I have a passion for bringing together my creative and technical problem solving skills into character effects, rigging and programing. I am an experienced rigger who consistently brings enthusiasm, commutation, and multi tasking to my work. I have enjoyed the new challenges applying my skills as a rigger to dynamic cloth and hair setup. I enjoy applying my artistic skills to grooming hair and full body fur.
Work History
Head of CFX
Walt Disney Animation Studios
March 2022 - Present
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Moana 2 - Head of Technical Animation
Character Effects Lead
DreamWorks Animation
January 2021 - January 2022
Trolls Holiday Special 2
Lead CFX on five sequences that were used for developing a new cloud based pipeline for production and worked with the development team to test, review, and refine cfx workflows for cloud based pipeline.
For those sequences, represented the CFX department in show meetings, reviewed bidding, casted shots to artists, reviewed artist work, and worked with production supervisor to manage the expectations of our schedule in relation to technical issues around the new cloud based pipeline.
Converted and updated Branch, Delta, Cooper, Prince D, cloth and hair setups from Trolls 2 pipeline to cloud based pipeline
Character Effects Artist
DreamWorks Animation
January 2020 - December 2020
Boss Baby 2
- Cloth, hair, and environment simulation shot work.
- Hair setup for generic children holiday variation.
- Joined CFX tools development group to help develop and update tools for the CFX department.
CFX Lead - Jumanji: The Next Level
Sony Pictures Imageworks
June 2019 - December 2019
- Lead the cloth and hair team of 4 artists to create realistic CG ostriches, digital doubles, and supervised CFX shot work for the desert sequence.
- Finished grooming the digital ostrich and fully groomed the Ruby digital double
- Created the dynamic hair setup for the ostrich and the show’s pipeline which allowed us to mix and match different simulation setups on the ostrich as needed for any given shot
Cloth Technical Director Lead
Sony Pictures Imageworks
September 2018 - June 2019
Vancouver, Canada
CFX Supervisor on Angry Birds 2
Sony Pictures Imageworks
August 2018 - May 2019
Vancouver, Canada Area
- Co-Supervised a team of about 25 CFX artists whose tasks included cloth and hair development, production shot work, and new tool development
- Worked under the Visual Effect Supervisor to ensure the artistic vision of the show stayed consistent with the first Angry Birds Movie
- Led daily reviews of artists’ work giving artistic reviews, determining which shots needed VFX Supervisor approval and approving shots.
- Setup dynamic hair and cloth for some new characters, supported and upgraded characters from the - first Angry Birds Movie
- Supported cloth and hair pipeline, mentored and taught artists to solve technical issues in Sony’s pipeline
- Worked with other CFX leads to flag issues across all shows, reviewed code and collaborated to guide the direction of the department
Angry Birds (Jan 2015- Jan 2016)
Hair, feather, and grass grooming.
Hair and cloth dynamic setup.
Hair and cloth shot work.
Taught hair tips and tricks class.
Cloth Lead - Smallfoot
Sony Pictures Imageworks
June 2017 - August 2018
Vancouver, Canada Area
- Responsible for maintaining the cloth pipeline, and provided support to hair pipeline
- Setup the cloth for the main character Percy, and our generic male character
- Developed hair training for new hires, and mentored new artists
- Co-led the marketing short Super Soozie: managed a team of 7 artists, and co-led the artistic reviews and approval of shots
Character Technical Director
DreamWorks Animation
July 2009 - December 2014
Glendale, Ca
- Rigged motion systems and deformations for body, cloth and hair on fat/skinny humans, very stretchy and cartoony ghosts, dragons, snails, and quadrupeds
- Designed and implemented multiple python qt tools to improve setup time and workflow for in-house rigging application
- Programed a python qt application that is used for cross show file syncing
Overhauled and improved vehicle motion system and vehicle dynamics
- Implemented short neck generic dragon with three body variations and seven different sets of accessories
- Developed clothing and crowd support pipeline for generic characters
- Provided support for multiple characters and pipeline issues as show crewed down
- Taught deformation workshop and hair training class for in-house rigging application
Worked on Boss Baby, B.O.O, How To Train Your Dragon2, Turbo, Puss In Boots
Rigging Contractor
Texas A&M University
2011 - 2012
Contracted with Gil Rosenthal to work on Any Fish project developing fish rigs that can have the morphometrics(shape) change with given TPS data.
Rigging Contractor
Texas A&M University
2011 - 2012
Contracted with Gil Rosenthal to work on Any Fish project developing fish rigs that can have the morphometrics(shape) change with given TPS data.
Research Assistant
Texas A&M University
August 2008 - December 2008
- Developing computer-animated stimuli for use in animal behavior experiments.
- Developing of a real-time interface between computer animations and behavioral tracking data.
- Preparing/assisting in writing manuscripts for publication in refereed journals
Techincal Artist Intern
Electronic Arts
May 2008 - August 2008
- Created and updated existing tools and scripts for Artist to use.
- Worked on Facial Rig rig for Male and Female
Techincal Artist Intern
EA
May 2008 - August 2008
Tiburon, FL
- Created and updated existing tools and scripts for Artist to use.
- Worked on Facial Rig rig for Male and Female
Graduate Assistant Teaching
Texas A&M University
January 2008 - May 2008
- Teaching Assistant for Viza 615
- Course work involved advanced animation, and creature rigging.
- Responsible for technical instruction of Maya.
Graduate Assistant Non-Teaching
Texas A&M University
June 2007 - August 2007
Audio Visual Work in the Viz department
KVR-TV Station Manager
University of Texas at Austin
June 2004 - May 2005
- Responsible for running student television station, managing a $130,000 budget and a paid staff of 15, and over 200 active volunteers.
- Make reports to the Texas Student Publication Board about current status of the station.