RICARDO TOBON

ricardotobon.com     contact@ricardotobon.com

 

 


EXPERIENCE

 

February 2011  – Current

Lead Technical Animator & Motion Capture Specialist

Sony Computer Entertainment America, San Diego, California

 

á       Solve from live action performers to CGI Characters to the outmost level of quality.

á       Help establish workflows for the team that allow for maximum fidelity of the motions in the CGI creatures.

á       Help refine the motion capture animation pipeline for the studio.

á       Set and monitor the level of quality of technical animation for the team.

 

Games: Uncharted Golden Abyss (Lead), Resistance Burning Skies (Lead), Uncharted 3 DrakeÕs Deception (Technical Animator), The Last of Us (Technical Animator), Infamous 2 Festival of Blood (Technical Animator), Dust 514 (Technical Animator).

 

Films: Men In Black 3 (Motion Capture Specialist), The Amazing Spiderman (Motion Capture Specialist).

 

 

February 2007  – Current

Motion Capture Club Chair

MocapClub.com, Orlando, Florida

 

á       Generate awareness about the art and technology of motion capture.

á       Share Techniques commonly used in the mocap industry.

á       Help upcoming artists showcase their talents.

á       Facilitate the growth of the motion capture community.

 

 

September 2005 – February 2011

Course Director for Motion Capture and Software Technology

Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida

 

á       Design the Motion Capture and Software Technology courses.

á       Lecture in the Motion Capture and Software Technology courses.

á       Participate in committees to revise the relevance of the Computer Animation Program courses and suggest new ideas and directions for the University.

 

 

December 2008 – June 2009

Author

Foris Force, Orlando, Florida

 

á       Wrote ÒThe Mocap Book: A Practical Guide to the Art of Motion CaptureÓ. The book is currently used as the main textbook for the motion capture course at Full Sail University.

 

 

January March –2009

Motion Capture Consultant

F.I.R.E., Orlando, Florida

 

á       Advised on feasibility of motion capture usage for TV-DVD pilot.

á       Designed a motion capture / animation pipeline.

á       Conducted motion capture tests.

 

 

June 2004 – September 2005

Associate Course Director for Character Rigging

Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida

 

á       Lectured in the Character Rigging course.

á       Helped develop the course so it kept up with industry standards.

 

 

November 2002 – February 2011

Freelance CG Artist

Various clients – Various locations  

 

á       Created animations for clients that include The Pixel Factory (Wizarding World of Harry Potter), Sovereign Bank and Mark MacKenna (Banana Tail).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EDUCATION

 

July, 2002 –

May 2004

Master of Fine Arts in Computer Art

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Savannah, Georgia

 

3D Animation Track.

 

 

July, 2001

 

Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Journalism

Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB), Medellin, Colombia

 

Major in Film and Television.

 

 

 

PROJECTS PRESENTATIONS AND AWARDS

 

June 2010

ÒRock TrooperÓ (3 min 23 sec. motion capture)

Writer, Director

 

á       Animation selected as a finalist for Atom FilmÕs 2010 Star Wars Fan Film challenge.

á       Animation broadcasted on Spike TV leading the Star Wars movie block.

 

 

February 2010

ÒMotion Capture and AnimationÓ (2010 Savannah International Animation Festival)

Lecturer

 

á       Lectured on the convergence of motion capture and traditional animation techniques and their importance in next-gen media.

 

 

February 2010

ÒHoly ShotÓ (2 min 27 sec. motion capture)

Writer, Director

 

á       Animation chosen as an official selection in competition for the 2010 Savannah International Animation Festival, the 2010 Boston Latino International Film Festival and the 2011 San Diego Latino Film Festival.

 

 

November 2008 – February 2009

ÒFlight of IcarusÓ (1 min 32 sec. live action / vfx)

Writer, Director

 

á       Award winning project for CG SocietyÕs Steampunk Myths And Legends Challenge.

á       Official selection Phantasmagoria Online SteamPunk Short Film Festival.

 

 

January 2008

ÒLive Mocap at Northumberland RisingÓ (Northumberland, United Kingdom)

Lecturer

 

á       Participated as a leader for the creative labs for the Norhumberland Rising project.

á       Hosted a live-remote motion capture session for the event.

á       Created collaborative motion capture / live music performance piece with world-renowned composers Nitin Sawhney and Sandra Kerr.

 

 

December 2007

ÒThe World of MocapÓ (Digital Medial Alliance of Florida 5th Anniversary Panel)

Panelist

 

á       Participated as a panelist discussing the past, present and future of motion capture with artists from Sony Pictures Imageworks, Electronic Arts and Motion Analysis.

á       Created and supervised a live motion capture demonstration to illustrate the art and technique of motion capture to attendees of the event.

 

 

 

SKILLS      Animation, Motion Editing, Rigging.

Software:

Maya, Motion Builder, Cortex, Blade, Softimage, Endorphin, 3D Max.

Languages:

Fluent in English and Spanish