Member Spotlight
Brooke Keesling
We started our conversation with Brooke Keesling interviewing me. Although I thought I was conducting the interview I never miss a chance to talk about myself, so I indulged. This first encounter is evidence of Brooke’s true passion to meet new artists, perfectly fitting into her position as Head of Animation Talent Development at Bento Box Entertainment.
Jacqueline Gault
Jacqueline Gault, who previously sported magenta locks, adorned a full head of platinum hair - a color we both currently share. Those who wear a crown of multi-colored hair rule creative lives, and that is undeniably true with Mrs. Gault.
Shabrayia Cleaver
Throughout many of our favorite animated films, both classic and new, we often enjoy a story centered around a theme involving a young hero or heroine. They embark on an adventure due to a push by fate, or a destiny that incessantly pulls the main character to discover more about themselves and the world around them.
Kevin Fintland
This week I sat down with Kevin Fintland, a longtime member of The Creators Society, to discuss his story of working in the animation industry. As anyone who knows him can attest, Kevin does not hold back on his stories, which detail a fascinating account of a California Native, who set off on a long and mainly-earnest journey to pursue his dream career.
Valeria Zunzun
This week we are highlighting actress, voice actress, voice director and producer Valeria Zunzun.
Valeria has been directing and voicing animation for about 15 years.
Valeria began directing children’s theatre in Cuba after obtaining her master’s degree in art and literature. Her voice over career began after she started directing her own radio show in France.
Victoria Maxwell
This week we would like to continue Women’s History Month, by shining a spotlight on Victoria Maxwell, an Executive Assistant, and aspiring Creative Executive currently seeking work in development or production support. A long-running Creators Society member, Victoria graduated with a degree in Cinema Production from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Claire Dodin
When reading any self help book or digging for advice on how to advance one’s career we always hear the same sort of advice: “Find the path to make your dreams happen for you. Focus on the solutions. Don’t focus on the obstacles.” A person that embodies that advice is the focus of this Member Spotlight, Claire Dodin, Chief of The Creators Society Voice Actors Branch.
Grant Moran
The subject of this week’s Member Spotlight is Emmy Award winning writer/producer Grant Moran. Known for his work on shows such as Jimmy Neutron, WordGirl, and Guardians of the Galaxy, Grant attended Dartmouth College and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and worked as a director and dramaturg in professional theater for ten years before making his way into television.
Max Alley
It was a chilly Sunday night of the last NFL playoff game. Max and I had not watched the game at all and we immediately bonded over that inexperience. When there isn’t a pandemic, Max is more of a baseball guy, Red Sox, to be specific. He’s from Rhode Island, the smallest state in the union but mighty in it’s green and coastal beauty.
Michael Ajayi
Growing up, art wasn't all that important to Michael Ajayi, who now works as a freelance Storyboard Artist and Visual Development Artist in the Los Angeles animation industry. As a kid, art was just a fun hobby—something for him to do. "When you're that young, not everyone is supposed to know what you're going to be doing for the rest of your life," he says. Little did young Ajayi know, he was a diamond in the rough with a rare artistic talent that would soon be pressurized into a fierce passion for drawing and animation.
Deborah Anderson
Our conversation started early enough for the morning fog to linger in the Los Angeles sky, Deborah Anderson to mentally prepare to teach her class, and my cats to beg for playtime. With our minds fresh, we engaged in a rich virtual conversation, and Deborah really woke me up when she divulged the many places she’s lived, worked and thrived. Spoiler alert: Detroit, Rochester, Seoul, New Orleans and finally Los Angeles.
Michael Shawn Lewis
The Creators Society’s Member Spotlight this week focuses on Michael Shawn Lewis. Michael, who has worked as director, writer, and producer on hit shows Splash and Bubbles and Word Party, was born in LA, raised in the mountains of Tennessee, and went to college in Florida (his father worked for McDonnell Douglas at the NASA space center), where he got his Bachelor’s in Music, before getting a Master’s degree from the New England Conservatory.