Tony Santo

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What is your name and your current occupation?

Tony Santo and I am a Freelance Storyboard Artist.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
When I got out of college I cleaned apartments in Manhattan for a short time. It was actually fun work, getting got see some very cool apartments around town. I also did paste-up design, which is crazy in a sense of how tedious it was. For those who don’t remember life before computers, “paste-up design” was how magazines and newspapers were put together by hand, with columns of type, a t-square and several pinched neck nerves. I was also a bartender part time for a year.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I loved all the Disney films I worked on, like Mulan and Brother Bear. I also had some exciting and rewarding cycles as Art Director on “Madden NFL.” Recently I enjoyed working as storyboard artist for Dan Riba on the upcoming “Ben 10: Ominiverse.”

How did you become interested in animation?
I loved Fantasia and how the Disney designers interpreted the music so imaginatively. I really got into animation for the storytelling and development approach. Shows like “Batman: the Animated Series” gave me extra inspiration to break in.

 

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I am from Staten Island, New York. I had been drawing for years, and did freelance illustration fore a few years. It was a struggle to get work and to keep growing as an artist. Eventually Continue reading

Benson Shum

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What is your name and your current occupation? 
Benson Shum. Animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation? 

Mmm, I don’t know if its crazy haha, but I was a sweeper at the local fair during the summer, griller/cook at a restaurant and burrito maker 🙂

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

Some of my favourite projects are most recently Frozen and Wreck-it Ralph.  I feel very fortunate to be able to work on such compelling stories and characters.  Hotel T and the Smurfs were also something I loved working on.  oh, and Harry Potter and the goblet of fire, because I’m such a fan of the books!

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I was born and raised in Vancouver, BC.  When I was starting to do research on Animation, Capliano College just opened up a Commerical Animation program in North Vancouver.  I remember seeing Continue reading

Christian Suarez

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Christian Suarez and right now I´m a freelance artist and a part-time art director at Levalo Studio (a little illustration studio in my city)

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Maybe the craziest was working as the security guy in a disco when I was younger.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
The useful ones, projects for several NGOs. I´ve tried to collaborate at least in one of them each year working on my free time.

 

How did you become interested in animation?
I´ve always loved cartoons since I was a child. And now lot of friends of mine are Continue reading

Benjamin Plouffe

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My Name is Benjamin Plouffe and I’m currently Co Art Directing a new and exciting Tv series “Penn Zero: Part time Hero” for Disney Television animation created by Sam Levine and Jared Bush.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
In high school I worked as stock boy and Dishwasher. During my college years I also worked a few summers as an Inventory counter. We would to go to all kinds of stores and just scan and count everything. The worst was counting huge bins of tiny screws at home depot.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I’m really proud of the “Penn Zero: part time hero” show I’m working on right now. It’s the longest project I’ve worked on ( since 2011) and the one I’ve contributed the most too
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Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I was born near Montreal Quebec in the early 80’s . My father was in the Canadian Airforce so we moved around a lot. I spent 3-4 years in Germany early in my child hood and lived on a few military bases in Ontario HOWEVER Continue reading

David Stephan

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is David Stephan and I am currently a story artist for live action and animation. My real passion is writing and trying to get my own projects made. I started B Positive Fims with another writer/artist (after our blood type) We are working with producer Max Howard on a film project and have interest from the studios on a horror film.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Maybe not crazy but I washed dishes, pumped gas, worked construction just get by through college. Once I got started in the film business I haven’t had to look outside for work but the last couple of years have tempted me to seek other opportunities.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I am proud of my career at Disney. I was lucky enough to be part of Disney Feature Animation and the 14 year arc from Black Cauldron through Lion King.  I also was part of Sam Raimi’s first Spiderman. It was such an unknown. I credit that film’s success with the glut of super hero movies today. But I would have to say story boarding “Simple Plan” is my most rewarding. It was my first live action film and learned so much about film making.
How did you become interested in animation?
I kinda fell into it. I was graduating from highschool and I really wanted to be a painter and go to the Ontario College of Art in Toronto. My highschoolart teacher Ms Venebles was very encouraging me to go into art as a career. Coming from a working class family I was going against the grain. My Dad wanted me to get a “trade”.  On my way to OCA I stopped at Sheridan College outside Toronto to interview with the Illustration faculty but they were unavailable but the Animation course director agreed to see me. Knowing nothing about animation, he showed me a clip of student samples. I was blown away by the level of animation. I was hooked. I can make my drawing come alive. I never made it to OCA. I registered that day in the Sheridan College Classical Animation program. At the time it was a little know program, now Sherdian College Animation and its graduates are know all around the world equal to Cal Arts program.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I am originally from London Ontario Canada. My goal from the beginning was to go and work at Disney in California. At the time in the early 80’s it was impossible to get a green card and almost impossible to get into Disney Feature. It didn’t stop my determination. My first job was with Steven Lisberger in Boston which was relocating to Venice California. It was a show for NBC called Animal Oymplics. It was my first professional experience as animators Bill Koyers assistant. I was thrilled. After that show ended I Continue reading

Martin Cendreda

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What is your name and your current occupation?

Martin Cendreda. Unemployed. Drawing some comics that I’ve neglected for a long time.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Nothing crazy, most of them have been boring. As a teen, I worked at the Vogue theater in Hollywood, and later I found out it was haunted. Sadly, I didn’t experience anything paranormal.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
My first job out of animation school was the first season of South Park. The following year I worked on the movie.  I also worked on my friend Amy’s show, “Making Fiends” at Nickelodeon. Sadly, it got relegated to Nicktoons and never aired properly on Nickelodeon proper.
How did you become interested in animation?
Like most kids, Continue reading