CTN Spotlight on ... Ryan!
CTNX: Hello Ryan, it's a pleasure to speak with you! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
RD: Hello! My name is Ryan, and I’m a recent grad from UC Berkeley. I’m an aspiring shading technical director/look development artist for feature animation and educational art/technology. I recently ended my temp position at Pixar Animation Studios and have also been a temp at Industrial Light & Magic. While I’ve held positions in the Bay Area, I grew up in San Diego’s North County and lived a part of my life near beaches - definitely an awesome area.
CTNX: When and how did your relationship with CTN begin?
RD: I first volunteered for CTN in 2015. It was an amazing experience - I was able to assist the expo through many different tasks that utilized my diverse skillset. My relationship with CTN continues through the friends and connections I’ve made, and it will continue to grow as I volunteer at the expo more.
CTNX: What have your positions been with CTNX and what have you learned most from your experience working with CTN?
RD: I’ve worked as a CTN Volunteer (or Staffer). Volunteers are assigned many different positions and tasks throughout the day, so there’s never a dull moment when working at the expo. Plus, I saw everything I wanted to at the conference thanks to my free pass!
CTNX: What are your ultimate career goals?
RD: The big picture for my career is integrating art and technology together - that’s why I’m looking into being a look development artist in animation: your tools of creation can encompass art and programming together, plus you get to make graphics look hyper real or fantastically whimsical. I’m also interested in using my artistic and technical skills to help further STEAM education: as we rapidly delve into a computer graphics-oriented world, I believe teaching the importance of both Art and STEM will be vital to future generations.
CTNX: How does working with CTN help you meet those goals?
RD: CTN has been an immense help in helping me find work within the VFX and animation industry, including my temp positions at Industrial Light & Magic and Pixar Animation Studios. Talking about my volunteer experience has help shown that I am dedicated and willing to put the work in to make it in this industry.
CTNX: What have you learned most from your experience working with CTN?
RD: I learned that the road to success in this industry is difficult yet extremely rewarding for everyone in diverse ways. As a CTN volunteer, I remember assisting at a fairly large presentation and being able to listen to it at the same time. The speaker shared his origins and how he finally broke into the industry - he worked in retail for seven years before a studio took a chance on him! I still think of this presentation two years later and am grateful that I was able to get my foot into the door just a year after I graduated from college. I still have a long way to go with the successes and barriers I’ve encountered, but the story he told inspires me to keep going. I found that many of the volunteers also had long and enriched paths as well, all of them radically different from each other. While our paths may not be direct, with smart work and grit, we can certainly achieve our goals.
CTNX: What do you look forward to most in the coming years regarding your career?
RD: I look forward to expanding my knowledge in graduate school, and I’m excited for my future MS in Computer Science. I also look forward to experiencing new studios, returning to ones I’ve previously worked at, and working with developing technology like VR and AR. The future is limitless!
CTNX: It was a pleasure to talk with you Ryan!