3D Animation

Mark Thompson
Program Director

Mark Thompson is an Art Director with 14 years of experience as a digital artist preceded by 14 years in electrical engineering. After graduating in 1982 with a BSEE from the University of Illinois, Mark started his career in computer vision research at Manan Manufacturing where he designed and built high-speed visual inspection systems. He then went to RCA where he worked with the Princeton R&D Labs to develop autonomous robotic systems that were guided through computer vision. Mark moved into 3D graphics as a systems architect, designing high-end 3D graphics rendering engines, including designing and developing the single chip graphics engine for the F22 Raptor at Lockheed/Sanders.

Mark founded and successfully ran three different visual effects studios. As an independent digital artist and animation consultant, he provided services for projects such as Robocop, The Series. He then co-founded Fusion Films, a full-service digital production facility, and The Big Machines Studios, a 3D animation and visual effects company with clients in film, broadcast, game and new media. His work continues to be broadcast both nationally and abroad.

Throughout his career, Mark has been a teacher, mentor and motivator to his staff and other aspiring artists. He has served as business, art and technical consultant on various startup ventures, and has published dozens of articles and videos on 3D animation and visual effects.

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Howard Kaplan
Program Director

Howard Kaplan has 10 years of experience in digital arts and animation and has been teaching computer graphics for over five years. He has worked as Lead Animator and Art Director on numerous animated movies, websites and commercials and was a freelance Technical Artist for Wacky World Studios’ animated film, The Roach Approach. Most recently, Howard has worked with the MA State Police Department on 3D models. He also often utilizes his fine art skills, having illustrated the children’s book, The Boy Without a Throne.

Howard is a member of IGDA-International Game Developers Association and AMC Siggraph. His work has been featured at The Siggraph Conference, Animation Theater, Layers Magazine, Boston Herald, Fox News and in the Sarasota Herald Tribune. He is a graduate of the Ringling School of Art & Design, where he earned his BFA in Computer Animation and later returned as an Instructor. Howard co-owns a production company where he brings 3D characters to life.

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Associate Director:
Blake Metzler

Blake specializes in Maya technology and 3D animation, and has a strong background in image manipulation. While in the undergraduate cinema program at Binghamton University, he learned the art of filmmaking and composition from Ken Jacobs and Vincent Grenier. He has been a director, producer, actor, writer and editor, working on the campus cult Professor trilogy, Marc Dworkin’s Armageddon for Andy and The Collector.

Blake was lead animator on various animation projects including S.A.M V5.0, Virtual Horoscope, The Highlighter and Episode 604: The Final Project, for which he received the prestigious EVVY award for Best 3D animation in 2004. He has also created several animations, including pieces for the Thoreau Society’s educational film Life Without Principle, Ken Niblock’s feature Let’s Jack Jimmy and many others. Blake received his MA in New Media Production at Emerson College with a focus in 3D animation.

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Peter Anderson

Peter is a character artist with Turbine Entertainment in Westwood, MA, working on the critically acclaimed massive multiplayer online video game, Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. Prior to Turbine, Peter worked as a freelance contract artist for Electronic Arts, Sony Interactive and Vivendi Universal on such titles as Bulletproof, Everquest II and From Russia with Love.

Prior to the gaming industry, Peter worked as a 3D generalist and illustrator for the Program Simulation Training and Instrumentation Command of the US Army in Orlando, FL. His illustration work has been published in newspapers such as The Boston Globe, The Miami Herald and The Chicago Tribune. Peter holds two degrees: a BFA in Illustration from the Ringling School of Art and Design and an AS in Digital Animation and Visual Effects from the Digital Animation and Visual Effects School.

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Andrew Britton

Andrew is an accomplished computer graphics educator. Prior to joining CDIA, Andrew was a graduate Maya instructor at The DAVE School in Orlando, FL, where he taught Maya and Photoshop and also published Advanced Photoshop Texturing, a Photoshop tutorial DVD, through KURV Studios LLC.

Before joining the DAVE team, Andrew worked as a 2D and 3D artist for EA Sports, working on various NASCAR Thunder and NCAA Football titles. He keeps up-to-date with his craft and art by running a personal business specializing in fine art travel photography and contract graphic work. His ventures have included game art development for an independent studio, private instruction and graphic design. Andrew has been certified by Alias to be a Maya instructor.

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Peter Eastwood

Peter has refined his skills as a multimedia production artist over the past eight years, working both for American Power Conversion (APC) and as a freelance 3D artist. Beginning his professional career in film editing and audio production, he moved quickly to 3D Industrial Modeling, prototyping and creating interactive videos and web-based tours from engineering schematics at APC. From product demonstrations and inter-active tours, to simulations, page layout and package design, Peter was responsible for introducing and maintaining the entire 3D asset library for APC. He was also their chief technology director and internal Maya instructor, training the creative services staff in 3D content creation. Using Maya, After Effects, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro and Pro Tools, Peter has created animations for video presentations, corporate videos, movie theater ads, online product tours and product renderings for magazine ads and retail packaging.

Peter works on a freelance basis with APC and numerous production houses, including Sonalysts, Johnny Animation and Three-Headed Monster, working on TV commercials and online animations. He has an AS in Information Technology from the New England Institute of Technology and majored in English and Communications at the University of Rhode Island.

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Brian Rooney

Brian is a 3D animation instructor with a concentration in Maya software. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Design from the University of Advancing Technology. He has 10 years of experience in 3D, working for various 3D firms and consulting companies. He was previously a Senior Digital Artist at an architectural firm where he oversaw the development, design and completion of all 3D renderings and animation.

In 2006, his rendering of a suburban development was featured on the cover of Builder Architect magazine for the unique utilization of photorealistic rendering and animation. Brian developed a fresh and innovative approach to 3D rendering, including incorporating the use of green screen technologies and other film techniques into his productions. In his spare time, Brian ventures into freelance projects involving 3D, website development, interior design visualization and architectural animations.

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Harry Teasley

Harry is an artist and game designer who has been developing games professionally for over 17 years. A graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, he had never touched a computer before getting a job at MicroProse Software working on the original Civilization by Sid Meier. Working with Meier and other game design gurus at MPS Harry quickly became addicted to games, game design and the issues of problem solving in both creating and playing games.

From the strategy of Civ and the adventure of Pirates! Gold, to first-person shooters like Half-Life and Counterstrike, Harry’s involvement in the game industry has been wide ranging. Currently Art Director at Turbine for the MMO Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, he is most interested in exploring the limits of design as it relates to player perception, social networks and user interface interaction.

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