Leo Antolini

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Leo Antolini, and I´m currently an illustrator and character designer.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I´ve been very lucky that I went straight to working in animation after I graduated (although it took a while) I actually got one of my first illustration gigs while applying for a telemarketer job: the company found out I was an artist and they asked me to do some character design proposals for their new website.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I´ve done a lot of projects for Leapfrog, and since I love what they do (educational children´s books and toys), I´ve been proud of pretty much everything I´ve done for them, but I´d single out Sing Along Read-Along (a really fun, cool project) and the “If I Were…” book, which was the first time I got to do an entire book by myself. As far as animation goes, I was super proud of all the work I did (character designs, storyboarding and directing!) on the “Brock O´Lee” shorts for PepperMelon studios: it was a big learning experience to wear all those hats, and the final product turned out awesome, I thought.

 

How did you become interested in animation?
I´ve been obsessed with cartoons since I can remember. I watched everything (and I mean everything) I could all throughout my childhood, from toy-centric 80´s tv shows and Disney movies to weird, artsy European animation. I loved to draw and create my own characters. When I got to the age where people usually stop caring about cartoons and move on to other interests, I pretty much just kept going. I was really into Continue reading

Ashley J. Long

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Ashley J. Long, talented weirdo

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I’m lucky that I can report most of my jobs have been kind to me.  My very first job was designing rubber stamps.  I’ve also been a teaching assistant for an arts program, and a visitor services liaison at an art museum.  That last one was probably the worst.  Patrons would come up to the desk and complain about the strangest stuff, like how they didn’t care for the architecture of the building, or what type of trees were planted out front.  Stuff I had no say in and definitely couldn’t change.
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I was with Fox’s American Dad for almost 7yrs and seem to be one of few people who actually LOVED it!  I didn’t mind the limited palette of expression, and Roger was always good fun.  I had several opportunities to dress him in crazy clothes that I actually own myself –watch for platform boots!
How did you become interested in animation?
I’ve always been drawing, and was interested in cartoons pretty early on.  For my 10th birthday, my parents sent me Continue reading

Cara Daly

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Cara Daly,I am a children’s illustrator / artist. I also am the owner of Carla Daly Kids Wall Art. (http://www.carladaly.com) were I sell a range of wall art decor for babies and kids rooms.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Any work I have done since college has been related to my art, I have put my art on some crazy products though – Toliet seats, 3d Tshirts, door knobs, Cows (Cow Parade). You can see a little history of my work on my blog http://www.carladaly.blogspot.ie/

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I have illustrated some great kids books and one of my favorite was by a BAFTA winning author, Roy Apps called THe Twitches. It was featured on the BBC in Jackanory. Another great project I am proud to be part of is my online business selling my own designs for decorating kids rooms and nurseries http://www.carladaly.com, I started it on a very low budget and now I sell to countries all over the world.

 

How did you become interested in animation?
When I was growing up watching great animation, my favorites were Dastardly and Muttley, Top Cat, Pink Panter, Danger Mouse and many more. I loved children’s artists such as Richard Scarry, Maurice Sendak, Dr Zeus, I just love art for kids! So when I started creating my own art I had ideas for Continue reading

Fred Gambino

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Fred Gambino, currently freelance illustrator and concept artist but about to start as art director for Xing Xing digital.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation/illustration?
I’ve worked as an illustrator all my working life, straight from college but I had a brief stint as a grocery delivery driver while I was establishing myself.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of? 
It’s hard to choose a favourite after so many years doing so much stuff. I will always have a soft spot for the Ant Bully as it was the first big animation production that I worked on. Firebreather at Cartoon Network was fun also.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I’m based in the UK in Derbyshire but have moved around the world to work on various projects from Dallas to LA to Vancouver.  I spent many years working traditionally in oils and acrylics as an illustrator, mainly of book covers but also some advertising. Some time in the mid nineties the computer was Continue reading

Kat Miranda

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Kat Miranda and I’m a freelance story artist/illustrator.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Hmm crazier than animation? I served at the Cheesecake Factory for 3 years and for a short while I also worked for the government. Top secret stuff, you know. (They’re probably monitoring this interview as I type!)

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
While interning at Titmouse in Manhattan, I’ve had the pleasure to work on Venture Bros Season 5! GO TEAM VENTURE! Also a tad on Metal, a tad on Super Jail and a tad on Motor City helping with little things over all!

How did you become interested in animation?
I watched movies such as Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Sword in the Stone and all the other amazing disney features. But I also loved my saturday morning cartoons like Animaniacs, Freakazoid, Hey Arnold, AH! Real Monsters, and you get the gist of it. But it really hit me when I learned that I could Continue reading

Cale Atkinson

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Cale Atkinson and my current full time job is Art Director for RocketSnail Games. I also do contract work in animation and children’s illustrations.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Before I really decided to go into the job direction of animation I was madly into film and making movies. One job I had for a little while was ‘Wedding Videographer’, filming high-end weddings around Vancouver. Interesting times of chasing limos to find photo shoot locations, staying awake during extra long ceremonies, and having my camera eat the tape in the middle of a wedding :O !

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Honestly in one way or another I’m proud of everything I’ve been apart of.  I’m super proud of all the things we are currently working on at RocketSnail Games. The children’s books I’ve been able to illustrate are also something I’m always really excited to be involved in.

How did you become interested in animation?
Always a hard question, as I can’t remember not being interested in animation. As a kid I was crazy about drawing and loved getting any books about cartooning, animation, and comic strips. I can’t say I did a lot of animation practice as a kid (probably due to the amount of work and time it takes) but Continue reading