Founder, Producer, Writer, and Director, Markella is best known for diverse background and knack for understanding the best story to tell.
With a background and studies that began in journalism (Grant Macewan University) her career has spanned business (Thompson Rivers University), finance, marketing and finally converging into video and film production where her vast background is put to use.
Markella owns and operates the group of Creative Companies including MyMM Inc., Cake By The Ocean Films and acts as the Co-Founder and Executive Producer for Griffin Animation Academy and Griffin Animation Studios.
She has written, produced, and directed countless commercial productions and ads and has both feet in creating documentaries, shorts, and other creative works with Cake by the Ocean Films.
Learn more about Markella and the team by following the below links, and don’t forget to check out The Red Palette- wallpaper and textiles designed by Markella :).
https://www.instagram.com/griffinanimationacademy/
What made you choose the creative path in your life?
I always wanted to do something ‘creative’, but found that my career branched out in the opposite direction for most of my twenties and part of my thirties; I ended up in competitive sales positions, finance, business, and marketing. I wasn’t entirely miserable, but I wasn’t happy either. It wasn’t until a life-changing event that I was forced to embrace my creativity. Back then, now over a decade ago, I dove head first into visual arts and had my own small business, The Red Palette. After getting great press and industry acknowledgment, the business finally did me in. I learned so much – I found myself back at the table, in business and marketing running my own small agency until a few years in I decided to make a conscious and strategic change. Strategy is what I had been missing. When you’re creative, it can be hard to see the business angle, even if you come from that world, you just want to… create. But, I vowed never to be a starving artist again.
I made strategic business decisions in line with my creative passions. The combination of my business and marketing background has been invaluable in how I operate our group of companies today. While I am not animating, I do write and direct for our commercial production company, MyMM Inc, and Cake by The Ocean Films. I am also the executive producer for all of our companies (MyMM Inc., Cake by The Ocean Films, Griffin Animation Academy, and Griffin Animation Studios) and thrive on turning big complex projects into organized creativity that makes sense. So how did I choose this career path, by trying new things and taking a leap.
What is your most memorable project?
My most memorable project is the one I learn the most from. I guess that changes all the time – but anytime something goes wrong (and in production, they inevitably will) I learn. As cliche as it is, the more horrendous, the more I learn. Every situation is vastly different in this business. I have to say, the project I have loved the most is in development right now.
What drives you?
I am driven by the need to create and to create ways to make ideas come to life. I am very left and right-brained. I need the balance, I think we all do. I love to see an idea get realized, whether for an internal project or our clients. It is really incredibly satisfying and rewarding.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
The best advice I have ever been given: You’re the only one in the room who knows what you don’t know. Once you leave the room, go learn it.
What’s in store for you for 2022?
2022 is a big year for our group of companies, we just launched Griffin Animation Studios, the ‘sister’ and natural progression of Griffin Animation Academy, and are hiring a global team of over 100 people, some of the world’s best talent is on our team – we are excited to be disrupting the industry a little bit. I can’t say too much more but our group of companies are all expanding into exciting projects this year.
Let us know if you know would like to be featured or if you know someone that you would, by emailing joanna@raw.film.
