Category Archives: Artists Interviews

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Lock Wolverton

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What is your name and current occupation?
My name is Lock Wolverton, retired animator and animation instructor from the Walt Disney Co. I am currently an animation instructor at Tulsa Tech.

What are some if the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
 Many, many years ago I was an attack dog handler for the US Air Force, guarding 100 megaton nuclear weapons on a tiny island somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This was during the Cuban middle crisis. Few people know how close we came to a nuclear exchange between the US and the former Soviet Union. The world leaders during that time took the human race dangerously close to extinction.

What are some of your favorite projects you are proud to have been a part of?
During my time with Disney I had the privilege of designing and directing a series of annual animation events which featured such epic films as Mulan, A Bug’s Life, the re-release of Fantasia, Atlantis the Lost Empire and A Tribute to the Disney Villains. These events drew animators and students from all across the country and around the world. Those in attendance would observe chalk talks and lectures from directors, lead animators and producers who brought these great films to life. We were gathering the who’s who of all of Disney animation. For many it became a life changing experience. I met and taught animation to hundreds of aspiring animators, many of which I still maintain contact to this day.
Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business? I am from Orlando FL, currently residing in Tulsa OK. I was born at an early age and Continue reading

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Hossein Diba

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Hi, my name is Hossein Diba, and I’m a CG character artist(modeler,texturer)

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
actually because I started CG when I was 17, I didn’t test any other job, just used to draw for fun, lucky me 🙂

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Evolve, Batman Arkham knight, Fallout New Vegas mod, Golden luck(A short animation),The Return(An animation featured film)

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I’m from Iran, there was a friend of mine who was a 3d generalist and suggested Continue reading

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Michael Chase Walker

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Screenwriter Author Producer Actor Michael Chase Walker, I’m just finishing 2 children’s books with my collaborator UK artist illustrator Jason James and currently producing, writing, and/ or developing three feature films for a major animation studio.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I studied Eastern philosophy and Sanskrit literature’s for 6 years in India and abroad. I also lived, studied and traveled with Dr. Timothy Leary for 3 years.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
The Last Unicorn, Pee Wee’s Playhouse, Galaxy High School ( movies and television) Teen Wolf, After Man, The Court Jester. 003 1/2 The Adventures of James Bond Jr. and CBS Entertainment.

 

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
Manhattan born and raised. I got into the animation business after Continue reading

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Mingjue Helen Chen

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Mingjue Helen Chen and I’m currently a Visual Development Artist at Disney Feature Animation.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I’ve led a pretty uneventful life I’m afraid, although I did work at a Coldstone Creamery when I was in high school and had to sing for tips.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I’m fortunate enough to be able to say that every project I’ve worked on has been special to me! On Frankenweenie, I felt a great deal of trust from my art director, and was allowed to do a lot of different things like set design and moment paintings. I didn’t realize until recently how rare it is to have that kind of trust placed in you, let alone on your first production as an art student. Working at Cinderbiter with Henry Selick was super fun and engaging, since I was there very early on. Paperman is dear to me because the people I was working on are still some of my favorite people, ever.

 

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I was born in Beijing, China, and moved to the US very young. I mainly grew up in Minnesota. I got into the animation business accidentally, figuring it was Continue reading

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Mr. Media interviews Oscar-nominated and Palm d’Or winning animator Bill Plympton

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Stitcher has an interesting audio interview up with two time Academy Award nominee Bill Plympton. You can listen to the interview here.

From the site:

Today’s Guest: Oscar-nominated and Palm d’Or winning animator Bill Plympton, whose seventh feature film is Cheatin.  BILL PLYMPTON podcast excerpt: “Hollywood doesn’t believe there is an audience for adult-oriented animation, which I think is all wrong. You go to Europe or Japan and there are huge audiences for films that speak about adult ideas and adult situations. But for too long, we’ve been dominated by Disney — and especially Pixar now — with their computer animation and their fairytales. The distributors are afraid to handle anything else. Ralph Bakshi opened the door a little bit back in the early 1`970s and it was immediately shut after he stopped doing it. I’m trying to open the door again with ‘Cheatin.’