Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1153535
FALL 2019 35 ROBERT ST. PIERRE Robert St. Pierre believes skill can take an animator only so far. Of equal importance is professionalism and the thoroughness of one's work. St. Pierre developed this holistic approach during his years as a layout artist, production designer, and visual development and conceptual design artist, not just in the United States but throughout Europe. His philosophy is essential to his secondary occupation as an Associate Professor at the California State University Northridge Department of Art. It is also why he encourages industry professionals to enter the classroom. "They embody the experience and the practical application that, to one degree or another, every student lacks," he says. "As my teaching evolves, I find it necessary to integrate more than just strong drawing and design principles into my assignments, but to weave industry experience into my teaching objectives as well." That industry experience ranges from Disney to Warner Bros., and while it provides a strong foundation for his lessons, St. Pierre appreciates the reciprocal aspects of teaching. "It requires us to transcend our intuition and articulate our intention in a way that hopefully has a maximum impact on a class. With each semester come new students who ask the most unexpected questions, which challenge us and our ability to problem solve. Teaching has expanded the way I think by forcing me to analyze problems from different perspectives." Whether working on a film in Paris or teaching a class in Los Angeles, St. Pierre expresses a great appreciation for the ways in which the animation industry has nurtured his career. He pays it back by paying it forward. Or in his own words: "One of the most important roles that a teacher serves is helping assist and guide students in charting the most effective path in achieving their personal career goals. Sharing oneself, in a teaching capacity, passes a torch, setting a precedent that mentees are inclined to follow, emulating the spirit of sharing information with future generations." OZGUR USTUNDAG Ozgur Ustundag's longstanding career as a lead lighting artist at DreamWorks Animation includes How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, and he's been privileged to work alongside legendary cinematographers and directors such as Roger Deakins and Guillermo Del Toro. While it would seem that this experience alone is enough to substantiate Ustundag's teaching cred at ArtCenter's Entertainment Design department, it serves as a backdrop for the artistic spirit that drives his approach to instruction. "I can't describe how amazing of a feeling it is for me to work and interact with young creative minds at an educational institution where art is always in the air and imbued in every little part of it," he says. Ustundag adds that he's always been involved in education, whether mentoring new hires for a studio or teaching students directly in a classroom. For the latter, "every week we break down, observe and talk about 'inspirational images' that I ask the students to bring in. Anything from movies, games, paintings, photographs—simply images that we love the use of lighting in. My ultimate goal is to teach lighting as a way of expressing an emotion or mood, a tool for storytelling regardless of the software environment," he says. "Seeing and talking about beautiful cinematic lighting in those images, how and why it might be achieved, is eye- opening for the students and also quite the inspirational experience for me." Ustundag also enjoys the thought of how his students might one day become collaborators. "Better trained artists make better colleagues and team players from day one, further contributing towards the success of the production teams along the way," he says. "I envision my students as prospective colleagues and that we could all be working together on the same team sometime." "Teaching has expanded the way I think by forcing me to analyze problems from different perspectives." "I envision my students as prospective colleagues and that we could all be working together on the same team sometime." Photo by Todd A. sharp