Animation Guild

Spring 2022

Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine

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10 KEYFRAME A PASSION FOR PICTURE BOOKS As a kid Benson Shum loved drawing so much that his enthusiasm sometimes spilled off the paper and onto the walls of his childhood home in Vancouver, BC, much to his parents' dismay. He grew up watching plenty of cartoons, and after seeing a behind-the-scenes show about animation, it dawned on him that people were actually responsible for making them. It became his dream to be one of those creators. After high school, he applied to Capilano University's 2D animation program but didn't get in. Undeterred, he spent a year working odd jobs while he focused on his drawing skills and improving his portfolio. His second attempt was successful, and he bonded with fellow students who'd experienced similar rejection. As a result, "I think we really pushed ourselves a lot harder," says Shum. He worked locally for a couple years after graduating and then attended Sheridan College in Ontario to learn 3D animation. He alternated between working in 2D and 3D, and when he attended CTN animation F R A M E X F R A M E BENSON SHUM'S LOVE OF DRAWING LED HIM TO PURSUE TWO CREATIVE CAREERS AS BOTH AN ANIMATOR AND CHILDREN'S BOOK ILLUSTRATOR. above: Finding beauty in small things sets Anzu apart in Anzu the Great Kaiju. opposite page: The covers of Shum's most recent books display his varied style, and (bottom) an interior page shows the influence of his animation skills on his illustrations.

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