Independent -- Vancouver, BC
pauljohngriffin@gmail.com
US
pauljohngriffin.weebly.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgriffin/
http://www.animationinsider.com/?s=Paul+Griffin https://thehrartist.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/position-of-the-month-–-animator-–-conversations-with-artists/ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/afm-double-dutch-does-animated-747098 http://www.nyit.edu/box/profiles/paul_griffin
Paul Griffin
Yes. It's true. My face is mostly made out of rubber.
It's been put to good use on many occasions acting out scenes with animators, telling crazy stories and used as a lip-sync reference for dozens of animated characters. Surprisingly, clients and studios pay real money for this and it's really hard to believe I get to make a living at what seems like having a lot of fun, telling stories.
Joy is one of the fundamentals necessary to creating great work. I find if a crew are and I are enjoying what we do, it contributes to telling a better story.
For me, this joy all started a long time ago with a love for drawing which led to The Classical Cartoon Animation Programme at Sheridan College, then a scholarship to The New York Institute of Technology - Computer Graphics Laboratory (CGL). Little did we know at the time but ‘the lab’ would become the launchpad for both Pixar and Lucas Digital. After getting a Bachelor’s of Science degree I returned to Toronto and joined the crew of folks at Sythavision (Tron) to work on various design and commercial projects and eventually The Fly for David Cronenberg, my first feature film. Working with various studios in Toronto I got to direct the first computer animated characters for syndicated television as well as do broadcast graphics and commercial work.
In 1994 we moved to Marin County, California and I joined Industrial Light + Magic first working on Casper for Steven Spielberg and then moving into the ILM CG Commercials group. Leading a very talented team, we were able to complete high-end commercials including several that aired during the Superbowl for successive years. Eventually, I was asked to join the ILM features division as part of the Senior Creative Group that incorporated the Visual Effects Supervisors and Animation Directors, leading to working on films such as Jack Frost and Magnolia (involving a plague of raining frogs). This also opened up the chance to start directing projects for George Lucas such as Star Wars: Phantom Menace Extended Scenes, adding more to the Star Wars story for the DVD project, as well as Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, the in game cinematic story of a major AAA game release for Lucasarts. Both Star Wars projects involved ground up scene creation from the story right through to delivered footage.
After 10 years at ILM it was time to move on, so when I was invited to Weta Digital, my family sold our home and many of our belongings to relocate to New Zealand and work on Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. When the film wrapped with an exciting 11 wins at the Academy Awards and an amazing country wide party to celebrate, I was asked to stay to help Peter Jackson do development on King Kong. A very exciting time since Peter was entirely open to storytelling suggestions and I was able to contribute to several sequences, especially getting to design many shots in the final NY sequence. I remember pitching Peter, “Kong has died. Every thing has slowed down as if we’ve gone into a dream. The slow motion biplanes coming into frame are like angels of death, coming to collect Kong’s soul”. He put it into the movie verbatim.
Since Weta, I’ve done some more more films, Fantastic Four, Zathura, Pan’s Labyrinth, District Nine… I’ve had the chance to direct some animated series, Viva Pinãta (Fox), The Lebrons(Lebron James) and work on animation from some popular fantasy/sci-fi shows for television, Once Upon a Time (ABC), The X-Files (FOX), Legends of Tomorrow (DC) and Stargirl (CW/DC), amongst others.
I’ve had a chance to meet and work with so many great folks who have been generous with their time and experience. Heroes: I’ve worked with Betty Boop and Popeye animators, been lucky to meet some of Disney’s Nine Old Men, had dinner with both Chuck Jones and Ray Harryhausen and their wives, met Brad Bird and design legend, Syd Mead. I’ve also been able to work with some of the best film directors of our time and learn from them which has really made me better aware of story. I was involved in forming and leading The Independent Story Group at Industrial Light + Magic as well as developing story and vfx for the ending of LOVE, an indie film for Tom Delonge [Blink-182, Angels&Airwaves]. Some of my favourite words from clients have always been, “do you have any ideas here?” I am continuing to seek opportunities in telling great stories, both for clients as well as developing my own. Maybe we’ll have a chance to work together.
Production stories? I got ‘em and am happy to share a tale or two over a cup of coffee. Feel free to check out my credits, job experience and references, but just so you know...
My best achievement is being married to my fabulous wife Laurie and having three amazing kids, Kristen, Brad and Tiffany. I’m enormously proud of my family.
And although my kids are grown up now, animation and storytelling still puts me in touch with a precocious, curious kid, who loves to act up every day.
That’d be me.
Work Experience
•director•Director - The Lebrons: Season 3 2014 Series Director - Viva Pinata (FOX TV) - Bardel Entertainment 2007
Director - Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Industrial Light + Magic 2001
Director - Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - Extended Scenes 2000
•animation director / supervisor•
Animation Supervisor / Head of Department, Zoic Studios 2016-2020 Animation Director Dhoom 3 - Counterpunch Studios 2013
Animation Supervisor- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Image Metrics 2007-2008
Animation Director - Fantastic Four, Zathura, Pan’s Labyrinth... - CafeFX 2005 Animation Director - Jack Frost, Magnolia Industrial Light + Magic 1996-2003
Animation Director at Arcca Animation - Captain Power and the Solders of the Future 1986
•creative producer•
Creative Producer (pre-production) - The Monkey King - Movieplus Canada 2016
Animation Consultant - District 9 - Image Engine 2009
Executive Producer - The Vortex - Feature Film Development 2009
Creative Producer - Viva Pinata (FOX TV) - 54 Episodes - Bardel Entertainment 2007
visual effects supervisor
Visual Effects Supervisor (pre-production) - The Lady and The Panda - Movieplus Canada 2016
VFX Supervisor / Animation Director - LOVE - feature film - Griffin Interplanetary Studios 2010 VFX Supervisor / Animation Director - Griffin Interplanetary Studios 2008-Present
•animation | project lead•
Animation Lead - Happy Feet Two - Dr D Studios 2011
Senior Animator King Kong, Lord of the Rings - Weta Digital 2006
Animator at NYIT Computer Graphics Laboratory 1984
•commercials / design•
Senior Animator / Generalist at Dome Productions - broadcast design and commercials 1992-1994
Senior Animator / Generalist at Topix - animated commercials 1991
Senior Animator & Designer at Synthavision - The Fly, Robot Rebellion (VG) 1985
Film Credits
•s e r i e s t e l e v i s i o n•Zoic Studios
2020 space force (3 episodes) - animation supervisor
2020 home before dark (1 episode ) - animation supervisor
2020 stargirl (4 episodes ) - animation supervisor
2020 resident alien (series pilot) - animation supervisor
2018-2020 dc’s legends of tomorrow (28 episodes) - animation supervisor
2019 amazing stories (2 episodes) - animation supervisor
2017-2020 futureman (5 episodes) - animation supervisor
2018-2020 chilling adventures of sabrina (22 episodes) - animation supervisor
2019 charmed (4 episodes) - animation supervisor
2019 wu-tang clan: an american saga (1 episode) - animation supervisor
2019 the twilight zone (2 episodes) - animation supervisor
2019 the story of god, with morgan freeman (1 episode) - animation supervisor
2019 deadly class (1 episode) - animation supervisor
2019 manifest (2 episodes) - animation supervisor
2018 staties (series pilot) - animation supervisor
2018 arrow (1 episodes) - animation supervisor
2018 salvation (4 episodes) - animation supervisor
2018 the 100 (6 episodes) - animation supervisor
2018 the x-files ( 3 episodes) - animation supervisor
2017 zoo ( 9 episodes) - animation supervisor
2017 game of thrones (1 episode) - animation supervisor
2017 searchers (series pilot) - animation supervisor
2017 santa clarita diet (9 episodes) - animation supervisor
2017-2018 once upon a time (abc) (27 episodes) - animation supervisor
Bardel
2006 viva pinata - series director / creative producer
Arcca
1985 captain power and the soldiers of the future - animation director
•t v m o v i e s•
Zoic Studios
2019 sweet tooth - animation supervisor
2019 z-o-m-b-i-e-s 2 - animation supervisor
2018 the perfection- animation supervisor
Griffin Interplanetary Studios
2008 knights of bloodsteel - animation director
2009 riverworld - animation director
1985 captain power and the soldiers of the future: the beginning–animation director
•f e a t u r e f i l m s •
Dr D Studios (Sydney)
2011 happy feet two - lead animator
Griffin Interplanetary Studios
2010 love - animation director / vfx supervisor
Image Engine
2009 district 9 – animation consultant
Image Metrics 2013 dhoom 3 –facial animation supervisor
2008 the curious case of benjamin button – facial animation supervisor
2008 the mummy: tomb of the dragon emperor – facial animation supervisor
CafeFx
2006 snakes on a plane – animation supervisor
2006 pan’s labyrinth– animation supervisor (uncredited)
2005 mr and mrs smith – animation supervisor
2005 fantastic four – animation supervisor
2005 shark boy and lava girl – animation director
2005 zathura: a space adventure– animation supervisor
Weta Digital
2004 king kong –previz / development artist
2005 lord of the rings: return of the king– animator
ILM
2002 star wars: episode ii “attack of the clones” – lead sequence animator
2001 jurassic park iii - animation sequence supervisor
2001 the mummy returns - animation sequence supervisor
1999 magnolia – animation director
1999 deep blue sea – animation supervisor
1999 star wars: episode i “the phantom menace” - sr. animator
1998 jack frost – animation director
1995 casper - animator
Synthavision
1985 the fly – senior animator
•s h o r t f i l m s•
2010 taking leave of your sensei - director, producer
1984 the bunglar - director
1983 snow - animator
•m u s i c v i d e o•
ILM
1997 men in black (Music Video) - animation supervisor
MTV Award for Best Music Video from a Feature Film
•s p e c i a l p r o j e c t s•
Eighth Wonder Studios (Melbourne)
2009 the vortex project (ip) - executive producer
ILM
2002 bounty hunter (vg) – animation director
2001 star wars: episode i “the phantom menace” dvd - animation director
Topix
1989 second city “traveling show” – lead animator
Sythavision
1985 robot rebellion (vg)– animator, designer
•c o m m e r c i a l s•
ILM
2003 diet pepsiwoman (japan) “launch” – animation director
2003 honeycomb “the player”- animation director
2003 pepsiman (japan) “return” – animation director
2003 pepsiman (japan) “bank robbery” – animation director
2002 honeycomb “recipe for disaster”, “highscore” – animation director
2001 budweiser “coming home” – animation director
1998 pontiac “coyote” - animation supervisor
1998 diamond walnuts “cookie jar” - animation supervisor
Clio Award - Computer Animation
1998 diamond walnuts “gingerbread couple” – animation supervisor
1997 pepsiman (japan) “mirage” - lead animator
1997 berger bank “smiley” - lead animator
1997 moen “spider” - lead animator
1997 gm “ev1 electric car” - lead animator
Clio Award - Computer Animation
Emmy Nomination
1996 ilm “lightning tag” (internal project) - lead animator
1996 intel “carpet” - lead animator
1996 compuserve “whale” - lead animator, concept design
1995 peter pan peanut butter “evolution” - lead animator
1995 gte “carried away” & “carried away again” - technical director
1995 pizzahut “new spirit” & “flying ghost” - technical director
Dome Productions
1994 french’s mustard “more fun on your bun” – director
1994 cheerios “make a tree” – lead animator
1993 hewlett-packard “see dot run” – project lead, lead animator
1992 fruit rollups – lead animator
1991 post cereal “home alone” – lead animator
1991 captain crunch “christmas crunch” - animator
Topix
1990 teddy grahams “a real handful” - animator
1990 gm “get the ball rolling” – project lead
1990 suzuki “stars” – project lead
1989 lifesavers “the goodtime roll” – animator, concept design
1989 sears “paint” & “house” - animator
•b r o a d c a s t g r a p h i c s•
1993 ctv “the 1994 olympics” –project lead: animator
1992 viewers choice – project lead: lead animator
1990 cbc “ the juno awards” – animator, designer
1989 cbc “the 1990 olympics” –project lead: animator
Skills & Titles
• director •• animation director/supervisor •
• creative producer •
• vfx supervisor (creature / character focus) •
Awards
• Clio Award - Best Computer Animation - General Motors, EV1• Clio Award - Best Computer Animation - Diamond Walnuts
• NCGA Award - Lifesavers, The Good Times Roll
• CCGA Award - Best Animation - Teddy Grahams
• Gemini Award - Technical Achievement - Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future
• Imagina: Prix Pixel - General Motors,EV1
• MTV Award - Best Video from a Motion Picture: Men in Black w/ Will Smith
