Thomas E. Richner

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Thomas E. Richner, Associate Professor of Animation at the Columbus College of Art and Design

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Its not too crazy, but I worked at McDonalds the summer before I started graduate school at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television where I studied animation.  I’m not sure why I decided on McDonalds, but I’m glad I did it.  I learned that I really wanted and needed to ‘make it’ in animation after that experience.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I’m very proud of episodes of ‘The Simpsons’ that I worked on.  Working on a high profile show is fun because you know a lot of eyes are on your work.  However, I’m also very proud of the smaller projects I’ve done, like a commercial I created a couple years back here in Columbus, Ohio.  Directing your own work is very rewarding as well.

 

How did you become interested in animation?
I started off as a biology major in college, but half way through college I switched my major to art.  There were actually a number of us that migrated from the sciences to art that year.  I think there is definitely a connection between Continue reading

Jobs: Supervising/Senior Animators- Amsterdam

Looking for: Supervising/Senior Animators for a 26×11 Toon Boom cut-out animated series

Submarine_WellieWishers_still

Amsterdam-based Submarine is looking for experienced animators to work on a 26×11 animated series. The look of the series can be best described as an illustration-like 2D style, with rich textures and soft pencil lines, with a rig-based cut-out animation technique. The series’ main characters are little girls, childlike and relatively realistic – elements that should be communicated in the characters’ movements and emotions.

Requirements

  • Solid understanding of 2D character animation
  • Experience with cut-out animation is a strong asset
  • Experience with animating in Harmony is a strong asset
  • Ability to work with strict deadlines and a fast-paced production environment
  • Strong communication skills
  • English and/or Dutch speaking skills

Team

You’ll work on one episode at a time in a small team, consisting of one animation supervisor, two senior animators and two or three junior animators.

Location

Work takes place exclusively on location: Submarine studios in Amsterdam. We can help with finding accommodation were you to relocate to Amsterdam for this production.

Timeframe

Full-time. Looking for supervising/senior animators from early May 2016 until early 2017.

Contact

Get in touch with Tünde Vollenbroek via tunde@submarine.nl for information. Please attach CV (and references) and portfolio.

Jobs: Junior Animators -Amsterdam

Looking for: Junior Animators for a 26×11 Toon Boom cut-out animated series

Submarine_WellieWishers_still

Amsterdam-based Submarine is looking for junior animators to work on a 26×11 animated series. The look of the series can be best described as an illustration-like 2D style, with rich textures and soft pencil lines, with a rig-based cut-out animation technique. The series’ main characters are little girls, childlike and relatively realistic – elements that should be communicated in the characters’ movements and emotions.

Requirements

  • Experience in 2D character animation
  • Experience with cut-out animation is a strong asset
  • Experience with animating in Harmony is a strong asset
  • Experience working on a big, fast-paced production is a strong asset
  • English and/or Dutch speaking skills

Team

You’ll work on one episode at a time in a small team, consisting of one animation supervisor, two senior animators and two or three junior animators.

Location

Work takes place exclusively on location: Submarine studios in Amsterdam. We can help with finding accommodation were you to relocate to Amsterdam for this production.

Timeframe

Full-time. Looking for junior animators from mid July 2016 until early 2017.

Contact

Get in touch with Tünde Vollenbroek via tunde@submarine.nl for information. Please attach CV (and references)and portfolio. Animation tests will be sent out in May.

“Nightmare in the Morning” by Yonatan Tal

Yonatan Tal’s  3rd year film at CalArts, “Nightmare in the Morning” is a music video about the way he feels in the morning.
It was an honor to work with the amazing talents who created the original song for it:
Song writer: Abby Lyons
Singer: Natalie Perez
Music production: Daniel Markovich (danielmarkovichmusic.com)
Sound design: Ron Cohen

Carlos Ramos

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What is your name and your current occupation? 
Carlos Ramos. I’m currently freelancing as a storyboard artist, character designer, writer. I just got done storyboarding on all the Madagascar trailers and ads and a bit on Dreamwork’s Rise of the Guardians.  And as always pitching, pitching.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Thankfully I only had one job before getting into animation. In high school through my freshman year at college I was a Show Controller at Universal Studios Hollywood. Basically crowd control and making all the park announcements. That place is a real dump and I can’t imagine why people would pay money to go there but it was a really fun job.


What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?

Well, I haveto say the show I created at Nickelodeon: The X’s where I served as art director as well. The design theory was “No lines” so everything was colored shapes. AND it wasn’t in Flash. All hand drawn and animated by the amazing crew at Rough Draft, Korea. An extremely tough series we all bled on. I just recently rewatched a few episodes and it still holds-up.

How did you become interested in animation?
My earliest memory was attending a screening of a pencil test of The Black Couldron at the Disney Burbank lot when I was a kid. I was forever changed by the experience and actually seeing the bungalows where the animation happened intrigued me for sure. I was obsessed with Mad Magazine growing-up and always assumed that’s where I’d work when I “grew up”. But after the original editor William Gaines died the magazine’s quality did too so I had to think of another plan. I was going to Fairfax High School in the magnet arts program and one Saturday took an animation class and the instructor said that Cal Arts was the only school for people seriously contemplating a life in cartoons. I took those words to heart and was determined to get in even after being rejected and having to re-apply the following year. Looking back it was funny because I never visited the campus before the day of registration. And it was just a short drive from my house. I just knew it’s what I wanted.

 

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I’m from L.A. born in Burbank. Attended Cal Arts and got a job at DIC as a development artist the summer of my freshman year. My plan was to graduate college with a BFA with 3 years of experience under my belt. It was a balsy plan that worked out. I did the full four years and worked the summers and freelanced for Disney Television and DIC. Looking back I got really lucky. DIC was the funnest job I’ve ever had and at Disney I was a character designer on Nightmare Ned – a show I doubt anyone remembers but had the most hardcore bad ass crew ever assembled. Seriously everyone on that show went on to Continue reading