Interview Sam Lanyon Jones (Tokyoplastic), Creative and Founder, London

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tokyoplastic,

vimeo.com/tokyoplastic,

https://www.instagram.com/tokyoplastic_san/

Where are you living?
London

How old you are? (if you don’t mind answering)
Not at all, 29, hahahahaha.

What inspires you?
We get asked this a lot (I think anyone in a creative profession does) and the simple answer is everything. You know like if you start taking lots of photos, really get into it as a hobby, you’ll start to see the world differently. You’ll take your inspiration from everything you experience. I guess that is slightly different from what informs and influences us creatively. For instance I am writing a Sci Fi series right now. It is influenced by all the 80’s Saturday morning cartoons I used to watch as a kid… and Magnum P.I. But my research involves watching a lot of police procedurals. I am sure all of it culminates in inspiration on one level or another.

Tell me about what you do?
We (tokyoplastic, vimeo.com/tokyoplastic, Andi and Me (Sam)) direct stuff. Over the last decade that has been primarily animated TV commercials but we have made vinyl toys, directed short films, had a number of art exhibitions and done lectures and talks at festivals all over the world too. The animation we have really specialised in is narrative driven character animation.

What’s the structure of a typical day like for you?
Get up, stretch, go to the studio, direct stuff, write stuff, email stuff, talk between ourselves about what to do next, go home, write more stuff and watch TV (purely R&D you understand), sleep.

What are some of your favourite sources for information?
The internet. Remember those conversations you used to have in the pub? You know the ones where you and your mates would talk about something none of you knew very much about, each of you dead certain you knew what you were right about X. Seriously, try doing that now without reaching for your phone. The internet has removed any need for speculation. And what do we do with this all empowering information?

How does social media influence your life?
Total fucking time vampire! I’ve put a sel imposed moratorium on Facebook in the office. But its a great tool for keeping up with friends and colleagues if you can keep it in check.