Work Experience

Lead Sequence Artist: Avatar Sequels, Lightstorm Entertainment

November 2017- current, Los Angeles.......................................................................................................................Motion Builder, Maya, Weta Proprietary Software, Linux

●       Sequence Builds: Oversees initial construction and final delivery of sequence files. Generates scene files with characters, environment, and lighting based on motion capture performance selects from Editorial. Supplies creature, prop, and FX animation- all in a highly adaptable format for quick changes during a live shoot. Provides scene updates and turnover delivery for final animation to Weta.

●       Stage Support: During camera shoots, works closely with directors, stage operators, lighting team and dev team to help navigate the assembled file and provide on-the-spot animation updates and troubleshooting when requested.

●       Tasking, Training, and Team Support: Organizes and tasks the team with assignments based on schedule, skill-level, and training opportunities. Assists sequence supervisors by providing in-depth training to new recruits during a very tight and volatile schedule, while also keeping established team-members up-to-date on highly technical and innovative processes that are constantly changing and evolving. Spearheaded a wiki style database of Sequence Team Processes that is easily updated to provide a stable source of information for the team.

Camera Layout Artist: God of War, Santa Monica Studios

March 2016- November 2017, Los Angeles.......................................................................................................................Motion Builder, Maya, Premiere

●       Camera cleanup-  Fixed framing slips, data jitter, and improved on compositions and timing when necessary. Added hand-keyed animation for portions that were physically impossible to achieve for the camera operator.

●       Shot planning and previz: Every sequence was done without cuts, and required careful planning and choreography. Shot planning was primarily done with rough thumbnails and then worked out live with the team standing in for actors. For scenarios where it was physically impossible to do this, traditional 3D animation previz was utilized.

●       Virtual camera operator: This role was primarily held by my lead, however I did lend my services on a few shoots as a camera operator and mission control.

Animator: Uncharted 4, A Thief's End, Sony Computer Entertainment  

September 2015- February 2016, San Diego …………………....................................................................................................................Maya 

●       Final Character Animation (mocap):  Built animation over the actors' mocap performances, ensuring that both the acting was preserved and the character's unique traits were expressed. Final animation included fixing faulty or missing mocap data, enhancing gestures or motion when it needed more clarity or emphasis. Sections with no mocap, such as toes and fingers were hand-animated.

●       Facial Animation (mocap): Highly detail-oriented mocap correction and performance enhancement. Clarified and tightened phonemes, expressions, and eyelines. Ensured emotions were reading, putting in life when more spark was needed. 

Pre-Visualization 3D Animator: Angry Birds Movie, Rovio Animation Company

July 2014- August 2015, Los Angeles.........................................................................................................................................................Maya 

●       Composed and rough-animated shots, including cameras, characters, and props according to storyboards and in collaboration with the directors. 

●       Created rough lighting and effects to communicate the needs and tone of the sequence

3D Animator and Generalist: WWE 2K15, Yuke's LA, Inc. 

May- June 2014, Los Angeles………………………………………….......................................................................................Maya, 3D Studio Max  

●       Created cameras or updated old ones to improve shot flow of game cinematics being revamped for an updated release of the game. Cleaned up hand, body, and facial motion-capture and animation.

Camera Layout Artist: The Order 1886, Sony Computer Entertainment 

March 2014- to April 2014, San Diego.......................................................................................................................................Motion Builder

●       Composed shots in real-time using the VICON virtual camera system. Smoothed the data for each camera and made corrections with an animation pass when necessary. Created a rough cut for editiorial.

●       Once approved, reconstructed scene files so that they matched the approved edits with all extraneous portions of the scene removed, to be delivered to Animation.

Pre-Visualization 3D Animator/Generalist: Night at the Museum 3, Proof, Inc.

December 2013- Feb 2014, Los Angeles……............................................................................................................................................Maya  

● Composed shots using keyed animation according to provided storyboards and helped the shots to evolve from there. Roughly animated characters and cameras, as well as making any needed assets and rudimentary effects to effectively communicate the tone and needs of the shot.

Camera Layout Artist: Knack Sony Computer Entertainment

February 2013- June 2013, San Diego………………………………………………...............................................................................Motion Builder

●       Following storyboards, script, and direction, composed and hand- keyed animation for cinematic cameras for the cinematic cut-scenes in Knack.

●       Created edits within Motion Builder using the camera switcher and shot tracks.

Animator: Fremont Experience: Heart Crazy on Vegas, The Who Miles Over Vegas Mammoth Vision, Inc. 

December 2012 - Jan 2013, Burbank…………………………………….....................................................................................Maya, After Effects  

●       Animated visuals for the unusual format 4--block long overhead screen above Fremont Street, Las Vegas.

●       Modeled, textured, lit, and added effects.

●       Edited footage and composited it in to the animation.

Animator, Loading Movies Group: Call of Duty, Black Ops II, Treyarch

January- September 2012, Santa Monica…………………………………………………..........................................................Motion Builder, Maya  

●       Animatics/Previs: Interpreted and created shot design and hand key animation from script and occasional storyboards. Created rough cameras, previz lighting and vfx.

●       Scene Assembly: Compiled characters, sets, props, motion, and audio assets into a complete scene.

●       Mocap Shoot: Set up stage props according to specs from scene assembly. Directed actors according to script and animatics.

●       Final Hand Key Animation: Created final hand key animation for character body and face when motion capture data was insufficient or missing.

Motion Editor for game titles: Killzone 3, Infamous 2, and Uncharted:Golden Abyss, Sony Computer Entertainment

July 2010- December 2011, San Diego……………………………………………...................................................................................Motion Builder

Killzone 3/ Infamous 2:

●       Assembled environments, characters, props, vehicles, character performances, and audio.

●       Constrained and animated props and vehicles. Cleaned up character interactions with sets, props, vehicles, and other characters. Basic finger poses were added

Uncharted:Golden Abyss:

●       Motion edit and animation. Full correction for character interactions with sets, props, and other characters. Animated props and finger poses, corrected awkward poses and eye lines.

Director's Layout TD for films: Mars Needs Moms , Yellow Submarine, Image Movers Digital/Gribble Entertainment  

May-October 2009, February- July 2010, Los Angeles/Novato……………………………………………………………….....Motion Builder, Maya  

●       Assembled set builds, integrated character performances, added lighting for scene layout, added temporary effects, modified heavy geometry into smaller assets, created UV mapping and textures for temporary environment assets.

●       Cleaned up character interactions with sets, props, vehicles, and other characters. Basic finger poses were added.

Render Wrangler/Stereo Operations Assistant for film: Avatar, Lightstorm 

October 2008- May 2009, Los Angeles……………………………………………....................................................................................Motion Builder

●                 Responsible for Quality Check for outgoing renders, fixing problematic files, and monitoring the render queue for errors.

●                 Assisted with setting stereo convergence and f-stop values to left and right eye cameras.

Pre-Visualization 3D Animator and Generalist, Mortal Kombat 2008, Tanglewood, W, Eni, Proof Inc  

May- Sept 2008, Los Angeles.........................................................Motion Builder, Maya, Adobe Premiere, After Effects, Softimage XSI  

●                 Composed shots according to storyboards and helped them to evolve from there. Roughly animated characters, modeled and textured any needed assets. Added rudimentary effects to effectively communicate the tone and needs of the shot.

●                 Some compositing and rotoscoping, wire and green screen removal

Education

Four years completed in the Media Arts and Animation, Art Institute of California- Los Angeles (did not graduate, 2 credits shy)

School recognition includes honor-roll listing for various quarters, and voted Best of Quarter for the Advanced 2d Animation course.

 Software

3D Software:

Primarily Maya and Motion Builder, with some education in 3D Studio Max and a brush with Softimage XSI.

Compositing/Editing Software:

Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere

Imaging Software:

Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator 

Office:

Shotgun, Microsoft Office, Filemaker Pro