Hey folks!
We’ve got another installment of re:Fresh Faces for you this week, talking to Michelle Tripp, who’s currently the Animation Director for Stoked.

It’s Michelle’s job to coordinate a team of over twenty animators working to bring the staff of the Surfer’s Paradise resort to life. First, she breaks up each episode into sections and assigns them to the individual animator best suited for the scene. Some might specialize in action sequences or have a real knack for animating a character’s acting. After that, Michelle does three passes of retakes, check for things like continuity error and making sure all of the characters’ movements are believable.

“I just love seeing things move!” Michelle told me. “It’s an interesting process.” Unlike productions created using traditional animation, Flash animation allows the Elliott Animation team to do the entire production in-house, which means Michelle has the chance to see everything along the way. She also sets a high bar for herself and her team. “We’re always trying to achieve more,” she explained, describing Stoked’s quality of animation as being closer to that of a feature film than what most people expect from a television series. For anyone interested in getting into the field, Michelle offered this advice. “Be open to criticism. Always be a learner.”

Thanks again to Michelle for taking us behind the scenes and giving us the scoop on her job! If you’re curious about the process behind your favourite shows, drop us a line in the comments with your questions.

Stay fresh,
Brendan