Featured Mentor Mike Gasaway
Mike Gasaway Productions, California, USA
Animation Mentor:
What inspired you to learn character animation?
Mike Gasaway:
I was in Architecture at the University of Cincinnati when I saw PDI's Gas Planet. I saw that short and was mesmerized. I wanted to do that. I didn't know what I had to do or where I had to learn it, but I wanted to do that.
Animation Mentor:
What were the most important steps in your animation training?
Mike Gasaway:
Understanding how and why people do things. I'm a big observer. How do people gesture when they talk or when they listen? What do they think of when they are doing things? I like to watch. Not in a perverse way…well, maybe sometimes.
The other thing is learning how to plan. I stress this to my students daily (I'm sure they're fed up with it). I used to hear all the time when I would ask my animators to sketch out poses before they got on the computer – "I just want to animate!" I would tell them that they were. If you are thinking about the shot, listening to the track and sketching poses and timing, you are animating!
Animation Mentor:
If you could do one thing differently on your journey to becoming an animator what would it be?
Mike Gasaway:
Wow. I actually enjoy what I'm doing right now so that would be tough. If there was one thing I would change, it would be to listen a lot more. I'm very bullheaded and want to do things my way (part of being a director), and sometimes that can come off not as intended.
As far as my animation journey, though, I'm pretty happy about how everything turned out. I would have killed to have Animation Mentor when I started, but then maybe there would be more competition. =) I pride myself on forcing myself to learn. I've found that not many people are driven like that.
Animation Mentor:
Where do you currently work and what are the projects you've worked on in the past?
Mike Gasaway:
Currently, I'm in development with multiple feature and television properties and trying to set up my own company that specializes in pre-production for Intellectual Properties. I guess you can call my title writer, director, and producer.
I'm my own boss, so that's both fun and stressful. I'm in development with multiple projects covering the range of features and television series. I was a director on three different Nickelodeon shows: Jimmy Neutron, Back at the Barnyard, and Planet Sheen where I was also co-creator and co-producer.
Animation Mentor:
Who is your favorite character that you've animated?
Mike Gasaway:
I did the cut scenes for Pain and Panic on the Hercules Ride for Disney Imagineering. That was a blast because they were a contrast in personalities. It was fun putting them together and playing off each other.
Animation Mentor:
What was your first animation job?
Mike Gasaway:
I worked for a software development company that did plug-ins for Softimage. I remember that I had only learned Softimage for about a month before I got the job, and I had to demo our software at NAB in front of large crowds. That was tough because not only was I just learning our software, but also Softimage. I did get to do some animation for the job but it wasn't glamorous by any means.
Animation Mentor:
Who would you consider your mentor to be in animation?
Mike Gasaway:
There are two. Bruce Pukema of Ronin Animation – he inspired me to learn more about character animation and would critique my work constantly. He kicked me in the butt to get my career going. The other is Robert Taylor of Disney. This guy was fantastic. I learned so much from him and am deeply indebted to him. I learned timing and how to plan out scenes from him. The coolest part was sitting down with him as he timed out his shots. I can't thank him enough.
Animation Mentor:
What do you enjoy the most about teaching at Animation Mentor?
Mike Gasaway:
I learn a lot each term. There is something from both the lectures and the students that keep me motivated. I've also started doing something in the Q&A's that I like – I have two students each week that the rest of the students will critique. I do this because animation is such a collaborative thing and since we all can't be in the same classroom physically, we do this and chat. I get a lot of positive comments from the students about this as well.
Animation Mentor:
How is Animation Mentor different from other animation schools?
Mike Gasaway:
Well, from my experience, it actually teaches animation. I went to a school (way back when) when animation wasn't really taught. The "school" would take your money and sit you in front of a computer and call that teaching. The lectures at Animation Mentor are simply fantastic. It is an honor to be a part of this.
Animation Mentor:
What is the most rewarding part of having a career in animation?
Mike Gasaway:
It didn't hit me until my kids got older, but seeing them be proud of what I do is the most rewarding part. That's pretty cool. That and the fact that I still, to this day, can't believe I get paid to do what I do.
Animation Mentor:
How do you stay current as an animator?
Mike Gasaway:
It is definitely tough to stay current because I spend all my free time studying story and writing as well as coming up with new ideas. Mostly it's from Facebook and watching movies. Sometimes I'll get some information from some blogs but sometimes that gets frustrating because there are a lot of negative comments out there. I'm trying my best to steer clear of those. It's hard enough to get something made in this business. I'd rather stay positive.
I mean, come on. It's animation! It has to be fun, right?