Craig Small

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Craig Small was born on July 5, 1969, in Galt, Ontario, to parents from Nova Scotia, and he spent his formative years in Strathroy, Ontario. His father's work in the automotive industry provided a backdrop to a childhood where Small developed a deep fascination with computer graphics and animation. He spent considerable time during his youth disassembling video games to understand their inner workings, a hands-on curiosity that would inform his future technical artistry. This early passion led him to a career in broadcast design, beginning at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in the early 1990s. After gaining experience at several Toronto design and post-production houses, Small took the entrepreneurial step of founding his own production studio, The Juggernaut, in 2002.

Film, Television, and Motion Graphics

Through The Juggernaut, Craig Small has directed and produced a wide array of animation, visual effects, and title sequences for commercials, feature films, documentaries, and music videos. His client list includes major international companies such as Sony, Ubisoft, Disney, and Coca-Cola, for whom he has created brand identities. A landmark early project was the creation of the branding for the well-known 'I Am Canadian' advertising campaign, which premiered during the broadcast of the 72nd Academy Awards in 2000. Small has also collaborated with the National Film Board of Canada on acclaimed animated films, contributing to the Oscar-nominated 'Madame Tutli-Putli' in 2007 and 'Subconscious Password' in 2013. In 2012, he developed the experimental film 'KENK', based on the journalistic graphic novel 'Kenk: A Graphic Portrait', which presented his genre-bending animation style at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam before being adapted into a broadcast documentary by TVO in 2019.

Serendipity Machines

Craig Small is perhaps best known publicly for his series of inventive 'serendipity machines', which blend mechanical engineering, vintage aesthetics, and an element of chance. These interactive art installations began with the Biblio-Mat and have expanded to include other media, creating unique experiences for patrons of bookstores and record shops. The first machine, the Biblio-Mat, launched in 2012 and operates as a random book vending machine using a two-dollar coin or token. Upon payment, the machine selects and delivers an antiquarian book, accompanied by the chime of an antique telephone bell, with Small stating the philosophy is that 'the universe chooses' the book for you. The machine captured global imagination, earning praise from authors like Margaret Atwood, who tweeted 'This! Is! Brilliant!' and Neil Gaiman, who expressed his admiration for the concept.

The success of the Biblio-Mat led to further commissions, expanding the concept to different forms of media. In 2021, musician Jack White, a fan of the original machine, commissioned Small to build the Literarium for the opening of Third Man Records London. This token-operated machine dispenses random literature published by Third Man Books. Following that, Small created the Phono-Mat in 2022 for Sonic Boom Records in Toronto, a machine that dispenses random vinyl records. The launch of the Phono-Mat was attended by Jack White and the band July Talk prior to a concert on White's Supply Chain Issues Tour, highlighting the cultural reach of Small's creations.

• Biblio-Mat (2012): Random antiquarian book vending machine.
• Literarium (2021): Commissioned by musician Jack White for Third Man Records London. Dispenses random literature from Third Man Books.
• Phono-Mat (2022): Created for Sonic Boom Records in Toronto. Dispenses random vinyl records.

Live Visual Performance and Music

Since 2017, Craig Small has been a visual performer (VJ) with the Toronto-based band Communism. In this role, he creates and manipulates live video and laser projections that accompany the band's performances, adding a dynamic visual layer to their music. His work has been featured at venues and festivals including the Danforth Music Hall, the National Arts Centre, and the Atlin Arts & Music Festival. Small's artistic integration with the band extends to album design, as he created the artwork for Communism's 2023 album, 'Lovespeech', incorporating visual elements directly from his live projection work. This multidisciplinary practice highlights the connection between his studio animation and his performative, real-time visual art, allowing him to explore different aspects of his creativity.

Personal Life

Craig Small is married to writer and editor Emily Donaldson, and the couple lives in Toronto with their two sons. A facet of his family life that he has shared publicly is his participation in competitive pinball, an activity he enjoys with his autistic son. This personal detail reflects a thread of mechanical engagement and playful interaction that parallels the tactile, hands-on nature of his serendipity machine projects, which also require a detailed understanding of mechanics and user experience. His personal interests and family life thus offer insight into the motivations behind his public creative works.

Selected Works and Collaborations

Craig Small's career is marked by a diverse portfolio across film, advertising, and interactive art. The following table highlights key projects and their years, illustrating the breadth of his creative output and his collaborations with major institutions and artists. His work demonstrates a consistent ability to merge technical skill with creative concept, whether for a national broadcast campaign or a one-of-a-kind art installation. This table provides a chronological overview of some of his most significant contributions to visual culture in Canada and internationally.

Questions about Craig Small

What is the Biblio-Mat and how does it work?

The Biblio-Mat is a random book vending machine created by Craig Small in 2012. A user inserts a two-dollar coin or a token, which prompts the machine to mechanically select a single antiquarian book from its inventory. The book is then delivered to the user, accompanied by the sound of an antique telephone bell. Small describes the experience as one where 'the universe chooses' the book for you, creating a moment of literary serendipity.

What other serendipity machines has Craig Small built?

Craig Small built the Literarium in 2021 and the Phono-Mat in 2022. The Literarium is a token operated lucky dip book machine commissioned by musician Jack White for the opening of Third Man Records London, and it dispenses random literature published by Third Man Books. The Phono-Mat, his third serendipity machine, was created for Sonic Boom Records in Toronto and vends random vinyl records. Jack White and the band July Talk attended the launch of the Phono-Mat before a concert in Toronto. These machines follow his original 2012 creation, the Biblio-Mat book vending machine.

What is Craig Small's connection to the National Film Board of Canada?

Craig Small collaborated with the National Film Board of Canada on two animated films. He worked on the film Madame Tutli Putli in 2007 and later on Subconscious Password in 2013. This work is part of his broader career directing and producing animation and visual effects for various projects. His filmography also includes the experimental film KENK in 2012, which was based on a journalistic comic and showed at an international festival. These projects demonstrate his ongoing involvement in the Canadian film and animation industry.

What band does Craig Small perform with and what does he do?

Craig Small performs with the band Communism as a VJ, a role he has held since 2017. In this capacity, he creates video and laser projections for the band's live concerts. His visual work has been featured at venues and festivals including the Atlin Arts and Music Festival, the Danforth Music Hall, and the National Arts Centre. Small designed the album artwork for Communism's 2023 album, Lovespeech, incorporating elements from his live projections. This varied role combines his skills in visual art with musical performance.

What was Craig Small's role in the 'I Am Canadian' ad campaign?

In 2000, Craig Small created the branding for the I Am Canadian advertising campaign. This notable campaign premiered during the broadcast of the 72nd Academy Awards. His work on this campaign is a significant example of his early career in broadcast design and commercial production. Prior to founding his own studio, Small began his career at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and worked at several Toronto design houses. The campaign's success contributed to his reputation in motion graphics and commercial direction.

Where did Craig Small grow up and how did it influence his work?

Craig Small was born in Galt, Ontario to Nova Scotian parents and grew up in Strathroy, Ontario. His father worked in the automotive industry during his childhood. From an early age, Small developed a fascination with computer graphics and animation. He spent much of his youth disassembling video games, which fostered a deep technical understanding of digital media. This early curiosity and hands on experience directly informed his future career as a visual artist, director, and animator, leading him to found his own production studio.

Sources and further reading

• Craig Small (Wikipedia)
• Craig Small, Making Music Look Amazing (musicbuddy.ca)

Checked by the Your Space Hamilton desk. Last updated 2026-10-21.