Walt Disney proved that an animator
in Kansas City could make his mark on
Hollywood. Jim Lammers is trying to do the
same.
Lammers, president of Trinity Animation and
Visual Effects in Lee's Summit, earned his
20 seconds of fame in the feature film
"Starship Troopers."
Like many people in the film industry, he
achieved success after years of hard work
and training. He found that two lifelong
passions, art and technology, came together
in computer animation.
"When I was a kid, I wanted to be an
aerospace engineer," he said. "I ended up in
engineering sales. It was a wonderful
experience, because I knew nothing about
sales."
After a stint with Rockwell International in
Los Angeles, he moved back to the area and
worked selling and installing
factory-control instruments. He and his
wife, Gail, bought a home in the Twin Creeks
subdivision.
In the early 1990's, Lammers began checking
computer bulletin boards and downloading
animation software. Although the technology
was primitive, he became hooked.
"It was a revelation for me," he said.
"That's when I started thinking this was the
wave of the future. It was a thrill to learn
that you could build your own world, and
that thrill still motivates me." |
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Lammers learned enough literally to write
the book on animation. 3D Studio 4
Beginners, which he co-wrote, has sold more
than 20,000 copies.He began by doing
computer animation out of his home part time
and then started Trinity in 1994. Although
feature film production is wonderful,
software sales and industrial animation are
the company's staples. Trinity sells 3D
software and "plug-ins," which allow
animators to alter 3D programs.
Customers include individual animators and
big studios, such as DreamWorks.
Peter Kuran, who coordinated special effects
for "Starship Troopers," told The Star last
year: "I gave him the job because he had the
right attitude. Not just the technical
know-how, but integrity. And I think his
work on 'Starship Troopers' was just great."
Lammers also is helped by a Web page and
toll-free number that bring in sales from
around the world. Trinity has three
full-time employees, and software sales
exceeded $500,000 last year.
"About 60 to 70 percent of our business is
now on the software side," Lammers said.
"The other part of our business is selling
animation services to anyone who needs
computer-generated imagery." |
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Trinity is animating a prototype indoor
skiing facility for Butler Manufacturing.
Other local clients include the Royals,
Sprint, and Hoechst Marion Roussel, which
recently hired Lammers to complete a video
for its sales force.
"It's like fixing your car or building a
house," said Eric Manuel, a video editor in
the company's communications department.
"You may be able to do 90 percent of the
work yourself, but you want to bring in an
expert for the finishing touches. You just
tell Jim what you need, and he gets it done.
He does great work."
Lammers' goal is to build software sales to
the point that they support his creative
pursuits.
"I want to see the sales side take off,
which will give me the freedom to do other
things," he said. "My goal is to create a
concept for a 30-minute animated television
series."
And after getting a taste of Hollywood
success, is he ready for life in the fast
lane?
"Lee's Summit is where I plan to stay,"
Lammers said. "It's a great place to live."
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