Raspberry Animation 2004-2012 Archived Content

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For a number of years this was the website of Jeroen Zijlstra, a freelance animator, and motion graphics designer. Raspberry Animation was his full-service stop motion animation studio, founded in 2004.
He is currently the owner and creative director at 5A.M. Studios, located in the Amsterdam Area, of the Netherlands. According to his LinkedIn profile, Zijlstra is an experienced director and animator with a big passion for stop-motion. Skilled in stop-motion direction and animation, puppet making and set design with a Bachelor focused in Animation / MediaDesign from Hanzehogeschool Groningen and Masterclasses for writing and character design for animation, by Vancouver Institute of Media Arts and Pixar Animation Studios. (Pretty impressive!)
Content is from the Raspberry Animation site's 2004-2012 archived pages.

 

Welcome friends, to the wonderful animated world of Jeroen Zijlstra!

I am a creative animation director, animator and VFX producer from Amsterdam who also works from Berlin from time to time. My approach is very flexible and can be tailor-made to suit your needs. Services include animation/character animation, special effects and title/motion design for film, television, marketing, internet, computer games and more. With a passion for storytelling and character development I work on animations in all mediums including CG, stop-motion, 2D and mixed media.

 

 

Studio and Facilities

Stop-Motion

Raspberry has a predilection for stop-motion animation because they find it the purest form of animation there is. Stop-motion is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence. Dolls with movable joints or clay figures are often used in stop motion animations for their ease of repositioning. But films can also involve using humans for example.

3D Animation and Special Effects

Within Raspberry Animation there is experience to take your 3D production up to the next level. In 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical representation of any  three- dimensional surface of an object via specialized software. Fire, cloud systems or entire photorealistic ecosystems everything is possible. 3D animations can also be displayed as a two-dimensional image through a process called 3D rendering or used in a computer simulation of physical phenomena.  Nowadays it’s even possible to have the model be physically created by using a 3D printing device.

2D Animation

At our 2D department there are several different solutions for your projects. From hand drawn animations to digital animation for title and motion design projects. 2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images mostly from two-dimensional models. These computer graphics are mainly used in applications that were originally developed upon traditional printing and drawing technologies, such as typography, cartography, technical drawing, advertising etc. In those applications, the two-dimensional image is not just a representation of a real-world object, but an independent artifact with added semantic value; two-dimensional models are therefore preferred, because they give more direct control of the image than 3D computer graphics.

 

Our animated work

 

 

 

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More Background On RaspberryFilm.com

 

RaspberryFilm.com was the online presence of Raspberry Animation, a full-service stop-motion animation studio founded in 2004 by Jeroen Zijlstra, a freelance animator and motion graphics designer based in the Amsterdam area of the Netherlands. The studio specialized in various forms of animation, including stop-motion, 3D animation, and 2D animation, catering to diverse media such as film, television, marketing, internet, and computer games.

Services and Specializations

Raspberry Animation had a particular affinity for stop-motion animation, considering it the purest form of the craft. This technique involves physically manipulating objects in small increments between individually photographed frames to create the illusion of movement. The studio utilized dolls with movable joints, clay figures, and even humans to achieve this effect.

In addition to stop-motion, Raspberry Animation offered 3D animation and special effects services. The team was adept at developing mathematical representations of three-dimensional surfaces using specialized software, enabling the creation of photorealistic ecosystems, fire, cloud systems, and more. These 3D models could be rendered as two-dimensional images or used in computer simulations of physical phenomena.

The studio's 2D animation department provided solutions ranging from hand-drawn animations to digital animations for title and motion design projects. These computer-generated graphics were employed in applications such as typography, cartography, technical drawing, and advertising, offering direct control over the image creation process.

Notable Projects

Raspberry Animation's portfolio included a variety of projects across different media:

• Happy Holidays 2012: An in-house project showcasing the studio's animation capabilities.

• Groningen University: Collaborated with Castel Communicatie to produce animated content for the university.

• M-Monkies: Created for St. Culturele Droomwevers, demonstrating the studio's storytelling and character development skills.

• Ebbinge CI Teaser: Partnered with Brug7 | Video to develop a teaser for the Municipality of Groningen.

• Grip On Service: An animated project for Grip On Service, highlighting the studio's versatility.

• Akzo Industrial Chemicals: Worked with JBF Multi Media Communicatie to produce animations for Akzo Industrial Chemicals.

• Walibi Fright Nights 2012: Collaborated with I-Mor to create promotional content for Walibi Netherlands.

• VNCI – Chemistry is Everywhere: Partnered with JBF Multimedia to develop educational animations for VNCI.

• Questify: Worked with Doorrood Persuasive Agency to create animations for Cito Nederland.

• Bslim Leader Package: Collaborated with Videvos to produce a leader package for the Municipality of Groningen.

• CoinOpinion Series: Developed animations for iWave Media, catering to audiences in the Netherlands and Belgium.

• Perverted Playground – DVD: Created DVD content for VenCe, showcasing the studio's adaptability to different genres.

• Amsterdamse Bos Theater: Partnered with Watson & Lewis to produce animations for the Amsterdamse Bostheater.

• The Score – Music Video: Collaborated with director Simone Bennett and Loneproductions to animate a music video for Blues Brother Castro.

• Sven 'The Movie': Developed an animated film for SVEN Sports Institute, Utrecht.

• Set Building for 'Bad Boys': Worked with Watson & Lewis on set building projects.

• The Lion is on the Loose!: An in-house compositing animation project.

• Rate That Video – MTV: Partnered with Watson & Lewis to create content for MTV Networks.

• Discovery Channel On-Air Promo: Produced promotional animations for Discovery Channel.

Founder and Creative Director

Jeroen Zijlstra, the founder and creative director of Raspberry Animation, is an experienced director and animator with a passion for stop-motion. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Animation/Media Design from Hanzehogeschool Groningen and has completed masterclasses in writing and character design for animation at the Vancouver Institute of Media Arts and Pixar Animation Studios. Currently, Zijlstra is the owner and creative director at 5A.M. Studios, located in the Amsterdam area.

Legacy and Impact

Raspberry Animation's work has been recognized for its creativity and technical proficiency. The studio's projects have contributed to various sectors, including education, entertainment, and corporate communications. By offering a range of animation services, Raspberry Animation played a role in advancing the animation industry in the Netherlands and beyond.

 

RaspberryFilm.com served as a platform to showcase the diverse and innovative projects of Raspberry Animation. Under the leadership of Jeroen Zijlstra, the studio demonstrated a commitment to storytelling and character development across multiple animation mediums. Although the website is now archived, the legacy of Raspberry Animation continues through its contributions to the field and the ongoing work of its founder.

 

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More Background On RaspberryFilm.com

 

RaspberryFilm.com serves as the preserved digital home of Raspberry Animation, a Netherlands-based boutique animation studio active primarily between 2004 and 2012. Though the site today functions largely as an archive rather than an actively updated commercial platform, it remains a valuable resource for understanding the studio’s history, services, artistic philosophy, portfolio, and legacy within the European animation landscape.

This article explores RaspberryFilm.com in detail, including its ownership, studio background, services, creative specialties, notable clients, project list, cultural relevance, and long-term significance. It also examines the site’s audience, goals, structure, brand identity, reception, and influence in broader animation circles. The aim is to familiarize new visitors with the website and to provide extensive context about the company behind it.

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Ownership and Creative Leadership

Raspberry Animation was founded and creatively led by Jeroen Zijlstra, a Dutch animator and director whose career spans stop-motion animation, 3D animation, 2D motion graphics, and visual effects. According to the site’s archived content, he is an experienced animator with a Bachelor’s degree in Animation and Media Design from Hanzehogeschool Groningen. His training also includes masterclasses in writing and character design for animation at the Vancouver Institute of Media Arts and from professionals associated with Pixar Animation Studios.

This background explains the strong emphasis on character development, storytelling, and handcrafted techniques that appear consistently throughout the studio’s body of work.

Although Raspberry Animation appears to have wound down or transitioned after 2012, the founder continues to work in the animation and creative-production industries, serving as creative director at a different studio. RaspberryFilm.com preserves the original brand identity and portfolio of Raspberry Animation as it existed during its most active years.

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Location and Geographic Context

Raspberry Animation operated primarily from the Amsterdam area in the Netherlands. This region is known for a vibrant and diverse artistic community, with many independent studios producing work in film, TV, gaming, and multimedia. The founder also worked periodically from Berlin, which further expands the studio’s European creative footprint.

The studio’s projects and clients reflect a distinctly European blend, with work completed for Dutch municipalities, universities, Belgian media agencies, and entertainment venues across the region.

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Studio Specialties and Services

RaspberryFilm.com contains detailed descriptions of the studio’s services, which showcase the full range of animation techniques Raspberry Animation offered.

Stop-Motion Animation

Stop-motion was the heart of the studio’s identity. The archived site clearly expresses that the founder considered stop-motion “the purest form of animation.” This philosophy guided the studio’s approach to tactile storytelling, puppet animation, miniature sets, and frame-by-frame physical craftsmanship.

Stop-motion projects involved:

• Clay figures

• Armatured dolls with poseable joints

• Mixed-media characters

• Occasional use of human subjects in a stop-motion workflow

This technique set Raspberry Animation apart from many digital-only studios.

3D Animation and Special Effects

The studio also had robust digital capabilities, including:

• 3D modeling

• 3D rendering

• Digital simulations of physical phenomena

• Photorealistic ecosystem creation

• Cloud and fire effects

• Particle-driven visual effects

Raspberry Animation successfully combined physical and digital worlds, giving them creative flexibility unmatched by purely analog or purely digital studios.

2D Animation and Motion Graphics

Their 2D studio handled:

• Hand-drawn character animation

• Digital 2D animation

• Typography and title design

• Motion graphics for broadcast and corporate communication

• Advertising layouts

• Technical illustration and cartographic animation

These services bridged traditional artistic methods with modern digital workflows.

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Website Structure and Navigation

Even in archived form, RaspberryFilm.com is well organized and offers a clear look into the studio’s capabilities. Standard menu sections include:

• Studio and Facilities

• Animated Work / Portfolio

• Client Projects

• About the Founder

• Contact Information (historical)

The site acts less like a modern marketing page and more like a time capsule reminiscent of early-2010s animation studio websites—simple, direct, handcrafted, and visually clean.

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Portfolio and Notable Projects

The most compelling content on RaspberryFilm.com is its extensive project list. These works demonstrate the studio’s diversity and willingness to take on both artistic and commercial assignments.

Below is a summary of some key portfolio entries:

In-House and Seasonal Work

• Happy Holidays 2012 — A festive short created internally to showcase studio charm and animation abilities.

Educational and Institutional Clients

• Groningen University — Animated content developed with Castel Communicatie.

• Bslim Leader Package — Animation for the Municipality of Groningen, produced in partnership with Videvos.

Entertainment and Arts Projects

• The Score – Music Video — An animated music video for the band Blues Brother Castro, directed by Simone Bennett.

• Amsterdamse Bos Theater — Animation work for this outdoor theater space.

• Walibi Fright Nights 2012 — Promotional or narrative animation for the popular Dutch theme-park Halloween event.

Corporate and Commercial Clients

• Akzo Industrial Chemicals — Commissioned animations for an industrial-chemicals division.

• VNCI – Chemistry is Everywhere — Educational material for the Dutch chemical industry association.

• Grip On Service — Commercial animation produced directly for Raspberry Animation’s own client.

Media and Broadcast Clients

• Rate That Video – MTV — Graphic/animated segments created for MTV Networks.

• Discovery Channel On-Air Promo — Promotional animation for Discovery Channel, indicating trust from major broadcast networks.

International Marketing and Digital Media

• CoinOpinion 1 and 2 — Produced for iWave Media, with one version for the Netherlands and one for Belgium.

Film and Character-Driven Content

• Sven: The Movie — A film created for the SVEN Sports Institute in Utrecht.

• M-Monkies — A whimsical project produced for St. Culturele Droomwevers.

Set and Mixed-Media Construction

• Setbuilding for “Bad Boys” — Created for Waalwear, showing the studio’s physical craftsmanship skills.

Experimental / Mixed-Media Work

• The Lion Is on the Loose! — A compositing project that showcases the studio’s innovative blending of animation and live-action elements.

This diversity of work reflects Raspberry Animation’s multi-disciplinary strength: stop-motion artistry, digital 3D excellence, 2D design mastery, and physical set-building.

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Target Audience and Clientele

RaspberryFilm.com primarily appealed to:

• Corporate clients seeking promotional or explainer animations

• Educational institutions wanting engaging communications

• Local governments looking for public-initiative visuals

• Broadcast networks commissioning on-air graphics

• Music artists needing stylized videos

• Theaters and arts organizations pursuing creative visuals

• Digital agencies requiring full-service animation subcontracting

• Animation enthusiasts browsing European studio work

The mix of institutional, entertainment, and commercial clients indicates a versatile studio able to adapt tone and style to diverse sectors.

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Brand Identity and Goals

RaspberryFilm.com communicates clear core values:

1. Emphasis on Storytelling

The studio viewed animation as a narrative craft—not merely visual decoration.

2. Flexible, Client-Centered Approach

The founder emphasized tailor-made solutions rather than mass-produced templates.

3. Passion for Mixed-Media Craftsmanship

Combining analog and digital techniques was central to the studio’s creative identity.

4. Commitment to Artistic Purity

Stop-motion was described as the “purest form” of animation, revealing a deep respect for classical technique.

5. Broad Service Offering

From motion design to puppet-based storytelling, the goal was always to meet clients where they were.

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Cultural and Social Significance

While Raspberry Animation may not be globally famous, its cultural footprint is meaningful in several areas:

Preservation of Stop-Motion Tradition

The studio represents a generation of European artists keeping stop-motion alive during a period when digital animation became dominant.

Regional Creative Economy

Projects for Groningen University, the Amsterdamse Bostheater, and Dutch municipal agencies demonstrate how small studios nourish local culture.

International Collaboration

Work spanning Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands highlights cross-border creative movement—common in the EU’s artistic industries.

Influence on Mixed-Media Storytelling

Raspberry Animation excelled at combining the charm of handcrafted animation with the polish of digital 3D and 2D graphics.

Portfolio Preservation for Learning

The site’s archival nature makes it a valuable historical asset for future animators who wish to study boutique studio workflows from the 2000s-2010s.

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Popularity and Public Reception

RaspberryFilm.com today does not appear to attract large-scale traffic, partly because the site now serves as a preserved archive rather than an active marketing tool. However:

• The work itself was professionally executed

• The client list shows trust from respected organizations

• Creative choices reflect strong artistic identity

• The site provides authentic insight into mid-size European studio production methods

Within animation education circles, small European studios like this are often studied for their technical creativity and diversified project styles.

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Press, Awards, and Industry Recognition

The archived content does not specify major awards. Similarly, no large-scale press coverage is documented on the site. However:

• Client partnerships with well-known brands (like MTV and Discovery Channel) imply professional recognition.

• The consistent flow of projects from 2004-2012 suggests that the studio maintained a solid industry reputation during its operational years.

• Their work for universities, municipalities, and major entertainment institutions reveals strong credibility even without headline-grabbing awards.

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Legacy, Transition, and Digital Preservation

One of the most interesting aspects of RaspberryFilm.com is its role as a legacy domain. Even as the founder moved on to direct a different creative studio, the Raspberry Animation website was preserved online.

This decision has multiple benefits:

• Historical preservation of nearly a decade of animation work

• Continued professional reference for former clients

• Inspiration for artists and students exploring stop-motion and hybrid animation

• Retention of brand identity even after business transition

• A snapshot of early-2010s European animation trends

This archival role is valuable in a digital world where many old creative websites simply vanish after a company rebrands.

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RaspberryFilm.com stands as an important archive of a distinctive European animation studio active from 2004 to 2012. The site documents an impressive portfolio of client-driven and artistic work, demonstrating expertise in stop-motion, 3D animation, 2D design, set construction, mixed-media, and visual effects.

Under the leadership of Jeroen Zijlstra, Raspberry Animation served universities, corporate clients, entertainment venues, media agencies, and international organizations. Its artistic philosophy emphasized craftsmanship, flexibility, and storytelling, with a deep respect for traditional animation techniques.

Although no longer active as a current-day studio site, RaspberryFilm.com provides rich insight into boutique animation practices, cross-media artistry, and European creative industries of the 2000s. Its preservation makes it a valuable reference for students, creators, historians, and professionals who wish to observe how handcrafted techniques intersected with digital innovation during a transitional era in animation.

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