What is your name and your current occupation?Â
Vinu Thomas, Independent Animation Consultant
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Software marketing
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?Â
Wolverine & The X-Men
How did you become interested in animation?Â
Tom & Jerry is to be blamed! Got the chance to watch them the early 1980s itself and got addicted.
Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?Â
I’m from India and there was no Animation Studio in the southern part. Toonz Animation had started their office here in the year 1999…..and then there was no turning back.
What’s a typical day like for you with regards to your job?Â
Lot’s of Excel sheets, stroll through departments and coffee!
What part of your job do you like best? Why?Â
Every project will have its own definite style and needs and I love this diversity. Same is the case with people. In a studio with 100 people, you get to see 200 attitudes and I love managing each and every one of them individually.
What part of your job do you like least? Why?Â
Sometimes I had to work with people who doesn’t know and also who has no interest in this business…. it really makes everybody’s life miserable.
What is the most difficult part for you about being in the business?Â
Politics in this industry…Â some people spent the whole energy and time to play politics and destroy this lovely business.
What kind of technology do you work with on a daily basis?Â
Excel, Word, and internet internet and more internet.
In your travels, have you had any brushes with animation greatness?Â
I was lucky enough to be part of the WEEK WITH THE MASTERS program organized by Toonz Animation way back in the 2000 when we all got a chance meet many of the animation greatness personally.. Some of the names are Paul Driessen, Jimmy T. Murakami, Wendy Tilby, Rob Coleman, Bill Plympton, Joanna Priestly, David Fine and Will Vinton
Describe a tough situation you had in life.Â
Not really…. was lucky enough to face the lesser gravity ones.
Die hard Animal lover!Is there any advice you can give for an aspiring animation student or artist trying to break into the business?
Always keep your eyes open.. and Understand that experience comes only through practice. One cannot BUY experience from any place and there are no short-cuts.
The more you respect this business, the more you too get respected.
