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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