LENNIE GRAVES
Los Angeles, California.
916.667.5548 · lkgraves@hotmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennie-graves-b393a21/ · www.LennieGravesAnimation.com
ANIMATION SUPERVISOR
Dynamic Animation Supervisor with more than 20 years high profile international experience. Demonstrated expertise as a Lead Animator with 3D, and 2D animation for movie features, TV shows, and games. Proven experience as a Previs and Layout Artist supporting talented teams in live-action features development and production. Skilled at developing animation, junior animators training, and building and leading highly effective teams. Strong experience as an animation educator developing curriculum and teaching animation students.
************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Animator · Hand-Drawn 2D Animation · Character Design · CG Animation · Curriculum Development
Animation Workflow Charts · Maya · Blender · After Effects · Team Leadership / Motivation · Photoshop
Screenwriting · Consulting · Teaching · Training / Development · Matchmove · Process Improvement
Workforce Planning · Talent Management · Performance Management · Employee Engagement · Scheduling
Previs · Project Management · Layout · Communication
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EIGHTVFX · Santa Monica, California · 5/2019 – 6/2019, 1/2019 – 1/2020
Visual effects studio.
Animator
Created a library of articulating mouth shapes and animated lip synchronization for Carl's Jr. Commercial.
Achievements:
MOUSETRAPPE STUDIO · Burbank, California · 8/2019 – 11/2019
Award-winning immersive design agency and media studio.
Animator
Developed CG animation for Disney World theme park.
Achievements:
COSA VFX · North Hollywood, California · 10/2018 – 12/2018
Full service visual effects studio.
Animator
Utilized Matchmove to prepare animation for multiple television series.
Achievements:
L’ATELIER ANIMATION · Montreal, Quebec · 10/2016 – 2/2017
Boutique service house focused on delivering high-end animation projects.
Animation Director
Built animation team managing talent recruitment. Directed comprehensive animation process for Robozuna television series. Supervised character and vehicles rigging, and animated walk cycles. Established facial and dialog expressions and shapes. Collaborated on preparation of early storyboards and used previs to develop action sequences.
Achievements:
MPC · Montreal / Quebec, Canada · 2/2016 – 4/2016, 5/2016 – 7/2016
VFX House providing innovative and creative media production pushing technologically to connect with audiences.
Layout Artist / Previs Artist
Set up live action shots for animation and composition layout. Developed first visual representations of shots for Blade Runner 2049.
Achievements:
FRIMA STUDIO / VOLTA STUDIO · Quebec City, Canada · 1/2015 – 1/2016
Digital entertainment studio with a broad transmedia expertise.
Animation Director
Managed animation department for development of Lego's "bionicle" series.
Achievements:
SINGING FROG · Montreal, Canada · 1/2014 – 12/2014
Animation Production Studio.
Senior Animator
Prepared main character animation for CG Feature “La Guerre des Turque” or English title “Snowtime.”
Achievements:
IMAGE ENGINE · Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada · 7/2013 – 4/2014
Visual effects and animation studio.
Animator
Animated live action feature with CG effects and characters.
Achievements:
SONY PICTURES IMAGEWORKS · Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada · 9/2011 – 6/2013
Animation Production Studio.
Animator
Designed character animation for CG feature.
Achievements:
DUCK STUDIO · Santa Monica, California · 1/2010 – 12/2010
Commercial animation studio.
2D Animator
Developed character animation for 2D special.
Achievements:
SONY IMAGEWORKS · Culver City, California · 9/2009 – 12/2009
VFX Production Studio.
Rough Layout Artist
Created character animation layouts for the Live Action Feature The Green Lantern.
Achievements:
LUCASFILM, SINGAPORE · Changi, Singapore · 8/2008 – 8/2009
VFX Production Studio.
Animation Supervisor
Supervised animation for The Clone Wars TV series. Established new workflow processes splitting 34 animators into two teams to animate two episodes concurrently.
Achievements:
LAGUNA COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN · Laguna Beach, California · 2007
Private college offering Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees and Master of Fine Arts degree programs.
Animation Instructor
Taught Animation and Storyboarding.
Achievements:
RISING SUN STUDIO · Adelaide, Australia · 6/2006 – 8/2006
VFX House creating inspirational visual effects for major studios worldwide.
Animator
Provided character animation for CG Feature Charlotte’s Web.
Achievements:
TOON CITY ANIMATION STUDIO · Manila, Philippines · 1/2004 – 6/2004
Animation production studio.
Animation Director
Prepared animation for Belgium CG feature.
Achievements:
ELECTRONIC ARTS · Los Angeles, California · 6/2001 – 12/2003
Gaming company.
Lead Animator
Developed animation for games.
Achievements:
ELECTRONIC ARTS · Chertsey, England · 1/2000 – 5/2001
Game Production Studio.
Animation Director
Led animation department producing a multi-platform game.
Achievements:
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Senior Animator, Mokko Studio, Montreal, Canada, Commercials in CG, 2D animation.
Senior Animator, Mikros Studio, The Little Prince (CG Feature)
Animation Professor, Laguna College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, California Created animation curriculum
Animator for CG Feature – Rhythm & Hues, Los Angeles, California The Garfield Movie (Live Action Feature)
2D & 3D Animator, Warner Bros. Feature Animation, Glendale, California The Iron Giant; Osmosis Jones;
Cats Don’t Dance; Quest for Camelot
Animation Instructor, Acme Animation Online, Los Angeles, California
Overseas Supervisor, Hanna-Barbera Productions, Taipei, Taiwan, Two Stupid Dogs; Secret Squirrel (2D TV Series) The Town that Santa Forgot (2D TV Special)
Animation Director, Hyperion Animation Studio, Taipei, Taiwan, Bebe’s Kids (2D Feature), Animator, “Itsey Bitsey Spider;” “Wooly Bully” (2D Shorts)
Animator – The Walt Disney Company, Glendale, California, Beauty and the Beast (2D Feature), The Prince and the Pauper (2D Featurette)
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Media Arts, Animation
School of Visual Arts, Manhattan, New York
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
DHIMA Training Program
DH Institute of Media Arts, Los Angeles, California
Certificate of Completion in Maya and Basic Modeling and Rigging
AFFILIATIONS
MPSC Local 839
COMPUTER SKILLS
Maya, After Effects, Photoshop, Blender, Krita, Microsoft Office Suite
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Oscar Nomination: Beauty and the Beast. The only animated feature ever
nominated for Best Picture,
Emmy Winner ” Garfield’s “Babes and Bullets”
Emmy Nomination: “The Town Santa Forgot”
Annie and BAFTA Winner: The Iron Giant
BAFTA Winner: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets game
PUBLICATIONS / PRESENTATIONS
Animation World Magazine: Complimented for leading Sawyer in Cats Don't Dance.
Animation Website: https://onanimation.com/2014/10/30/lennie-k-graves-animation-reel/
LENNIE GRAVES
Los Angeles, California.
916.667.5548 · lkgraves@hotmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennie-graves-b393a21/ · www.LennieGravesAnimation.com
ANIMATION SUPERVISOR
Dynamic Animation Supervisor with more than 20 years high profile international experience. Demonstrated expertise as a Lead Animator with 3D, and 2D animation for movie features, TV shows, and games. Proven experience as a Previs and Layout Artist supporting talented teams in live-action features development and production. Skilled at developing animation, junior animators training, and building and leading highly effective teams. Strong experience as an animation educator developing curriculum and teaching animation students.
************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Animator · Hand-Drawn 2D Animation · Character Design · CG Animation · Curriculum Development
Animation Workflow Charts · Maya · Blender · After Effects · Team Leadership / Motivation · Photoshop
Screenwriting · Consulting · Teaching · Training / Development · Matchmove · Process Improvement
Workforce Planning · Talent Management · Performance Management · Employee Engagement · Scheduling
Previs · Project Management · Layout · Communication
***********************************************************************************************************************************************************
EIGHTVFX · Santa Monica, California · 5/2019 – 6/2019, 1/2019 – 1/2020
Visual effects studio.
Animator
Created a library of articulating mouth shapes and animated lip synchronization for Carl's Jr. Commercial.
Achievements:
- Animated lifelike basketball player having a dunk attempt smashed by another player.
- Animated CG mouths onto a live action pig.
MOUSETRAPPE STUDIO · Burbank, California · 8/2019 – 11/2019
Award-winning immersive design agency and media studio.
Animator
Developed CG animation for Disney World theme park.
Achievements:
- Animated realistic animals for major projection project.
COSA VFX · North Hollywood, California · 10/2018 – 12/2018
Full service visual effects studio.
Animator
Utilized Matchmove to prepare animation for multiple television series.
Achievements:
- Learned to Matchmove and animate vehicles.
L’ATELIER ANIMATION · Montreal, Quebec · 10/2016 – 2/2017
Boutique service house focused on delivering high-end animation projects.
Animation Director
Built animation team managing talent recruitment. Directed comprehensive animation process for Robozuna television series. Supervised character and vehicles rigging, and animated walk cycles. Established facial and dialog expressions and shapes. Collaborated on preparation of early storyboards and used previs to develop action sequences.
Achievements:
- Managed preproduction for first run show. Established animation production workflow, assets, and processes.
- Performed project script analysis to prepare animation props, characters, other assets, and environment interactive lists. Developed main characters and generic character’s library for access by animators.
- Hand-drew facial expressions and mouth shapes for CG modeling to create blend-shapes with phonemes for automated dialog generating program. Created main characters walk cycles for library accessed by animators.
MPC · Montreal / Quebec, Canada · 2/2016 – 4/2016, 5/2016 – 7/2016
VFX House providing innovative and creative media production pushing technologically to connect with audiences.
Layout Artist / Previs Artist
Set up live action shots for animation and composition layout. Developed first visual representations of shots for Blade Runner 2049.
Achievements:
- Completed layout for X-Men: Apocalypse live action feature. Supported six member team developing animated proxy assets into shots for VFX Supervisor approval.
FRIMA STUDIO / VOLTA STUDIO · Quebec City, Canada · 1/2015 – 1/2016
Digital entertainment studio with a broad transmedia expertise.
Animation Director
Managed animation department for development of Lego's "bionicle" series.
Achievements:
- Established animation department for a first-run series. Developed team from scratch assembling talent and coordinating production with other departments.
SINGING FROG · Montreal, Canada · 1/2014 – 12/2014
Animation Production Studio.
Senior Animator
Prepared main character animation for CG Feature “La Guerre des Turque” or English title “Snowtime.”
Achievements:
- Completed 100% of production in studio.
IMAGE ENGINE · Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada · 7/2013 – 4/2014
Visual effects and animation studio.
Animator
Animated live action feature with CG effects and characters.
Achievements:
- Provided character animation for R.I.P.D.
SONY PICTURES IMAGEWORKS · Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada · 9/2011 – 6/2013
Animation Production Studio.
Animator
Designed character animation for CG feature.
Achievements:
- Performed character animation for CG animated feature Hotel Transylvania.
DUCK STUDIO · Santa Monica, California · 1/2010 – 12/2010
Commercial animation studio.
2D Animator
Developed character animation for 2D special.
Achievements:
- Created 2D Character Animation for The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol.
SONY IMAGEWORKS · Culver City, California · 9/2009 – 12/2009
VFX Production Studio.
Rough Layout Artist
Created character animation layouts for the Live Action Feature The Green Lantern.
Achievements:
- Completed rough layout for high profile, live action feature.
LUCASFILM, SINGAPORE · Changi, Singapore · 8/2008 – 8/2009
VFX Production Studio.
Animation Supervisor
Supervised animation for The Clone Wars TV series. Established new workflow processes splitting 34 animators into two teams to animate two episodes concurrently.
Achievements:
- Spearheaded CG animation for high profile TV series.
LAGUNA COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN · Laguna Beach, California · 2007
Private college offering Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees and Master of Fine Arts degree programs.
Animation Instructor
Taught Animation and Storyboarding.
Achievements:
- Introduced fun and flexible approaches that introduced new students to animation that prepared them for the industry, realistically.
- Based the classes’ curriculums on The 12 Principles of Animation.
- Taught other animation principles learned through years of industry experience.
RISING SUN STUDIO · Adelaide, Australia · 6/2006 – 8/2006
VFX House creating inspirational visual effects for major studios worldwide.
Animator
Provided character animation for CG Feature Charlotte’s Web.
Achievements:
- Completed CG effects and characters for live action feature.
TOON CITY ANIMATION STUDIO · Manila, Philippines · 1/2004 – 6/2004
Animation production studio.
Animation Director
Prepared animation for Belgium CG feature.
Achievements:
- Animated children's TV series pilot Firehouse.
ELECTRONIC ARTS · Los Angeles, California · 6/2001 – 12/2003
Gaming company.
Lead Animator
Developed animation for games.
Achievements:
- Conceived “The Gate” program: A program intended to allow animators to animate at varied rates and styles of compression true to what the players would through the game engine.
- Conceived a system of animation moves that would give characters animated turns, anticipation, and follow-through in game-play.
- Wrote scripts conceiving certain levels for the game with events and dialog.
ELECTRONIC ARTS · Chertsey, England · 1/2000 – 5/2001
Game Production Studio.
Animation Director
Led animation department producing a multi-platform game.
Achievements:
- Directed animation of the Harry Potter: Chamber of Secrets, the first Harry Potter game.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Senior Animator, Mokko Studio, Montreal, Canada, Commercials in CG, 2D animation.
Senior Animator, Mikros Studio, The Little Prince (CG Feature)
Animation Professor, Laguna College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, California Created animation curriculum
Animator for CG Feature – Rhythm & Hues, Los Angeles, California The Garfield Movie (Live Action Feature)
2D & 3D Animator, Warner Bros. Feature Animation, Glendale, California The Iron Giant; Osmosis Jones;
Cats Don’t Dance; Quest for Camelot
Animation Instructor, Acme Animation Online, Los Angeles, California
Overseas Supervisor, Hanna-Barbera Productions, Taipei, Taiwan, Two Stupid Dogs; Secret Squirrel (2D TV Series) The Town that Santa Forgot (2D TV Special)
Animation Director, Hyperion Animation Studio, Taipei, Taiwan, Bebe’s Kids (2D Feature), Animator, “Itsey Bitsey Spider;” “Wooly Bully” (2D Shorts)
Animator – The Walt Disney Company, Glendale, California, Beauty and the Beast (2D Feature), The Prince and the Pauper (2D Featurette)
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Media Arts, Animation
School of Visual Arts, Manhattan, New York
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
DHIMA Training Program
DH Institute of Media Arts, Los Angeles, California
Certificate of Completion in Maya and Basic Modeling and Rigging
AFFILIATIONS
MPSC Local 839
COMPUTER SKILLS
Maya, After Effects, Photoshop, Blender, Krita, Microsoft Office Suite
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Oscar Nomination: Beauty and the Beast. The only animated feature ever
nominated for Best Picture,
Emmy Winner ” Garfield’s “Babes and Bullets”
Emmy Nomination: “The Town Santa Forgot”
Annie and BAFTA Winner: The Iron Giant
BAFTA Winner: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets game
PUBLICATIONS / PRESENTATIONS
Animation World Magazine: Complimented for leading Sawyer in Cats Don't Dance.
Animation Website: https://onanimation.com/2014/10/30/lennie-k-graves-animation-reel/