Steven Sorensen

Work History

• 

  Freelance Layout Artist

  Self-employed

  January 2017 - Present

  San Francisco Bay Area

  Brazen Animation (Feb 2020 - April 2020)
  Position: Layout Artist
  Project: Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (Cutscenes)
  
  • Previs, Final Camera
  • Short Term Contract - Brought in to help with the previs and the final camera work.
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  ATK PLN (Sept 2018 - Sept 2018)
  Position: Layout Artist
  Project: DFS Furniture - The Lego Movie 2 Commercial
  
  • Previs, Final Camera, and Set Dressing.
  • Temporary asset creation and design.
  • Short Term Contract - Brought in to do all the previs and layout work with a tight deadline.
  _____________________________________________________
  
  Baobab Studios (Feb 2018 - Mar 2018)
  Position: Previs Artist
  Project: ‘Crow: The Legend’
  
  • Previs and Final Camera work on the 2D version of their VR animated short entitled ‘Crow: The Legend’.
  • Short Term Contract - Brought in to help the studio complete the Previs and Final Camera work in the final few months of the project.
• 

  Layout Artist

  Halon Entertainment

  December 2021 - May 2024

  I was a senior layout/previs artist working on the Fortnite Cinematic trailers for Epic Games.

  

  

  
• 

  Virtual Layout Artist

  Reel FX

  February 2021 - September 2021

  Remote

  
• 

  Senior Layout Artist

  Brazen Animation

  February 2020 - April 2020

  San Jose

  I was responsible for the Previs work and the Final Camera work for many of the ingame cutscenes.
  
  • Previs and Final Camera
  
  • Short Term Contract

  
• 

  Lauout Artist

  RETHINK Studios

  November 2019 - December 2019

  San Jose

  I worked closely with Brian Bullock on this promotional video. I was responsible for the following:
  
  • Camera Composition
  
  • Camera Animation
  
  • Asset Animation
  
• 

  Previs Artist

  Reel FX

  September 2018 - September 2018

  Dallas, TX

  This project was for Reel Fx’s commercial arm known as ATK PLN.
  
  Project: DFS Furniture - The Lego Movie 2 Commercial
  
  • Previs, Final Camera, and Set Dressing.
  
  • Temporary asset creation and design.
  
  • Short Term Contract - Brought in to do the all the layout work under the short deadline.
• 

  Previs Artist

  Baobab Studios

  February 2018 - March 2018

  Redwood Shores, CA

  Project: 'Crow: The Legend’
  
  • Previs and Final Camera work on the 2D version of their VR animated short entitled ‘Crow: The Legend’.
  
  • Short Term Contract
• 

  Senior Final Layout Artist

  Animal Logic

  May 2017 - July 2017

  Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

  • Camera composition, animated cameras, and character blocking.
  
  • Final camera adjustments/polishing.
  
  • Set and adjusted the stereoscopic cameras for maximum 3D effect.
  
  • Location scouting and early previs work on "The Lego movie 2".
  
  • Short Term Contract
  

  
• 

  Final Camera Lead

  Toonbox Entertainment

  February 2016 - October 2016

  Toronto, Canada Area

  The Final Camera Lead on the animated feature "The Nut Job 2"
  
  • Worked closely with the Director, Head of Layout, and the CG Supervisor on the look and feel of all final cameras.
  
  • Handled a high volume of final cameras, camera changes for animation, and major camera reworks.
  
  • Final Camera representative in all Final Tech Check meetings with Director, Producer, and other department heads to give final approval of each shot before they head to lighting.
  
  • Provided leadership and mentored new final camera and final layout artist.
  
  • Short Term Contract - Brought in to help them get the final camera work back on schedule.
• 

  Final Layout Artist

  DreamWorks Animation

  October 2006 - January 2015

  Redwood City, CA

  • Set dressing environments based on key art and working closely with the art director and production designer to achieve desired look.
  • Set and adjusted the stereoscopic camera settings to achieve maximum 3D effect.
  • Technical shot setup and support for downstream departments such as animation, lighting, cfx, crowds, and fx.
  • Built shots, composed and animated the camera, and blocked in pre-vis characters as story and editorial changes happen after pre-vis.
  • Maintained visual continuity of characters, camera , props, and set dressing.
  • Final camera adjustments/polishing
  • Used Intersense and Cartoni head cameras to achieve the desired camera composition and movement.
  • Final layout sequence lead on sequences in "Peabody and Sherman", "The Croods", "Madagascar 3", "Gift of The Night Fury", "The Button of Doom", "Megamind", "Merry Madagascar", "Shrek Forever After", and "Madagascar 2".
  • Tested and collaborated with developers and studio leadership on the studio's next generation
  tool set.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Exceptional organizational and leadership skills.
  
  ● Projects and Screen Credits:
  - Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) • Final Layout Artist
  - Panda Paws (2015 - Short) • Final Layout Artist
  - Home (2015) • Additional Final Layout Artist
  - How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) • Final Layout Artist
  - Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) • Final Layout Artist
  - The Croods (2013) • Final Layout Artist
  - Madagascar 3: Europes Most Wanted (2012) • Final Layout Artist
  - Dragons: Gift of The Night Fury (2011 - TV) • Final Layout Artist
  - Megamind: The Button of Doom (2011 - DVD) • Final Layout Artist
  - Megamind (2010) • Final Layout Artist
  - Shrek Forever After (2010) • Final Layout Artist
  - Merry Madagascar (2009 - TV) • Final Layout Artist
  - Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) • Final Layout Artist
  - Shrek the Third (2007) • Additional Layout

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
• 

  Technical Resource Administrator

  DreamWorks Animation

  January 2000 - October 2006

  Redwood City, CA

  • Monitor, manage and keep the render farm (local and remote data centers) running at maximum capacity and efficiency.
  • Maintain rendering priorities and resource allocations for multiple running productions.
  • Submitted render jobs to the farm and assisted artists with render job submissions and errors.
  • Provided quality assurance of rendered frames and verified delivery for dailies and rounds. Wrote detailed reports on frames that could not be fixed.
  • Monitor infrastructure servers and escalate problems.
  • Worked with technology departments to diagnose issues with render farm and infrastructure servers.
  • Developed and maintained python and shell scripts to help improve efficiency and to automate tasks.
  • Provided after hours help desk support for the studio.
  • Worked closely with sequence supervisors, technical directors, animators, lighters, fx animators.
  • Trained all new Resource Administrators
  • Assisted in the rendering of visual effects for the feature films A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report, Evolution, Legend of Bagger Vance, Mission: Impossible II, The Mexican, and commercials for Saga, Intel, Koolaid, and many others.
  
  ● Projects and Screen Credits:
  - Flushed Away (2006) • Technical Resource Administrator
  - Over the Hedge (2006) • Technical Resource Administrator
  - The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper (2005 - DVD) • Technical Resource Administrator
  - Madagascar (2005) • Technical Resource Administrator
  - Shrek 2 (2004) • Render Assistant
  - Shrek 4-D (2004 - Theme Park Ride) • Render Assistant
  - Shrek (2001) • Render Assistant

  

• Technical Support / Beta Manager

  Caligari Corporation

  November 1996 - January 2000

  Mountain View, CA

  • Senior technical support agent for all Caligari products on a worldwide basis.
  • Technical manager for the trueSpace 3 beta and trueSpace 4 beta bug reporting and tracking program.
  • Worked with a small team of artists and programmers to help create 2D and 3D art for the company products, packaging, and website.
  • Worked with developers, and CEO to help create the software look, interface, and feature set.
  • Wrote software documentation, and tutorials for the Caligari products.
  • Demonstrated Caligari's software at conventions, conferences, and trade shows for both Caligari and 3rd party hardware companies.