Why Hello There!

As part of a major overhaul of my show reel and online presence I've decided to start a blog as a way of sharing my experiences and resources with absolutely anyone and everyone interested. It will be a way for me to share any insights I might have as well as provide links to useful information from those much more talented than myself. 

I should also begin by telling you a little about who am I and where I've come from. My name is George Varettas and I am an aspiring character animator. I am currently 22 years old and am a Sydney based artist. I studied Digital Media at UNSW's College of Fine Arts and graduated with Honours specialising in animation. During my studies I co-created two short films, both of which I couldn't be happier with the reception they received. My first film 'Billy & Snoggles - Getting Pussed Acne' can be seen in its entirety on this site. My second film which was produced during my honours year is currently in the festival circuit and has been screened in the Dendy Short Films section of the Sydney Film Festival. For this reason I have only provided the trailer but a number of shots can also be seen within my show reel (for more information please visit www.fragmentsfilm.blogspot.com).

(left: Billy & Snoggles - Getting Pussed Acne    -    right: Fragments)

Since finishing uni last year I landed my first job at Animal Logic in Sydney working in the animation department for the stereoscopic conversion of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 2. Before I knew it though my contract was up. The job gave me such a great insight into how the industry works as well as allowed me to be surrounded by such talented individuals. It really gave me a lot of perspective and if nothing else, confirmed how much I enjoyed what I do. Since finishing at Animal Logic, I landed a contract as a Technical Animator at Dr D Studios where I am currently working on Happy Feet 2. It's both amazing and daunting to see how much talent people have and to work in such an environment you can't help but improve your own skill sets. 

So basically if you're reading this you can already see that I am very new to the industry. By no means do I have the wisdom and experience of a great animator but hopefully my blog will provide someone some insight and opinions from a young aspiring animator's perspective.

- George