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About me

Currently my work title is Animation director and Company Director, I am co-directing, designing and storyboarding animation sequences for the BBC UK children's series, "Operation Ouch", now in its 12th year with a 13th contracted.

My Job role is to take 24 scripts a year, Storyboard them and make an animatics for animation timing using Storyboard pro, Then I design the characters in Adobe Illustrator, sub characters and anything environmentally important (All environments are executed in Photoshop or Blender in a montage style). These are sent back to the client for approval.
When approved, I start to animate the characters and building the environments in Aftereffects and Blender. If it all gets too much I brief crew of animators and compositors to help me breathe life into the stories.
Applications I use are: Story board pro, Blender 3D, Adobe Illustrator, photoshop and After effects.

Also I am a Visiting Lecturer At Birmingham City University for 3 or 4 months per year on the Video Games Film and Animation course, I lecture and hold workshops with Undergraduates in drawing fundamentals and 2d video game art production, and 2D computer applications, I have enjoyed doing this the past 5 years.
I work with an American book publisher and design new book covers for old classics, like: Joseph Conrads: Heart of Darkness, Dracula, Wind in the Willows etc. These book covers must work well in digital menus, so must be distinguishable in a small format. Generally I illustrate concepts in a sketchbook and work out the composition, then finish off in a chosen style in Photoshop.

As a Company Director I have taken on multiple job roles in the commercial creative sector. I create visual pitches aimed specifically at potential clients and jobs with in the Tv Broadcast, film and visual industries. With budget constraints in mind; I concept design, Animate, Illustrate, Edit, Character design, Story Board, Keyframe visualise, paint animation environments.

Keeping a sketchbook always in my bag helps me to constantly rough out ideas and practice art styles and visual communication. I learnt to animate in the traditional way on a light-box with paper and pencil, these core, transferable skills are invaluable when using new computer based applications.

Details

AvailabilityLooking for work

ContractPerm, Freelance, Temp-Perm, Part time, Remote

LocationMilton Keynes, Bucks, United Kingdom

Skill LevelMiddleweight, Senior, Director

LanguagesEnglish, Afrikaans, a few words in Zulu and Swedish

Tagged Job TitlesAnimation Director, Digital Animator, 2D Artist

Achievements

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Recommendations

Currently No Recommendations

Skills

2D Animation, After Effects, Animatics, Art Direction, Character Design, Digital Art, Editing, Illustration, Motion Graphics, Photoshop, Storyboarding

Sector Experience

Animation, Audio / Visual, Film (Feature), Film (Short / Documentary)

Clients

Airside, BBC, BE Animation, Bermuda Shorts, Birmingham City University, BT Sport, nexus studios, OneDotZero, peleton design, treatmentstudio, warble press

Awards

British Animation Awards public choice shortlist, Clio Student Craft Award, Loeries - Craft

Trade Associations

Association of Illustration AOI

CV / Resume

Murray's CV/Resume

Activity

Connections1 Followers16 Following4

Likes0

Creativepool member since 14 December 2023

Murray's work

Showreel_Murray_John_2022_full_1080x1920_2_1

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