The Way Things Work
I was probably six years old when I first cracked open this book. Then, my brain exploded. Hand-drawn cartoons explaining everything from car engines to nuclear power plants while injecting woolly mammoth humor throughout. I devoured every page. And it still sits prominently on the shelf.
I'm still that kid, insatiably curious about the world. On a hike I'm the one holding everyone up, admiring the forking veins of a leaf or the smooth wave motion of a caterpillar gliding up a tree. When you know how a thing actually moves, the animation is more believable. Then you get to break it on purpose, which is the fun part.
These days, some of the best designers in the industry hand me their work and I get to bring it to life.
I still can't quite believe that's the job.
Nine years freelance now and mostly by word of mouth. Yes, I may not be great at posting on Instagram but there are a lot of people in the industry that I now consider friends. I'd like to believe they keep working with me because they see me show up, do great work, and be a nice dude.
Durham, NC is home. So if you're ever in the Bull City, look me up and I'd love to buy you a coffee.
A NORMAL WEEK
After Effects, mostly. Illustrator or Figma to pull assets across. Over to the pen display for some cel animation. And of course, Slack all day, because that's where we live now.
SAYING YES
Usually it's the people. A studio I've worked with for years, I know what they expect and what they ship, so I'm in. A new one is its own kind of adventure. A clear brief helps either way.
TEAMWORK, BABY
When I'm working as 2D lead and too many plates start spinning, I know when to ask for help. On a recent job we gave one of the animators his own section to lead, which freed me up to focus on the main film. Nobody wants a pile of broken dishes when the deadline is on Friday, right?