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YOUR CART


Summery
​I have been successfully working in entertainment industry for 24 years, involved in various mediums such as theater, puppeteering, stop motion and computer animation. All of these endeavors share the same end goal of telling stories and evoking emotions in the watcher.

My contributions have been recognized in the industry through receiving credits on 8 feature films, 20 short films, 4 television series 
and over 25 television commercials.
Picture
Three of the feature films were first of their kind in the history of animation;

  • Aardman Animations 'Chicken Run' was the first full length clay-mation motion feature film made in the UK. 
  • Vanguard Animations 'Valiant' was the first full length computer animated feature film made in England. 
  • Disney's 'The Wild'' was their first full length computer animated feature film to made in Canada. 


My work has been published in several books, and I've been credited in helping the software company, Boujou/2D3.

Specialties
  • Strong ability in working to schedule & meeting deadlines.
  • Advanced understanding of 3D texturing, modeling & lighting.
  • Advanced understanding of tracking,compositing & integrating CG characters/elements with live action plates. Strong ability to take direction & work independently.
  • Commercials, TV, pitches, & featurefilm experience.
  • On set supervision communicating with directors,DOPs & actors.
​
Maya, Vue, Houdini, Nuke, Shake, Combustion, AfterEffects, Photoshop, Boujou, Realflow, Renderman, Scratch

Experience
CG Supervisor at Rainmaker Entertainment Inc
July 2011 - Present (11 months)

Owner at ZombiesDrule Productions
March 2010 - Present (2 years 3 months)
I make apps and games in the hopes that people like them enough to part with $0.99. Take a look at www.monstersplay.com

and I also deal with all things zombie... www.zombiesdrule.com - news and reviews www.zombie-tshirts.com - zombie t shirts www.zombierater.com - rate my zombie...

CG Supervisor at Nitrogen Studios Canada Inc
August 2008 - June 2011 (2 years 11 months)

# Working with the Supervisors, Leads and Heads of Departments to define tools and pipeline needs for the show.
# R&D and implementation of Vue (Digital Nature Software) into the pipeline.
# Identify areas of R&D required for the various projects.
# Finalize shots with the supervisors and artists before the director sees them.
# Working with the production team to help with the assigning of tasks making sure they are realistic and achievable.

'Thomas and Friends - Blue Mountain Mystery' 'Thomas and Friends - Series 1600'
'Thomas and Friends - Day of the Diesels' 'Thomas and Friends - Series 1500'

'Thomas and Friends - Misty Island Rescue' 'Thomas and Friends - Series 1400' 'Thomas and Friends - Hero of the Rails' 'Thomas and Friends - Series 1300'

Layout Supervisor at Nitrogen Studios Canada Inc
May 2008 - August 2008 (4 months)
Layout Supervisor on 'Thomas and Friends - Series 1200'

Designing of Tools and Workflow coming into, through and out of the Layout Department.

Layout workflow involved;
Tracking train faces and CG characters into live action scenes.
Shot prep for animation.
Once animated, Layout would then light, render and prepare the elements for Compositing. Encouraging Interdepartmental Communication & managing Departmental Concerns & Needs

Layout Supervisor/ Head of VFX at Vanguard Animation
May 2006 - April 2008 (2 years)

Head of VFX:
Working with the Director, Art Director and CG Sup to create all the effects for the film.
Working with the FX Artists to help them archive these effects to a high standard while still meeting their
deadlines.

Head of Layout:
* Working with the existing storyboards, recreate and or enhance story through cinematic layout of shots.
* Collaborate with editorial department to incorporate animation into the production reel.
* Completion of technical and aesthetic changes that occur after rough layout including camera, lens, timing changes, audio updating, and blocking.

Lighter/Compositor at DNA at CORE
January 2006 - April 2006 (4 months)

Set, Character Lighting and Compositing on 'The Ant Bully'. Using Renderman, Houdini and various in
house tools.

Lighter at CORE FA
January 2005 - January 2006 (1 year 1 month)

Character lighter on 'The Wild'. Using Renderman, Houdini and various in house tools.

Layout Artist at Vanguard Animation
October 2003 - December 2004 (1 year 3 months)

Layout Artist on 'Valiant'.
* Creating an animatic interpretation of the story reel incorporating vision of the director.
* Working with the existing storyboards, recreate and or enhance story through cinematic layout of shots.
* Create rough pre-visualization models and environments to facilitate animatic work.
* Collaborate with editorial department to incorporate animation into the production reel.
* Completion of technical and aesthetic changes that occur after rough layout including camera, lens, timing changes, audio updating, and blocking.
* Set dressing of the shots, and required prep for use in animation, FX and lighting.
* Technical animation on vehicle and machinery.
1 recommendation available upon request

TD Lighting & Effects at AARDMAN ANIMATIONS
September 2000 - October 2003 (3 years 2 months)

* Set supervision for live action / CG mix * Lighting, Tracking, SFX, Compositing * Modelling and Texturing
1 recommendation available upon request

Model Maker & Puppeteer at AARDMAN ANIMATIONS
January 1999 - September 2000 (1 year 9 months)

Stop motion Animation
* Employed as Freelance Model maker and Puppeteer on various internal and commercial projects.
* This involved sculpting various clay media. Molding and Casting in Silicone and Resin. Armature making. * Finishing and painting.
* On set support.

Puppet Maker at JOHN WRIGHT MODEL MAKERS

1998 - 1999 (1 year) Freelance

* Employed as an armature maker for the puppets on the feature film Chicken Run.

Puppet Maker at Famous Flying Films Ltd

1997 - 1998 (1 year)
Model Maker at BUMPERFILMS

May 1996 - July 1998 (2 years 3 months)
Set Builder / Model maker / Set dresser on the TV Series Star Hill Ponies.

Puppet Maker at MCKINNON & SAUNDERS'

1995 - 1996 (1 year)
Puppet maker for the feature film Mars Attacks as well as various internal and commercial projects.

Model maker / Puppeteer at VARIOUS COMPANIES

1993 - 1996 (3 years)
* Model maker / Puppeteer on various commercials.

* Set designer and builder for Museum displays.

Education

Kent Institute of Art and Design

HND, Model Making and Design, 1993 - 1995

Falmouth College of Art and Design

ND, Art and Design, 1991 - 1993

Newquay Tretherras School

A Level, Graphical Communication, Art and Design, 1989 - 1991

Interests

Making apps and games... oh and zombies




Picture
Why the Cow?
I've been using Bungeecow as a handle (do people still say handle) for years when playing games online and it just kinda stuck...
I'M CURRENTLY UPDATING THE WEBSITE, WHAT YOU SEE HERE MAY NOT BE A FINISHED PAGE

steven@puppeteersworkshop.com
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