Episode 1: 2D Animation

Guests

• Wayne Gilbert – VanArts 2D and 3D Character Animation Department Head
• Mariia Shakula – VanArts 2D Character Animation Graduate from Ukraine
• J. Meeka Stuart – Emmy Nominated VanArts Animation Graduate who is currently Directing a show for Nickelodeon

Highlights

5:05
VanArts Founder, Alan Phillips, awarded $1 Million dollars in scholarships to students from Ukraine when the war began.

5:56
How Mariia found out about VanArts and the scholarships when she was living in Ukraine. Now, she lives and works in Vancouver.

6:36
Mariia loved attending VanArts, an amazing experience. How VanArts feels like home.

6:36
Why she chose the 2D Animation Program and the magic of it (with no experience in this field).

8:38
Mariia’s experience being mentored by Wayne and the VanArts instructors. How she learned about VanArts just 2 weeks before leaving Ukraine for Vancouver.

10:12
Mariia’s love of Vancouver.

11:06
Mariia’s exciting new career at Atomic Cartoons, which she received soon after graduation, and how VanArts prepared her well.

Follow her: @mm.aster and @mm.aster.art

15:30
How and why J. Meeka Stuart became an artist and how she chose VanArts (she moved from Ontario to Vancouver) and how she was mentored by the legendary Lee Mishkin. It was all hand drawn animation.

18:55
How VanArts has grown incredibly since Meeka attended (1999) and how she was industry ready upon graduation.

19:50
Scott and Meeka’s shared passion for kids animation and programming. Meeka works on a lot of young children’s shows and how she loves animating songs.

23:00
Behind the scenes of Meeka’s Director Emmy nomination – Through the Woods (and the show’s win).

29:00
How Meeka is a guest lecturer at VanArts regularly.