What is your name and your current occupation?
John Kenn Mortensen,artist,writer,director.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I worked in a boat repair-shop when I was 14.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
not to sound like a dick, but my own projects has been the most interesting projects and the ones im most proud of
How did you become interested in animation?
from being a kid… Continue reading
What is your name and your current occupation?Â
My name is Ryan Ortgiesen. I’m a freelance animator and director in Brooklyn, NY. Thank you for this opportunity, Mike.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?Â
I’m not sure “crazier” is the right word. Hmmm, maybe zanier. I’ve had a lot of terrible jobs including foundation repair, digging trenches and evicting people from their homes. I’d say the worst was when I worked on this vineyard in France. I chopped wood for six hours a day, put up scaffolding on a five story castle with no safety equipment and was eventually fired. Longest week of my life. It was just like that one episode of The Simpsons.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Thus far, I’ve mostly worked for clients doing smaller project and some work for Cartoon Network. My proudest work is my own personal projects because I feel most passionately about the ideas and look. Passion will always spawn greatness within yourself.
How did you become interested in animation?
Being a product of the late 80’s-early 90’s, I was inundated with a barrage of fantastically crappy cartoons, particularly “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and possibly a little “Jem” thrown in there (she was, after all, truly outrages). When I was around 4 years old, I would Continue reading
What is your name and your current occupation?
Jessy Borutski, director, storyboarder, designer at WB
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?Â
I started working in Animation early. I was 19 right out of college. Prior to that I rented movies in a country convenience store in rural Ontario and worked at Enerlad Links Golf Club. Wasn’t much time to do too many crazy jobs I was busy with highschool.What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?Â
Dragons and Fairies for McDonald’s Europe. All Girl Arcade for Fuel Industries and The Looney Tunes Show for WB. Continue reading
What is your name?
Herb Moore
 What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Pinky & The Brain, The Simpsons and lately, Phineas & Ferb… My first job was as a background clean up artist om “The Simpsons” and it soon became one of my all time favorite shows to have worked on.  I also hold extremely fond memories as a timer on “Pinky & The Brain” as well as numerous other Warner Bros. shows such as “Animaniacs,” which lead to my first Emmy nomination for Directing.  I also hold a special place in my heart for the pilot, “Smirt & Kirkle,” that I co-create with Rusty Mills for Playhouse Disney.  The experience was terrific and left a taste in my mouth for wanting to do another pilot.  Currently, I’m having a blast working as the Timing Supervisor on “Phineas & Ferb” at Disney TV Animation and it’s turning out to be another great experience that ranks right up there with the best in my career.  Yet all these great shows fall by the wayside when my kids watch one of my short animations that I’ve created, and laugh or tease me for my sense of humor.
How did you become interested in animation?
I was sitting in my apartment in Orlando, Florida, working as a boat driver at The Jungle Cruise at Walt Disney World when I figured out what I wanted to do.  From that point forward nothing was going to stop me from making it to Continue reading
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What would you say has been your primary job in animation?
I’ve mostly been a Director in my career. Â I was lucky enough to start Directing really young. Â I was 23 when I got my first job as Producer/Director of Mummies Alive. Â I’ve been fortunate enough to remain as a Director pretty steadily since then.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I mostly worked in construction with my Dad but I did work as the assistant to the ice cream maker at Swenson’s when I was 13. Â That was an awesome job and I ate a lot of cheap ice cream. Â Still, to this day, I make some pretty good ice cream. Â I delivered pizzas for Domino’s for a while in college and worked the graveyard shift at a toy factory.
How did you become interested in animation?
In 9th grade, I was in an art class and the first assignment was just to do Continue reading
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I worked once as a builder of ice town.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Web – Progress from Above, TV – Futz!, Peep and the Big Wide World, and the incredibly challenging show I’m directing now – Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.
How did you become interested in animation?
I always loved animation and wanted to be an animator even as a kid. I used my school textbooks as Continue reading
