{"data":{"type":"company_profile","id":71375,"entity_id":"wefunder:company:71375","attributes":{"canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish","generated_at":"2026-06-15T04:47:28Z","updated_at":"2026-06-14T05:02:50Z","entity_ids":{"company":"wefunder:company:71375","slug":"wefunder:company_slug:pencilish"},"profile_visibility":{"owner_published":true,"public_search_results":true,"site_search_listed":false,"privacy_mode":"unlisted","invite_only":false},"provenance":{"source":"wefunder_public_company_profile","as_of":"2026-06-15T04:47:28Z","claims":{"total_amount_raised":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#amount_raised","last_verified_at":"2026-06-14T05:02:50Z","as_of":"2026-06-15T04:47:28Z","confidence":"high"},"total_investors":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#number_of_investors","last_verified_at":"2026-06-14T05:02:50Z","as_of":"2026-06-15T04:47:28Z","confidence":"high"},"active_raise_states":{"source":"Fundraise.visible(nil, nil)","last_verified_at":"2026-06-13T22:21:49Z","as_of":"2026-06-15T04:47:28Z","confidence":"high"},"latest_fundraise_state":{"source":"Fundraise.visible(nil, nil).order(funding_started_at)","last_verified_at":"2026-06-13T22:21:49Z","as_of":"2026-06-15T04:47:28Z","confidence":"medium"}}},"company":{"id":71375,"entity_id":"wefunder:company:71375","slug":"pencilish","name":"Pencilish Animation Studios presents...","tagline":"The Secret Decoder Ring - A 2D Hand-Drawn Family-Friendly Film.","elevator_pitch":"Pencilish Animation Studios intends to create high quality animation, intellectual property, films and television that can be distributed and monetized through licensing, merchandise, and other revenue streams.","story":"When 14 year-old Alexis finds her grandmother’s childhood decoder ring and activates it's secret code, like Aladdin and his lamp, she accidentally brings forth long-forgotten '40s superhero Major Dynamo into our world! The Major is a fish-out-water with his old-fashioned ways and beliefs - some good and some... not so good. Through some comic adventures, Alexis and Major Dynamo bond. Alexis’ dad has grown distant which has put a strain on their relationship and the Major fills that gap as a father figure to Alexis. But, because the Major has awakened, the mysterious Grey Goliath (a dark version of Major Dynamo) comes out of hiding to finally destroy Major Dynamo so that he can complete his plans to control the world! Alexis soon discovers that all these seemingly unrelated events are rooted in a generational family secret that could now destroy our world! Alexis and Major Dynamo must stand together to face Grey Goliath -- and find redemption for their family!We feel this 2d and 3D animation hybrid film has all the elements of a family film franchise that can be made for a fraction of the budget of other animation and superhero films! With your investment in the development package, we feel we can obtain the production budget to start the cameras rolling!Check out this in progress animation clip from the pencil test, voiced by Patrick Warburton!We are Pencilish Animation Studios and we are thrilled to present a once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity: the creation of our 2D animated feature film, \"Secret Decoder Ring.\" This project is more than just a movie; it's a celebration of the artistry and magic that defined your favorite childhood films.Pencilish Animation Studios is a team of passionate artists and industry veterans determined to revive the timeless tradition of hand-drawn animation. Our commitment is to create not just entertainment, but an experience that transcends generations. In our past, we have created 3 short form animated series. As those series move on to distribution, we are ready to take on our dream of creating our own live action and hand drawn feature film!Imagine a film where animation legends, the masterminds behind your cherished childhood characters, unite to bring to life a heartwarming and thrilling 2D animated feature – \"Secret Decoder Ring.\" This isn't just a movie; it's a journey into the past and a leap into the future of animation.You might be wondering, \"How does my investment work?\" Or perhaps you're curious about the implications if you're a previous investor with Pencilish. Here's your answer:Your investment in the film operates on a 120% preferred return basis. This means that once the film's budget is secured, your investment will be repaid along with a 20% return, all before filming commences. In essence, your investment and the proposed 20% return are the FIRST payments out, irrespective of the film's performance in the market!For previous Pencilish investors, the fact that the film is being produced by Pencilish is advantageous. Any success achieved directly contributes to the appreciation of your existing shares. This means that as the film progresses and flourishes, so too will the value of your shares. At Pencilish Studios, we take pride in cultivating a profound connection with our valued investors.This raise is to fund the development of the pencil test and other overhead. With this, We will be able to create and package the film correctly for larger investors. Below is the budget breakdown for how we’d like to use funding once we reach our goal of $615,000:*Note: If we do not reach our funding goal, certain changes will be made to the breakdown to account for the change in budget.Pencilish has been making headlines since 2020. Check out where we have been in the news:https://www.pencilish.com/in-the-news*Travel and lodging not included. **A signed NDA will be required prior to receiving behind the scenes information.Pencilish Studios, LLC is 'testing the waters' to gauge investor interest in an offering under Regulation Crowdfunding. No money or other consideration is being solicited. If sent, it will not be accepted. No offer to buy securities will be accepted. No part of the purchase price will be received until a Form C is filed and only through Wefunder's platform. Any indication of interest involves no obligation or commitment of any kind.","location":"Franklin, TN","website":"https://www.pencilish.com","total_amount_raised":2192962,"total_investors":4443,"is_funded":false,"is_active":false,"quality_score":3,"related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/pencilish","https://www.pencilish.com"]},"media":{"share_image_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/71375/xxl_blob.jpg","logo_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/logo/71375/large_blob","header_media_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/71375/standard_blob.jpg","cover_photo_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company/header_media_photo/71375/standard_blob.jpg","profile_video_url":"https://wefunder.wistia.com/medias/02e8glk9fq"},"links":{"company_url":"https://www.pencilish.com","linkedin_url":"https://linkedin.com/company/83122751/admin/feed/posts/","twitter_url":"https://twitter.com/pencilish","facebook_url":"https://facebook.com/PencilishStudios","instagram_url":"https://instagram.com/pencilishstudios/?hl=en","youtube_url":"https://youtube.com/@PencilishStudios/featured","tiktok_url":"https://tiktok.com/@pencilish_animation?_t=8koIJwIVhil\u0026_r=1"},"highlights":[],"quick_facts":[{"index":1,"claim_id":"claim-fact-1","value":"Over $2.5 Million raised from previous crowdfunding rounds from almost 5000 investors!"},{"index":2,"claim_id":"claim-fact-2","value":"Disney animation legends bring their combined 200 years of animation experience."},{"index":3,"claim_id":"claim-fact-3","value":"Investment Returned Before Film Production: It is NOT dependent on the success of the film."},{"index":4,"claim_id":"claim-fact-4","value":"The film has cast Susan Egan (voice of “Meg” in Disney’s Hercules)"},{"index":5,"claim_id":"claim-fact-5","value":"The film has cast Patrick Warburton (voice of \"Kronk\" in Disney's The Emperor's New Groove)"},{"index":6,"claim_id":"claim-fact-6","value":"Pencilish has an active and engaged fanbase of over 43.6k across all platforms."},{"index":7,"claim_id":"claim-fact-7","value":"Our film is a live action and 2d animation hybrid similar to popular films like \"Space Jam\"."}],"team":[{"id":1199649,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:1199649","user_entity_id":"wefunder:user:1260959","role":"founder","name":"Tom Bancroft","title":"CEO","bio":"Over 34 years in the animation industry. He created Pumbaa the warthog in “The Lion King” and Kronk in “The Emperor’s New Groove” for Disney. He also co-directed the 1998 Hit Animated Film “Mulan”. Lead Animator on Warner Brother’s New Space Jam.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/1199649/square_cropped_TomBancroft_Headshot.jpg?1776872285","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/tombancroft","personal_url":"http://www.pencilish.com","linkedin_url":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/tombancroft/","related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/tombancroft","http://www.pencilish.com"]},{"id":1248657,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:1248657","role":"employee","name":"Aaron Blaise","title":"Animator","bio":"Disney Director, Writer, and Animator. He joined Walt Disney Feature Animation working there for 21 years on some of the most popular feature films made by the studio. He was the Co- Director for the Box Office Hit Disney Film “Brother Bear”.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/1248657/square_cropped_AaronBlaise_Full.jpg?1776872285","related_urls":[]},{"id":4277205,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:4277205","role":"employee","name":"Sandro Cluezo","title":"Animator","bio":"30 years in animation. Best known for: Animating Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns, Animating Warner Brother’s Iron Giant, “Prince Naveen” in Disney’s Princess and the Frog.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/4277205/square_blob.jpg?1776872285","related_urls":[]},{"id":4277206,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:4277206","role":"employee","name":"Matt Williames","title":"Animator","bio":"26 years in animation. Best known for: “Lawrence” in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, Lead Animator in “Klaus”, Animator on Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns.\u0026nbsp;","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/4277206/square_blob.jpg?1776872285","related_urls":[]},{"id":4277208,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:4277208","role":"employee","name":"John Pomeroy","title":"Animator","bio":"51 years in animation. John was a part of the team of animators that left the security of Walt Disney Studios to start Bluth Studios, best known for The Secret of NIMH. John is also best known for: Animating “Milo” in Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/4277208/square_blob.jpg?1776872285","related_urls":[]},{"id":4277210,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:4277210","role":"employee","name":"Susan Egan","title":"Voice Actress","bio":"Voice Actor/ Actress for 34 years. Best known for: voicing “Megara” in Disney’s Hercules, voicing “Lin” in the English Edit of Spirited Away, and voicing “Lady”, “Pebbles”, and “Pink Diamond” in Steven Universe.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/4277210/square_blob.jpg?1776872285","related_urls":[]},{"id":4277211,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:4277211","role":"employee","name":"Patrick Warburton","title":"Voice Actor","bio":"Patrick is best known for his roles as: \u0026nbsp;David Buddy on\u0026nbsp;Seinfield, Joe Swanson in\u0026nbsp;Family Guy,\u0026nbsp; Kronk\u0026nbsp;in\u0026nbsp;Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove, and\u0026nbsp;Brock Samson in\u0026nbsp;The Venture Bros.","avatar_url":"https://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/company_role/custom_photo/4277211/square_blob.jpg?1776872285","related_urls":[]}],"featured_investors":[{"id":5149,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_investor_profile:5149","investor_profile_id":793381,"investor_profile_entity_id":"wefunder:investor_profile:793381","subject_entity_id":"wefunder:user:1256842","name":"Jake Parker","role_title":"","avatar_url":"http://uploads.wefunder.com/uploads/user/avatar/1256842/medium_cropped_headshot06.jpg","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/jakeparker2","endorsement_name":"","investment_total":1000,"investment_info":"Invested $1,000 this round","is_lead_investor":true,"related_urls":["https://wefunder.com/jakeparker2"]}],"investor_memos":[],"tab_counts":{"posts":55,"ask_questions":305,"featured_investors":1,"faq_entries":5},"active_fundraises":[{"id":112410,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:112410","state":"open","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","funding_type":"note","structure":"ttw","security_type":"","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":true,"min_purchase":100,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":50000.0,"minimum_target":"250000.0","maximum_target":"615000.0"},{"id":38368,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:38368","state":"successful","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","funding_type":"note","structure":"equity","security_type":"equity","currency":"USD","testing_the_waters":false,"min_purchase":100,"max_purchase":9,"funding_target":50002.92,"funding_started_at":"2020-12-17T01:11:42Z","funding_closed_at":"2021-11-01T05:02:53Z","auto_close_at":"2021-11-01T03:59:59Z"}],"latest_fundraise":{"id":112410,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:112410","state":"open","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","structure":"ttw","testing_the_waters":true,"can_invest_now":true,"funding_started_at":null,"funding_closed_at":null,"terms":{"eb":null,"nb":null,"txt":null}},"recent_posts":[{"id":165351,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:165351","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Pencilish Animation Studios Update!","preview":"First of all, I'm sorry for not creating an update here on WeFunder for quite some time. We have told everyone many times to please follow our mailing list and that would be where we would continue the updates. Well, two things happened since then: 1) Wefunder told us that if we didn't update here, they would post that they tried to contact us and we are not responding- which wouldn't look good at all, right? As you know, we have been doing lots of consistent updates, just not here on Wefunde...","published_at":"2023-07-04T15:41:01Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/165351","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/165351"},{"id":156816,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:156816","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Onto Phase 2! Join us!","preview":"Thanks to all of you WeFunder FOUNDING investors, Pencilish Studios has had an amazing first (over) a year! We've created the first three animated series (first episodes of all three will be done and dropped by next week!), created amazing marketing campaigns for them, invested in advertising for them, AND developed the next batch of ORIGINAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES that YOU are a part of their futures! NOW, we launch into what I'm calling PHASE 2! You're already a part of it, but we need mor...","published_at":"2022-07-16T09:12:04Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/156816","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/156816"},{"id":153601,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:153601","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"*Update on PERK EMAILS- PLEASE READ*","preview":"To clarify, If you invested less than $250, you should not have received a perk email. If you invested more than $250, and still did not receive an email, please check your spam folders, and make sure you check the email you invested under.Viva La Animation Revolution","published_at":"2022-03-15T00:04:26Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/153601","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/153601"},{"id":151873,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:151873","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"PERKS EMAIL went OUT!","preview":"Hello Pencilish Peeps! If you are one of our \"Founding Investors\" (which is everyone that has invested in Pencilish so far) than you should have already received the email that outlines the perk tiers and how you will get those tiers delivered. The digital elements have already been delivered to those that get those, via that email. If you had other elements, like time with me (Tom Bancroft) via a zoom talk, then it states the plan on how that will happen also. Basically, everything has been ...","published_at":"2022-03-14T21:41:30Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/151873","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/151873"},{"id":151871,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:151871","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Pencilish Studios Makes it's first Partnership deal- Introducing \"Aro Luche\" new animated series!","preview":"Hello Pencilish Studios investors and friends!\u0026nbsp;I said we had some exciting news coming- and this is one of those updates!\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;We have a new animated series we are partnering on and I'm so proud and excited to be a part of it that I'm also the Lead Investor! (Yes, my personal funds)!\u0026nbsp;Check out the Wefunder now (https://wefunder.com/arolucha) or READ ON.\u0026nbsp;It's only been just over a YEAR that we launched our Pencilish Studios investment raise and just over two months since w...","published_at":"2022-01-08T18:10:54Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/151871","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/151871"},{"id":150675,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:150675","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Pencilish Animation Studios","preview":"As we start to wind down for a short break for the Christmas holiday here in the US, we hope you are also taking a moment to enjoy a rest and time with family and loved ones.\u0026nbsp;If you haven't seen it already, here is our Christmas card for you to enjoy.\u0026nbsp;It \"stars\" our original character, Bjorn, the last unicorn- from our upcoming animated series that you all invested in (along with all the other projects Pencilish gets involved in in 2022 and beyond!This also might be my last Wefunder...","published_at":"2021-12-21T21:44:52Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/150675","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/150675"},{"id":150673,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:150673","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Pencilish on the ROAD! Our first convention and what we're thankful for!","preview":"Hello Pencilishers!\u0026nbsp;It's Thanksgiving day and I felt the need to tell you this-\u0026nbsp;we are THANKFUL for all of you!\u0026nbsp;Because of you, we are creating characters and stories I've been wanting to tell my entire career!\u0026nbsp;We are also making other creator's dream projects and making them a part of our dreams also!\u0026nbsp;We are giving opportunities and mentorship to amazingly talented up and coming artists/creators!\u0026nbsp;Lastly, we are creating a BUSINESS that could be very valuable in ...","published_at":"2021-11-25T21:14:30Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/150673","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/150673"},{"id":150398,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:150398","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"ANIMATION production starts on our FIRST SHOW","preview":"This is just a quick update on a few things.\u0026nbsp;The first one is that we had a big moment last week: Our first ANIMATION ISSUING meeting with our two lead animators for the show \"Bjorn the Last Unicorn\"!\u0026nbsp;What that means is that we have come out of the development stage for Bjorn (meaning: all scripts are written, all voice actors have been recorded, we've storyboarded the first three episodes, we've designed all of the characters, and even done some animation tests with them- see our P...","published_at":"2021-11-13T19:46:46Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/150398","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/150398"},{"id":150175,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:150175","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"An example we are on the RIGHT TRACK...","preview":"Huge news today- two former Disney executives have started an independent entertainment company and have just purchased MOONBUG , the company behind YOUTUBE animation sensation \"Cocomelon\" (which is also the longest running Top 10 show on Netflix, simultaneously!) for, wait for it.....$3 BILLION! \u0026nbsp; And-it all started on Youtube! \u0026nbsp;Read full article here:\u0026nbsp;https://finance.yahoo.com/news/studio-behind-cocomelon-acquired-3-212759020.html?guccounter=1\u0026guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ2...","published_at":"2021-11-05T17:41:01Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/150175","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/150175"},{"id":150014,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:150014","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","preview":"undefined","published_at":"2021-11-01T04:22:24Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/150014","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/150014"},{"id":150013,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:150013","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"LAST HOUR to invest!! THIS IS IT!","preview":"Well, if you want in on the \"Founding Investor\" NFT's, this is the last chance!\u0026nbsp;If you want to back and have STOCK in a revolutionary new Animation Independent Studio, this is ALSO the last chance!\u0026nbsp;This round CLOSES in 1 HOUR! That's at 9PM Pacific/ 11PM Central/ 12AM Eastern !Hit the INVEST button on\u0026nbsp;wefunder.com/pencilish\u0026nbsp;, put in the amount you want to invest (Min. $100) and it will tell you how many shares you're buying at the $3.90 a share price.\u0026nbsp;AND REMEMBER- Ev...","published_at":"2021-11-01T02:57:16Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/150013","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/150013"},{"id":150010,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:150010","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"2 HOURS LEFT to invest!","preview":"Is there really anything left to say?\u0026nbsp;We are at over $2,257 Million!\u0026nbsp;With over 4500 INVESTORS!!!!!The investment round CLOSES in 2 HOURS - TONIGHT!\u0026nbsp;That's at 9PM Pacific/ 11PM Central/ 12AM Eastern !Hit the INVEST button on\u0026nbsp;wefunder.com/pencilish\u0026nbsp;, put in the amount you want to invest (Min. $100) and it will tell you how many shares you're buying at the $3.90 a share price.\u0026nbsp;AND REMEMBER- Every investment earns you an exclusive \"Founding Investor\" NFT !Viva La Ani...","published_at":"2021-11-01T02:03:32Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/150010","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/150010"},{"id":150009,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:150009","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"4 HOURS LEFT to INVEST- This is it!","preview":"I just wanted to remind you all of TWO THINGS:1) Have a Happy and Safe Halloween tonight!and2) REMEMBER that our investment round CLOSES in 4 HOURS from now TONIGHT!\u0026nbsp;That's at 9PM Pacific/ 11PM Central/ 12AM Eastern !Hit the INVEST button on wefunder.com/pencilish , put in the amount you want to invest (Min. $100) and it will tell you how many shares you're buying at the $3.90 a share price.\u0026nbsp;AND REMEMBER- Every investment earns you an exclusive \"Founding Investor\" NFT !Viva La Anima...","published_at":"2021-11-01T00:13:22Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/150009","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/150009"},{"id":149995,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149995","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"LAST DAY TO INVEST- Recap!","preview":"Happy Halloween! I can’t believe that we are at the last day of investment! It has been such a long journey, and we have been working hard to show you all what we can do with such a small team!We are so thankful for all of you who have believed in us and this journey. It’s crazy to me to think that I had this dream, and it’s now reality. Not just reality, but we have broke 2 million dollars in investment because of y’all!Here’s a quick recap on everything we have done so far:Thank you, again,...","published_at":"2021-10-31T17:12:43Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149995","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149995"},{"id":149986,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149986","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"2 Days to Invest-Investor Animation Testimonials and More!","preview":"I’d like to start by thanking each and every one of you who has believed in Pencilish and been apart of the journey since the start. We couldn’t have done any of this without you all. We are in the final 2 DAYS TO INVEST. This is it! This is everything we’ve worked towards! We need your help sharing Pencilish in anyway you can.\u0026nbsp;It has been an insane week! We have been working extremely hard to drop something fun into everyday this week. We’ve packed this week with: merch giveaways, NFT d...","published_at":"2021-10-30T16:27:19Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149986","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149986"},{"id":149944,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149944","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"3 DAYS LEFT- Here's the \"Founding Investors\" NFT Launch INFO!","preview":"WOW!\u0026nbsp;We are really cooking as we head into this LAST WEEKEND of our raise here on Wefunder.com!\u0026nbsp;We end around 11PM Central time on SUNDAY, Halloween, so please share with your friends and family!\u0026nbsp;More updates all weekend, so please read these emails.\u0026nbsp;MANY of you have been thrilled to hear you will receive (down the road a bit as we work out the best deliverable pipeline) a Pencilish Founding Investor NFT special for you!\u0026nbsp;It's not related to your investment (so if you ...","published_at":"2021-10-29T17:26:42Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149944","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149944"},{"id":149942,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149942","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"4 Days LEFT to invest- ANNOUNCING our Pencilish Founders NFTs!","preview":"That's right! We're doing an NFT!\u0026nbsp; I announced this at the end of my LIVE Investor Q and A- we are creating a custom, numbered, tiered NFT - for Founding Investors!\u0026nbsp;Yep, if you've already invested, you get one, if you're about to invest- you'll get one if you do it on or before THIS SUNDAY, OCT. 31st at 11PM Eastern!Here's the announcement video:As it says, MORE INFORMATION will go out tomorrow- we will help you answer questions like: What are NFTs? Is this Eco-Friendly? (Short answ...","published_at":"2021-10-28T19:45:56Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149942","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149942"},{"id":149930,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149930","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"4 DAYS LEFT- LIVE Q and A with CEO and two Advisory board members!","preview":"Today (Thursday) is the day for some excitement because I'm hosting a LIVE Q and A on our Pencilish Studios Youtube Channel at 10am P/ 12PM C/ 1pm E !\u0026nbsp;You won't want to miss this since we have 4 days left for you to invest in Pencilish Studios and we saved AN EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT for today, at the end of the Q and A, so stay for the end!\u0026nbsp;Here's a link:\u0026nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChwRStsNuGVn8x-v-5s_mxATalk soon!Tom Bancroft, CEO","published_at":"2021-10-28T13:15:59Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149930","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149930"},{"id":149919,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149919","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"PODCAST with CEO Tom Bancroft: Jumble Think- Tom Talks Disney, why he left, and why Pencilish Studios","preview":"I know, a second Wefunder update in ONE DAY?\u0026nbsp;Too much?\u0026nbsp;Well, I just got this link for a podcast I did awhile back (but was just released this morning) that I thought you all might like.\u0026nbsp;I talk about a lot of stuff- getting geeky about animation and acting in the Disney films, what made me leave Disney for Veggietales, and why I decided to launch Pencilish Animation Studios with all of YOU!\u0026nbsp;Have a listen if you have an hour:\u0026nbsp;Here it is on Apple Podcasts:\u0026nbsp;https://p...","published_at":"2021-10-27T21:39:19Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149919","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149919"},{"id":149917,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149917","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"5 DAYS LEFT- Our First Animation test!","preview":"Yep, we are really cooking with steam now!\u0026nbsp;Many of you are new investors or you have ADDED TO YOUR INVESTMENT, and to that we say \"THANK YOU\"!\u0026nbsp;(If you don't know how to ADD to your investment- go to your portfolio on Wefunder and where you see your investment in Pencilish, you should be able to click to ADD to that original investment.)\u0026nbsp;I promised we would have some big stuff happening this week so here's some details to look forward to:TODAY- below, please see our FIRST animat...","published_at":"2021-10-27T20:38:54Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149917","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149917"},{"id":149866,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149866","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"6 Days Left! Voice Actor Updates!","preview":"WOW! We just hit the $1.8 Million mark with over 3700 investors!I'll make today's update short but sweet, here's where we are with our (NOW) 4 animated series, but most especially, share some art and pics of the voice actors playing the characters!\u0026nbsp;But first, I want to give you all an update about our casting call we put out to all of you for voice actors.\u0026nbsp;We recieved literally hundreds of demo reels from you all and it was hard sorting through them all.\u0026nbsp;It's taken some time, b...","published_at":"2021-10-26T15:57:42Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149866","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149866"},{"id":149851,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149851","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"7 Days LEFT!- Merch GIVEAWAY and MORE!","preview":"The big push to the end of our investment raise starts now!\u0026nbsp;Everyday, I'll be dropping info, updates, and HUGE surprises so be up to date by reading these emails AND follow us on INSTAGRAM- @pencilishstudios !THREE THINGS TODAY:\u0026nbsp;1) FREE PENCILISH MERCH GIVEAWAY!\u0026nbsp;It's happening on Instagram, so just go there (instagram.com/pencilishstudios) and see the post with the image above to see what you have to do.\u0026nbsp;It's easy stuff.\u0026nbsp;Winner is announced on Saturday!\u0026nbsp;Good luck...","published_at":"2021-10-25T21:33:15Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149851","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149851"},{"id":149825,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149825","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"LAST 7 DAYS! EXCITING Announcements all WEEK LONG!","preview":"If you haven't been reading these WEFUNDER Pencilish Animation Studios UPDATES/Emails, now is the time to START!\u0026nbsp;We are in the last 7 days (countdown clock on our Wefunder page is keeping track), and all this week, we will be dropping some exciting news, announcments, and artwork previews!\u0026nbsp;WE WANT YOU TO KNOW, this is JUST the beginning, but it's starting to get very exciting at Pencilish!First announcement:\u0026nbsp;We HAVE A NEW SERIES!\u0026nbsp;Yep, added to the three IP's/series already...","published_at":"2021-10-24T16:53:05Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149825","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149825"},{"id":149741,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149741","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"Happy 1 Year anniversary- LAST CHANCE TO INVEST!","preview":"Yep, we are not at about 10 days until the end of this investment raise for Pencilish Animation Studios!\u0026nbsp;As the title says, and to be clear, it's been a year since we incorporated (our raise is a little less than a year, actually).\u0026nbsp;But- This is it!\u0026nbsp;Please share with your friends and co-workers!\u0026nbsp;We hope to have a couple exciting announcements even within this next week!\u0026nbsp;TWO THINGS:\u0026nbsp;1) A small update: We've been busy tying up some much needed and important lose end...","published_at":"2021-10-20T21:50:35Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149741","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149741"},{"id":149591,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:149591","type":"FeedItem::Update","visibility":"public","title":"WHY INVEST IN PENCILISH? The BIG PICTURE- What we are aiming for, What IFs, and YOU","preview":"I'm going to be honest.\u0026nbsp;I feel like many of you still don't get what we are doing at Pencilish Animation Studios.\u0026nbsp;Don't get me wrong, I'm SUPER grateful for those of you that are reading this that have already invested.\u0026nbsp;You got it, and you backed the vision.\u0026nbsp;You trusted the industry GIANTS we have on our advisory board and got excited about the projects you are hearing about.\u0026nbsp;We are doing our ABSOLUTE BEST to be transparent and show you our projects, characters, and d...","published_at":"2021-10-14T22:32:50Z","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","url":"/feed/149591","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/149591"}],"q_and_a":[{"id":124314,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:124314","question":"Why are there no women on your team of advisors?","author_name":"Ami Brown","votes":15,"created_at":"2021-01-13T15:14:29Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-124314","answers":[{"id":124551,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:124551","answer":"Hello Ami. I've answered this before (though admittedly not that well, I think), it was always my intention to have a diversity on my advisory board. I was in the final talks with a friend of mine (a former SVP at a major studio) but she decided to pass for now because of a move/career change. It was just before we launched so that was disappointing but understandable. I quickly went to another industry friend and she is very interested but needs to get clearance from her studio employer. We are in a waiting pattern, but more info soon, I hope. UPDATE: We have brought on actress Ming Na Wen as our newest advisor! Please see the advisory board list for more details on her!","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":31,"created_at":"2021-01-14T23:21:17Z"}]},{"id":138361,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:138361","question":"Hi Tom. So this will be a bit of a challenging post. Whilst I like the idea of this, and there is no doubt you are a world class animator, the more I have delved into it the business opportunity, the more it raises some serious questions that I cannot see answers to. In one answer you have said you have not given any financial modelling or details on revenue streams because you felt it wold not be appropriate. However you have plucked out a valuation of over $8m, not really based on any financial modeling, not having generated any income whatsoever and with start-up debts (fine, debts are normal when growing, I get that). I understand you all have track records of animating on some great titles, but working for other companies is not enough to value your company at this figure. To arbitrarily value your company at over $8m with no current income is, to be blunt, absurd. And to have that figure without any backup of how you will achieve it is also absurd. Additionally, you have stated your distribution model will be based on 'in your pocket' distribution.(ie everyone has a phone in their pocket, suggesting Youtube or an advertising type model for revenue). I don't think that's good enough or robust enough as a justification. You need to show us how you got to that figure - can you show us the math, the revenue streams, the gross profit, the net profit and show a compelling justification of this valuation? Has no one worked on any profit or loss account? Have no future revenue streams been modeled? I invite you to submit more than rhetoric at this point. Thank you.","author_name":"Jonathan Newman","votes":13,"created_at":"2021-03-29T10:12:17Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-138361","answers":[{"id":141897,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:141897","answer":"Jonathan, we have addressed the valuation question in point 5 in our FAQ, and it's probably not what you want to hear, but it is how our lawyers want us to respond, but more importantly, it is how the Reg CF regulations work. Platforms for Reg CF, like wefunder.com, have governmental rules placed upon them and, therefore, so do we. The answer is \"Valuations for companies at our early stage of development are purely speculative. We have not generated any significant revenue, nor do we have deals in place yet to do so. Our valuation has not been validated by any independent third party, and may fall precipitously. It is a question of whether you, the investor, are willing to pay this price for a percentage ownership of a start-up company. You should not invest if you disagree with this valuation.\"","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":14,"created_at":"2021-04-14T16:52:48Z"}]},{"id":124304,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:124304","question":"Hi Tom, I am excited about your new Pencilish Animation Studios :D I think it is a stupid question but I need to know anyway... xD I invested 500$ (or at least I clicked on the button with 500$) because I was also interested in the Investor Perks on this level ;) Now I got the message from wefunder that I just invested 499$, because I also had to pay some fees and stuff like that. I would like to know if this is just some kind of bug in the investment-process and do I still get the Investor Perks for 500$ or do I only get the Investor-Perks for the 250$? To be honest, it is a little bit embarrassing to me to ask this question just because of 1$ but I would be sad if I don´t get the higher Investment Perks just because of 1$ (I really wanted to invest 500$ and not 499$ xD). Thank you in advance for your feedback. Best regards Timm","author_name":"Timm Birkenfelder","votes":13,"created_at":"2021-01-13T12:50:24Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-124304","answers":[{"id":124554,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:124554","answer":"Timm- this is a good question. I had no idea that was how it would come out in the end (at $499, with a fee taken out). The good news is you're not alone, EVERYONE has had this happen to them. The answer is yes, we will make sure everyone gets their intended perks!","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":28,"created_at":"2021-01-14T23:26:05Z"}]},{"id":120207,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:120207","question":"Hi Tom! What a cool company idea, I love the concept. I'm curious, what is your plan for the company and having so many owners? Is it a profit-sharing plan? Are you hoping to have the studio bought out? Are you hoping to grow large enough one day for folks to sell their stock or IPO? What level of involvement are you open to from investors?","author_name":"Cassidy Williams-Song","votes":13,"created_at":"2020-12-19T04:21:25Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-120207","answers":[{"id":120260,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:120260","answer":"Hello Cassidy. Good questions. I will have the largest “say” in the direction and decisions of the company (as CEO) but I’m excited to have so many investors that have a heart for animation that myself and our board can use as a sounding block in decisions and creative thoughts. It will be a large group so we will work hard to hear all those voices and respond. I hope this helps. Yes, I want to build it so people want to buy the company one day. If we do at that time it will be heavily dependent on the offer and if it is in all of our investors' interests.","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":18,"created_at":"2020-12-19T13:44:27Z"}]},{"id":120179,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:120179","question":"Hey Tom, after this last year it's become clear that movie theaters are a dying breed. Large animated features are now debuting with great success on the streaming giants, and that looks to be the future. How are you approaching the direction of the company in this regard? I'm interested in investing, but if the focus is primarily on partnerships with traditional production companies and theater distribution it becomes a much riskier investment.","author_name":"Brian Reindel","votes":10,"created_at":"2020-12-19T00:14:35Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-120179","answers":[{"id":120202,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:120202","answer":"Hello Brian! Great question. Here’s the good news- we are not interested in the traditional distribution systems. Our focus is on the distribution system we all have in our pockets right now. That includes streaming, social networks, and YouTube. We want to be where the eyes are. I hope this helps. Thanks for your interest!","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":19,"created_at":"2020-12-19T03:25:45Z"}]},{"id":134182,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:134182","question":"Tom, Pencilish is a fabulous concept and your timing couldn't be better. Will you and your team accept unsolicited/independent concepts for development? Congratulations and best of luck!","author_name":"Michael Hull","votes":7,"created_at":"2021-03-09T22:19:16Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-134182","answers":[{"id":135018,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:135018","answer":"Hello Michael. Yes, we will get to this point eventually. To start, we are working with trusted creators (along with our own internal IP) for the initial launch. We will look wider for phase 2 launch so please make sure you are signed up on the mailing list at pencilish.com","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":7,"created_at":"2021-03-15T22:02:01Z"}]},{"id":140830,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:140830","question":"The story development stage is a critical component of an effective production, as seen by some of the most successful companies like Pixar who dedicate an extraordinary amount of effort and time into writing and concept development- What is Pencilish's strategy for story development? Do you have any guiding principles for types of stories, and how you'll develop those ideas into great films?","author_name":"Austin Witherspoon","votes":6,"created_at":"2021-04-09T20:54:41Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-140830","answers":[{"id":141165,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:141165","answer":"You are correct Austin. It's the most important part. Since I can't share what we are developing at the moment (until everything is legally sewn up), I'll have to stay general here: I'm leaning into creating short form TV series for a few reasons: 1) it's how the newer generations want their entertainment; in shorter formats 2) because it will give us the fastest, least expensive route to getting our content out into the world and that 3) gets us to a quicker ROI also. Because of that decision, it also makes us focus on stories that are very character driven with slightly simplier story concepts because we can tell those stories well in short form. \"Lord of the Rings\" is a feature film series for this reason- it's epic, deep, tells a story with a huge cast of characters and eons of back story. The projects we are doing now are fun, interesting concepts with characters you want to get to know better. Another guiding principle for us right now is variety- I want to launch with 3-4 series concepts but I don't want them to hit the same themes or genres. And, yes, we want to do films- it's just not phase 1 because we need multiple millions of dollars and at least 2-3 years to make my dream film. I have it though. And it's cool!","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":6,"created_at":"2021-04-11T17:00:55Z"}]},{"id":177039,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:177039","question":"How will investors be notified about stock growth and returns? Will they be reached out to by email? Will they be updated about their stocks yearly?","author_name":"Mikayla Kresco","votes":5,"created_at":"2021-11-01T05:21:50Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-177039","answers":[{"id":177743,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:177743","answer":"We are still working out this process, but yes, we will give updates on the growth of the company and some kind of yearly email. Please also make sure you follow our mailing list at Pencilish.com","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":1,"created_at":"2021-11-05T17:14:17Z"}]},{"id":130333,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:130333","question":"I wonder if a press release to Animation Magazine would result in a nice write-up about the unique nature of Pencilish... and in turn, gain INVESTORS!","author_name":"Dave McDonald","votes":5,"created_at":"2021-02-12T21:43:51Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-130333","answers":[{"id":130387,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:130387","answer":"It’s a good idea Dave. We will be pursing press soon","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":4,"created_at":"2021-02-13T02:29:06Z"}]},{"id":160128,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:160128","question":"Many of the examples listed in the pitch video are 2D animated movies but recently Disney has moved more into 3D animation. Can you tell us more about what kind of projects you are targeting (full length movies, television series, animated shorts) and the media type (3D animation, 2D animation, claymation etc.) Also is there a reason why you're funding the studio itself instead of funding on a per project basis? Do you plan on collecting funding for specific projects using crowdfunding in the future?","author_name":"Crystal Yee","votes":4,"created_at":"2021-07-27T22:20:49Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-160128","answers":[{"id":160408,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:160408","answer":"Good questions Crystal. Some of this has been addressed in my Updates, but happy to dig deeper in here also. Disney has lots of areas its moving in and you're referring to their animated feature film division. You're correct, those are all CG (3D) animation. In their TV animation division, they are almost exclusively using 2D animation, which most TV animation studios do the same. We are launching with three TV series so we are also doing 2D animation for those. It makes sense because it is an easier, more cost effective (and quicker) way to get content out. This is why it is still the prevalent style in the TV series world. To get our first IP out into the world, we are launching with TV style series but we do have high hopes for feature film production soon. For that, we will look at what that film needs and it could be CG/3D animation or it could be 2D animation with live action (I'm referring to a specific dream project now:), but it will be based on what style is best for that film. As for why we are seeking funding for a studio and not a project- I think it makes more sense for a crowd invested, REG CF to seek funding for a company and not a project. Projects fit Kickstarter, this forum/format fits a company. I think investors want a long term goal- a big picture- not one concept that can be fly by night. Hypothetically, we may partner with others that crowdfund a specific project in the future, but only if there is a clear piece of that IP that we will own so our investors are clear what part Pencilish retains. I hope this helps!","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":3,"created_at":"2021-07-29T16:17:29Z"}]},{"id":138550,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:138550","question":"Hi, Tom. I'm a life-long fan of the animation industry and if I've learned one thing it's that people tend to cling to the animated franchises of their youth. Then, if/when they have children, they naturally want to share what they grew up watching. The characters of Disney, WB, and other studio giants are firmly entrenched in our collective consciousness. How do you intend to create intellectual properties that can draw audiences and potential licensing partners away from the likes of Mickey and Bugs?","author_name":"Jesse Perkins","votes":4,"created_at":"2021-03-30T14:20:44Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-138550","answers":[{"id":139687,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:139687","answer":"Jesse that is a great question and an age-old one. We live in a worldwide culture that loves nostagia. We love the characters and stories from our youth. So much so that we reinvent it (like the new Ghostbuster's movie or Goonies- coming soon) to capture some of that notstaglia (and the money it brings). That said, many of us are tired of this cycle of content and want new characters and storylines to love. I am one of those. I think many of the creators we are speaking with love doing fan art of our fav characters, but when it comes to what they want to create- they want original concepts and characters! Creators live to create and starting with a blank canvus is the most exciting thing we can do. It's riskier of course, but the pay-off can be much, much higher also. So, how do we compete? In some ways, we don't. We go the other direction. One thing we WILL do is market our creations. We WILL play that game, because it works. So, we will create new characters and concepts, but get them out there in the world and make sure that people see them. The rest is the risk that every company makes with any product they are putting into the world. We will not hide from risk, we will learn from it, and hopefully all succeed because we took it.","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":3,"created_at":"2021-04-03T18:23:05Z"}]},{"id":137147,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:137147","question":"Hi Tom, I run a very small but outstanding animation studio in Europe. If our company would invest in Pencilish 10k+ and if you approve our quality, would it be possible to our animators to get hands on the upcoming Pencilish projects? We love to support, but more we love the animation process itself.","author_name":"Egils Susts","votes":4,"created_at":"2021-03-23T09:06:38Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-137147","answers":[{"id":137532,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:137532","answer":"Egils- If this studio is everything you say it is, I'd love to hear more. No, you do not need to invest to be considered as a potential animation production house for Pencilish. Only invest if you want to, the two concept are not connected. Please DM me on social media to share what your studio can do.","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":5,"created_at":"2021-03-24T21:13:45Z"}]},{"id":144765,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:144765","question":"Hi Tom I am a film composer and would love to pitch for consideration on future projects, I believe that investing in the company both money-wise and production-wise would be something worth trying, is there anyone I could talk to in regards to this?","author_name":"Rey Fernandez Jr","votes":3,"created_at":"2021-04-25T22:34:27Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-144765","answers":[{"id":147451,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:147451","answer":"Hello Rey, thank you for your interest in working with Pencilish. It's just a bit too soon for us to make up the lists of people to speak with about composing. Can you follow the Pencilish mailing list at pencilish.com so we can reach out to the community as these needs arise? Thank you.","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":3,"created_at":"2021-05-06T00:55:09Z"}]},{"id":138432,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:138432","question":"Hi Tom, I'm excited to see that the Pencilish team has onboarded the incredible Ming-Na Wen! You've answered other questions regarding the lack of initial diversity and have stated that the team, \"will have many POC and [women] working on the shows.\" (3/28/21) How do you intend to uphold this promise and how will they be able to move into higher up positions as the studio grows? I'd like to know your understanding and definition of diversity and intersectionality, and how the Pencilish team can foster a thriving environment for these individuals. Thank you, Em.","author_name":"Emerson Robles-Tuttle","votes":3,"created_at":"2021-03-29T21:00:57Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-138432","answers":[{"id":139683,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:139683","answer":"Emerson, thank you for this question. I will be transparent with you- I am from a generation of the animation industry that was white and male dominate. I don't like that and I didn't like it then. I've spoken with some of my African- American animation friends and many have said where they grew up had more to do with it than even the industry itself- they just weren't encouraged to get into animation. Women animators were just as rare back then, and again, many of their friends and family growing up would tell them not to get into animation because it was \"weird\" or for childlike people. That created an industry where POC and women didn't see people like themselves working in those places and that's an even larger, worldwide, problem. I'm getting into animation history a little bit because I also want to say that I didn't understand it myself. I loved working alongside women and POC in my job at Disney, but it was extremely rare for it to happen. But, because of this, most of my close friends and pro colleagues that are my age, are primarily white and male. They are the people I know and trust but only because we have worked together, in most cases, almost thirty years. Some of them are on my board and I hope that would make sense to you from a business and trust level, at least. I have many friends that I had less contact with that are POC and/or women, of course, but there were not many from my generation of the industry. That said, I co-host an animation industry podcast and have spoken with MANY POC and women in the industry today some old acquaintances (like Bruce W. Smith, Floyd Norman, and Everett Downey) to new names/faces in the industry like (Tara Whitaker and Latoya Raveneau) and I can tell you that our industry is changing for the better and much of that is happening with the next generation of talent. I teach on the college level and I am happy to report that 75% of my class(es) are female and more and more are people of color also. I will be drawing from this latter crowd (and others' their age, around the world) for the actual shows we make. That's what I'm referring to- the talent of the future- when I speak to having a very diverse group I'm talking with to make the actual partnerships in IP and in the creation of the animation for these series. That change is already here, I am happy to say that Pencilish will be a part of it. I'm sorry that you don't feel we have done enough on our advisory board to show that, but believe me, we will be helping many creators of color and/or women to get their dream projects made. That is our goal and it is a key part of how we will grow this company.","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":6,"created_at":"2021-04-03T18:13:52Z"}]},{"id":138122,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:138122","question":"It’s very disheartening to see a board skewed towards men (yet more dudes in suits) with little diversity and only one female advisor. I know there are women in film, animation, and business who would add a valuable perspective, why the lack of diversity?","author_name":"Julia Vidakovic","votes":3,"created_at":"2021-03-27T16:38:51Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-138122","answers":[{"id":138203,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:138203","answer":"I’m sorry you feel that way Julia. Out of the 6 advisory board members 2 are Asian and one is a woman. The others are close friends I’ve worked wirh for years. I stand by this board. If it helps we will have many POC and woman working on the shows.","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":9,"created_at":"2021-03-28T01:40:06Z"}]},{"id":129651,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:129651","question":"Hi Tom ! My son Djahid is 9 and crazy about animation(so I'm I) His birthday is at the end of February, can I invest under his name as early gift ? What a fun and promising project ,we felt the great vibes behind our screen, keep up the great work !","author_name":"Helene Pierre","votes":3,"created_at":"2021-02-09T22:41:04Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-129651","answers":[{"id":130385,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:130385","answer":"I’m not clear that there is a reason you couldn’t do this. To make sure, email support@wefunder.com","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":2,"created_at":"2021-02-13T02:27:14Z"}]},{"id":327920,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:327920","question":"Hi Tom,May we please have an update on what's happening with the company, good or bad?Thanks.Senitiki","author_name":"Senitiki Rokocakau","votes":2,"created_at":"2026-03-17T00:12:27Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-327920","answers":[]},{"id":312957,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:312957","question":"Hey Tom just wanted to Know what are updates of what's going on cause I haven't seen any one on here or emails in 2years","author_name":"Natural Power-Original","votes":2,"created_at":"2025-08-11T17:24:33Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-312957","answers":[]},{"id":280817,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:280817","question":"May I suggest that Pencillish Animations Studio do a partnership with or collaborate with or do an acquisition of Angel Studios www.angel.com????????!!!","author_name":"George Simons","votes":2,"created_at":"2024-04-07T12:23:09Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-280817","answers":[]},{"id":177195,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:177195","question":"I see it shows $3.9 per share, but how many shares total? Like what is the current estimated market cap we are invest?","author_name":"Ding Zhang","votes":2,"created_at":"2021-11-01T23:42:51Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-177195","answers":[{"id":177737,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:177737","answer":"Ding, it depends upon how much you invested, to see how many shares it would be at that share price.","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":0,"created_at":"2021-11-05T17:06:50Z"}]},{"id":176862,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:176862","question":"May I receive a certificate memorializing my investment in Pencillish Animation Studios","author_name":"George Simons","votes":2,"created_at":"2021-10-31T15:27:08Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-176862","answers":[{"id":176930,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:176930","answer":"Yes, you get a contract that states the amount of shares you’ve purchased.","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":1,"created_at":"2021-10-31T20:07:59Z"}]},{"id":176844,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:176844","question":"Hi Tom, I ended up investing almost last minute. My bank states that the funds will arrive via wire approx. 2 november. I hope we can still participate. Kind regards from The Netherlands Benjamin and Niek","author_name":"Benjamin Libbrecht","votes":2,"created_at":"2021-10-31T11:28:30Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-176844","answers":[{"id":176931,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:176931","answer":"I hope it does too! I’m not sure but I think it will work if it’s in process","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":0,"created_at":"2021-10-31T20:08:57Z"}]},{"id":176557,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:176557","question":"In the FAQ of the site on who can invest it states: \"The only exceptions are the Provinces of Quebec, Ontario and Alberta which have requested that we bar their residents from investing.\" As someone in Alberta, does this mean there is no way to support you and invest at this stage? Is there any other way to invest outside of Wefunder?","author_name":"Lydia Lees","votes":2,"created_at":"2021-10-29T19:23:23Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-176557","answers":[{"id":176933,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:176933","answer":"I’m sorry to say, I haven’t heard of a work around to this. I’m sorry","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":0,"created_at":"2021-10-31T20:09:30Z"}]},{"id":176066,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:176066","question":"Hi Tom, I am a current investor in Pencilish. I read your post where you were talking about CocoMelon and the long term potential of IP's. I guess a few things that have kept me from investing more is maybe ignorance on my part maybe you can help with. In the case of Cocomelon that you mentioned it was acquired by Moonbug. With you owning 1.7 million shares of Pencilish my real concern as an investor is you guys creating a few promising IP's and then the company getting bought and the long term earning potential of the IP never being realizing by the investors. So Question----What would happen to Pencilish shares we own in the case of a buyout/acquisition? Are they converted to shares in the acquiring company or simply bought out for a flat price? Thank you","author_name":"Bryce Frits","votes":2,"created_at":"2021-10-27T15:23:14Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-176066","answers":[{"id":176217,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:176217","answer":"Bryce, thanks for your question. It’s a good one too but also hard to answer because it’s so speculative. I can say that our goal will always be, if we are bought out, we would want to make sure it was equitable to our investors.","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":0,"created_at":"2021-10-28T04:08:40Z"}]},{"id":175341,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:175341","question":"Reach out to http://blacksandsentertainment.com/ and partner","author_name":"George Simons","votes":2,"created_at":"2021-10-22T02:38:17Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/pencilish#question-175341","answers":[{"id":175729,"entity_id":"wefunder:comment:175729","answer":"Thanks George. I have been following them. I'll see where they head with animation.","author_name":"Tom Bancroft","votes":1,"created_at":"2021-10-25T16:14:13Z"}]}],"faq":[{"question":"Hey Tom, after this last year it's become clear that movie theaters are a dying breed. Large animated features are now debuting with great success on the streaming giants, and that looks to be the future. How are you approaching the direction of the company in this regard? I'm...","answer":"Hello Brian! Great question. Here’s the good news- we are not interested in the traditional distribution systems. Our focus is on the distribution system we all have in our pockets right now. That includes streaming, social networks, and YouTube. We want to be where the eyes are. I hope this helps. Thanks for your interest!"},{"question":"Hi Tom! What a cool company idea, I love the concept. I'm curious, what is your plan for the company and having so many owners? Is it a profit-sharing plan? Are you hoping to have the studio bought out? Are you hoping to grow large enough one day for folks to sell their stock ...","answer":"Hello Cassidy. Good questions. I will have the largest “say” in the direction and decisions of the company (as CEO) but I’m excited to have so many investors that have a heart for animation that myself and our board can use as a sounding block in decisions and creative thoughts. It will be a large group so we will work hard to hear all those voices and respond. I hope this helps. Yes, I want to build it so people want to buy the company one day. If we do at that time it will be heavily depend..."},{"question":"Hey Tom, what I’ve heard about you creating a traditional animation studio, so I thought that kinda like my studio, Sanchez Railway Animations, except it’s small and I don’t have any animators to hire... yet. Anyways.... 1. Does your studio requires animators to use the old sc...","answer":"We will more than likely create what I call “tradigital” animation - drawing traditionally on a digital surface. It works vest for a virtual pipeline. Yes, I write my own stories."},{"question":"Hi Tom I have a few questions. How many more years do you plan on working before you retire? Also is this going to be your full time job or is this going to be like Elon Musk where he has jobs in more than one company? I know you said this is the first crowd funded animation s...","answer":"Ha, these are hard, future-casting questions. \u0026nbsp;I can say I have no interest in retirement because I love what I do. Secondly, yes, this will be my “full time” job but I will have a couple other commitments here and there- for example, I am in the completion phase of producing and animating a feature film documentary (Pencil Test)\u0026nbsp;as well as teaching. I think the company model is one part Animation studio and one part Webtoons. We will be creating content, not looking forward work fo..."},{"question":"Hey Tom! This sounds amazing! What type of animation are you hoping to do? Hand draw? CG? Stop-motion? Or a mix? Also, if I were to become an investor, would this disqualify me in any way of one day working on the creative side for the studio?","answer":"Probably\u0026nbsp;2D TV- style animation to start but I’m open to all forms of animation as long as it suits the story.\u0026nbsp;"}]}}}