Among the many words that may have been used to describe Richter Studios over the years, it’s highly unlikely that “patience” would have been the first to come to our clients minds. Yet, patience has been the guiding force for Richter Studios since its inception in 1997. Several key technologies were emerging onto the mainstream scene in the late 90’s that were going to shake up the industry like never before; and the real benefactor was going to be talent. This is a belief that the founders of Richter Studios, David and Jeremy Richter, believed in from day one.

“It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that the writing was on the wall,” stated President Jeremy Richter. “Once Firewire hit the scene, we knew it was only a matter of time before the processors would become fast enough to drive a stake in the heart of everything analog. What was critical to the realization of this, however, was to understand the broad ramifications of this remarkable development.”

“We’ve been saying for years, that video will become the new brochure for corporations,” stated CEO David Richter. "And it


has. Whereas ten years ago you saw the vast sum of annual budgets going into print materials, you now see a tectonic shift going towards everything video. The problem with print was the same problem you had with analog video, which was that it required expensive equipment to get the job done. Now that digital video is replacing print, we’re experiencing a massive sea change towards what we had predicted over a decade ago and that’s talent - not expensive hardware.”

This shift in resources couldn’t be more welcome and, according to both Richter Brothers, was long overdue. Now one of the major factors in creating great content or winning major contracts, is talent - not expensive analog equipment.

The team at Richter Studios - 15 total to date - is a mix of creative and technicals: Designers, animators, programmers and cinematographers. Working digitally, and in concert, has become second nature to the team.



“What excites me these days is the quality of the finished product relative to its cost,” explained Project Manager Ed Grozich. “I was there in the old days when the requirements for getting everyday tasks completed were insanely expensive and painfully archaic. Now the main barrier I see is time. We can move really fast when we have to, but usually great things still take time.”

Most of the team at Richter Studios have been with firm for many years and have seen firsthand the dramatic evolution of digital technology. Cinematographer Marcel Morin, who has filmed on location in over 20 states and 4 countries, sees the present movement as a boone to aspiring creatives. “I’m not shy in admitting that real creativity can’t be measured in terms of dollars,” stated Morin. “The tools we have at our disposal now are incredibly powerful and are absolutely leveling the old playing fields. To think that I can shoot film quality 4K resolution and view it on my laptop seconds later is awe-inspiring.”

Hand-in-hand with the surge in creative possibilities are the often less touted, though equally significant, technical advancements. “One of the great developments over the past five years has been the mass-scale implementation of advanced programming languages on the web,” explained Programmer Derek Entringer. “Every company has a unique story to tell and advanced coding allows us to do this - be it through implementing AJAX, MYSQL or Lingo. And all you really need is a laptop and a motivated brain.”

Another positive takeaway from the digital revolution, according to Project Manager Sarah Mueller, has been improved workflows. “Our team gets it,” explained Mueller. “The prevailing mindset that I’ve observed has resulted in far greater creative and technical experimentation - and an ability to turn projects faster. Our talent feels empowered and when that happens, look out!