Brian Ward

Brian Ward

animating, prevising, scripting, rigging, modeling, textures

Previs/Animation

Los Angeles, CA

Hire Me

Previs Artist

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

Previs

Mortal Engines (2018)

Previs Lead

Trolls Band Together (2023)

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

Previs

The Boss Baby 2 (2021)

Previs

Trolls World Tour (2020)

Previs

Abominable (2019)

Previs

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)

Previs

Captain Underpants (2017)

Previs Animator (Rough Layout)

The Boss Baby (2017)

Cinematic Animator

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016)

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

Fantastic Four (2015)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

Animation Mentor

CG/vfx consultant and Layout

La Noria (2018)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

The Avengers (2012)

Animator

The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

Animator

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Get Smart (2008)

The Ruins (2008)

animator

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

animator

The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising (2007)

animator

Blood Diamond (2006)

Charlotte's Web (2006)

Freelance (1987)

Laviathan

freelance animator

Born in a suburb of Chicago, grew up on movies and cartoons. Put myself through college working on an assembly line and doing Graphic Design and Theater jobs on the side, as well as drumming. Got a film degree in '00 and since then have animated on 14 films in NZ and Oz, done 3 years of feature previs and 6-odd years of tv ads.
I've never worked at a company that wasn't sorry to see me go and I've always done my best to make myself useful to those around me. I am now the proud owner of two lovely daughters and the property of a lovely, supportive wife.
Work History

  • Previs Lead

    DreamWorks Animation

    February 2016 - March 2024
    1000 Flower St. Gendale, CA

  • Cinematics Animator

    PlayStation

    August 2015 - February 2016

  • Animator

    Wētā FX

    August 2014 - May 2015

    working on Hobbit 3. There and Back Again you might say.

  • freelance animator

    The Mill- Chicago

    November 2014 - December 2014

    animated on a Superbowl ad.

  • Freelance animator / previs artist

    (Freelance/Contractor)

    July 2012 - December 2014

    previs, animation
    rigging, scripting
    generalist for hire

    clients include:
    ReThink Studios - https://www.rethinkstudios.tv/
    Sarofsky - https://sarofsky.com/
    Laviathon - https://www.lvthn.com/
    The Mill - https://www.themill.com/
    Flavor - https://flavor.tv/

    ----

  • Freelance animator / anim sup

    re:think

    August 2012 - August 2014

    worked on a half dozen projects on and off for a couple years. mainly animating and supervising animation.

  • PreVis / PostVis Artist

    Halon Entertainment

    July 2013 - February 2014

    Post-vising and pre-vising in Chi Town. Livin' the dream.

    ----

  • mentor

    Animation Mentor

    September 2012 - June 2013

    teaching 12 week on-line courses: Basic Foundations of Animation, and Body Mechanics

    currently on hiatus due to insufficient hours to day ratio...

    ----

  • Animator

    Wētā FX

    November 2010 - June 2012

    film work:


    Rise of the Planet of the Apes
    ------------------------
    - mainly keyframe animating, with some use of mocap. several of my shots were climbing shots that had no mocap. I also animated quite a few toddler and infant chimp shots without any mocap.


    The Adventures of Tintin
    ------------------------
    - finishing shots that started in the previs dept here at Weta. much more use of mocap in the human characters and lots of animating the environment


    Avengers
    ------------------------
    - animating action sequence shots, mostly Ironman. lots of

  • previs animator

    Wētā FX

    September 2008 - November 2010

    Layout and animate scenes including cameras, lights, character animation, FX, some light rigging and occasional dynamics. Essentially pitching an idea and then selling it visually.

    ----

  • animator

    Rising Sun Pictures

    July 2005 - July 2008

    film work:


    Charlotte’s Web
    -----------------------
    Charlotte character animation, spider web animation, web-spider interaction, assisted in sculpting facial shapes for Charlotte.


    Blood Diamond
    -----------------------
    model, track and render helicopter elements


    Where The Wild Things Are ( on set )
    -----------------------
    sculpting facial shapes for the Wild Things for onset animation tests


    Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix
    -----------------------
    model, rig, track Harry face for eye transformation


    The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising
    ---------

  • animator

    Sol Design FX

    May 2001 - June 2005

    Cut my teeth as a generalist with a strong lean toward character animation and rigging. Helped grow a competitive 3D dept that started out with two guys laying elements off to digi-beta.

View All Positions
Education

  • Columbia College Chicago

    2000 - 2002