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Resume

Christopher S. Adams: Technical Animator
	10406 Panks Court, Rowlett, TX 75089 Cell: 214.783.4269	web: http://www.csa3d.com email: chris[-at-]csa3d.com

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Skills

Advanced Character Setup through use of custom rigging
Complete art pipeline creation and task automation through scripting
Proficient in both keyframe and motion capture animation pipelines
Strong sense of timing, weight, and body language
Proven ability to lecture and educate through example
Management and Leadership in a team environment
Over seven years of industry experience

Computer

Software

Autodesk Maya
Autodesk 3ds Max
Autodesk Motion Builder
Vicon IQ/Workstation
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe After Effects

Sony Sound Forge
Macromedia Dream Weaver
Alien Brain, Source Safe, Subversion, CVS
Microsoft Office Suite
Ultra Edit

Languages

MEL Scripting, Max Scripting, LUA, Simkin, C Shell Scripting, HTML , Perl, JavaScript, PHP, Visual Basic

Shipped Titles

Experience

Animator
March 09 -
Present

id Software, Mesquite TX :

To be announced soon..

Freelance
Animator

Motus Digital, Plano TX

Music Video | Pending Debut, Spring ‘09

Contracted for Maya Rigging, facial setup, dynamic sims, and MotionBuilder editing of the final piece.

Method-Solutions, Addison TX

Music genera animations | Game Pitch, Spring ‘09

Contracted for Maya setup and animation of a small set of music playing animations for an unannounced game demo.

Ember Studios, Santa Monica CA

Unannounced | Commercial Pitch, Spring ‘08

Contracted for Character Setup and Crowd Animation using Autodesk Maya

Shilo Design, Del Mar CA

Leap Frog | Commercial Pitch, Winter ‘07
Sony Walkman, Japan | Broadcast, Summer ‘07
Scion xD "Little Deviants" Campaign | Broadcast, Summer ‘ 07
Arby’s Action Sports Award | Broadcast, Fall ‘06
Planters, Mr. Peanut 100th Year Anniversary | Broadcast, Summer ‘06

Contracted for Character Setup and Animation using Autodesk Maya

Senior Animator
July 07 -
Nov. 08

Barking Lizards, Richardson TX :

Art Lead, Unannounced music genera title | Wii, DS
Animation Lead, Rock Univerisity: The Naked Bros. Band | Wii, PS2, PC

Keyframe Animation, Tasking and Scheduling, Responsible for implementation and motion on final assets, Animation Pipeline development and automation through MEL scripting.

Recommendations:

Bryan Prichard, President & CCO
Barking Lizards Technologies "Chris is a turbo pizza game proven team player, extremely capable animator and strong technical artist that can provide value to any team. His attention to detail and desire for quality helps to keep his, and those around him, standards at the highest level. Overall Chris has a good understanding of game development and the steps necessary to make the process work. Artistically, Chris' animation skills are quite hi and demonstrates a strong understanding of motion. There isn't an animation that Chris can't do and do it right. On a technical level, Chris has a very strong understanding of Maya and its underlying systems. His ability to quickly make tools for artists proved quite valuable on previous projects. I've been exposed to few artists who know how to make an application sing quite like Chris. Overall Chris is a strong, solid employee that would be a great addition to any company."
Michael Hermes, Technical Art Director
Barking Lizards Technologies "Chris is an exceptional animator, an excellent mentor with a great eye for details, and a technically apt individual keen to Maya's inner-workings and MEL scripting. I have worked with Chris for over 3 years in total, and have enjoyed not only his work ethic but his ability to work through any situation, regardless of what it is. His honesty and hard work is a quality that has earned him a great admiration not only from myself, but from others that have worked with us both."
Daniel Young, Lead Designer
Barking Lizards Technologies "Chris has a great ability to view projects from many levels. From a high level view, he is able to pin-point under developed designs, and help get his fellow artists moving in a positive direction. He is very adept at stepping into new roles and finding the means to inspire other workers to excel at their work. On a lower level, Chris is quite capable with the most current technologies. This extends to the use of software packages as they should fit in a pipeline from content creation to integration through scripts and plug-ins. He is quite capable as both a creative and technical artist. Chris is quite adept at minimizing a working environment, making easy to use systems that are conducive to quick turn around of content."
Lucia Miron, Character Animator
Barking Lizards Technologies "A team player with critical attention to detail, Chris has a way of solving technical issues that teach as well as keep the project moving forward. The scripts he wrote saved many hours for the animators, and made work flow smoother and faster. He has a logical way of thinking when it comes to character rigging; along with the technical knowledge to create the variation needed for any type of creature and function. By far the most skillful animator I have had the privilege to work with."
Hae Hong, Animator
Barking Lizards Technologies "Chris has always been professional, never compromising quality and directed us animators to bring out quality work in a timely manner. He is very knowledgeable and always found answers to our problems in rigging and animating. It was great working with Chris."
Trisha Toms, Artist
Barking Lizards Technologies "I worked not only on the hidden objects games same team as Chris but I have worked directly under him. I can honestly say that Chris is driven to list kids spongebob games strive for the best. He makes you strive for the best and push towards the vision he has. But he is also willing to listen to your ideas and understand the why of your designs - often weighing what you say into his final decisions. Chris also is able to give impartial, directed critiques. Not a vague 'I don't feel this.' but an honest point by point estimate of what you did right, what is almost there, and what needs to be completely removed or redone. A critique like that in a timely basis with no malice is invaluable. Chris also believes in a united team. He can and does like to have his fingers on the pulse of everything, not just where art is but where programming is, where are the menus at, how is everything as a whole progressing. He is a big picture kind of guy. He likes to be sure everyone is on the same page, organized, direct, precise; that is Chris."

Professor of
Art Creation
July 06 -
July 07

The Guildhall at SMU, Plano TX:

Art Lead on an internal Microsoft XNA project
Course coordination between Professors of a given Cohort
Mentoring over a 3 month project in which students initially decide a career path
Guidance and Review of Master Student thesis projects
Lecture on various Art Creation topics including the following:

Drawing fundamentals, Photoshop, 3DS Max Basic and Intermediary,
Modeling, Texturing, Unwrapping, Optimization, Animation, Biped, Custom Skeletons, Skinning, Sub Division Surfaces, High Poly Modeling, Normal Mapping, Skymatter Mudbox, Autodesk Maya Introduction, Mocap Capturing and Data Processing

Recommendations:

Jimmy Lewis, Student Graduate
The Guildhall at SMU "Chris Adams knows how to take a person to the next level of their abilities. As a teacher, he did not just give me a grade based on my skills alone. He showed me that in order to be the best, you have to keep an eye on the best and what they're doing. I can honestly say that he is one of the best teachers/mentors I've had in my lifetime."

Technical
Animator
Nov. 03 -
Oct. 06

Method Solutions / TKO Software, Addison TX *

Call of Duty | Nokia N-Gage
Leisure Suit Larry | Nokia N-Gage (unreleased)
Gun Forge | Nokia N-Gage (unreleased)
Ms. Pac-man: Maze Madness 2 | PC, Xbox, PS2, Nintendo DS (unreleased)
Heaven vs. Hell | PC, Next-Gen Console (unreleased)
Space Impact | Nokia Series 60

Transitioned Art Team from Max to Maya, Development of Art Production Tools, Simplification and Automation of existing pipelines, Animation sharing between highly diverse target platforms, New artist training and education, Animation Lead/Technical Director on various projects, Interviewing and recruiting.

* TKO Software, Dallas shut down July 29, 2005 and formed Method Solutions

Recommendations:

Lane Roathe, Lead Programmer
Method-Solutions "Chris is an excellect technical animator who can provide leadership in both the technical and animation departments. Working with Chris was a pleasure, both for his ability to create and animate models as well as his ability to handle the technical aspects of animation (creating scripts, automating builds, integration with source control, etc.). In addition Chris communicates well, making the interaction between the programming and art/animation staffs work smoothly and efficiently. I'd definately work with Chris again in the future."
Robert Dailey, Programmer
Method-Solutions "As a programmer at Method, I had a lot of interaction with Chris simply due to his countless areas of expertise. He's not just an artist, he's a programmer. His technical skills are nothing short of impressive. If you're looking for someone who can do a lot more than just art, then I highly recommend Chris. He's a valuable asset to any company looking for competent technical artists."
Kiel Figgins, Animator
TKO-Software "Truly committed to producing the up most quality of work, no matter the timeframe or limitation. He's extremely knowledgeable in technical fields, combined with a keen artistic eye for timing, weight, composition and pose. Chris is more then willing to share his knowledge and experience and is able to provide clear feedback understandable to other teams: Art, Design, Programming, and Management."
Adam Schuman, Lead Character Artist
TKO-Software "-Made possible the switch from 3DS Max to Maya for the entire art team, with easy to use interfaces, and tools we were acostumed to using that Maya did not have. -Great rigs, exceptional binds, top animator I have ever worked with. -Jack of all trades, not just with software but with people, extreme patience in dealing with people, from seasoned vets to industry newbs"

Senior
Animator /
MEL
Programmer
Sept. 01 -
Nov. 03

Atari - Paradigm Entertainment, Irving TX

Terminator: Dawn of Fate | Xbox, PS2
Mission Impossible: Opperation Surma | Xbox, PS2

Development of an automated production pipeline, creation of an asset tracking/scheduling database, employee lectures on tools and techniques of animation, testing and support of core animation technologies, batch scripting large quantities of animation assets, interviewing and recruiting, in-game character keyframing, mocap cleaning/shooting, production tools for level artists.

Recommendations:

Mark Morgan, Senior Artist
Pardigm Entertainment "Chris is smart as a whip and is always seeking means to cut implementation time and ease workloads. As lazy as I am, that's a good thing! While not an animator myself, he still found my good favor during my time as an office mate by helping me in the field of Mel Scripting and thereby placating my pains and woes over using Maya."

CG Artist
(Level 2)
June 00 -
July 01

Retro Studios, Austin TX

Raven Blade | Nintendo GameCube (unreleased)

Mocap studio setup, capturing, actor marking, data cleanup and Filmbox delivery
Keyframe and mocap animation, looping, motion blending and facial R&D
Level optimization, rebuilding geometry, UV sharing and texture optimization
Automation of various animation, texturing and workflow tools through MEL Scripting

Recommendations:

Daven Coburn, Computer Graphics Artist
Retro Studios "I had the pleasure to work with Chris in Texas at Retro Studios. He was very hard working, eager to learn new things and very personable. I hold Chris in the highest regards and would have no problems recommending him for any position he applies for. In fact it would be my pleasure to work with Chris in the future."
Crispin Broadhurst, Motion Capture Director
Retro Studios "Chris is one sharp dude, very expert in MEL scripting and Maya in general. Great with technical problems and puzzles, a big plus having him on the team."

Education

RSAD
1996 - 2000

Ringling School of Art and Design, Sarasota FL

BFA in Computer Animation, Minor in Photography

HACC
1995 - 1996

Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg PA

General Studies in art with a focus on transferring to RSAD

Dean's List

Fall 95 through Spring 98. National Deans List Fall 99 through Spring 2000.

Resume

Christopher S. Adams: Technical Animator