CAREER SUMMARY:

ART | TECH | PROCESS | ANIMATION LEADER 

(Los Angeles or remote, because I bend reality)

As a team leader, I skillfully combine technical expertise and artistic sensibilities to craft top-tier digital assets. Emphasizing clear and respectful communication with every team member, I acknowledge its pivotal role in cultivating a collaborative and productive work atmosphere. Noteworthy achievements in my career encompass:

• With 25+ years of experience in the animation industry, I bring a wealth of seasoned expertise.
• I have earned Oscars, Clios, and a VES award that spans films, commercials, and groundbreaking AAA video games. 
• I have breathed life into characters for 18 feature films, 75+ commercials, 4 Television Shows, and 38 epic AAA video games. 
• Set the creative bar by directing art assets to align with the show’s vision while adhering to franchise and brand specifics. 
• I considered skill sets and inspired artists by assigning tasks that leveraged their strengths and motivated them to deliver their best work.
• I orchestrated the successful bidding, scheduling, and management of diverse teams, both onshore and overseas, on numerous projects, always ensuring a harmonious blend of creativity and efficiency. 
• I spearheaded reshaping animation production environments, combining short-term achievements with long-term strategic objectives.
• I’ve pioneered internal training programs at major studios and developed curricula for esteemed institutions like USC Film School, Gnomon School of VFX, iAnimate.net, and CG Spectrum. 
• Daily, I supported Tech and Creative Managers in overcoming production challenges while aligning with long-term departmental strategies.
• I demonstrated financial acumen by collaborating with the CFO on fiscal management and engaging with the COO and CTO to ensure accountability for profit and loss.
• Most recently, I’ve had the privilege of leading teams for standout projects, including Riot’s recent cinematic Valorant – Unite Together and triumphant Fortnite Cinematics: Paradise, Fracture, and Jonie the Red Crew Pack.

My diverse roles span Director of Animation, Creative Director, Animation Supervisor, Lead Artist, Senior Animator, Character Animator, Creature Animator, Pipeline Consultant, Character Specialist, Designer, Professor, and Author. My career has encompassed work in production, technology, and software development, as well as educational and training endeavors within the VFX and animation industry. I thrive on the challenge of unraveling complex problems and crafting innovative solutions that intersect digital technology and performance animation. I have this uncanny ability to look at an artist and say, “You, my friend, are perfect for this task,” they’d deliver their A-game like it was a matter of life and death. I am particularly intrigued by new media and am equally adept at collaborating within a team or taking the lead. I’ve done everything – from production and tech to software development and teaching.

I studied Electronic Arts at The Atlanta College of Art in Atlanta, Georgia. I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from Laguna College of Art + Design in Laguna Beach, CA. I have authored three books on animation and have shared my knowledge through teaching roles at various institutions in the Los Angeles Area and online, including GNOMON SCHOOL OF VFX, IANIMATE.NET, and as an ASSISTANT PROFESSOR at the John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts, School of Cinematic Arts, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. In 2018, I developed a 2-year course content curriculum for the new diploma program at CG SPETCTRUM SCHOOL OF ANIMATION AND VISUAL EFFECTS. I also am a mentor for the ECOLE BRASSARTS.

When I’m not conquering the creative universe, I call an old loft in downtown Los Angeles my lair. My spare time is spent painting, often with my toughest art critic, Bacon the Cat, by my side. Trust me, his feedback is brutal. If you want to peek into my artistic realm or snag some animation wisdom, click the links below. I am your willy wonka to the chocolate factory. 🦄

THINKING ANIMATION

STIX AND JONES

FKYEAH

My USC Students (Class 2015?) with LeSean Thomas – Guest Speaker

LEADERSHIP

Angie Jones is a highly accomplished senior leader in art and animation with a distinguished track record that includes credits on Oscar-winning films, a Clio award, and a VES award. She is widely recognized for her remarkable versatility, excelling in producing photorealistic and cartoony animation performances. Angie can work seamlessly in various character and creature animation styles, effortlessly transitioning between heartwarming and menacing narratives, all while delivering complex stories with unconventional structures and distinctive characters. Her unwavering commitment to storytelling elevates her work, ensuring performances beyond mere scene requirements, resulting in unique and engaging content.

Angie’s leadership journey began in 1999 at Angel Studios in San Diego, which later became Rockstar Games. During her tenure as Animation Director, Angie was pivotal in fostering creative excellence across the studio’s art assets for seven games. Her responsibilities encompassed close collaboration with team leads and designers, offering constructive feedback to team members, and guiding career development and growth. As Animation Director, Angie also played a crucial role in defining the animation style for each project, led teams on critical prototypes such as RED DEAD REVOLVER and DINO CRISES 3, and managed production workflows, schedules, deadlines, and dependencies for six in-house games. Angie actively contributed to creative development meetings to expand the studio’s market reach in new game design. She also designed the studio’s mentoring structures and conducted weekly workshops for all animators at Angel Studios.

Angie’s leadership at Angel Studios extended to assessing motion capture pipelines, keyframe animation methods, risk assessment, team structures, financial planning, and budgetary considerations. She served as a vital liaison between Angel Studios and CAPCOM Japan, representing the studio in client-facing interactions and even traveling to Osaka for projects such as DINO CRISES 3, ONI 2, RED DEAD REVOLVER, SMUGGLER’S RUN 2: HOSTILE TERRITORY, MIDNIGHT CLUB 2, and TRW SURF. Before her time at Angel Studios, Angie significantly contributed to video games, including animation performances for titles like ODDWORLD: ABE’S EXODDUS and MUNCH’S ODDYSEE.

Furthermore, Angie was the Animation Supervisor for THE HOLIDAY LIVING TREE: FIRST SNOW AND SEASONS OF LIGHT at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom. In this capacity, she oversaw the creation of projections for a 50-foot tree display at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, ensuring the animations synchronized with the nighttime tranquility of the animals. Angie led a team of five animators, ranging from junior to senior talent, recruiting and guiding them throughout the project. She implemented an effective onboarding process for new team members and streamlined the daily feedback loop methods. Angie collaborated closely with the Producer, Assistant Director, and R&D teams to align the art with the tree model for daily projection, directing the animation team and leads to meet the client’s specific requirements and deadlines.

In 2022, Angie took the animation helm at Halon Entertainment, overseeing teams for three significant FORTNITE Cinematics: PARADISE, FRACTURE, and JONIE AND THE RED CREW PACK. At the outset, the animation team faced challenges in generating performances entirely from scratch, primarily functioning as a motion capture clean-up crew. While Epic employed motion capture for preliminary previsualization and coverage planning, the Creative Directors sought a higher entertainment value beyond what mocap could deliver. Recognizing this need, Angie was responsible for elevating the junior mocap artists’ creative and technical capabilities. She embarked on a mission to empower them to craft distinctive performances. To complement this effort, she also spearheaded the recruitment of seasoned animators to bolster the team, fostering a balanced blend of talent that could support the development of innovative content for Fortnite. In addition to these initiatives, Angie initiated training workshops and provided ongoing guidance to the animation team, offering daily feedback to enhance their skills and capabilities further. This comprehensive approach aimed to transform the team’s capabilities, enabling them to produce exceptional performances that met the high standards set by the Creative Directors.

ANIMATION DIRECTOR

In January 2023, Angie assumed the roles of Animation Director and Animation Lead for various projects. Her initial undertaking was the creation of a 4-minute cinematic for RIOT’S VALORANT: UNITED TOGETHER. This project presented a demanding schedule, requiring Angie to manage two teams. The first team, based in Bangalore, India, operated internally for the mill, while the second team hailed from a vendor called Little Zoo. Ensuring continuity for the production necessitated three daily check-ins to maintain smooth progress. Angie’s leadership became evident as she elevated the quality of character performances from the Bangalore studio. Simultaneously, she provided invaluable feedback to the team at Little Zoo, participating in weekly meetings with the creative minds at Riot to align the project with their vision. Her role extended beyond providing direction and feedback; she also offered mentorship and support to both offsite teams, nurturing their growth and development. During her tenure at the studio, Angie stepped into a significant role when the internal Creative Director took a well-deserved three-week vacation to celebrate his wedding, ensuring the project’s continuity and success.

After delivering Riot’s 4-minute cinematic in May, Angie continued to lead and contribute to eight additional commercials for a diverse array of clients, including Pokémon, Activision, Frito-Lay, Meta, Samsung, Amazon, Zillow, and MailChimp. Throughout her nine-month tenure at the mill, Angie collaborated closely with the Rigging Team and Technical Artists to refine the pipeline and associated workflows, optimizing efficiency and productivity.

As Animation Director at Imagemetrics, Angie expertly managed and supervised a team of forty animators working double shifts on six AAA games and two music videos. The team leveraged Face Replacement and Facial/Dialog Animation technologies, specifically utilizing FACEWARE Technology. Angie played a pivotal role in shaping the workflow, pipeline, and infrastructure design, ultimately overseeing the production of notable titles such as ASSASSIN’S CREED 2, ARMY OF TWO: 40th DAY, BLUR, GOD OF WAR III, and RED DEAD REDEMPTION.

Her diverse portfolio spanned various mediums, including film, games, and commercials, utilizing software tools such as Maya, Max, XSI, and Houdini. Angie was instrumental in designing the studio’s creative approval process, encompassing expression sheets, style guides, dailies, and mentoring structures. She took the lead in devising animation and tech strategies to nurture and expand the talent pool. Her efforts included developing innovative training methods for facial animation and shaping the workflow, pipeline, and infrastructure design. During her tenure at Imagemetrics, Angie established team roles, organizational structures, refined processes, and best practices. She also provided valuable insights into rig reviews and identified potential technical challenges. Angie’s transformative impact extended to the production floor, where she meticulously set short-term and long-term goals to enhance overall efficiency and output.

FEATURE/COMMERCIAL SUPERVISOR
During her tenure as an Animation Supervisor at Digital Domain from 2004 to 2007, Angie led teams in creating four DISNEY 50th ANNIVERSARY Commercial Spots. She seamlessly transitioned between the commercial and feature departments at DD, contributing her animation expertise to projects such as animating the jackrabbit in the opening sequence of THE HITCHER, crafting stealth fighter jets for STEALTH, and adding cartoony superpowers to the characters in ZOOM ACADEMY. Angie adeptly managed teams ranging from 3 to 12 members across various commercial and film productions.

At Digital Domain, Angie worked closely with VFX supervisors and Directors to elevate the quality of all assets. She engaged in constructive discussions with clients to address revisions, offering valuable creative insights and technical solutions. For the Disney spots, Angie meticulously interpreted specific art directions from the client, facilitating daily reviews with the team to ensure precision and alignment with the project’s vision. She motivated artists by assigning tasks that leveraged their strengths, fostering a collaborative environment. Angie also collaborated closely with production teams to define departmental tasks, ensuring projects adhered to schedule and budget standards.

PERFORMANCE

Angie embarked on her journey in feature animation production in 2001, commencing her career as a character animator at Sony Pictures Imageworks. Her inaugural project was the film STUART LITTLE 2, where she skillfully animated the characters Stuart Little and Margalo. Over the ensuing decade, Angie dedicated herself to refining her craft in feature-quality character animation. Her contributions extended to diverse projects, including animating Nightcrawler’s Tail in XMEN 2 and crafting the Freddy-pillar for FREDDY VS. JASON. She brought performances to life for the cat in GARFIELD, a dog in SCOOBY-DOO 2, a beaver in THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE, and the iconic gecko featured in the well-known GEICO commercials.

In 2004, Jones assumed a pivotal role in creating VFX and creature animations, leading a six-person team for THE CAVE, which included animating a 16-foot bat. At Luma Pictures, Angie collaborated closely with the VFX supervisor and Animation Director to deliver animated daily updates for client feedback. She adeptly interpreted specific art directions from clients, working harmoniously with her team to achieve the desired outcomes. Her expertise extended to supporting technical and creative managers in finding practical solutions to production challenges.

Continuing her journey in creature animation, Angie contributed to NATIONAL TREASURE and NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS, handling faeries and a stick bug in PAN’s LABYRINTH. Throughout her career, Jones also lent her talents to SPIKE JONZE’s short film I’M HERE. In 2010, she returned to SPI to animate beloved characters like Papa, Smurfette, Brainy, Grouchy, and Clumsy for THE SMURFS movie.

In 2022, Angie embarked on a distinctive venture, creating bespoke keyframe animations for AVATAR 2. Her role involved shaping the movement of new creatures slated for the film, showcasing her adaptability and continued commitment to pushing creative boundaries.

CONSULTING

In her consulting capacity, Angie played a pivotal role in shaping the technological landscape at Imagemetrics. She actively contributed to revitalizing software and technology development, focusing on enhancing tech product marketing, artist-friendly tech solutions, business strategies, and market strategies. Her commitment to nurturing partnerships took her to client studios in Canada and Los Angeles, where she fostered collaborations with studio teams. In tandem, Angie was instrumental in driving substantial growth by working closely with producers and the CFO to ensure efficient fiscal management of the department. She engaged in weekly discussions with the COO and CFO, delving into profit and loss accountability.

Angie also led a team of four artists by creating eight minutes of game cinematics for POWER PUFF GIRLS: RELISH RAMPAGE. This project posed a unique challenge, requiring transitioning the franchise’s 2D aesthetic into CG. Angie oversaw and trained the team on the necessary technology, tools, asset creation processes, and daily operations. She maintained regular communication with the client to ensure a seamless translation of the 2D assets into the CG world.

Furthermore, Angie provided consulting services to several productions and studios, including Disney Features for GNOMEO AND JULIETTE. Her role involved analyzing the feasibility of film production methods. She engaged in discussions with Gray Trousdale and the team to evaluate the merits of the 3DS Max vs. Maya pipeline and submitted a comprehensive report for review. Angie also collaborated with Side Effects Software, contributing to the release of Version 09 for Houdini Software in 2007, specifically focusing on enhancing its user-friendliness for artists.

As a character specialist consultant, Angie refined and presented a user-friendly UI and character toolset for the HOUDINI V9 release at SIGGRAPH. She demonstrated the H9 software at the event and participated in panels discussing animation production challenges. Angie also collaborated closely with Side Effects tech and software developers, compiling a wiki-backed list of improvements and suggestions, complete with workflow explanations. Additionally, she worked with interns to create an animated showcase for “Houdini 9” at SIGGRAPH 2007, which included a tool shelf designed for character animators.

Her consulting endeavors extended to Motion Theory, who tasked Angie with fortifying the animation department and raising the standard of animation for all projects. This role entailed expanding the scope of computer-animated character work and developing intellectual property (IP) content to attract new business. At Motion Theory, she provided oversight for animation teams across CG and 2D projects, ensuring adherence to schedules and assisting in building and staffing for various initiatives. Angie offered her expertise in refining animation production workflows, pipelines, and infrastructures. She also contributed to Adele’s debut music video, CHASING PAVEMENTS.

Furthermore, Angie collaborated with the VIRTUAL HUMAN GROUP ON SIM COACH at The Institute of Creative Technologies. Her contributions centered around SimCoach, a platform designed to assist veterans and their families with post-traumatic stress disorder. Angie provided creative direction to enhance the appeal of SimCoach’s virtual humans, offering guidance on the character animation pipeline from modeling and rigging to animation. She shared her expertise in preemptively avoiding common pitfalls in CG character creation and directed the development of AI-driven facial expressions for avatars in collaboration with tech leads. Angie meticulously oversaw the asset development and pipeline, thoroughly testing new technology to maximize creative results for AI characters. She led animation efforts through daily check-ins and worked closely with animators to achieve the desired outcomes.

PREVISUALIZATION

Angie has experience crafting keyframed previsualizations for various feature films, from initial storyboards to the final animated sequences. One notable project she worked on was ASURA, where she meticulously translated all camera work and choreography for a 3-minute segment featuring six characters on horseback engaged in a deer chase scene. At Day For Nite, she contributed significantly to BLOODSHOT, providing character animation for the photorealistic previz keyframe animation of the bionic-legged character, Corporal Jimmy Dalton. Angie also lent her expertise to creating keyframe photorealistic previz and creature animation for a Super Bowl spot, BON & VIV SELZER, which involved animating swarms of fish, mermaid tails, and four formidable sharks. Her commercial previz work includes projects for brands such as BREYERS, SMURFS, KIA, HATSUNE MIKU TOYOTA, and DISNEY’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPOTS.