Why did you select Animation Mentor to study animation?

For as long as I can remember, I have been a huge fan of character animation. I like to watch it, I like to talk about it, I like to read about it and most of all I like doing it! Ever since I was a teenager, I have been dabbling a bit in the art of animation but then the real world kind of steered me away and kept me from doing it. It took me until I was almost 30, in a steady job with a kid on the way to realize that I was not doing what I love the most. So I started saving up for Animation Mentor! It seemed like the only way of learning character animation that was compatible with my busy life.

What did you learn from Animation Mentor?

The best way to describe what I have learned at Animation Mentor is that I've learned to look at animation much more intensely. I have always been kind of sensitive to things that are not quite right in animation, but now it's easier for me to put my finger on what's causing the problem because I've (re)learned the 12 principles of animation and acting. I have also learned that animation is an ongoing study and that I am only at the very, very beginning of my journey.

How was the experience unique?

The thing that stands out the most to me, next to learning animation in a very efficient and solid way, is the fact that I made friends around the world. I still have daily contact with some fellow students. I think this is invaluable.

What were some of the challenges?

The hardest part for me was trying to keep up while taking care of my newborn son and working on the side. It also happens that I was in a touring rock band at the time, and somewhere during the second term I had a European tour. So I was doing my assignments in the back of the tour bus while everyone was having fun at the club! Looking back, I realize I could never have succeeded without the help, love and support of my lovely wife! She's a rock!

Did you get a job after graduating from Animation Mentor?

Yes and no. Somewhere halfway through the classes I had a lucky break which allowed me to set up my own studio. So I have been freelancing even before I graduated. But I do more than just character animation. I also do leader packages for television shows and complete animation production for commercials. But character animation is where my heart is...

What kind of projects are you working on?

I have been very blessed with the kinds of projects I have been doing in the last couple of months. I worked on great CG commercials, which is always fun to do. Also, I worked on my first games! I did a long cut scene for the Ice Age 3 game, worked on the new Dead Space and Bond 007 for the WII and now I am off to Germany to work on the animated short for the BBC based on the world famous The Gruffalo!

How have your Animation Mentor studies helped you in your job?

I think it totally redefined the way I work!!! It really helped me develop a workflow and introduced me to planning! Before Animation Mentor, I would always just dive straight in, which I still like to do sometimes, but now I usually know when I can or cannot afford that luxury.

Looking back, what Animation Mentor class was the most valuable to you?

I think I walked away with something valuable from every class, but there have been three major "ahaaa" moments during the course. The first one was during Class 2, when I had to animate the turnaround. Dimos Vrysellas, my mentor at the time, really turned that into an eye-opener for me. It taught me a lot about showing the weight and also the distribution of it.

The second one was after Class 3, where my mentor Nick Bruno really showed me how important it is to not have every body part hit at the same time -- everything has its own timing.

And during Class 6, my mentor Sean Sexton really helped me concentrate more on the importance and power of spacing. Also, for some reason, everything I learned during all six classes kind of sank in at that time and clicked, and my work seemed to improve exponentially.

Who's your favorite animator?

Phew, I have so many but I think my favorite is Don Hertzfeldt. He's crazy. Frank and Ollie, and Milt Kahl of course come to mind. After seeing Carlos Baena speak during the FMX 08 he's definitely in my top list as are James Baxter, Eric Goldberg…the list goes on and on. For directors, I am a huge fan of Brad Bird and Miyazaki and a lot of Aardman stuff is just awe inspiring! And recently I was also amazed by a student film by Nelson Boles called This One Time. Amazing stuff.

What is the animation moment that you take the most pride in?

After Animation Mentor, I immediately started a hobby project with a friend of mine. We made a silly animated short just for the fun of it. He did all the technical stuff and the design and I did the animation and the sound effects. After we put it online, it immediately got picked up by a lot of blogs (including Bobby's -- woot!) and within weeks we had over 300,000 hits. People are still checking it out, and it is the first thing on my character reel!

What does your daily calendar look like?

My day starts off with some family time. When my son wakes up, he climbs into our bed and we spend some time just talking or cuddling! Love it! Then we have breakfast after which I hop on my bike and ride to my studio. If I am on a job, I will start working on it, but if I am free I will try to get work, or work on new story ideas. I also recently started to learn modeling, so I don't always have to rely on others in case I want to make silly shorts or my own movies. At other times I am writing and recording music. I am planning on releasing a new album in 2010.