In Focus | Todd Ramsay of Yeti Farm Creative

Todd Ramsay is hard-working yet fun-loving local entrepreneur. He owns Yeti Farm Creative, which produces speciality animation for commercials, TV, games and more. This year they will be creating animation for two TV shows, 'Rocket Monkeys' and 'Pirate Express' which will be airing on Teletoon and Cartoon Network in Canada, Australia and the US. Todd has 'worked like a dog' to get where he is today and inspires his team through his dedication, approachability and commitment to make the workplace fun. Yeti recently added to their success through a joint venture agreement with Atomic Cartoons that will see 30 new positions added to their number. This is exciting for Todd because, among other things, it keeps jobs here in Kelowna and supports the local economy. Today Todd and Yeti Farm Creative are In Focus.

What do you always find yourself saying?
I usually find myself making random noises, most of which I’ve heard on a cartoon or the Muppet Show. I do this to both humour myself and to keep people around me a little bit concerned. Currently the saying is ‘Schnarg Barg’.

If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select and why?
I would like to hang out with Jim Carrey for a day. I like his energy and assume that he would be extremely funny and entertaining. Laughter is good for the soul.

If you were to receive any existing public award, what award would you like to win?
An Oscar for ‘Best Director of an Animated Feature Film’ would be nice.

If you could spend a day with any historical figure, who would you choose and why?
Jim Henson, he created everything that entertained me as a child. He was a creative genius and was a big reason I chose a creative career like animation.

Who inspires you?
Jim Henson, Don Hertzfeldt, Pendleton Ward, Andrew W.K., Jackson Pollock, Banksy, Wayne White and John Kricfalusi to name a few.

What are 3 things on your bucket list?
I’d like to make more animated short films and see a lot more of the world. I also wouldn’t mind jumping out of a plane before I die but hopefully not RIGHT before I die.

Tell us about a defining moment in your life.
After high school I moved to Alberta to work in the oil fields. I learned what hard work was all about. I also learned how hard I’d have to work to prevent me from ending up there again.

If you had an enormous yacht, what would you name it?
‘Sandy Cheeks’ because it’s a funny name and also a character from the cartoon ‘Spongebob Squarepants’.

If you could foresee a single day of your future in its entirety, what date would you select?
The Zombie Apocalypse which I hope will happen in my lifetime. I have my Zombie survival kit together and am totally ready!

What are you passionate about?
Family is #1, Animation, Film, Art and Skiing.

What has been your favourite day of your life, up to this point?
The day my daughter was born.

What has been your proudest accomplishment?
My 2 proudest accomplishments are growing a business in Animation and raising an amazing daughter.

Where is your favourite place to dine in Kelowna? What do you like about it?
It’s a toss up between RauDZ, Summerhill Winery, and Waterfront Wines. Great atmosphere, amazing food.

What is your favourite activity or event in Kelowna? Why?
I really like Keloha. The music is great and the crowd is laid back. I’m also a fan of The Gran Fondo and across the lake swim. As far as activities go I love mountain biking, skiing and being on our beautiful lake.

What is the name of your business/organization?
Yeti Farm Creative

What does your business/organization do?
We produce speciality animation for commercials, TV, explainer vid’s, games & more. This year we will be creating animation for 2 TV shows which will be airing on Teletoon and Cartoon Network in Canada, Australia and the US. The shows are Rocket Monkeys and Pirate Express.

Where can people find you or your business online?
www.yetifarmcreative.com

How do people connect with you on Linkedin?
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/todd-ramsay/1/584/665

Where can people find your business on Facebook?
https://www.facebook.com/Yetifarm

What is your Twitter account?
@yetifarm

What is your mission?
I want to take what I’ve learned in my career and pass that knowledge along to the next generation of artists and animators. I hope to help grow an animation industry right here in Kelowna and create jobs for locals rather than have that work go overseas.

If you could achieve one thing within your field, what would it be?
I would like to have one of my own intellectual properties get picked up by a major network. It’s not a matter of ‘if’ but rather ‘when’. We’re working on it behind the scenes  How cool would it be if the next biggest cartoon was created and made right here in Kelowna?

Where do you want your business/organization to be in 5 years?
I would like to keep growing at a slow, manageable pace. Currently I’m able to spend a lot of 1 on 1 time with my employees and I really want to keep it that way for now. That being said, some of our current staff will be director calibre by then so my role may change. I think a company of 80 working on various projects would be perfect in 5 years. As long as we can all keep making cartoons and have fun doing it, I’ll be a happy man.

Who do you consider to be a forerunner within your field?
I’ve always been a fan of the independent film makers who are able to make a living through grants and kick starter campaigns. A lot of people don’t realize how much time and effort goes into making a 5 minute short film. It could take a single artist/animator over 3 years to animate a short film. It takes so much dedication and patience. A couple of artists who are forerunners in this field are Don Hertzfeldt and Bill Plympton. I also consider the creators of network cartoons to be forerunners in the animation field. People like Pendleton Ward (Adventure Time), Stephen Hillenburg (Spongebob Squarepants), John Krisfalusi (Ren & Stimpy) and of course Mr. Walt Disney who I may still meet one day once he’s thawed out.

What 3 qualities do you feel that your business/organization exemplifies?
Creativity, passion and good old fashioned hard work.

What would you like to say to your employees/volunteers?
I just said it this morning, “Amazing work this week gang, where are we going for lunch today?” This might get a little tricky if we grow to 80 employees.

How does your business/organization impact the community?
We have hired a lot of local talent which has allowed people to stay in Kelowna rather than move to Vancouver or Toronto for animation work. We help to support the creative industry in Kelowna and provide artists with an employment option where they can improve their artistic skills. It’s sad to see a good artist spend a bunch of money getting trained and ending up working in an unrelated field just so they can pay back their student loans. I like to think we are helping to provide a fulfilling career for some of these young artists where they can utilize their talents.

What makes you successful? Tell us about it.
First and foremost I work like a dog. I’m 35 years old and still pull all-nighters if that’s what it takes to get the job done. I feel very fortunate to do something I love for a living. I may not have been the best artist in my field but I was always the first one in and the last to leave. I’ve also been able to push boundaries and think outside of the box. This is probably due to my years of Fine Arts training. If you think about it animation is like a trade. A lot of people can learn how to do the technical aspects and copy existing techniques. Those who push the boundaries and break the animation ‘rules’ are usually the ones creating the best work in my humble opinion.

If you were trapped in an elevator with several wealthy investors from any field, which field would you want them to be experts in? What would you say to them/talk about?
I would want them to be part of the food and beverage industry. I would ask them to invest in energy drinks, beer and doughnuts for our employees. Either that or investors in the tech field because my wife has so many awesome ideas for apps that could use funding to make them a reality.

If I could change 1 thing about Kelowna, it would be:
I would make the city more bike friendly by adding bike lanes and I’d also love to see more small business and less Wall-Mart.

What do you think makes Kelowna great?
The recreational lifestyle; skiing, mountain biking, the lake.

My choice for the Kelowna In Focus spotlight is:
Has Lance Priebe been interviewed yet? That’s who I’d like to see, he’s done a lot for artists and programmers in our community.

In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses and organizations that help make our city great. The team at WelcometoKelowna.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do. We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below, and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna!