So this week, we're going to meet the Celestial team! Celestial is comprised of thirteen ridiculously awesome students in the UCF Character Animation department. Read below for quick profiles of each teammate!
Name: Ward Silverman
Originally From: Palm Bay, FL
What got him interested in Animation: Star Wars
What is his role: Lead Texture Artist and team Lord
What he is most excited about for the film: Excited to see how the environments look, because we could really push them
His favorite Animated Film is: Nightmare Before Christmas
What are his future plans: Wants to go into the film industry, but not necessarily Hollywood. He also wants to do illustrations.
His favorite color is: Neon Green
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: Cavemen, because Astronauts don't have fighting training, but Cavemen would be brutal.
Name: Chris Sanchez
Originally From: Kissimmee, FL
What got him interested in Animation: Video game cut scenes got him interested in 3D Animation, specifically the opening of Onimusha 3. He has been into 2D Animation since Dragonball Z.
What is his role: Animation Lead and soft shirt expert
What he is most excited about for the film: He's excited to begin to animate Gan, so that Gan is both elegant but still carries weight
His favorite Animated Film is: When he was a kid, his favorite movie was the Digimon movie because of how beautifully they moved, but now that he's older his favorite movie is Howl's Moving castle.
What are his future plans: He wants to be the very best, like no one ever was. To get an animation job is his true test, to render is his cause. As long as he is animating, he'll be happy.
His favorite color is: Green Ranger Green
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: The Astronaut would win if he had prep time, but in a random encounter, the Caveman would win
Name: Jacqueline Malvin
Originally From: Coral Springs, FL
What got her interested in Animation: The
Lion King and Kiki's Delivery Service
What is her role: Art Director and local Cat Whisperer
What she is most excited about for the film: Lighting
Her favorite Animated Film is: Spirited Away and the Secret of NIMH
What are her future plans: Who knows?!
Her favorite color is: #66CCFF
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: If Astronauts had guns, Astronauts, otherwise Cavemen, and even then the Cavemen might still come at you. I would not doubt the power of a Caveman
Name: Lindsey Jones
Originally From: Orlando, FL
What got her interested in Animation: A Bug's Life
What is her role: Production Manager, Animation Lead, and Lover of all things Bunny
What she is most excited about for the film: Seeing the very first render
Her favorite Animated Film is: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs... duh!
What are her future plans: Get a bad ass animation job, so she can own a baby Giraffe in her backyard
Her favorite color is: Exotic Teal
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: Hmmm.... hmmm... hmmm... Caveonauts!
Name: Ida McKenna Phillips
Originally From: Lake Worth, FL
What got her interested in Animation: Finding Nemo
What is her role: Production Manager, Lead Rigger, and the Tough Love
What she is most excited about for the film: Being done with it!
Her favorite Animated Film is: Finding Nem... NO The Fantastic Mr. Fox
What are her future plans: SUCCESS!
Her favorite color is: Purple
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: Cavemen
Name: Zakk Bombka
Originally From: Debary, FL
What got him interested in Animation: Grew up watching cartoons, but specifically saw Princess Mononoke
What is his role: Effects Lead and Drunken Jesus
What he is most excited about for the film: Finishing it....
His favorite Animated Film is: The Hedgehog in the Fog
What are his future plans: "I don't plan, I plot."
His favorite color is: Probably red
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: "Cavemen... they are my people."
Name: Adrienne Nicole
Originally From: Tampa, FL
What got her interested in Animation: Thumbalina or Fern Gully
What is her role: Art Director and resident Deaf Girl
What she is most excited about for the film: To see the first rendered scene
Her favorite Animated Film is: UP!
What are her future plans: To be successful somewhere in Texas?
Her favorite color is: Lavender
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: "Oh... Cavemen! That was so easy."
Name: Sam Zilberstein
Originally From: Miami, FL
What got him interested in Animation: Disney and Looney Tunes
What is his role: Animation Lead and resident Ragtime Pianist
What he is most excited about for the film: Just seeing everything rendered
His favorite Animated Film is: The Lion King
What are his future plans: Either to work in an animation studio or play music professionally... or both
His favorite color is: Red
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: The astronauts would just be too burdened by what they have, so cavemen. Astronauts would have a tough time even moving with all of the heavy stuff they have. Also Cavemen can ride dinosaurs and drive cars that they move with their feet
Name: Phil Wigner
Originally From: Jacksonville, FL
What got him interested in Animation: A combination of Veggie Tales and video games
What is his role: Director and classiest dresser
What he is most excited about for the film: Sleeping when it's all done
His favorite Animated Film is: "It's extremely tough, but at the moment it's Wreck it Ralph"
What are his future plans: He wants to start his own animation studio but he would also love to work in visual effects for companies like Weta Digital
His favorite color is: Purple
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: Astronauts, definitely astronauts
Name: David Silva
Originally From: Queens, New York
What got him interested in Animation: When he was a kid he used to do flipbook animations and was really good at it
What is his role: Modeling Lead and Gnarliest person ever
What he is most excited about for the film: Special effects and the end
His favorite Animated Film is: Legend of the Scarecrow
What are his future plans: San Diego and surfing errday at Blacks Beach
His favorite color is: Green but sometimes blue, but he likes yellow too because its infallible
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: Cavemen because they're pretty vicious
Name: Ashley Jane
Originally From: Navarre, FL
What got her interested in Animation: "After I graduated from Hogwarts, I figured the best way to fit in with other Muggles and still get the feeling of creating magic was to gravitate toward computer graphics. The digital media world has always captivated me with its visual talent and passion to entertain with unique creativity. The film and video game industry drew me in ever since I was a kid and I couldn’t be in more of a perfect place today. Working with these amazing people today in efforts to create Celestial has already been an incredible journey, and I know I’m where I need to be."
What is her role: Co-Director and the Punisher
What she is most excited about for the film: "I’m excited for the whole package, the all-nighters, laughs, good times, rough times, lightsaber battles, and all of the above. I’m excited for this adventure and to be able to share it with the most amazing people I have ever met. Specifically I find animating to be my favorite, so when the time comes to animate I’m be more than happy to!"
Her favorite Animated Film is: Stop Motion- The Nightmare Before Christmas
3D Computer Animation- UP and Finding Nemo
What are her future plans: "When I'm not behind my computer screen a huge hobby of mine is traveling. This past summer I back packed Europe with a few of my friends. Each city and country held a different experience and I gained so much from the various sceneries and cultures. Aside from being apart of the film industry I know that I would love to have more traveling adventures. "
Her favorite color is: Purple
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: Everyone knows that astronauts would.
Name: Daniel Lukas
Originally From: Orlando, FL
What got him interested in Animation: Watching Disney movies as kid and lifelong passion for art and film.
What is his role: Environment Lead, Cinematographer, Layout and Morgan Freeman impersonator
What he is most excited about for the film: He's most excited to see the worlds we’re creating come to life. Not just the environments themselves, but the characters in them.
His favorite Animated Film is: How to Train Your Dragon
What are his future plans: He would like to work as an Animator and get into matte painting at some point
His favorite color is: Blue
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: Cavemen because the astronauts would know that if they kill the cavemen, they might cease to exist.
Name: Josh Janousky
Originally From: Orlando, FL
What got him interested in Animation: Watching Disney movies as a child, and then finding out people got paid to make cartoons
What is his role: Animation Lead, Editor, and resident Wizard
What he is most excited about for the film: The Animation!!!!! Seriously, that's all he talks about
His favorite Animated Film is: Aladdin
What are his future plans: World domination! And if that doesn't work, a Lead Animator and Voice Actor at Pixar
His favorite color is: Kelly Green! Google it, its awesome
Who would win in a fight? Cavemen or Astronauts: "It's all in the context, like where are they fighting? Like if they are going to fight in a technologically advanced situation, the astronauts are going to win. If they're going to fight with no technology, the cavemen are probably going to win. It depends on where they're fighting."
