#ToonChat: Collaboration in Animation Studios

#ToonChat is an online event where animators and artists gather to discuss topics on Twitter on the last Friday of the month from 6-7PM EDT.

The topic of this month’s #ToonChat discussion is collaboration in animation studios. Joining us this month are two guest experts from Blue Zoo, a BAFTA-award winning animation studio in the UK. These guest experts are animator Jamie-Lee Reynolds and rigging artist Niki Kehoe.

The conversation will include the following discussion topics:

• What artists can consider when designing rigs for other animators to use.
• What animators can consider when using another artist’s rigs.
• Important skills animators can bring to a studio environment.

About the chat:

If this is your first time participating in a Twitter chat, here is how the format works: Users meet on Twitter on Friday November 1 at 6PM EDT using the #ToonChat hashtag. Over the course of an hour, our account (@ToonBoom) will pose six questions (numbered Q1, Q2, Q3 …) to prompt responses from our chat participants. Be sure to include the #ToonChat hashtag in all your posts to make it easy for other participants to discover your comments. Respectful discussion between participants and our guest experts is always encouraged.

About our guests:

Blue Zoo Animation is a BAFTA-winning animation studio with 19 years of history in the animation industry. Joining us in this week's chat are two experts who work at the studio: Jamie-Lee Reynolds and Niki Kehoe.

Niki Kehoe is a London-based rigging artist who currently works as a Toon Boom Harmony rigger for Blue Zoo Animation. Niki has worked for Boulder Media Ltd, Giant Animation Studios, Jam Media, Doodle Productions, Treehouse Republic, Monster Entertainment and Kavaleer Productions, and also helped run Pegbar, an animation social networking group based in Dublin. Be sure to follow Niki on Twitter at @niki_kehoe.

Jamie-Lee Reynolds is a 2D animator who specializes in character animation, with experience in both hand-drawn and cut-out productions. Graduated with a Master’s degree at the Arts University Bournemouth, Jamie-Lee has worked on a Hasbro title with Boulder Media and currently works for Blue Zoo in London. You can find Jamie-Lee on Twitter at @Mischanima.

Be sure to follow @ToonBoom on Twitter along with this month's guest experts, @niki_kehoe, @Mischanima and @blue_zoo and be sure to join in on the discussion using the #ToonChat hashtag.