Sunday 17 August 2014

Interview with Freelance CG Animator Dani Abram


Dani Abram is a Bristol based CG Animator who truly loves her job. She graduated from Swansea Metropolitan University in 2007 with a degree in 3D Computer Animation. Since then she has worked on a variety projects, including The Pirates for Aardman and Halo 4 for Cubic Motion Ltd. 

We decided to interview Dani to get the low down on being a CG Animator and to find out why she believes that CG Animation is a dream job to have. 

1.What inspired you to become a CG Animator? Have you always wanted to be one?
I have always wanted to be one, but I can't remember exactly when or what inspired it! It might have been playing through Final Fantasy VII as a kid, or falling in love with cartoons such as Animals of Farthing Wood (seriously!) and films like Fern Gully. I remember not knowing what an animator was, so I said things like: 'when I grow up I want to make cartoons!' At the end of primary school I had learned the words 'Special FX,' and so I told everybody that was what I wanted to do! After studying art at college, I finally got to University to study 3D Computer Animation. It was a dream come true!
Dani cites Fern Gully as early inspiration!

2. Are there any stars of the CG animation world which you look up to?
Ooh great question! Sadly, I am pants at names. Animators don't really get the kind of acclaim that they're worth either! But I do absolutely aspire to be as good as some of the people I have had the privilege to work with! I am constantly surrounded by amazing animators, I couldn't possibly start naming names! However, at the moment I can not stop stepping through the shots of In Seung Choi, whose work can be seen on The Legend Of Korra's opening credits. He's a key animator and director and I could just weep at his weight and timing. He's a traditional animator, but the principals are the same!

3. What is the most exciting project you have worked on so far in your career?
I worked on The Pirates In AnAdventure With Scientists! with Aardman Animations, which gained an Oscar nomination! It was such a wonderful two years and I am so lucky to have been a part of it! I worked as a CG facial animator and I also got to do some little background character animations. I worked in a team of only three facial animators, so to be involved on a feature in that capacity was incredible! I have an anecdote about almost every shot from that film ^_^
Dani worked on the Aardman Pirates film. 

4. I know you love your job. What are the best bits?
When you know within yourself that you nailed a performance and it makes you proud! Some shots get passed and some don't, that's just the way of it. But when you've finished a scene and you can sit back and think 'I gave that everything!' that's addictive!
I also love the variety! I have to move from project to project a lot which means uprooting, but new companies offer new ways of doing things and I'm a bit of a pipeline geek! I love new animation pipeline tools, often written specifically for that project! I would love to write my own someday! There aren't enough hours in the week...

5. Are there any negatives?
The size of the industry worries me on a monthly basis! I can not guarantee I'll be able to move straight onto another project when one finishes and so the freelance life can be up and down financially!

6. Are there many other women working in CG animation that you know, or is it quite a male dominated industry?
I can only really answer this anecdotally, based on my own experiences. There are women working in animation and some of the best animators I have worked with are bad ass ladies, but I do find myself wishing there were more. I often find myself one of two, maybe three on a team of animators. There are plenty of girls working in other roles within animation: producers, production, storyboarding etc. I guess it depends on what production you are working on though! In my experience 'features' was better then 'series,' which was better then 'games!' In short: MOAR GURLS PLS. 

7. What attributes do you think you need to become a successful CG animator?
Patience, tenacity, a willingness to improve, a drive to learn.  I feel awkward answering this as I still don't feel like a 'successful CG animator!' I am still trying to make it myself ^_^

8. Is having a degree in computer animation vital in gaining a job in CG animation?
I would say so, yes. I held a panel discussion at a Comic Con recently with 4 industry professionals and each one had attended a University. It gets your first showreel together and teaches you the basics of the software you need. It's also vital to attend a University that has great links with industry. My Uni invited big VFX companies to our campus often, to give talks and to attend graduate shows, which is great way to make your first steps at networking! And the people you graduated with are all potential contacts!

9. Do you keep a sketchbook or do you do everything on the computer? (In other words do you need to be able to draw well the good old fashioned way to do your job?)
Omgosh yes. Not only do I always have a sketchbook in my bag but I also make and publish my own comics. I am always drawing, or thinking about drawing, or watching people to draw later. And it totally depends what you mean by 'do everything on the computer!' I have a Wacom tablet and a Cintiq too, so I do lots of digital stuff! But I was born and will die in a sketchbook.
A sketch by Dani. She is a firm believer of the old fashioned sketch book.

10.Is Bristol a good place for CG animation?
It is in comparison with other places in the UK. I have managed to make my career mostly in Bristol and I really love it and don't want to leave. I moved here to 'make it' in 2007 and it was really very hard at first to keep trying. There are lots of animators here, and a good bunch of companies, more than most places. But that does mean competition, so you have to find ways of making yourself more employable by the companies that are here. I am currently working as an After Effects compositor for example. That said, there are lots of amazing CG cartoon series and content coming out of Bristol that people might not know about! Lot's of children's television gets produced here! My last CG series was an awesomely cute series called The Numtums!
Dani recently worked on this series.

11.Finally -is there any advice you would give to any budding CG animators hoping to gain a foothold into the industry?
The auld cliché: Never give up. It took me a year of contacting companies and hanging around animation events and turning up on doorsteps with showreels before I got my first gig in Bristol. But it was worth it! I live my dream everyday! Animation is the most creatively rewarding and coolest career and full of the very best people ;p

Many thanks to Dani for answering our questions. To find out more about her work take a look at her blog.

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