Three Alumni Pushing the Limits of Animation and Projection Mapping
A media company created by three UCF alumni is gaining distinction for their work with recent showings in the Art & Algorithms Digital Arts Festival, the Kennedy Space Center and the Orlando Science Center.
Joe Rosa, ’11, Heather Knott, ’11, and Chris Brown, ’11, started Ninjaneer Studios LLC in September, 2010. The company specializes in 3-D animation and projection mapping content, encompassing all stages of the design process, from projection conception to final product.
Rosa advises current digital media students to: “See how far you can push yourself, and learn where your breaking point is. I think people would be surprised at how much they can take on. Phil Peters’ class alone was perhaps the most mentally intensive class I have ever taken. It was incredibly draining at the start, but I gradually learned how to compartmentalize, and it gave me a better work ethic now because of that experience. I attribute half of my gray hair to him!”
Knott’s advice is to: “Be proactive with your education. There’s only so much you can be taught in a classroom, so if you’re truly dedicated to this path, learn everything you can. I’m five years out of college, and I still make it a point to try to learn something new every day.
And, Brown says, “Google everything. Never be satisfied with what you know how to do already, or what you know a program is capable of automatically. Sooner or later, you’ll have to do something out of the box, and the more you understand in depth, the more ammunition you will have to throw at the problem.”
For more information about Ninjaneer Studios, navigate to their website.
You can read more of the interview with the alumni at UCF Today.