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Rising Stars
Vanessa Esteves Creator/Showrunner/Exec Producer, Super Wish, Nelvana Age: 41 Birthplace: Toronto School: Humber College (Film & TV Production) Favorite shows & movies growing up: I was a huge fan of the three coolest females in animation in the ‘80s: Jem, She-Ra and Rainbow Brite. Fave movies: The Neverending Story and Return of the Jedi. Animation heroes: Jennifer Lee and Lauren Faust. First animation job: I was the design coordinator on Cyberchase. What I love about my job: I love that I get to use my imagination in all aspects of my day. As a kid, my teachers would tell me to stop daydreaming and pay attention, and now I daydream for a living. Biggest challenge: For the past two years, my
biggest challenge has been finding ways to connect creatively in a virtual environment. As we continue to create and produce content remotely, each new stage of development or production brings with it the question of, “Well, how do we accomplish this virtually?” This challenge has forced us to think outside the box and get even more creative in our solutions. Best career advice: Regardless of your age, never stop answering the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Future plans: I will continue to co-showrun Super Wish as we prepare for the premiere and to share it with audiences, and I am working on some additional exciting projects alongside the talented teams at Nelvana. I also wrote a short film that is currently in development, and I will continue to create and develop series pitches with my creative partner.
Dale Malinowski Co-Executive Producer, Transformers: EarthSpark, Nickelodeon Age: 36 Birthplace: Raised in Reading, Pennsylvania School: Temple University, 2007 First time I knew I wanted to work in animation: I loved animation and comics from a very young age. I would trace comic-book covers and interior splash pages, I would draw characters I loved from the shows I was obsessed with, and I would staple together drawings of original characters I created to assemble their stories in DIY comic books. I knew I wanted to be a storyteller as a kid but I didn’t know how to convert my fantasy into a career. That path came into focus at school, so I put in the work and followed opportunities that led me to animation. Luck and timing played a role in my journey, too! First animation job: Assistant to three current series executives at Nickelodeon. I didn’t know what ‘current series’ was before the interview, and I showed up sporting a black eye from a freak softball collision — not a good look walking into a children’s entertainment company. Still, those three executives took a chance and hired me. They were phenomenal bosses and mentors who taught me everything about animation production. I was vocal about my passion for writing and they encouraged me to pursue it. After a few years (and many failed interviews), I landed a job as a script coordinator and finally made it into a writer’s room. That was on Andy Suriano and Ant Ward’s Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and it was a dream come true. Fave animated shows growing up: My favorite animated shows were the ones whose characters lived in my toy chest: TMNT, The Real
Ghostbusters, Batman, X-Men, and Transformers, to name a few. What I love about my job: I love writing for these characters. The Transformers are beloved, and contributing to their legacy is a privilege. I smile every time Final Draft auto-fills ‘Optimus Prime’ in the character field. I also love storyboard launch meetings. That’s the production milestone where written material begins its transition into a visual language. Discussions about character, intent, and how to communicate “what it’s about” are always enlightening because so many of my co-workers are masters of their craft. Challenges: The job has many challenges, but they’re relative. We spend our days (and nights and weekends!) making animation for a kid audience, so maintaining perspective makes even the toughest moments feel surmountable. Animation idols: I admire everyone I’m working with right now. Many crew members are the most talented people I’ve never met! Someday, we will all gather and be merry — I will probably cry. Best career advice: You are more important than your work. Take care of yourself and ask for help when you need it.
www.animationmagazine.net 36
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april 22
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