During
the spring of 1997, in a disgustingly hot and muggy hellhole of
a town, there lived an overly caffeinated college student named
Adam York. The place, was Sarasota, Florida, the college,
was the Ringling School of Art and Design. Adam was majoring in
Illustration and was only three weeks away from graduation. He
had quit his job (waiting tables at a local cesspool), crashed
his car (it wasn't his fault), and had been seemingly blacklisted
from the Illustration Department (He swears that wasn't his fault
either). "The only thing on my mind," Adam says, "was finding
a job in Animation. It was either that or go back to the thankless
profession of male prostitution."
Well,
as luck would have it, Dreamworks Animation called him to take
a job in Los Angeles three days after graduation. Adam had gone
from living in Sarasota, drinking Surge flavored Slurpees, lounging
around in his oversized Mickey Mouse slippers, and watching "Saved
by the Bell" reruns, to doing the exact same thing, only in Los
Angeles California. "I went through a six month training program
at Dreamworks," York recalls. "There were about fifteen people
in our group. I was the only one from out-of-state, and I had
relatively no clue what to do. I was being trained to work on
Dreamworks' upcoming feature, The Prince of Egypt, however,
this was strictly a trial basis. If I didn't cut it, they'd send
me home."
As
luck would have it, Adam did not get sent home. He was put on
the Older Rameses character, and given the incredibly prestigious
title of "Inbetweener." "Being an inbetweener in the Animation
Industry is like being used for DVDA in adult film," York says.
He was kept on staff at Dreamworks for their next movie, The
Road to El Dorado. Adam was put on the Miguel character and
given the title of Breakdown Artist, "basically a glorified Inbetweener."
"Not many people saw this movie, but it was probably the most
fun I've had on a traditionally animated film."
The
next stage in Adam's career led him to take a job at Disney Feature
Animation working on a film called Atlantis. "Although
I worked on a few characters in Atlantis," York says, "My officially
credited character in the film was named Mrs... Packard. I was
on a small team, with a character that didn't have much footage,
consequently, I got a little bored with what I was doing." Adam
reached, what was to become a turning point in his career, he
started playing around with 3D software. "After every movie, in
Traditional Animation, you get laid off until the company needs
you again." Adam says. "I figured that was the way things were
in this business, it's good to keep your options open, and be
adaptable. Not to mention, that after three and a half years of
virtually the same job, I started feeling complacent in my career."
He then went back to Dreamworks Animation, to work with his previous
boss Kay Sales, on the Eagle character, on a movie called Spirit:
Stallion of the Cimarron. He was happier being back at Dreamworks,
but the job was so temporary, that he decided he would try and
switch to computer animation. York says."When my old computer
genius friends from college called and said they needed a full-time
animator, for their newly created company, I figured, that this
was my opportunity."
NewKat
Studios, an independent computer animation and effects house,
hired Adam as a Supervising Animator in spring of 2001. The studio
was started by Yiotis Katsambas (Dreamworks Animation) and Brian
Newlin (Crystal Dynamics), both graduates of the Ringling School
of Art and Design. Yiotis and Brian have assembled a crack squad
of creative animators and designers from an assortment of major
companies. "I think people feel stuck in a rut when they are at
a huge company for a prolonged amount of time," Adam says. "Artists
just want to feel needed and creative. Since I've been with NewKat,
I've learned an insane amount of computer stuff, and worked on
a variety of projects." "Everyday is a different task--it's actually
very fun!"
Adam's
thoughts on production:
I think the one thing that bothers me the most, is also the one
thing that they didn't tell you when you were 6 years old and
telling everybody "I want to be an Animator when I grow up." That
is, that after a project is over, you get laid off. I know this
is probably everyone's big beef with production, but I just hate
the fact that nobody told me. So, I'm telling you, if you get
a job in animation, no matter how hard you work, or how much they
appreciate you, they will let you go. They may hire you back later,
they may not.
After
a while it becomes old hat. You anticipate it, and roll with it
when it happens. Try and stay adaptable and marketable. Save a
lot, and appreciate the work when you have it. By the way, I am
telling you this because it's true, and because it sounds wise...but
I don't exactly practice what I'm preaching, I mean, come on,
I can't save money, I'm twenty-five, I'm in debt, I'm only human.
Good luck out there!
