewing had already died on September 15, 2023.
Shows and games worked on by Freelance:
- Animaniacs (14 shorts)List (plus a handful of bumpers, including all of the Dot's Poetry Corners)
- Darkwing Duck (animation and backgrounds for Walt Disney Television Animation Australia; 1 episode)List
- Goof Troop (animation and backgrounds for Disney Australia; 1 episode)List
- Living Books: Arthur's Reading Race
- Taz-Mania (2 episodes)List
- Tiny Toon Adventures (3 episodes)List
Tropes associated with Freelance:
- Animation Bump: The "Humans Ain't What They Seem to Be" song from "When Rita Met Runt" is definitely a step up from their usual work on Animaniacs, to the point that it barely resembles their usual work. Some parts look more like something TMS Entertainment (which is near unanimously considered the best studio for the show) would do.
- Signature Style: John Ewing, who supervised the animators with Barry Pearce, was a former Disney animator and his style can be seen in many Freelance episodes. Check out this anti-smoking PSA from 1981 (directed by Ewing); it is very similar to what would be seen in Freelance episodes a decade later.
