I am a cg lighting artist & supervisor with over 20 years experience working in animation.
1998- 2000, Big Idea Productions
My career began after graduating and getting my first animation job with Big Idea productions. This is where I learned how to use lighting, color, and composition to capture a mood. The studio was full of talented people at the time and I loved learning all I could about animation.
2002-2007, Glueworks Animation
After that I worked for a furniture company doing design visualization in NC; then a small animation studio in NC. I was in charge of art direction on two direct to video series and oversaw modeling, lighting, and texturing. Trying to deliver quality work with limited resources changed the way I look at animation. The concerns of the animators became tangible and in lighting I focused on the broad strokes of color design, contrast and composition.
2008 – 2011, ReelFX
Around this time I decide to refocus on lighting and compositing. I moved to to Dallas and began working for ReelFX. Here I grew into a supervisor position mainly focusing on strong keyshots and well planned sequences. I was lucky to work on alot of good projects including Looney Tunes shorts which took me back to Childhood.
2012 – present, Walt Disney Feature Animation
My first film with Disney was Wreck It Ralph and I have been there since. The job challenges me everyday, whether it is exploring foundation lighting for a sequence, setting up a keyshot, integrating complex effects, or dialing the light on a character’s closeup.
I have held several positions on different films. I have been a lighting supervisor, environment lighting lead, and always a lighting artist. The ideas that go into every sequence are inspiring and keeps me excited for every new challenge.