Mike York

Mike York

Lead Animator

Animator / 19 yrs

Denver, CO

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Animator & Motion Editor

God of War: Ragnarök (2022)

Animator

Mortal Kombat 11 (2019)

Animator

Red Dead Redemption II (2018)

Animator

Fortnite (2017)

Grand Theft Auto V (2013)

Animator & Motion Editor

The Saboteur (2009)

Animator & Motion Editor

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009)

Borderlands 3 E3 Trailer

Demo Reel 2020
I love to create. Everything from drawing, photography, video editing you name it! But most of all I love to create animations for games and film.

Over the years I have done lots of keyframed animations as well as motion capture clean up work. I have done everything from simple cycles, FPS reloads and in game animations to complex cinematics. I have experience doing everything from pre-vis and assembly to final polish, including animating cameras and keyframing anything needed along the way. I have extensive experience in Maya & Motion Builder and using that to connect animations together creating very complex scenes with multiple characters. I have also keyframed lots of creatures and animals over the years and animated lots of the animals in Read Dead Redemption 2. I have experience with facial animation including working and solving data from Faceware.
Work History

  • Lead Animator

    Halon Entertainment

    October 2022 - March 2023

    Lead a team of animators on a finals animation project for cinematics.

  • Animator

    PlayStation

    March 2021 - August 2022
    San Diego, CA

  • Animator

    Halon Entertainment

    March 2019 - March 2021
    Santa Monica, California

    Projects:
    Boarderlands 3 E3 Trailer
    Disintegration Announcement Trailer
    Disintegration Cut Scenes

    Programs Used: Maya , Motion Builder, Unreal Engine

  • Lead Animator

    Rouge Mocap

    April 2018 - March 2019
    Marina Del Ray, CA

    I've worked off and on for this company when they operated as Mocap Militia and also for their new company name Rouge Mocap. As a contractor I've worked on facial animation using Faceware and retargetting and cleaning it all up in Maya. I've polished 100's of mocap takes ranging from simple motions like idles and loops all the way to heavy complex scenes with multiple actors, props and dance moves needing to connect multiple animations together using story mode.

    Programs Used: Maya & Motion Builder

  • Animator

    CounterPunch Studios

    January 2019 - February 2019
    Greater Los Angeles Area

    Contract Position - Facial animation in Maya for cut scenes. Some of it was pure keyframing and some was final polish over motion capture data on the face.
    Programs Used: Maya
    Title: Mortal Kombat 11

  • Animator

    Rockstar Games

    October 2012 - September 2017
    Andover, MA

    Grand Theft Auto 5 - GTAV

  • Animator

    Renkewitz Studios

    July 2012 - September 2012
    Remotely

    I was responsible for creating key frame animation in Maya for an Announcement Trailer for Dead Island Riptide. Animated fingers, hands and facial animation.

  • Animator

    Idol Minds

    September 2011 - March 2012
    Louisville, CO

    Working Title - RUIN- Warriors Lair
    Key frame animation of creatures and human player characters in Maya. Animated finishing moves, attacks, idles, cycles and in game actions such as climbing ect.

  • Animator

    Acony Games

    November 2010 - September 2011
    Villingen-Schwenningen Area, Germany

    Key frame animation in Softimage XSI. Created 1st and 3rd person weapon reloads and created most of the main cycles used in the game. Implemented Animation Trees in the Unreal Enigine.

    Game Title: BulletRun - Free To Play FPS

  • Animator

    Eurocom

    April 2010 - July 2010
    Mackworth Derby, UK

    Worked remotely from home in Maya animating the final in game cut scenes. Key frame animation and polish over raw uncleaned motion capture data.
    Title: Goldeneye 007

  • Animator

    Activision/Shaba Games

    June 2009 - December 2009
    San Francisco, CA

    Responsible for key frame animation and cleaning up motion capture data.
    Programs Used: Motion Builder, 3ds Max, Maya
    Title: Sing Hero - (never released)

  • 3d Animation Instructor

    Montecito College of Fine Art & Design

    March 2008 - June 2009

    Responsible for teaching the principles of animation as well as creating a new curriculum for the 3d courses. Assisted in critiquing and reviewing student portfolios and demo reels
    before graduating.

  • Animator & Motion Editor

    House of Moves

    November 2008 - January 2009

    Edited motion capture data and animation for multiple game & film projects. Work included penetration fixes, adjusting contacts between multiple characters, accommodating for action shots that took place on a mat by fixing floor contacts, animating props and prop contact, and fixing problems with bad data.

    Programs Used: Motion Builder, Blade,

    Game Title Worked On:
    Uncharted 2 (PS3)
    The Saboteur (XBOX)
    Chadam (Animated Film)

  • Character Animator

    Deos Animation

    2008 - 2008

    Worked remotely from home as a key frame animator. Created a total of 32 shots for a childrens animated film to be shown on the Starz Kids and Family Network.

    Programs Used;: 3d Studio Max
    The Hidden Treasure Of Wompkee Wood (Animated Film)

  • Character Animator

    Novint Technologies

    February 2006 - September 2007

    Intern promoted to full time animator. Created key frame animation for cycles and in game animation.

    Newtons Monkey Business (PC)

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Education

  • Animation Mentor

    2008 - 2010

  • Art Institute of Colorado

    2003 - 2007