Brent Noll

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What is your name and your current occupation? 
Brent Noll- I am Director of Illustration and Animation At How It Works Media, And Free Lance Illustrator. I Also draw caricature at theme parks and the occasionally I attend class.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation? 
One of My first Jobs was at a golf course in a rich upscale community of conservative elites in the Texas Hill country. I was the miserable peon assigned to picking up golf balls on the driving range while over privileged 7 year olds attempted to drive golf balls 150 yards in my general direction. I got hit on several occasions. I drove an armor plated golf cart with a tendency to get tangled up on itself. I also would venture out of my mobile chicken wire fortress and wear some kind of golf ball extracting contraptions on my arms and stomp around the woods retrieving lost balls. I’d stand precariously close the golfers knee deep in some freezing mucky streams and attempt to meet that days quota of lost balls. Also I had to wash said golf balls. I still have an image in my mind of the grounds keeper repeating over and over again in a toothless southern accent that it was “Very imPOR-Tint ta wersh ur balls son”

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of? 
One of My clients at work is StarMap. The original creator of the technology that allows you to hold up your Iphone to the sky and have it interpolate constellations. He really likes classic cartoons and my work. I spend a lot of time making sure that his character designs really pay homage to classic Hana Barbara Characters and the golden age of animation. at first I didn’t think it would be interesting to draw that stuff. But it really opened my eyes to simple designs and fun cartoony shapes.
Also One time I did a bus wrap design for a Hospital in Austin. They let my draw cartoon Jet engines and big Chevy fenders on the side. I think the bus goes around inner city schools and gives free rabies shots to underprivileged kids or something.

How did you become interested in animation?
When I was 18. I knew I liked to watch cartoons and preferred them over real shows. And I could draw really well compared to people at my school. I drew the comics on the school newspaper but I didn’t have any sort of direction. one day I went to visit my mom at the boutique store she was working at. I saw Continue reading

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

Katya Bowser

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Katya Bowser and I am currently a Freelance Artist focusing on Storyboards, Illustrations and Character Designs.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I haven’t had anything too crazy, but working retail at Hollister was interesting. There were some crazy managers who would do things like chase shoplifters out of the store with a broomstick. You encounter a lot of interesting people when working in retail.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Being a freelancer has given me the opportunity to work on a lot of different projects. I’m working with some friends on a short film called “Asylum”. Its been a fun process and I’ve learned a lot through it. I also had a great time while working temporarily at DisneyToons. I don’t know if my sequence will make it through to production, but it was extremely fun to work on! And my other favorite would be my first animatic I created and designed with Epipheo for Crowd Equity. It turned out really neat and I enjoyed working on it a lot.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL. My dad got me interested in art and was the one who taught me how to draw when I was little. We watched movies and cartoons together all the time and I loved everything animation. One summer in high school Continue reading

Genevieve FT

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Genevieve FT and I’m currently as a freelance illustrator and concept artist. Working on many things I just can’t talk about..! I’m also a pin up artist on my free time !

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Nothing too crazy, I was working at a liquor store before. Not much to say about it, except that having discount on wine is always good !

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
For the past four years, I’ve been creating a pin up calendar, and every year I’m very proud to show the result and see how much I’ve improved during the year! I try to make a different theme every year, like zodiac signs, animals and this year was women around the world. It’s always a nice feeling to have a final product ever year and it’s even better to see the demand
grow !

How did you become interested in animation?
I always loved animation films and TV shows, plus I always was a creative kid and as a teen I Continue reading

Justin Rodrigues

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Justin Rodrigues. I’m currently a freelance character designer and visual development artist. Some of my clients include Fisher-Price, Starburns Industries, and Wonderverse Studios.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I spent quite a few years in retail, which can be torturous. It involves long, crazy hours and some horrible customers. I managed a comic book store for a couple years, which wasn’t too bad. It was cool to see that side of the industry and I got to read all the comics I wanted to for free. I also spent a year moderating chat logs for an online MMORPG. There are some pretty crazy stories I could tell about that one!

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I’d have to say I’m pretty proud of the project I’m currently working on. I’ve been on it since the very beginning and I’m really happy with how it’s coming along. I’ve had a hand in a lot of different roles – from character design to backgrounds to prop design, so I’m really honored to be a part of it. I can’t say much more about it just yet, but I think it will be really cool once it’s released.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I grew up in Fresno, California. I’ve had a passion for art and drawing for as long as I can remember. I moved to Los Angeles to go to college, thinking I would try and get into the music industry of all things. I very quickly failed a calculus class and realized business wasn’t for me. I remember walking past the Continue reading