ian wilmoth 3d animator CV.
telephone: 206 715 0887
What I do:
I perform in the following hands-on roles, discreetly or in any combination. I also can assemble and lead teams. I prefer to work remotely.
• 3d Look development ninja- I create holistic look solutions combining 3d, textures, shaders, lighting, and post, and implement them in high volume production. Toon shading specialist.
• Expert level 3d modelling, UV layout, texturing, rigging, and animation of characters, camera, props, and environments, high and low polygon.
• Experienced with Photoreal 3d lighting, surfacing, camera tracking, virtual sets/green screen, integration with live action plates
• I don't totally suck at 3d hair, fur, and cloth dynamics
• I also do 3d Pre-visualization
The tools I use:
I was a Maya beta-tester in 1999 and it has been my primary 3d app since then. I am skilled in all areas except scripting and particles
• Dual Xeon processor Mac Pro with 10 gigs ram, Athlon PC with 4 gigs ram, WACOM graphics tablet
• Photoshop Expert, proficient at 3d compositing and color correction with Shake and AfterFX.
• Production experience with Turtle, Zbrush, Final Cut Pro, 3ds max, softimage XSI
• Expert with Mental Ray, Paint FX, and Maya Toonshader renders
• PFhoe, Moujou used for match moving.
If you care, I have a Degree:
BFA in animation at Rhode Island School of Design, graduated 1998. www.risd.edu
• I created the first 3d CG animated degree project made at RISD, "Asa Nisi Masa", which won awards and has screened in national and international film festivals.
Why you should hire me in particular instead of someone that may be cheaper and/or local (condensed cover letter):
The work in my portfolio has been chosen to represent both my skills and my aesthetics so if your project looks like it would be "my style", its an easy call. But If its not quite there, consider:
• 12 years of professional experience in all roles of 3d art across print, rendered, online and interactive, for top international brands, TV networks, musicians, and software publishers.
• I have a strong skillset in both 3d and 2d, and a high IQ, enabling me to effectively devise integrated look solutions, including pipelines and name/storage conventions etc.
• I can create entire 3d animations to professional standards in each role, or perform comfortably in one or several discreet roles on your project as needed.
• My knowledge of many connected roles enables me to smoothly integrate with production pipelines and insure efficient handoffs if i am in a discreet role.
• I have team leadership experience and a strong network of fellow 3d artists and post production people if an entire team needs to be assembled.
• I am always looking for a new challenge or fresh aesthetic to implement, but also enjoy any projects similar to ones i show in my portfolio.
• Fast worker and learner, dilligent, reliable, and self-motivated. The more you give me to do, the more you will get back..
• I can ACCURATELY estimate most task times and plan productions efficiently due to my extensive experience.
• Creating work of high quality is my primary goal but i am also extremely schedule sensitive.
• I own professional quality hard and software, no problems with tools.
• I'm not greedy. I see money as a byproduct of good work.
• Extensive remote experience, good communicator.
Music Videos I have worked on:
Tally Hall ”ruler of everything" July 2008, freelance for Awesome and Modest llc, NYC www.awesomeandmodest.com
• performed all modelling, rigging, surfacing/lighting, animation, camera tracking a 3d character for integration with stop-motion
Yoriyos “Endoscopies” April-June 2008, freelance for Greencard Pictures, brooklyn NY www.greencardpics.com
• character modelling, rigging, and animation, surfacing/lighting for photoreal compositing in over 20 shots
• contributed to match moving
Toby and Jesse Dammit “Is it fire?” March 2008, freelance for Artificial Army, Los Angeles Artificial Army
• Modelled steampunk virtual sets for integration with live actors, contributed to set design.
Rabbit Junk “A hero in Mr. Smolensk”, Dec 2007-January 2008, freelance for Full Effect Records, detroit MI www.fulleffectrecords.com
• Lead 3d artist overseeing all tasks,
• Created 3d Pre-vis.
• Created all layout/camera animation, compositing, texture/surfacing/lighting, character modelling and rigging.
• Oversaw environment modelling and created environment assets, supervised VFX.
The number 12 looks like you “Grandfather”, October 2007, freelance for Flying Valkyries, brooklyn NY www.flyingvfx.com
• character modelling, rigging, for integration with live action environments.
Baby Shambles “french dog blues”, September 2007, freelance for Flying Valkyries, brooklyn NY www.flyingvfx.com
• character modelling, rigging, and animation, for integration with live action stop-motion environments.
Priestbird's “season of the sun”, March 2007, freelance for Flying Valkyries, brooklyn NY www.flyingvfx.com
• modelling surfaced and lit photorealistic 3d virtual environment for integration with live actor. layout/camera animation.
Yoriyos “the piper” January-February 2007, freelance for Greencard Pictures, brooklyn NY www.greencardpics.com
• Performed all 3d tasks creating and animating characters using the work of illustrator Katy Khoran
• Performed look-development and surfacing/lighting/passes implementation for all production shots
• Contributed to environment modelling and layout/camera animation,
• 3d Previs animation for live-action integration VFX shots.
LCD soundsystem “north american scum” December 2006, freelance for Waverly Films NYC www.waverlyfilms.com
• created 3d wireframe animation elements
Shawn Amos “burned” September 2006, freelance for Awesome and Modest llc, NYC www.awesomeandmodest.com
• performed all modelling, rigging, surfacing/lighting, dynamics, animation, scene layout/camera animation
Supersystem “white light/white light” August 2006 freelance for Waverly Films NYC www.waverlyfilms.com
• created 3d wireframe animation elements, integrated with live action
DVDJ Jordan Laws, NYC July 2006 www.jordanlaws.com
• created 3d animations for use in web branding and live-performance video projections.
Durso “set the water on fire” June 2006 freelance for Flying Valkyries, brooklyn NY www.flyingvfx.com
• created virtual hair composited onto a live actor which morphed between different 80s hairstyles
The Juan Maclean “every little thing” August 2005 freelance for Waverly Films NYC www.waverlyfilms.com
• Animated and shaded 3d wireframe and toon rendered characters having virtual sex
Narratives I have worked on:
Un-announced multimedia IP pitch, July 2008, Frogchildren Studios, Seattle WA frogchildren.com
• Created 2.5D animations for a pitch in maya using the work of illustrator Barnaby Ward
“Burning Car” short film, April 2008, Superflex, Denmark superflex.dk
• Provided high resolution engine model for photoreal compositing in a high definition short film projected in art galleries
"Mattt Potter is an idiot" (working title), February 2008, freelance for View Askew productions red bank, NJ viewaskew.com
• Lead artist overseeing team. Created a short fully 3d sequence to be cut into a live action feature comedy.
• Character modelling, texturing, rigging, and animation. Oversaw environment modelling/texture.
• Look dev, Surfacing/lighting, post
“Axe Men” Discovery channel TV series, Nov 2007, freelance for Guerilla Animation, LA cameronwalser.com
• Lead 3d artist overseeing team and finalizing all vehicles and prop models.
• Vehicle rigging. Environment modelling. All surfacing/texturing and Lighting.
"Homeworld" feature film, August 2007, Rhinomotion films san ramon CA www.rhinomotion.com
• Created 3d elements of a short animation used as an onscreen graphic in a live action sci-fi feature
• Preproduction/consulting on live action compositing shots
“Ice road truckers” Discovery channel TV series, April 2007, freelance for Guerilla Animation, LA cameronwalser.com
• Performed all 3d modelling, surfacing and lighting of a realistic semi truck
”John Watts has a hangover”, short film, Jan-March 2007, freelance for Waverly Films NYC www.waverlyfilms.com
• 3d character modelling, rigging, animation, textures
• Photoreal surfacing and lighting for live-action integration.
• Match moving
• 3d previs
Smart Parts “the warrior” 3 part short miniseries TVC/webisodes, june-july 2006, contractor for Face 2 Face animation, summit NJ www.f2f-inc.com
• Toon shading look dev, lighting, texturing. Used softimage XSI for toon shading and lighting.
• Finalized character, weapon, and environment models. Performed UV layouts.
“Ghettoscope” TV series teaser, may 2006, freelance for Flying Valkyries, brooklyn NY www.flyingvfx.com
• Modelled and animated characters and vehicles
• Toon shading, lighting, and post, including look development.
• 3d previs, layout/camera animation.
•Oversaw environment modelling team and created environment models and textures.
• Character body rigging and cloth dynamics.
“the messenger” Title sequence October 2004- January 2005, freelance for cinecycle films brooklyn NYC.. Www.cinecycle.com
• Pre-Visualized shot, created 3d environment/vehicle models and textures for compositing with live actor for a short documentary film sponsored by puma shoes.
“that ed” TV pilot, July-September 1998, contractor for Olive Jar Animation Studios, Boston MA (now out of business)
• Modelling and animation of effects and environmental assets for in-house project using SGI computers, and softimage 3.5. Integrated with 2d animation.
“asa nisi masa” Rhode Island School of design degree project, 1997 www.risd.edu
• All tasks in the creation of an award winning 3d animated short film. Used 3ds max/3d studio DOS. Also has been screened in juried film festivals and cable Tv.
Advertising I have worked on:
Vinasoy TVC, August 2008, Yeti Films, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam www.helloyeti.com
• Photoreal 3d modelling, rigging, animation, lighting, and post of simulated plant growth.
Open space alliance “inro”, june 2008, www.openspacealliancenb.org/
• 3d character modelling, rigging, animation for intro projected before live concerts and movies in NYC.
Motorola “motoworld”, august-september 2007, freelance for dratfFCB NY, NY www.draftFCB.com
• Performed all lighting, toon shading/textures, character rigging and animation, and scene layout/camerawork for 3d anime web content.
• Finalized all character models.
• Supervised cloth TD and performed dynamic hair rigging.
• Previs and look development
Sprite “sublymonal advertising”, june 2007, freelance for Flying Valkyries, brooklyn NY www.flyingvfx.com
• 3d character modelling, rigging, surfacing, lighting, dancing lymon animation.
Macy's “summer dresses”, feb 2007, freelance for Flying Valkyries, brooklyn NY www.flyingvfx.com
• Animated 3d insects integrated into a live action environment
Spike TV “2007 video game awards featuring samuel jackson”, november 2006, freelance for Flying Valkyries, brooklyn NY www.flyingvfx.com
• Samuel Jackson game character modelling, texturing, rigging, dynamics, and animation. modelled and textured environment assets, layout/camera.
Doritos “snack hard” superbowl TVC contest entry, november 2006, freelance for Flying Valkyries, brooklyn NY www.flyingvfx.com
• Modelled, textured, rigged, and animated a fake video gameplay sequence to be integrated into a live action environment for a spec commercial
Comcast cable “aargon” spec TVC , october 2006, freelance for Flying Valkyries, brooklyn NY www.flyingvfx.com
• Modelling, texturing, rigging, dynamics, and animation of a character integrated into a live action environment
• Surfacing/lighting for photoreal compositing.
Minyanville publishing and multimedia "Minyanville critters", august-october 2005, contractor for happycorp global NYC, www.thehappycorp.com
• 3d Lead, performed all surfacing/texturing, lighting, animation, and post production of 3d characters for high res print images, web content, and HD video projection at live events.
• Finalized Boo and Hoofy character models and modelled Snapper. Supervised character facial rigging and performed body and cloth rigging.
• Previs and look development
“Laurier slim wing summer bag” TVC, may 2004, on-site contractor for Dentsu Communications, Saigon, VN www.dentsu.com
• created 3d animated elements for a fully 3d laurier slim-wing maxi pad TV commercial broadcast in vietnamese market. Created animatic.
Toan Viet Advertising, Saigon, VN. May-August 2004 Full Time salaried employee www.toanviet.com
• Created all 3d elements for the following TV commercials aired in the vietnamese market. Performed all layout/camera animation. All of these projects involved compositing with live action footage and/or 2d elements.
Kido popsicles
Mobifone phone cards
Daisy yogurt drink
Viso laundry detergent
Coolair chewing gum
2 in 1 toothpaste
• Performed all 3d tasks in creating a short corporate self promotion-clip aimed to show high end quality of the studio's department.
Character, vehicle, and environment modelling, rigging and animation, lighting/surfacing/texturing, and camera animation.
Fanatic Film and Post Production, Saigon, Viet Nam. November 2003- March 2004 Full Time salaried employee www.fanaticfilm.com
• Created all 3d elements for the following TV commercials aired in the vietnamese market
Trung Nguyen Coffee
Elephant insect spray
• Created a 3d clip aimed to show high end quality of the studio's department, which was projected in HD video at the corporate launch event with over 1000 attendees.
Performed previs and look development, character and environment modelling, character rigging and animation, dynamics, fur simulation, lighting/surfacing/texturing, camera, and compositing.
“Pillsbury doughboy”, July-September 1998, on-site contractor for Olive Jar Animation Studios, Boston MA (now out of business)
• Modelling and animation of the Pillsbury Doughboy for a spec TV commercial using SGI computers, and softimage 3.5. Integrated with live action. (poke!)
Education/mentoring:
Northwest College of Art, introduction to Maya class course designer/instructor, April-August 2008 Seattle, WA. www.nca.edu
• Created a syllabus and course materials and taught a class of 9 students who had never used Maya in Poly modelling, texturing, surfacing, lighting, and character rigging.
• Performed hands-on demonstrations, QA sessions, and classroom teaching.
Truemax academy, introduction to Maya class course designer/instructor, March-April 2004 Copenhagen, Denmark. www.truemax.dk
• Created a syllabus and course materials and taught a class of 15 students who had never used Maya in Poly modelling, texturing, surfacing, and character rigging.
• Performed hands-on demonstrations, QA sessions, and classroom teaching. (everyone in Denmark speaks english.)
Private mentoring: I have taught and assisted numerous individuals with maya issues through web forums, chat, and personal instruction. Private instruction available at your location, for $.
Video game related work : (pre-rendered cinematic sequences/ promotiotal materials)
“Scene it?” game cinematics, published by Microsoft, may-july 2007, freelance for The Whole Experience, Seattle WA. . www.wxp3d.com
• Created and finalized high resolution enviornmental and vehicle assets for pre-rendered cinematics and sources for realtime assets.
• Textured, surfaced, and lit environments. Layout/camera animation.
“Peanut Gallery” in-game animations, published by RNSK softronics, feb-march 2006, freelance for RNSK softronics, Baltimore, MD . www.kaisakura.com
• Created 64 pre-rendered looping animations of 8 characters for use in an internet-based interactive product.
• Character modelling, rigging, animation, hair and cloth dynamics
“Kingdom of Paradise” game packaging, published by Sony, september 2005, freelance for Artmachine, Culver City, CA. www.amachine.com
• Cover image for PSP game. Rigged, posed, surfaced, lit, and composited the character using model/textures/background provided by the client.
“Gengi” game packaging, published by Sony, may 2005, freelance for Artmachine, Culver City, CA. www.amachine.com
• Cover image for PS2 game. Rigged, posed, surfaced, lit, and composited the characters using model/textures/background provided by the client.
Turbine games 1998-2000, Boston MA. Full Time salaried employee (lead artist) www.turbinegames.com
• “Asheron's Call 2 Promotional images”, aug-sept 2000. Created print-res renderings of high res cinematic characters and environments for the PC game Asherons Call 2, shipped 2002 . Used on several magazine covers and in official online promotions/websites.
• “Breakdancing olthoi” viral video, 1999 used in online promotions as one of the early online-based viral marketing projects. Downloaded over 1 million times.
i have also created realtime content for 3 shipped AAA* PC video games, 4 shipped casual web games, and 3 “AAA” console games which all got cancelled.
Highlights of my realtime work is my role as lead artist on Asheron's Call and its sequel Asheron's call 2, the hit massively multiplayer online role playing games.
I'm not actively pursuing realtime work at this point in time however if you have a huge amount of money and a cool project, by all means lets talk.
"asa nisi masa" (animation degree project at the Rhode Island School of Design) awards and screenings:
• New england film and video festival, received honorable mention in animation category- screened theatrically in boston area.
• Academy of television arts and sciences student emmy awards, received third prize in the non-traditional animation category- $500 award.
• Kontakt student film festival, poland, admitted to juried festival.
• Independant Film Channel IFC2000 contest, finalist, received invitation to NY independant feature market and asa nisi masa was shown on the bravo network.
• Micro-cinefest juried independant film festival, baltimore MD. admitted to festival and voted top 10 of most popular films out of 170 shown.
• Screened at MD artist's equity foundation "where are they now" juried thingee at the MD institute of art.
• Screened at various RISD screenings of selected student work.
• Screened at a science fiction convention in baltimore.
reviews and awards for Asheron's Call 1:
• Best-of-Year award from CNET
• Best-of-Year award GameIndustry.com,
• Best-of-Year award Gamer's Voice.
• Game Industry Newsletter Best Overall Game of the Year award,
• Gamesmania Award of Excellence.
• Gamespot gave AC 8.6 out of 10, (ahead of the more commercially succesfull Everquest ;)
• happy puppy 9/10
• Game of the Year – 1999, Game Industry News
• Best Game of the Year – 1999, Eurogamer
• Reader’s Choice Game of the Year – 1999, Gamezilla
• Best Online / Multiplayer Game of the Year – 1999, Gamezilla
• PC Role Playing Title of the Year – 1999, AIAS
• Best Role Playing Game of the Year – 1999, CNET’s GameCenter
• #1 Best-Selling PC Game of November – 1999, Chips & Bits
reviews and awards for Asheron's Call 2:
• Game of the Year awards from PC Gamer, Computer Gaming World, RPGDot and Gamer's Pulse. IGN.com's Editor's Choice Award for Best PC Persistent World Game of 2002
• nomination for Online Massively Multiplayer Persistent World Game of the Year
• nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering for the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences annual awards.
• Online Game of the Year – 2002, E3
• Online Game of the Year – 2002, Gamers Pulse
• Online World of the Year – 2002, RPG Vault
• Online Game of the Year – 2002, Game Zone
• Best Persistent World Game – 2002, IGN
• Best MMORPG – 2002, RPG Dot
• Outstanding Achievement in Graphics – 2002, RPG Vault
• Editor’s Choice – 2002, Gamers Pulse
• Editor’s Choice – 2002, Game Zone
• Editor’s Choice & Readers Choice – 2002, IGN
• PC Game of the Year – 2001 nominee, AIAS
• Top 50 Games of All Time –2001, Gamespy
• Reader’ Choice Award – 2001, Gamespot
* AAA is a game industry term for the top tier of games, which are heavily advertised and are hoped to be huge hits, similar to blockbuster movies in hollywood. Budgets are 7-8 figures.