Communities Russell Wootton ’02
The world of 3D animation
When Russell first saw Toy Story in 1995, he knew his future was in 3D computer animation. It has only been in the last few years that he has felt satisfied with the work he creates and the direction he is going in.
"This is a medium I will continue to work in and grow with my whole life," says Russell, who lives and works in New York City, where he provides visual effects for TV commercials and hopes to contribute to some feature films. "There is so much to learn about animation that one really never stops learning. Most people tend to think 3D animation is easy because it is ‘computer generated.' Of course this is not accurate at all. The computer is simply the pallet, the brush, the clay."
Russell earned an MFA from Parsons School of Design, with a thesis exploring how and where animation fits into fine art. He now teaches classes in computer animation at several schools in the city, in addition to being a freelance artist for post-production studios.
"My first semester at Parsons I was surprised at how easily I slipped into the critical analysis side of the program," says Russell. "Marlboro introduced me to, among other things, a real critical eye and an ability to understand where my work fit into the larger scheme of things. Many of my fellow students had a hard time breaking down their work and rebuilding it. To me the idea of looking at work critically was now ingrained."
For samples of Russell's work, check out:
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http://motionographer.com/theater/dantes-inferno-trailer/