5 Minutes With…Eamonn Butler
What I do…
As Head of Animation, a job usually starts with bidding animation work based on a supplied script and artwork. I then meet with the show supervisor to get the brief and proceed to staff the show with animators. Working with our in-house producer, we start to tackle the shots. I cast and approve each shot to show the VFX Supervisor/Director. I help the animators to stay on schedule and meet the brief. At a global level, I am involved in reviewing animation reels, interviewing, hiring and training animators for all shows across multiple locations.
I am actively looking for animation driven projects for Cinesite. We have a slate of Feature Animated films going into production in our Montreal facility which allows us to plan well into the future. Our first Animated Feature is nearing completion and we are excited about it. Our future is very animated!
Where am I?
I am based in the London Office but I travel to the Montreal studio frequently. We have a fantastic studio in Montreal and we are growing a great team of artists and technicians.
About the team…
We have been extremely fortunate to have Alex Parkinson and Jason Ryan join us to build the team and the pipeline for our Feature Division. Both Alex and Jason bring a wealth of FeatureAnimation experience. We have established an apprenticeship programme for young animators and we are actively recruiting talent from all over the world.
What inspires me…
Each project presents us with different creative and technical challenges. Whether its animating characters, dragons, battling armies or CG stuntmen, we adjust and mould ourselves to delivering great performances each and every time. We also need to stay on top of technological developments in Animation. I enjoy putting teams of really talented artists together and watching them tackle the challenge of creating a performance.
My favourite part of the job…
My favourite part of the job is when I get to watch the movies we have worked on with an audience. Its a treat to see them enjoy the work done by so many of our talented artists.
Eamonn originally studied as a traditional animator, gaining a wealth of international experience and major credits in TV effects, feature animation and visual effects.
As a director of Cinesite and a founder of the animated features side of the business, Eamonn directs all aspects of the company’s animation output.
