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Hello there! My name is Maye and I'm an aspiring 3D Animator excited to start my journey into the industry as a Junior Animator. Being able to give life to a character and craft narratives that resonate with my audience drives my passion for animation the most. My experience at Escape has allowed me to explore new disciplines, and I plan to continue refining and developing my skillset after I graduate to become the best Animator I can be.

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Specialisms:

Character animation

SHOWREEL

GET TO KNOW MAYE

What was your inspiration for pursuing a career in Animation?

The first time I watched 'Moana' in cinemas, something just clicked. Perhaps it was where I was mentally in life, or the allure of that shiny, giant talking crab. Whatever it was, it resonated. Whilst it is far from being a perfect film, and isn’t my favourite film, 14-year-old me connected with Moana's resilience. Despite being told she couldn't achieve something, whether it be sailing or fighting a giant lava monster, she prevailed. It was then I realized my aspiration: to contribute to a film that could impact others as profoundly as Moana did for me.

What hobbies do you have?

Outside of work, I enjoy painting and drawing, finding them both therapeutic and beneficial for my skills. Painting helps me destress and focus on one thing at a time, whilst drawing enhances my observational skills and aids in creating clear, readable silhouettes when animating. Additionally, I like to play chess with my friends to keep my mind sharp and practice forethought.

How would your peers describe you in 3 words?

Disciplined, reliable, versatile

Do you have any industry experience? If so, please give a concise explanation of the experience.

Although I haven't directly worked in the industry, I've engaged in seminars, feedback sessions, and networking events hosted by Access VFX, London ACM SIGGRAPH, MPC, DNEG, and Blue Zoo. These experiences have improved my understanding of animation and refined my skills. Interacting with Senior Animators and recruiters from various studios has equipped me with a good understanding of how to enhance my appeal as a candidate to potential employers.

How would you describe your contribution to your group project?

In the project 'X-terminate', I served as Character and Creature Rigging Artist, and Animation Lead. My roles evolved throughout the project, including contributing concept art for the robot design. As Lead Animator, I applied lessons from past projects to provide constant feedback and encourage communication among Animators. To ensure a consistent animation style, I conducted weekly feedback sessions to monitor progress. As the sole experienced Rigger, I researched robot and creature rigging extensively to meet the project's demands, whilst proactively troubleshooting rigging issues.

What lessons did you learn from undertaking your project that you'll take with you into your career?

Through my group projects, I've learnt the importance of communication for troubleshooting, maintaining consistent animation styles, and meeting deadlines within a large team. I've also embraced learning new techniques and remaining open-minded to different disciplines to enhance my versatility as an animator. I am eager to implement these experiences of effective collaboration and continual growth in all future projects I work on.

What would your ideal first role in the industry be?

I am eager to launch my animation career as a Junior Character Animator at a production house of any size. In this role, I aim to immerse myself in the animation pipeline, absorbing as much knowledge as possible to enhance my skills and grow as an Animator.

What's an achievement from the past 3 years that you're proud of?

Although some may see it as a minor achievement, I'm particularly proud of the team dynamic during the final week of the 'When Life Gives You Lemons' project. The team rallied together to solve issues collectively and ensure that no one faced challenges alone. I was genuinely impressed by the professionalism and dedication of each member, which allowed us to communicate effectively and tackle problems efficiently. I still look back on the night before the deadline, I recall editing footage alongside other team members, whilst every member of the team was on call providing support. Our strong communication and positive team dynamic were crucial in creating a short film that later won multiple awards at film festivals.

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