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Andy Kopra - Special Projects
Andy has over twenty years of computer graphics production and software development experience, including work at Digital Effects Inc., Symbolics Graphics Division, DeGraf/Wahrman, VIFX, Walt Disney Feature Animation, and as a partner of Anohana Production Management & Technologies. His work at Symbolics included the development of user interfaces for the hierarchical specification of rendering attributes. At VIFX, he pioneered the use of behavioral animation techniques in production for bats and birds in Batman Returns, Speed, Cliffhanger and From Dusk Till Dawn. Throughout his career, Andy has also been involved in the design and implementation of computer graphics production pipelines and workflow management systems, beginning at Digital Effects in 1984 and most recently at Disney Feature Animation. Andy joined mental images in October, 2003, where he focuses on technical aspects of the integration of mental ray into current production pipelines and on custom applications.
Andy is writing a book which will eventually be the textbook for this class.
Barton Gawboy - Director of Training and Special Projects
For over twenty years, Barton has blended management skills with experience in production and engineering, including work at Mattel Electronics, Symbolics, Information International Inc, Nichimen Graphics, Dreamworks Feature Animation, as a partner of Anohana Production Management & Technologies, and as owner of Marina Motion, LLC. Education and information sharing has been a strong component of the hands-on managing style he brought to film projects, such as The Prince of Egypt, The King and I(animated), Vertical Limit, Shrek and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. In a career moving from computer music to computer graphics and animation, Barton has focused on methods for practical use of technology, forming channels of communication between product designers and their users. His relationship with mental images started in 1997, while at Dreamworks, when he was on an Advisory committee for what was to become Softimage|XSI. In 2003, he started the Los Angeles mental ray User Group, and in 2004 became part of the mental images team. With his current focus on mental ray training, user community and shader development, he realizes his goal to empower both individuals and teams working in the development, production and technology of animated filmmaking.
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