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

Sherm Cohen

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Sherm Cohen and I’m currently the storyboard supervisor for Disney’s Fish Hooks.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had  before getting into animation?
The craziest job I ever had before getting into the animation business was working as a psychiatric aide at a mental hospital. When I first got hired, I thought it picked me because I was a promising student in my psychology classes — but it turns out they hired me because I’m a pretty big dude, and one of the key job responsibilities was being able to tackle and restrain mental patients! I got a really grim view of the inner workings of the mental health insurance schemes, but I didn’t end up quitting that job until after I received a concussion from one of the patients in the isolation tank.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re  proud to have been a part of?
Of all the projects I’ve worked on in my cartooning career, I’m most proud of the work I was able to take part in when I was on SpongeBob SquarePants. It just makes me so happy when I can see that the cartoons that I wrote and drew have become favorites and bright spots in the lives of so many people all over the world. A few years ago, I was standing in line at the DMV when I noticed one of the office workers cubicles in the deep background; it was completely decked out with SpongeBob posters and cards and drawings and toys… and I decide it was really neat that somebody who was working in a dreary government bureaucracy, we have brightened our day by surrounding themselves with a cartoon that I worked on. I’m also enjoying the heck out of my current job on Fish Hooks. The show is pure cartoon fun and the crew is wonderful to work with. And it’s extra-special experience because Continue reading

Raquel Omana

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Raquel Omana. I am now a freelance artist.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I was Interior Designer.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Most popular old Saturday morning cartoons, Teenage mutant Ninja Turtles, Scooby Doo, My Little Pony and many more; First educational games that started the Sony Play Station; film features, Anastasia and Titan AE.

How did you become interested in animation?
It was more alluring to me at the time.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I’m originally from the Philippines. At that time, Continue reading

Scott Evans

 

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Hello. My name is Scott Evans and I am a freelance cartoon graphic designer and animator at www.lookcreativestudio.co.uk

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
The animation I am working on is based on the craziest job that I had. Just after I turned 18 my Dad got me to pass exams so that I could be licensee of his new pub. I was suppose to me going to university in London, having just completed my A levels but my Dad convinced me to take a year off for work experience, to help manage his new pub in Torquay. Originally from Birmingham, the whole family moved to this seaside town that we had only ever visited once before, and Tony Dunne, now fellow Barstewards writer/composer and long time friend decided to come down for the summer with us. None of us ever returned home to Birmingham (and I never did get to university). Being in charge of a pub at 18 resulted in all the things you could probably imagine. Lots of drinking, lots of trouble and very little work. The pub last two years (though the memories live on!)

What are some of your favourite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I do lots of cartoon artwork for businesses all over the world and I am grateful that I get to do that every day for a living. I can’t think of Continue reading

Derek Carter

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Derek Carter. Current occupation ? Hmm that’s a little difficult. Basically I’m a humorous illustrator and artist. In animation I was a background designer and art director if you need basic labels.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Well, naturally the craziest job I had was getting into animation. I did stints as a mail room clerk, box boy in a supermarket, working in construction and doing ad campaigns for film enthusiasts group and a tailor’s shop.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
While I’m proud of working as the Background designer on Disney’s “Gummi Bears” and “Winnie the Pooh’s Grand Adventure, the Quest for Christopher Robin” there are projects that I enjoyed just as much only to see the final results turn out as total duds. I’m proud of the work I did, it was such a let down to see some of the final results.

 

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I’m English from just south of London. Came home one afternoon from my first regular job in an exhibition design studio and caught Halas and Batchelor’s “Tales of Hoffnung ” series (shorts based on the cartoons of Gerard Hoffnung ). As I was looking for something a tad more challenging than making large felt covered plywood figures of British policemen and Yeoman Warders I thought animation looked interesting so I Continue reading

Kat Llewellyn

http://vimeo.com/57513740
What is your name and your current occupation?
Kat Llewellyn. I’m an independent animation director, designer, animator, compositor and I co-own Dumfun Productions a boutique creative development company.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
So many. The worst was a job as a glass etcher in an unheated warehouse on the west side of Chicago.  Another was Senior Editor for a comic book company. I hired artists and writers, set the direction for all titles and wrote several myself. It was extremely educational and I loved the work. The place was a zoo, totally dysfunctional and great fun, too.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I particularly enjoyed doing the animations for an American Museum of Natural History exhibit about Captain Robert Scott’s failed attempt to reach the South Pole. The animations were based on actual photos and newspaper illustrations from the time. Last summer I just released my first animated storybook app for kids called The Punky Dunk Project.  There are things I’d change, but overall I’m pretty proud of it.

How did you become interested in animation?
Like everyone who likes to draw and ever watched cartoons as a kid, it was a natural attraction. Continue reading