What is your name and your current occupation? Matt Mozgiel, 2D animation generalist–prop and character design, layout and bg paint
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
 Mostly manual labour stuff, construction, some live action work on corporates and music videos.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?Â
Quite frankly, every project I’ve worked on. You always try to find the best reason to love it, even if it ain’t your favourite. Whether it pushes you in new directions for how you draw or think. New technical challenges. Or just filling gaps in your portfolio/resume. We’re drawing here folks, it’s alotta fun. Definitely, the pitches I’ve put together, cuz really, you’re trying to come up with something that gets you excited about the possibility of it. Hotbox was a lot of fun, and very free form. Fuggetaboutit was great, hope to come back for a future season. The Dating Guy was great and I learned a ton on it. Pillars of Freedom was a really good project and my first kid’s show. Also had an amazing time working on some development projects I can’t name yet.
Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business? St.Catharines, Ontario, Canada. I always drew, but I didn’t get into animation school right out of high school. So I did film school as a backup and then worked a variety of jobs while still drawing on the side. I got noticed at Continue reading
Darrell Van Citters; Renegade Animation studio owner, author, Animation Historian (and also my boss!) has the first of a multi part series up on his blog about life at the Jay Ward studios. Also, if you haven’t already picked up Darrell’s most recent book, The Art of Jay Ward it’s a fascinating look inside the studio that brought us Bullwinkle and Mr. Peabody. Check it out!
What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Kris Pearn, and I’m currently directing an Animated Feature… but mostly I’m still a happy storyboard artist/ scribble monkey.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I grew up on a hobby farm, so there was lots of lawn mowing, wood harvesting, hay bailing, corn detasseling, urine soaked hay shoveling and the occasional outbreak of goat castration. I wasn’t good at any of it. After that I got a gig pumping gas at Lambeth Olco. I didn’t mind that so much… got to learn about cars and read a lot of Stephen King. Also paid my way through college until I got my first Animation job. Never looked back.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I was very proud to be a part of Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. It was a cartoon and I love cartoons. It’s rare in Feature Animation to get to work on a “cartoon”. Before that, I had fun on Surf’s Up (for the 8 people that saw it), and I still remember my first feature story gig on Open Season with fondness. I loved working for Aardman… couple of movies coming out soon, Arthur Christmas, and The Pirates!… can’t say too much about them until they’re released. I’ve enjoyed a lot of TV shows and Commercials too… I try Continue reading
What is your name and your current occupation?
I’m Art Grootfontein, and I’m a freelance animation artist, designer and illustrator.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I would love to say that I was a submarine cook for the British army, or a pet taxi driver in Singapore, but I’m afraid I didn’t work on anything weird before I start my art carreer…
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I think I’m usually happy only with the very latest things I did… recently, I directed a TV spot for Yoplait which I’m really proud of. This spot had been aired during the 2013 Emmy Awards night.  I had the chance to be in charge of the major part of the work (storyboard, design, animation) so it was pretty fun. And these days I’m working on something completely different : an fun eCard for JibJab, and I’m really enjoying working on it too.
Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?Â
I’m from Paris, France. I studied at the National School of Art & Design in Paris. There I learned graphic design and illustration.
I discovered later that animation was my true passion. I think I had a brain wave when I saw “Gruesomestein’s Monsters” from Mark Ackland and Riccardo Durante.  I understood then I’d have to work on animation !  So I trained myself watching hours of TV animated shorts and series, frame by frame, in order to understand how all this magic was done !  Then I started doing stuff just for me, and when I thought I was ready, I started entering some contests. I had the chance to win a couple of ones, like this bumper for a company named myToons, who disappear a few years later (its aim was to be the “youTube” for animation… fail !)I also did an animated greeting card every year, sending it to everyone in the animation world to get my foot in the door! Gradually, people saw my work, and so I started working on “real” stuff !
What’s a typical day like for you with regards to your job?Â
First I eat some chocolate. Â I sit on my chair and check my mails, hoping I wouldn’t get too much retakes on the animation I sent the day before. Â Then I eat some chocolate, and I work on all the retakes I received by email. Â When I realize it’s the end of the day, I try to wash myself as fast as I can and I eat some chocolate. Â That’s it ! (Kids : don’t try this at home, it does’nt work so well)
What part of your job do you like best? Why?Â
I love the beginning of a project, when everything is still possible. It’s the part where I feel I’m completely free to do what I want (even if i’m obviously not !) I don’t feel any stress at this time and I’m the more creative.
What part of your job do you like least? Why?
When Adobe Flash crashes !
What kind of technology do you work with on a daily basis, how has technology changed in the last few years in your field and how has that impacted you in your job?
I work with Photoshop, Illustrator… and Adobe Flash. Â As I started recently to work on animation, I can’t say that things really changed for me regarding technology. I never learned animation “the old way” with hole punch paper and peg bar…
What is the most difficult part for you about being in the business?
Finding paid gigs and new clients is probably the hardest part of the job in my opinion.
In your travels, have you had any brushes with animation greatness?
I’m afraid I don’t quite understand the question. But I love brushes and travelling !
Describe a tough situation you had in life.Â
One day, there was no chocolate at the store.
Any side projects you’re working on that you’d like to share details of?
I would love to have time to work on something I really care about, a series concept about a skate team, but I don’t have much to say since I did not do much right now…
Any unusual talents or hobbies like tying a cherry stem with your tongue or metallurgy?
Animation used to be my hobby ! And in a way, it still is.
But, I have to admit, I have a kind of everyday habit, but I’m not comfortable talking about it. The only thing I could say is that it has something to do with cocoa.
Is there any advice you can give for an aspiring animation student or artist trying to break into the business?Â
“Hey guys ! I AM an artist trying to break into the business ! So please wait a few years more so I can find my place. Cheers !”
What is your name and your current occupation?
Peter Donnelly. I am a freelance illustrator and animation professional. I develop visual concepts/storyboards for advertising agencies, animation studios and illustrate childrens books.  I also teach film pre-production to 3rd level students and direct animation.
 What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Most of my previous jobs were art related although I did work cleaning shopping malls as a Summer job after school…operating one of those big floor buffers dreaming of escaping..
 What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a partof? Â
The Land before Time, Titan AE, The Thief and the Cobbler, Prince of Egypt to name a few and some short form films and TV projects that have picked up some nice awards along the way.  In total I’ve been credited on around 15 feature films to date. How did you become interested in animation?Â
I was always a fan of the ‘Art’ of animation, the design and mood that could be achieved with shape, line and colour. Although I never had a desire to be an animator , I loved to draw and wanted to be an illustrator and in time realized Continue reading
What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Alisa Harris and I’m a freelance character designer and traditional Flash animator in New York City.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
One summer during college, I painted carousel horses in Canarsie, Brooklyn. It was pretty awesome. Â Some of the carousels I worked on are at the Willow Grove Mall in PA, Bryant Park in NYC and overseas. Â When I first graduated from art school, the animation industry had tanked. Â I ended up doing data entry for two years at an insurance company specializing in mental health and substance abuse. Â I like to joke that it prepared me for working in the animation industry.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
One of my favorite projects was my first lead design position at Flickerlab in NYC. Â It was a web series for Ritz/Nabisco on how to have cheap family fun in the summer. Â It was the first commercial project that I designed characters and props in my own style. Â There was a lot of freedom in designing the families and I enjoyed creating a more diverse cast. Â Because it was a small studio, I also boarded half of the episodes and did some of the Flash puppet setup. Â It was really cool to see my own designs and staging come through to the final episodes.
How did you become interested in animation?
As a kid, I loved Looney Tunes, classic Disney films, The Muppet Show and Rankin Bass Christmas Specials.  In the ’80s, my family would watch The Disney Sunday Night Movie and I was riveted to the Continue reading
