Steve Nichols


What is your name and your current occupation?
Steve Nichols,  Animation Supervisor currently at Digital Domain on the Fox Feature Film “The Watch”.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I was a bit of a goth so I took a job at the local Funeral Home as a groundskeeper….not the best place to increase your social circle.  I also worked at a “mom and pop” Video Store Clerk and loved it.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
There’s a bit on each film.  But, I’d have to say working on District 9 was epic for me.  I’m so proud of everyone’s hard work, the director was Fantastic and the budget rivaled the craft service budget for Avatar.   Go team!

How did you become interested in animation?
The first time I saw a Ray Harryhausen film.  The Golden Voyage of Sinbad on late night TV.  I was hooked.  The monsters were filled with empathy, and I had never seen anything like that before—I was hooked..  I also used to Continue reading

Ben Rush

What is your name and your current occupation?
Supervising animator.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
landscaping, busboy at Nordstrom Cafe, painting signs and numbers on parking garages.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Final Flight of the Osiris, Kung Fu Panda 1 and 2,.

How did you become interested in animation?
When I was little my dad gave me a Super8 camera and got me started making claymation movies. It was so cool because you could create whole worlds that didn’t exist in reality. Needless to say, I had a lot of Continue reading

Cinzia Angelini

What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Cinzia Angelini and I just wrapped up at Duncan Studio on the Despicable Me Theme park ride for Universal. I alternate between working as 2D/3D animator and as story artist. At the moment I’m freelancing as a storyboard artist for studios in Los Angeles, and am directing an animated short film “Mila”, that I wrote.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
When I was a student I sold all sorts of SWATCH watches at the Sunday Flea Market in Milan. It was the nineties, SWATCH mania had taken hold in Italy, and as a student, it was lot of fun. Good times.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Prince of Egypt, Spirit, Spider-man 2, Open Season, How to train your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda 2 DVD Specials.
How did you become interested in animation?
I always liked to draw, and as a child, was fascinated by the mystery of drawings in motion. When I was seven or eight I came up with my own theory of how cartoons were made. I believed that Continue reading

Andrew Conroy


What is your name and your current occupation?
My Name is Andrew Conroy and I am currently the Lead Animation Faculty at Ai SLC.  I teach the finer and not so finer points of animation to animation enthusiasts as well as develop curriculum, characters and short films.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Right out of collage I washed dishes at a summer camp… I drove a little outboard engine boat to work everyday. It was a good time.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I have worked on a few films and enjoyed that experience but I think the most enjoyable projects for me have always been personal. Something I am currently working on is “The FishBoy Project”. I am trying to give students and animation hopefuls a chance to work with a cool rig and in turn raise a bit of money for small business owners through an organization called Kiva.

 

How did you become interested in animation?
My Parents made me go to Art School actually. I think the root of my interest is Continue reading

Chris Eliopoulos


What is your name and your current occupation?
 My name is Chris “Elio” Eliopoulos. I’m a cartoonist and adjunct professor at Columbia College Chicago.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
 I worked at a shop called “Too Cool”, where we sold Korean knockoffs of anime toys and really cheap candy. Then an antique store.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
 Teaming up with the folks at Yo Gabba Gabba! And helping develop some pilots at Disney TV Animation.

 

How did you become interested in animation?
Trying to make my own cartoons during class in the 6th grade, using a Continue reading

Martyn Gutteridge

What is your name and your current occupation?
Martyn Gutteridge, animator
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I used to work in a department store as a visual merchandiser so had to dress up mannequins which was a bit weird, the room where all the body parts were stored could get a bit creepy

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What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Working with well know properties is always enjoyable so working on Make way for Noddy, also really enjoyed working at the BBC it was a great environment.
How did you become interested in animation?
Cartoons as a kid as well as comics led me towards art in general. I remember being strongly affected by.

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