Media Arts& Animation

Meet our Faculty

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  C.M. Bratton

  Media Arts & Animation

  "Script writers have to be able to take their internal ideas and turn them into external realities, and that is a process."

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  C.M. Bratton

  What would you say is the defining moment in your life when you knew you were destined to become a creative professional?
  

  I was 8 years old and my school was putting on a play. I was extremely unhappy that I wasn’t given a lead role – even though other 3rd graders were. I bamboozled my way as a glorified extra in the center stage group but, by that time, I was already hooked. I wanted to perform. Fast forward two years. We had just gotten back from summer vacation and our English teacher asked us to write about what we did over the summer. I decided to recall diving for goggles at the big pool one afternoon. My teacher loved it, and for the first time, I considered writing as a possible passion, right along with performance. But my trinity wasn’t complete until 7th grade, when I moved schools and was placed in a mariachi class. Though I knew little about music, the moment I heard la vihuela I knew it had become an integral part of my life. And finally, at the end of 9th grade, I discovered my voice and haven’t stopped singing since.

  How do you weave your professional background into the classroom experience to provide an industry veteran's sense of the realities / challenges / opportunities of the profession?
  

  I became a writer a bit backwards. I wrote poetry as a teen, creative non-fiction in college, and academic papers after. Through theatre, I met another performer who had an idea for a movie and asked for help. Fast forward a few years and that same friend pulled me back to San Antonio to work on a few films, one of which was picked up. It was then that I started seriously working on finishing my first book and, 21 books later, I can firmly say I discovered my life’s task. This somewhat circuitous route has always been steeped in my deep and abiding passion to do what I want and make a living off of it, and I use that to motivate and inspire my students into doing their best work.

  Is there a class assignment that exemplifies your approach to teaching and mentoring? Similarly, how does your approach inspire each student to push themselves beyond their own perceived limits?
  

  One of my favorite assignments is called “POV Standoff." Each student by then has a good grasp of his/her story, and so, in class, I have them write the intro to his/her story in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd POVs. This not only stimulates my own writing (I wrote a book based off an example I showed my class), this is an excellent way to explore narratives outside a student’s traditional comfort zone and look at the story from different angles. We start in class so I can go to every student and work with each of them on how s/he is doing and how to improve. I can also help brainstorm with students or nudge them along, as well as catch early grammar and formatting mistakes. Many of my students get excited and/or challenged, because this exercise is designed to help writers grow beyond their pre-conceived styles and begin to develop more fully his/her own distinct voice.

  What role does collaboration contribute to students' success, especially when students from other programs contribute to the same project?
  
  As writers in an industry dedicated to audio/visual entertainment, we’re incredibly dependent on the rest of the programs. We can write a film or animation, but it is meant to be seen and heard, not read. So we must rely on artists, directors, cinematographers, actors, and all the rest to help make that idea leave the page.
  
  In your opinion, what is the single most important thing you impart to your students to help them succeed in your class and in the real world? Alternatively, what is the most critical advice you would offer any student as he / she embarks on a creative career?
  
  Students have to take their craft realistically. You cannot create without mastering the fundamentals of written communication. You might have an amazing idea, but if you cannot write it well enough to sell it, it might not ever leave your head. Script writers have to be able to take their internal ideas and turn them into external realities, and that is a process. Don’t be afraid to revise. And then revise again. And then tear it down and start over. It all counts.
  
  Is there anything else you'd like us to know about you, your experience, or your role as a faculty member at The Art Institutes?
  

  I currently have 21 books published, with another 3 on the way this year alone. I’m also working on several scripts and TV show ideas, and love to discuss them with anyone. And finally, you can see my work online through one of the films I worked on – it is an amazing feeling to watch an actor take your words and elevate them to a level higher than you imagined. That is why I write, and that passion is what I strive to share as an instructor.

  www.cmbratton.com
  www.facebook.com/writercmbratton

  What was the inspiration for your books?
  
  Dragons. I’ve always loved reading about them, and that has spread to an enduring love for fantasy and sci-fi.
  
  Please explain what we are seeing in your books.
  

  There are several themes in my work. Dragons, yes. But also fairy tales, exploring Wonderland, apocalyptic intrigues, post-apocalyptic societies, and of course, zombies.

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  Nathan Anderson

  Media Arts & Animation

  "Say yes, and let the journey begin."

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  Nathan Anderson

  Was there a defining moment when you knew you were destined to become a creative professional?

  My artistic epiphany happened some time during the Kansas City Art School summer program I attended between my junior and senior years of high school. Realizing that there was a way for me to make a living at what came naturally to me was, in a word, inspirational.

  How do you weave your professional background into the classroom experience?

  I strive to provide students a balanced set of educational goals. While holding their work to the industry standard is a laudable goal, I think it’s more important to help them build the skills, attitudes, and effective work habits that’ll help them succeed—and sustain that success throughout their careers.

  What class assignment exemplifies your approach to teaching and mentoring?

  I assign homework that puts into practice the techniques we’ve covered in that day’s class...then in the next class I share some more advanced techniques that yield better results. I do this to show students that they’re entering an evolving field of art and technology. There will always be some new tool, technique, software or hardware that’ll make them say, "How did I live without this?" The key is to have as many creative tools as possible, so that when there’s a problem you have many options for solving it.

  How does collaboration contribute to students’ success—particularly when students from various programs work together?

  No artist should create inside a bubble. Sometimes a fresh perspective on a creative problem yields a better solution. I always urge my students to find that one other artist who they feel comfortable showing their work to...someone who’ll critique their work without the usual platitudes or flattery. That person will be a friend and colleague for life.

  What’s the most critical advice you would offer any student embarking on a creative career?

  Say yes to anything a prospective client or employer asks of you—even if you have no idea how you’ll do it, even if the prospect terrifies you. Say yes, and let the journey begin.

  Anything else you’d like to share?

  I take great pride in my students and their accomplishments. This school has done a great job creating a curriculum that teaches the skills to become creative professionals, while fostering an environment of artistic exploration.

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  Norm Engel

  Media Arts & Animation

  "I live the life of an artist... how cool is that?"

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  Norm Engel

  Was there a defining moment when you knew you were destined to become a creative professional?

  In the early 1990s I started experimenting with computer animation. That’s when my technical and artistic skills came together to form a perfect outlet for expression.

  How do you weave your professional background into the classroom experience?

  I share my story with students so they understand how they can use their skills in diverse ways. I’ve worked on literally hundreds of commercial productions. Many have aired on network television, PBS, MTV, VH1, and CMT. I also continue to pursue the fine art of painting. My canvases can be found in many private collections and galleries worldwide. All this adds credibility to what I teach, as well as a sense of the possibilities that are available.

  How does collaboration contribute to students’ success—particularly when students from various programs work together?

  I teach a variety of classes that involve teamwork. It’s an important thing to learn, as the industry demands that animators work in teams; they subdivide the work to achieve bigger goals than an any one individual could achieve.

  What’s the most important thing you impart to students to help them succeed in class and the real world?

  The reason I enjoy teaching is selfishly simple. This truly is a labor of love. I’m an artist surrounded by extremely creative people. Artists share—that’s what we do. The faculty and students here are all creative artists sharing and growing. The ideas, the energy, the enthusiasm, and the politics of art. Wow. I live the life of an artist…how cool is that?

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  Saul Sandoval

  Media Arts & Animation

  "Collaborating allows for networking and brings people with different strengths to work towards a greater goal that might otherwise prove to be unrealistic if approached by one person."

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  Saul Sandoval

  Is there a class assignment that exemplifies your approach to teaching and mentoring? Similarly, how does your approach inspire each student to push themselves beyond their own perceived limits?
  
  For the final projects, I give more freedom to students on the subject matter but there still is a list of competencies to hit. I feel too much control can stifle the creative process as each artist has a different style of reaching the same goal, and I encourage students to explore these ideas on their own. Secondly, it allows students to care for their work by connecting to it on a much more personal level. Being able to choose what you are working on adds a level of enthusiasm to the learning process.
  
  What role does collaboration contribute to students' success, especially when students from other programs contribute to the same project? 
  
  I think collaboration is a great way to view a problem from different points of view. Collaborating allows for networking and brings people with different strengths to work towards a greater goal that might otherwise prove to be unrealistic if approached by one person.
  
  In your opinion, what is the single most important thing you impart to your students to help them succeed in your class and in the real world?
  
  “Be a PROFESSIONAL!” I remind my students that their behavior is constantly on display for other peers to observe. The actions of showing up on time, creating work that pushes their abilities, asking questions, participating in open discussions, and taking ownership of their education all helps to formulate their brand as an artist. This brand is what students will remember and take away once they complete the program and graduate. Networking and being a contributing member of a production starts in school. I also remind students that they are competing with artists from around the world for the jobs they want. Reminding students of this perspective suddenly makes them reflect on their artwork as a body of material that might grab the attention of a studio rather than just mere homework. Read More...
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  Rebecca Kerr

  "Continue to refine your speaking skills so that the ability to communicate never stands in the way of your success."

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  Rebecca Kerr

  Is there a class assignment that exemplifies your approach to teaching and mentoring? Similarly, how does your approach inspire each student to push themselves beyond their own perceived limits?
  
  Just the act of Public Speaking often pushes students outside their comfort zone. Standing up in front of a full classroom with all eyes on you can be uncomfortable. Then students must organize their ideas and clearly present them to the class. That can be terrifying! Students often enter my class believing they can't stand up and deliver a speech to their peers. However, I provide the students with coping mechanisms, skill development, and a safe environment allowing them to deliver not only one but many speeches.
  
  What role does collaboration contribute to students' success, especially when students from other programs contribute to the same project?
  
  Collaboration in a communication class serves a dual purpose. Collaboration allows students to improve their group communication skills, as well as develop an end result that is better than any single group member could do alone. Working in a group challenges students to clearly express their ideas, mediate during disagreements, compromise for the good of the project, lead, follow, and much more. Additionally by bringing students from different fields of study and diverse backgrounds together, students' own ideas, abilities, and limitations are challenged often resulting in a better end product.
  
  In your opinion, what is the single most important thing you impart to your students to help them succeed in your class and in the real world? Alternatively, what is the most critical advice you would offer any student as he / she embarks on a creative career?
  
  I work to ensure students leave my class with the ability to clearly and effectively communicate their ideas. I believe the ability to skillfully convey abstract ideas, like those often found in art, can set an artist apart from their peers. In the creative career field, students will be asked to communicate on many levels. They will pitch ideas, lead groups, speak to investors, and hopefully deliver acceptance speeches. My advice to students: Continue to refine your speaking skills so that the ability to communicate never stands in the way of your success.
  
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