Darren Rea

Darren Rea

3D Character Animator

Mid-level Character Animator / 13 yrs

Sydney, Australia

Hire Me

Animator

Untitled Universal Animated Event Film (2024)

CG Artist

M3GAN (2023)

Animator

occupation rainfall (2021)

Animator

I Am Mother (2019)

Animator

The Lego Movie Sequel (2019)

Animator

peter rabbit (2018)

Character Animator

The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017)

Animator

The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

Character Animator

Paddington (2015)

Animator

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Character Animator

Peter Rabbit

My main skills are in 3D Character Animation. I studied at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, where I achieved a Bachelors Degree in Animation and was awarded Highest Technical Achievement for my final year short film. I also completed a Diploma in Character Animation at Animation Mentor.

My other skills are in rigging characters, props and MEL scripting.

I also enjoy Photography and Drawing as outlets from Animation.
Work History

  • 3D Character/Creature Animator

    Fin Design + Effects

    November 2018 - Present
    Sydney, Australia

  • Animator

    Fin Design + Effects

    January 2018 - December 2021
    Brisbane, Australia

  • Character Animator

    Animal Logic

    October 2018 - November 2018
    Sydney, Australia

    Character Animator on The Lego Movie 2

  • Animator

    Fin Design + Effects

    March 2018 - July 2018
    Sydney, Australia

  • Animator

    The Pulse

    March 2018 - March 2018
    Sydney, Australia

  • Animator

    Animal Logic

    April 2016 - January 2018
    Sydney, Australia

    Character Animator on The Lego Batman Movie, The Lego Ninjago Movie, Peter Rabbit

  • Character Animator

    Animal Logic

    September 2017 - January 2018
    Sydney, Australia

    Character Animator on the Peter Rabbit movie.

  • Character Animator

    Animal Logic

    April 2016 - December 2016
    Sydney, Australia

    Character Animator on Lego Batman Movie

  • Games Development Instructional Designer

    Smart City College

    December 2014 - April 2016
    Sunshine Coast, Queensland

    Designing a diploma level Games Development course for Smart City College.

  • Creature Animator

    Alt.vfx

    September 2014 - November 2014
    Brisbane, Australia

    Creature Animator on TVCs

  • Character Animator

    Framestore

    April 2014 - June 2014

    Character Animator on Guardians of the Galaxy.

  • Animator

    Framestore

    January 2014 - June 2014

    Character animator on Paddington Bear and Guardians of the Galaxy.

  • Mentor Assistant

    Animation Mentor

    June 2013 - September 2013
    Remote

    To assistant the Mentor & students during the live Q&A in the new Animation Mentor Pipeline (AMP).

  • Student Animator

    Animation Mentor

    September 2011 - June 2013

    Studied the art of Animation

  • Animator

    Liquid Animation

    February 2012 - February 2012
    Brisbane, Australia

    Animator on Polly Pocket

  • Animator

    Headstrong Games

    July 2011 - August 2011
    London, United Kingdom

    Animator on Cinematic cut-scenes for House Of the Dead: Overkill.

  • Animator

    Pipe Dreams 3D

    May 2009 - July 2011
    London, United Kingdom

    Key frame Animating
    Motion Capture directing, performance and key frame clean up.
    Coordinating Motion Capture performance with project leads.
    Rigging Characters
    Particle animation
    Scene development - story boarding, timing, cinematography
    Post Production - Fusion, After Effects and Premiere editing

    Working with a talented team of 3d Generalists, I was responsible for the timely and efficient delivery of animation. This involved utilising and directing Motion Capture, cleaning up Motion Capture data, and key frame animation. Project turn arounds were usually one to two weeks.

    As an animator I was relied upon to do traditional key frame animation for emotional facial scenes, lip sync, Biped and quadruped walks and runs, crowd scenes, prop animation, cars and other extreme kinetics that wasn't possible with our motion capture equipment.

    In addition to an animator I was also an assistant to the Lead Technical Artist implementing custom rigs. This involved using the standard Max bones with common constraints, such as IK/FK systems, Position and Rotation Constraints, Stretchy Bones, Max Script (minimal), Reaction Controllers, Morph Targets and Wire Parameters.

    As an experienced member of the team I was able to mentor and give advice to junior artists.

    Lastly, within the IT department I assisted with the repair of PCs, IT support while staff were on holidays, and other various tasks.

  • Other various Network Engineering jobs

    Network Engineering

    June 2008 - April 2009
    London, United Kingdom

    Hardware rollout (National Health Service, St Georges Hospital, tooting Broadway, London, United Kingdom)
    2nd line IT Help Desk (Palmarium Group, Bank, London, United Kingdom)
    Hardware rollout (Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, Putney, London, England)

  • IT Support

    Associated Newspapers Limited

    January 2009 - February 2009
    High Street Kensington, London

    1st Line IT support.

  • IT Help Desk

    Pret A Manger

    March 2008 - May 2008
    Victoria Station, London, United Kingdom

    Help Desk

  • Computer Technician

    Australia Post

    October 2007 - January 2008
    Brisbane, Australia

    Company wide hardware role-out.

  • Network Engineer Trainee

    PDKM

    December 2006 - September 2007
    Brisbane, Australia

    Installs of Networks, Servers, Desktops and other hardware. Monitoring Servers. On-site Backups.

  • 3D Artist

    Media Odyssey

    April 2006 - April 2006
    Brisbane, Australia

    Artist and Animator producing aerial fly overs and animated civil construction procedures.

  • Graphic Artist

    Kombat Clothing

    January 2005 - June 2005
    Beenleigh, Brisbane, Australia

    Designing and reproducing logos and designs for printing onto sports clothing.

  • 3D Modeller

    Gridwerx

    2005 - 2005
    Brisbane, Australia

    Character modeller using 3ds max.

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Education

  • Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

    Quest College

    2015 - 2015

  • Diploma in Character Animation

    Animation Mentor

    September 2011 - May 2013

  • Diploma of Network Engineering

    Moreton TAFE

    January 2005 - July 2007

  • Bachelor of Animation

    Griffith University

    November 2001 - November 2003

  • Certificate in Graphic Design

    Ipswich TAFE

    January 1994 - November 1994