On Tuesday we learnt that Stan Winston School of Character Arts (SWSCA) won a People’s Voice Webby. The win is a tremendous endorsement of founders Matt Winston and ErichGrey Litoff’s vision to build an online school that would educate and instruct students in the art of character creation and continue the legacy of the great Stan Winston. The Webby is also validation of the choice Matt and Erich made when they engaged Kluge Interactive to design and develop the SWSCA educational experience. Success was far from certain when both parties gathered at my house just over two years ago to discuss the project and Kluge’s capabilities. For all of us, the People’s Voice Award has reflected the extent to which SWSCA has become one large and growing family.
SWSCA Co-founder Matt Winston
Yesterday we debated whether it was better to win the Judge’s Award or the People’s Voice award. There were some who argued that the Judge’s Award was more prestigious. To my mind there is no doubt that the People’s Choice is a greater accomplishment. First off, it was an honor simply to be nominated; particularly when you consider brands like Gillette were in the top twenty but did not get elevated to the final five. More importantly, it took the cooperation and efforts of the entire Stan Winston family for us to get the win. And that’s why this prize is so satisfying – this was a matter of family pride and passion.
SWSCA Co-founder Erich Grey Litoff
SWSCA is a community of more than one million fans, followers and fanatical fantasy creators. When the core SWSCA team first came together to launch the company we had less than 3,000 fans. SWSCA was able to close out the competition in the People’s Voice because in a very short time we built up a passionate, enthusiastic and extremely tight family of admirers, hobbyists and artists. And this wonderful group of people were all drawn together because of their love of Stan Winston, the father of Matt.
Stan Winston with the his T-Rex from Jurassic Park
Stan Winston had the imagination, creativity and fearlessness to bring to life the phantasmagorical stories that cinema titans Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and Tim Burton dreamt up and directed. Stan’s son Matt Winston and son-in-law Erich Grey Litoff had the courage, temerity and determination to keep Stan’s legacy alive. The fact that they chose to do that through an on-line school revealed the brilliance of their own imaginations. That they selected Kluge as the digital agency to realize their vision reveals the brilliance of the creative family I am now a member of. By “family”, I am including our brothers at Talpor and in particular the incomparable Julio Castillo.
Finally, I must acknowledge my own brother of Los Angeles, John Ales: SWSCA’s distinctively brilliant videographer/photographer.
John Ales: Videographer, Photographer, Actor, Director, LA brother
John and I are the reason that SWSCA and Kluge started working together. I first met John when our daughters were in junior kindergarten eight years ago and since that time our families have enjoyed a unique kinship. It was John’s faith in my recommendation that he first introduced Matt and Erich to Kluge and Matt and Erich’s trust in John that enabled this successful creative partnership to coalesce.
Arturo Perez: Kluge founder and CEO
So with this Webby win, the family comes full circle. Matt and Erich have launched the sequel of the Stan Winston story, ensuring his legacy lives on. I am now working at the company I introduced to Matt, Erich and John over two years ago. The artists who worked and grew up with Stan and who helped him create the creatures, aliens and monsters from movies like Jurassic Park, Terminator, Aliens and Edward Scissor Hands are passing on the craft taught to them by their patriarch. And the family that we have enlightened, enthralled and entertained with educational instruction on character arts creation has allowed us to win this magnificent award. For that we are truly thankful.
A few members of the SWSCA family
From The Venture Trenches 