John Hill

John Hill

Senior 2D Animator / 17 yrs

Texas

Hire Me

Animator, Character Design and Library A

Slacker Cats (2007)
2D FX Reel
DemoReel 2015 and Earlier
DemoReel 2017
Work History

  • Assistant Professor of Animation

    University of South Alabama

    August 2020 - Present
    United States

    Teaching and creating curriculum with an emphasis on 2D animation and student development.

  • Animator

    Health Nuts Media

    September 2021 - October 2021

    Revised character rigs, animated characters and lip sync.

    "Lithium on Demand: Explainer Video 01"

  • Director

    Health Nuts Media

    October 2020 - November 2020

    Built and revised character rigs, laid out animation, animated characters and lip sync.

    "Jump Rope with Jesus"

  • Senior Animator

    Sunlight Entertainment

    May 2018 - June 2020

    Supervise On-site and Off-site animation team of 6+
    Direct various animated shorts
    Large children's entertainment YouTube property

  • Contract Animator

    Magnetic Dreams Animation Studio

    June 2020 - June 2020
    Nashville, Tennessee, United States

    Some character and fx animation for an independent feature film.

  • Contract Animator

    Titmouse

    May 2019 - August 2019

    2D character and fx animator on The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants on Netflix

  • Contract FX Animation

    Magnetic Dreams Animation Studio

    February 2019 - February 2019
    Greater Nashville Area, TN

    Some smoke, explosion, and electricity effects for a 2D animated pilot: Passion Roxx

  • Contract 2D Animator

    Titmouse

    October 2016 - December 2018

    Rough character animation on Niko and the Sword of Light season 1 on Amazon Prime
    2D character and fx animation on The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants season 1 on Netflix
    2D character and fx animation on The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants season 2 on Netflix

  • Freelance Animator

    Hero4Hire Creative

    March 2018 - June 2018

    Various Contract jobs animating mobile ads and children's video content.

  • Adjunct Instructor

    Lipscomb University

    January 2017 - May 2018
    Nashville, Tennessee

    3 hour Animation History course.
    6 hour Storyboarding course.
    6 hour Digital Illustration course.

  • 2D Character and FX Animation

    Magnetic Dreams Animation Studio

    June 2017 - June 2017

    I animated some bears and some fire and some honey "splash" fx for the music video to Blake Shelton's "Doin' It To Country Songs"

  • Contract Animator (Flash)

    Flaming Medusa Studios, Inc

    July 2015 - February 2017
    Cincinnati Area, KY

    Animating shots for several ongoing Ruff Ruffman PSA's.
    Layout and animation on a variety of short term projects.
    Contract based, non-full time position.

  • Contract Animator

    Echo Bridge Pictures, LLC

    November 2016 - January 2017

    Harmony Rigging and Animation for second season of HBO's "Animals"
    Episode 209 and 210 (2nd Season Finale)

    Harmony Retake Animation for Netflix's "F is for Family"
    Episode 204

  • Adjunct Instructor

    Austin Peay State University

    August 2016 - December 2016
    Clarksville, Tennessee

    Introductory Digital Art Survey course.

  • Adjunct Instructor

    Art Institute of Tennessee

    July 2016 - December 2016
    Nashville, TN

    Teaching Media Arts and Animation courses.

  • Adjunct Faculty

    Lipscomb University

    January 2016 - May 2016
    Greater Nashville Area, TN

    Teaching Animation History and Storyboarding on the BFA level in the newly formed Animation department.

  • Contract After Effects Animator

    Magnetic Dreams Animation Studio

    November 2015 - November 2015
    Nashville TN

    Freelance AE character animator for Honda Environmental "Sad Sun" campaign.

  • Contract Project Lead

    Magnetic Dreams Animation Studio

    August 2012 - December 2012
    Greater Nashville Area, TN

    Providing Direction, storyboarding, and principle animation for a series of short in game cinematics, as well as animated sequences for a television commercial for the same product. "SpongeBob Moves In" Client: Nick Digital (Nickelodeon).

  • Contract Animator

    Magnetic Dreams Animation Studio

    January 2012 - March 2012
    Nashville, TN

    Contract Animator on "Elmo's Alphabet Challenge", flash animated sequences of a feature length CGI and live action film. Released in August 2012. Client: Sesame Workshop.

  • Contract Animator

    Magnetic Dreams Animation Studio

    June 2011 - August 2011
    Greater Nashville Area, TN

    Two 45 second Flash Animations for the upcoming season of Sesame Street.

  • Character and Special Effects Animator

    WildBrain

    November 2010 - May 2011

    Creating flash character action loops, did animation pick ups, and special effects animation for a 2D/3D side scrolling platformer being released on the PS3 and PlayStationNetwork. Title: Sideway New York

  • Adjunct Instructor

    Art Institute of Tennessee

    April 2010 - March 2011

    Character, Object, and Background Design
    Storyboarding
    Animatics
    Drawing for Animation (Advanced Life Drawing)
    Sculpture
    2D Animation Principles
    Drawing 1
    Life Drawing
    Portfolio
    Team Production

  • Adjunct Instructor

    ITT Technical Institute

    May 2008 - March 2011

    Taught 2 - 5 courses a quarter.
    Course taught:
    Basic perspecitve drawing course
    Introductory Flash course
    Introductory Visual Communication course
    Introductory Game Design course
    Game Interface course
    Introductory Flash Gaming course
    Storyboarding course

  • Lead Animator / Consultant

    Mariposa pictures

    October 2008 - February 2011

    Coordinated artist and animators. Helped review preproduction work, animation, and production as artists completed their work.

    Created the initial storyboards and animatics for the entire production.

    Animated three seperate scenes.

  • Contract Animator

    Machinima.com

    November 2010 - January 2011

    Animator / Character Designer / Background Designer on short low budget web series "The Stoned Age". Currently running on the Machinima YouTube channel.

  • Contract Animator

    CloudKid

    September 2010 - September 2010

    Worked on a single episode of an online series for PBS.

  • Contract Animator / Flash Library Artist

    Kabam

    August 2010 - September 2010

    Worked on some character animation cycles and alternate character libraries for online flash based game.

  • Library Artist, Storyboard Artist, Animator

    Machinima

    September 2009 - October 2009

    Contract / Freelance Position. Worked on a short flash animated web-pilot called "Stoned Age".

  • Animator, Character Design and Library Artist, Storyboard Artist.

    ANIMAX

    July 2006 - October 2009

    Created simple to complex character libraries for established 2D and 3D franchises.
    Animated characters and effects for interactive and entertainment productions.
    Produced storyboards for interactive and entertainment productions.

    Notable projects:
    "Popzilla" television series for MTV, 12 skits ranging from 10 seconds to over a minute in length.
    "Slacker Cats" television series for Film Roman / ABCFamily, 2 episodes.
    "Off Mikes" Emmy award winning and nominated online series for Espn.com, 2 episodes.
    "Beanie Babies 2.0" interactive website for Ty.

  • Animator, Character Designer, Storyboard Artist

    Deese Nuts Company

    September 2008 - September 2009

    Designed and created character libraries for pre-existing characters, and original characters
    Produced storyboards for online shorts and Adult Swim pitch.
    Animated characters and effects for interactive and entertainment productions.

  • Animation Workshop Instructor (Part Time Semi-Annual Position)

    Nashville Film Institute

    2009 - 2009

    Leads a four day Animation workshop introducing film students to the world of traditional and stop motion animation, with some brief overview of the history of animation and current popular trends.

  • Director / Animator on "Brick" Music Video

    Scripts and Screwz

    2008 - 2009

    Completed a music video for the independent rap duo "Scripts and Screwz". You can view it here: https://www.vimeo.com/4109330

  • Freelance 2D Animator

    Andrew Racho (Writer)

    May 2008 - June 2008

    Completed about three minutes of digital 2D animation in a traditional style using a Wacom Cintiq and Flash CS3. Three fully colored scenes, featuring multiple characters and dialogue for a pilot titled: "Tobacco Man".

  • Chosen One: Flash Feature Film Animator

    X-42 Productions (Chris Lackey)

    April 2006 - June 2006

    Used pre-created character symbols and backgrounds to animate complete scenes.
    Created new character symbols, poses, and effects to animated complete scenes.
    Created new backgrounds, characters, and animation cycles to match previous styles.

  • Dimensionalist

    In-Three Inc.

    February 2006 - April 2006

    Used proprietary software to convert traditional films into 3D films.
    Meticulously traced film elements frame by frame over a series of several clips.

  • Freelance Character Designer / Storyboard Artist

    Yarvo Productions

    January 2006 - January 2006

    Created quick character sketches of two main characters to establish rough style.
    Rough storyboarded three complete scenes in about six hours for production pitch.

  • Freelance Flash Animator

    Animax Designs - Scott Wells

    September 2005 - December 2005

    Used pre-drawn characters and symbols to create over 160 bits of lip synched dialogue.
    Animated seven characters interacting, jumping, and walking.

  • Storyboard Artist

    Varuna Films

    July 2005 - September 2005

    Produced 100+ small line art quality storyboard panels for live action television show: CMT’s “Trick My Truck". Now also appearing on MTV2.

  • Traditional Cel Shader

    Suzan Pitts Animation

    November 2004 - August 2005

    Adding shadow and depth with acetone coloring pencils to inked and painted cels of hand drawn animation.

  • Animator for Live Action Short Film: "Chastine"

    Mariposa pictures

    September 2004 - December 2004

    Animated several sequences such as credits, transitions, and action to be spliced into the live action.
    Developed animated character’s personality to match live action character’s personality.
    Chastine was accepted into the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival in 2005, and has gone on to be purchased for world wide distribution.

  • Pegging

    ACME Filmworks

    September 2004 - October 2004

    Production staff on "Drew Carey's Green Screen Show".
    Attached strips of peg paper to printed frames of live action film for future animation use.
    Corrected pegging errors, sorted work, and organized work areas.

  • Flash Instructor / Camp Counselor

    SummerTech

    June 2004 - August 2004

    Taught daily three-hour course in animation and design to five or more students from ages 10 to 16.
    Taught seminar on lip-synching and traditional animation.

  • Web Designer / Art Director / No Code

    Elgia Inc.

    February 2004 - May 2004

    Edited / created templates and online graphics for clients’ intranet sites and company’s promotional site.

  • Flash Artist / Animator

    ShoutStream Technologies

    December 2003 - January 2004

    Created animated intros for corporate and special interest seminars that were broadcast over the web.

  • Character and Logo Designer

    MadScientist PC

    October 2003 - December 2003

    Created two cartoon spokespersons for business website as well as style sheets for future artists.
    Created static and animated logo for website and business cards.
    Created themed "Frankenstein Castle" look for website.

  • Teaching Assistant for Mr. Elio Guevara

    The Art Institute of Atlanta

    January 2003 - September 2003

    Asssisted with paper work for preparation of both Storyboarding and Advanced Drawing for Animators.
    Lectured on camera movements and translating them over to storyboards.
    Assisted in class on a regular basis, as well as met with students outside of class for extra help.
    Lead and participated in class critiques of the students work in both classes.

  • Full Time Faculty

    Art Institute of Tennessee

    April 2011 - June 2016
    Greater Nashville Area, TN

    Full Time Faculty Member teaching three rotating courses a quarter, with office hours and administrative duties.

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Education

  • MFA 2D Animation

    Academy of Art University

    January 2013 - January 2019

  • BFA in Media Arts and Animation

    The Art Institutes

    2000 - 2003

  • BFA Media Arts and Animation

    Art Institute of Atlanta

    January 2000 - January 2003