On the corner of Bay and Ocean streets, next door to the historic Bostwick Building, there’s an office space that brings something extra special to Downtown Jacksonville. With high ceilings, exposed brick walls and three conceptual masterminds, animation studio Dripsblack has entered the Downtown creative scene with a bang.
Shane Douberly and Bill Waller are a dynamic duo that have been creating together for years. New addition Laura Adams is helping the studio spread its wings in the Downtown community. The trio spoke not only of Downtown as a location, but also as a pool of innovative talent and potential. We remarked on the beauty and space of their new location (a far cry from their previous bantam “bedroom” office in Riverside) and the collaborative power of Downtown.
“There’s a lot of neat creative energy here, I’m really impressed,” said Bill.
The passion that these three share for their craft is contagious. They create more than cartoons and commercials – they make moving art, short films that communicate each client’s message beautifully.
They found this stunning space by chance; they had their eyes on a couple of different properties Downtown and in Riverside at the time. Bill and Shane were taking a stroll around the urban core, describing their ideal office, when they walked past this Bay Street location.
Real estate karma was in their favor that day. It fit their laundry list: a great location, much larger than their previous cramped conditions, and also happened to have a For Lease sign on the window. The rest, as they say, is history. They were in the space and making their mark Downtown in time for their Citrus Cel Animation Film Festival April 4-6.
These days, Shane, Bill and Laura are hopeful and excited about the future of an even more visionary Downtown. They laud Downtown nightlife and fellow creative agencies around them. The phrase “more of that” came up a lot in our conversation, and I was reminded of the City of Jacksonville’s More of This, Less of That campaign. If the Dripsblack team were to take pictures of what they want more of Downtown, you would see film and television production studios, more collaboration among creators in the urban core, and more high-caliber artwork being showcased.
The Dripsblack trio seems to be in agreement that Downtown is on the verge of something huge.
“We’re a part of something that’s about to explode,” said Shane. “We need dedicated, passionate people to make it happen.”
Check out Dripsblack’s impressive portfolio on their website, and be prepared to spend more time than you anticipated perusing their work, now homegrown right here in our creative Downtown.