Objective:
To apply my knowledge and experience in a Film or Television environment where I can collaborate in the production of high quality 3D Characters or Visual Effects.  I'm especially interested in Hair Systems, Styling & Dynamic Simulations.
Work History:


Hair & Cloth TD, 'Arthur Christmas', Sony Imageworks: February – August 2011
Learned Proprietary Pipeline Tools (Tango, Katana, Custom Plugins, etc.), to produce:
Freelance Shave & Haircut TD, Dilated Pixels: April – September 2010
Created hair styles & nForce dynamic simulations for 3 characters in an E3 game Trailer for Warner Bros.: a Mage, Elf & Dwarf. Duties included:
Replaced a Maya TD who quit & said what we were trying to accomplish, was doomed to fail.  Took over his responsibilities to move project foward.


CG Hair Modeler, 'TRON: Legacy', Digital Domain: December 2008 - March 2009
Responsible for preliminary hair styling and R&D for fuller 1980's styles.  Duties include:
Encouraged Studio to add radial fiber distribution code to 'Guide Profiles' in hair system, greatly improving naturalism at higher fiber densities.


CG Hair Stylist, 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons', Digital Domain:  May 2007 — August 2008
Responsible for styling hair for 'Buttons' Head Replacement Shots.  Duties include:
The Hair Team's dedication, persistence  & attention to detail, combined with the rest of the awesome Buttons Crew; helped win a VFX Oscar in 2009. All this, while still being in the black and delivering content on time.

Freelance VFX Artist, Commercial Division, Digital Domain:   August 2004 — May 2008
Responsible for modeling, lighting and special effects.  Duties include:
  • Modeling & texturing digital props, characters, sets or environments
  • HDRI scene color & Lighting
  • primary and secondary animation, including camera work
  • Creation of hair styles or fur for characters, or hair systems within CG environments

Efficient organization and drive allowed me to consistently deliver high quality content, satisfying demands by both my CG Supervisors & their Clients. This helped propel the commercial division into record profits back when the film side was underutilized.


Visual F/X Animator, Foundation Imaging: August 1999 — Sept  2002
 Responsible for character animation, lighting and special effects.  Duties include:

  • Creating timing breakdowns from story boards, animatics and audio elements
  • Hand keying characters, vehicles or effects elements 
  • Audio breakdown for lip sync
  • Primary camera animation for all shots
  • Hand Keying emotive facial performances and lip sync from audio
  • Directing Motion Capture performances
  • Mocap Motion Cleanup and Scene Assembly in Lightwave
  • Organic and Mechanical Modeling & Texturing
  • IK bone structures  and Mocap Skeletons
  • Technical Direction for final shot lighting and Special FX
  • Interface Design (SST:Roughnecks)
  • Creating hair or fur FX for characters  (Max Steel, Dan Dare, Sky Jammers)
  • Coordinating production between separate teams for continuity

Television production includes 7 episodes of the Emmy nominated show, "Roughneck Chronicles" for Sony / TriStar, 3 of "Max Steel" Season 1,  4 of "Max Steel" Season 2, and 3 episodes of "Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future".  Shows were created in record time, to meet demanding client production schedules.


Computer Skills:

Apps include:  Maya, Modo, Lightwave, ZBrush, Photoshop, etc..  Platforms include: Linux, Windows or OS X environments.


Education:

Associates in Specialized Technology Degree: Computer Animation & Multimedia,
Art Institute of Pittsburgh, December 1997.  GPA 3.5

Bachelor of Fine Arts, 2D Studies.  Emphasis on Painting, and Computer Graphics.
Bowling Green State university, December 1992.  GPA 3.43


Interests and Activities:

Drawing, Modeling, Creative Writing, Movies, Cartoons, Character Animation, Segways, Theremins, Cello

References:


Available upon request.