WHO I AM

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Award-winning Animation Director and Writer and studio owner with excellent managing skills and problem solving abilities having worked in almost every stage of animation over the course of my career. 

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WHAT I’VE DONE

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   ON Animation                                                   Storyboards                                            May 2017 - Present

• Storyboards on the feature film The Untitled Playmobil Movie directed by Lino DiSalvo.  

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  Starburns Industries                                Director/Storyboard                                    May 2016 - Nov. 2017

• Directing and boarding on pilot and series entitled The Cops created by Louis CK and Albert Brooks for the FX network as well as episodes for the series to air on TBS.

• Storyboards for the Adult Swim pilot Total Dicks created by Michael Coulton and John Aboud.

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   Paramount Animation                                   Storyboards                                             Jan. 2016 – Dec. 2016

• Core member of story team on the feature film Amusement Park and did some additional board work on Gnomeo and Juliet 2: Sherlock Gnomes

 

   Sony Pictures Animation                 Co-Head of Story/Writer/Director                   Oct. 2013 – Aug. 2015

• Hotel Transylvania 2 - Worked closely with Writers and Executive Producers Adam Sandler and Robert Smigel on crafting the story by enhancing character relationships, emotional beats, comedic scenarios and dialogue.  Worked with team of Story Artists to ensure that the Director's vision is achieved along with making sure the necessary emotional undertones and comedic timings are enhanced.   

• Hefty and the Beanstalk – Co-Writer and Director of half hour Smurfs TV special bringing fresh humor and heart to the iconic characters in a whimsical story that also had a message of water conservation. 

 

   W/M Animation [WMAnimation.com]         Producer/Director/Animator                      1999 – present

• Hands-on manager, all aspects of production - writing, design, storyboards, voice recording, animation, compositing, fx and editing.

• Working closely with clients, assuring all needs are met and delivered beyond expectations.   

• Managing/Completing projects with challenging deadlines & schedules on time, within budget.

• Responsible for bringing a particular look and animation style or technique to each project. 

• Overseeing designers, animators and other artists through the entire production process making sure quality is maintained and all client’s needs and requests are properly fulfilled.

 

W/M Animation Notable Projects Include

 

• My Depression  -The Up and Down and Up of It - Co-writer and director for half hour HBO animated musical film based on a picture book by Elizabeth Swados, which had its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival.  Also co-wrote the songs. 

• Saturday Night Live’s “TV Funhouse” -  Produced and directed over fifty shorts for the popular SNL segment.  Oversaw all aspects of production and personally contributed storyboards, animation, and character designs and writing.  Two-time 1st place winner, Ottawa Int'l Animation Film Festival.   Multiple Asifa awards and nominations.

• Stroker and Hoop - Co-Director of 13 episodes for Adult Swim. Created the character design and art direction, coordinated animators and artists in the U.S. and Canada.

• Great Taste Debate - Producer/director & co-writer, Pre-show, six-minute film for World of Coca-Cola.  Characters from the show were eventually produced as plush toys for gift shop.

• Big Baby - Director of 12 episodes of shorts appearing on Cartoon Network and Boomerang.  Also boards, animation and writing.  

• Hysterical Psycho - Director, animator of opening sequence for horror film. Singled out by Variety as highlight of the feature; won two awards at 2010 Asifa-East Animation Festival.              

• Despicable Me - Storyboard artist for Illumination Entertainment’s feature film debut.

• The Animals – Co-Director, character designer for CG pilot for Fox TV.   Supervised artists, designers and animators in NY and LA as well as animation production crew in Romania.

• Additional clients include:  Disney/ABC, ESPN, Coca Cola, LG, Kraft, Wheel of Fortune, Curious Pictures, Acme Filmworks, Playboy, New York Magazine, Viv Magazine, Random House, Channel One, KingWorld, Sunbow, Potion Design, Warner Brothers and Sesame Workshop.

 

 

     Stretch Films                                      Storyboard Artist, Animator                                             1999 - 2000

• Courage the Cowardly Dog - Storyboards for two seasons on Cartoon Network’s series for Stretch Films.  Boarded one of the only two special half hour episodes of the show.

• Animated specific characters and actions for overseas studio to follow. 

 

 

     JJ Sedelmaier Productions                    Animation Director                                                       1992 – 1999

• Quickly rose through the ranks from assistant animator to animator and then director by showing strong initiative and talent.

• Director, animator, designer for three seasons of SNL’s TV Funhouse

• Animator first Season of MTV’s “Beavis and Butthead”

• Animator, storyboard artist and production supervisor for numerous award-winning TV commercials including:  Converse, Pacific Bell, NBC, Mitsubishi, Hallmark, Levi’s, Hewlett Packard, Volkswagen, Slim Jim, Brown & Co, Northern Tissue, Rothman’s, Kotex and more.

 

 

     Broadcast Arts                                          Assistant Animator                                                       1991 - 1992

• Assistant animator on interstitial segments for USA Network’s “Cartoon Express”

 

 

    Hyperion Animation                   Effects Department Coordinator                                            1990 - 1991

• Moved from Production assistant to effects department coordinator on Warner Bros’ feature film “Rover Dangerfield”.

 

 

WHERE I STUDIED

 

     3D Training Institute, New York                                                                                                                 2009

• Certificate in Autodesk Maya Training program         

     School of Visual Arts, New York                                                                                                     1986 – 1990

• Bachelor of Fine Arts – Illustration

     Yeshiva University, New York, NY                                                                                                 1984 – 1986

• Alpha Psi Omega – National Dramatics Honor Society

• Honored with the David Wachtenheim Award for Excellence in acting

 

 

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