Featured Student: Sean MacNeil
AnimationMentor.com:
What inspired you to learn animation?
Sean:
There wasn't one, single defining moment when I knew this was what I wanted to do. For me, it was more of a gradual realization as I watched one awesome film after another. I do remember that there were three movies in particular that made me go, "Wow, I have to do that one day!" Star Wars, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Terminator 2. At first, it was the visual effects of the films that interested me. I didn't care what part of the pipeline I was in, I just wanted to be involved in the effects work in some capacity. I remember I thought about being an animator, but I was terribly intimidated because I couldn't draw worth a crap. I thought how the hell will I ever make it as an animator, I can't draw! So, instead I chose a school and enrolled in their visual effects program because it had no drawing classes. What a bad decision. It was a generalist-type program that didn't focus on anything in-depth, but instead taught us how to use "umpteen" different types of software, it was a really disheartening experience. About two months into the program, I did my first walk cycle in Maya, and it was at that point I began kicking myself for not enrolling in their animation program. I knew instantly that I wanted to be an animator even though my walk cycle really sucked and I still couldn't draw.
AnimationMentor.com:
What would be your ultimate dream job?
Sean:
Oh man, it seems like I think about this on a daily basis. I'm so anxious to get working that I should probably go and get checked out! Seriously though, for a long time, my dream job was to work at ILM because let's face it, they are the best when it comes to visual effects, and that's what I was interested in. I think now, because I am more focused on character animation than anything else, my dream job is to work for any studio that is making animated feature films, it doesn't really matter who. There is something about Blue Sky that puts them high on the list for me.
AnimationMentor.com:
How has your experience at AM.com been so far?
Sean:
Sean: I know in twenty or thirty years I will look back and say my time at AnimationMentor.com was that pivotal point in my life that really got the ball rolling for me. It's such a nurturing environment to be in if its character animation that you have a passion for. My experience at AnimationMentor.com has been SCHAWEEET! I feel like I have hundreds of brothers and sisters to lean on when I'm struggling in the animation trenches, it's such a good feeling. I dunno, I think of it like this, if you want to be a lawyer, you go to Harvard to learn from the best law professors, if you want to be an engineer, you go to MIT to study under the best engineering professors, and if you want to be an animator, you go to AnimationMentor.com because they have the best animation faculty anywhere. I feel like I'm being groomed by the best animators in the world and it feels great.
AnimationMentor.com:
What's one of the most important and/or interesting lessons you've learned while at AnimationMentor.com?
Sean:
Well, aside from the number one most important thing that we've all learned at AnimationMentor.com, THE BASICS, I've learned that it's extremely important to discover what motivates you as an individual artist. Animation is hard, and there are many times when you feel like throwing in the towel. It's at times like these, and they happen fairly regularly to an animator, that you need to get a dose of whatever inspires you to keep going.
AnimationMentor.com:
Who is your favorite animator?
Sean:
That's a tough one because there are a lot of great animators out there and animators have different styles that appeal to a wide range of people. Personally, I really like the super exaggerated style, so I guess I'd have to go with maybe Tex Avery or Chuck Jones.
AnimationMentor.com:
What is your favorite animated/CG scene of all time?
Sean:
One of my favorite characters of all time is Mike Wazowski. I always enjoy watching the scene where he is training Sully in their apartment at the beginning of Monsters Inc. The key golden poses in that scene are incredible, but at the same time some of the subtle movements in the hands and face are what really sells the animation. It's definitely a scene to check out!
AnimationMentor.com:
Anything else you want to say to your fellow and prospective students of AnimationMentor.com?
Sean:
Talent will not take you to where you want to be, but hard work will. So work hard and Pixar should come a knockin'!
What inspired you to learn animation?
Sean:
There wasn't one, single defining moment when I knew this was what I wanted to do. For me, it was more of a gradual realization as I watched one awesome film after another. I do remember that there were three movies in particular that made me go, "Wow, I have to do that one day!" Star Wars, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Terminator 2. At first, it was the visual effects of the films that interested me. I didn't care what part of the pipeline I was in, I just wanted to be involved in the effects work in some capacity. I remember I thought about being an animator, but I was terribly intimidated because I couldn't draw worth a crap. I thought how the hell will I ever make it as an animator, I can't draw! So, instead I chose a school and enrolled in their visual effects program because it had no drawing classes. What a bad decision. It was a generalist-type program that didn't focus on anything in-depth, but instead taught us how to use "umpteen" different types of software, it was a really disheartening experience. About two months into the program, I did my first walk cycle in Maya, and it was at that point I began kicking myself for not enrolling in their animation program. I knew instantly that I wanted to be an animator even though my walk cycle really sucked and I still couldn't draw.
AnimationMentor.com:
What would be your ultimate dream job?
Sean:
Oh man, it seems like I think about this on a daily basis. I'm so anxious to get working that I should probably go and get checked out! Seriously though, for a long time, my dream job was to work at ILM because let's face it, they are the best when it comes to visual effects, and that's what I was interested in. I think now, because I am more focused on character animation than anything else, my dream job is to work for any studio that is making animated feature films, it doesn't really matter who. There is something about Blue Sky that puts them high on the list for me.
AnimationMentor.com:
How has your experience at AM.com been so far?
Sean:
Sean: I know in twenty or thirty years I will look back and say my time at AnimationMentor.com was that pivotal point in my life that really got the ball rolling for me. It's such a nurturing environment to be in if its character animation that you have a passion for. My experience at AnimationMentor.com has been SCHAWEEET! I feel like I have hundreds of brothers and sisters to lean on when I'm struggling in the animation trenches, it's such a good feeling. I dunno, I think of it like this, if you want to be a lawyer, you go to Harvard to learn from the best law professors, if you want to be an engineer, you go to MIT to study under the best engineering professors, and if you want to be an animator, you go to AnimationMentor.com because they have the best animation faculty anywhere. I feel like I'm being groomed by the best animators in the world and it feels great.
AnimationMentor.com:
What's one of the most important and/or interesting lessons you've learned while at AnimationMentor.com?
Sean:
Well, aside from the number one most important thing that we've all learned at AnimationMentor.com, THE BASICS, I've learned that it's extremely important to discover what motivates you as an individual artist. Animation is hard, and there are many times when you feel like throwing in the towel. It's at times like these, and they happen fairly regularly to an animator, that you need to get a dose of whatever inspires you to keep going.
AnimationMentor.com:
Who is your favorite animator?
Sean:
That's a tough one because there are a lot of great animators out there and animators have different styles that appeal to a wide range of people. Personally, I really like the super exaggerated style, so I guess I'd have to go with maybe Tex Avery or Chuck Jones.
AnimationMentor.com:
What is your favorite animated/CG scene of all time?
Sean:
One of my favorite characters of all time is Mike Wazowski. I always enjoy watching the scene where he is training Sully in their apartment at the beginning of Monsters Inc. The key golden poses in that scene are incredible, but at the same time some of the subtle movements in the hands and face are what really sells the animation. It's definitely a scene to check out!
AnimationMentor.com:
Anything else you want to say to your fellow and prospective students of AnimationMentor.com?
Sean:
Talent will not take you to where you want to be, but hard work will. So work hard and Pixar should come a knockin'!