Carlos Baena
Encyclopedia
Carlos Baena is a professional animator
and now a cofounder of the online school Animation Mentor
, which was started in March, 2005. It was the first post-secondary school that helped students to pursue a career in animation
. At the school, students work with mentors from major studios in a production-style environment, and graduate with a professional demo reel.
Baena currently lives in San Francisco, California, where he spends his leisure time studying and making short films, composing music, skateboarding, and working on animation.
and raised in Madrid
, Baena came to the United States to attend the University of San Francisco
and the Academy of Art University
. After graduating in June 1998, he found a job animating commercials at Will Vinton Studios in Portland, Oregon
. Four months later, he returned to San Francisco to work on spots and short films at Click 3X and WildBrain, Inc. Working on commercials and short films helped him secure a position at San Rafael
, CA.-based Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) in March 2001. At (ILM), Baena worked as an animator on Jurassic Park III
, Men in Black II
, and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
. Eventually, Baena left ILM for Pixar
in 2002 where he worked on the films Finding Nemo
, The Incredibles
, Cars
, Ratatouille
, WALL-E
, and Toy Story 3
as well as the short film Boundin'
.
, AnimationMentor.com’s CEO and President, and Shawn Kelly
to define and shape the school’s overall direction. Baena balances his cofounder responsibilities with his full-time animator job at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California.
nomination for Best Character Animation for his work.
1. Toy Story 3 (2010) (animator)
2. WALL-E (2008) (animator)
3. Ratatouille (2007) (animator)
4. Boundin' (2003) (animator)
5. Finding Nemo (2003) (animator)
6. Exploring the Reef
(2003) (V) (animator)
7. Hubert's Brain
(2001) (animator)
Visual Effects:
1. Cars (2006) (animator)
2. The Incredibles (2004) (animator)
3. Men in Black II (2002) (animator: air chase and post office sequences, ILM)
4. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) (animator: ILM)
5. Jurassic Park III (2001) (CG animator)
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
and now a cofounder of the online school Animation Mentor
Animation Mentor
Animation Mentor is a for-profit university online animation school that teaches students character animation skills. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, the school offers an 18-month program in which students are taught by “mentors,” experienced animators who are professionals working in the...
, which was started in March, 2005. It was the first post-secondary school that helped students to pursue a career in animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
. At the school, students work with mentors from major studios in a production-style environment, and graduate with a professional demo reel.
Baena currently lives in San Francisco, California, where he spends his leisure time studying and making short films, composing music, skateboarding, and working on animation.
Background
Born on the Canary IslandsCanary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
and raised in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Baena came to the United States to attend the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
and the Academy of Art University
Academy of Art University
The Academy of Art University , a for-profit university owned by the Stephens Institute, was founded in San Francisco, California in 1929 by Richard S. Stephens...
. After graduating in June 1998, he found a job animating commercials at Will Vinton Studios in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Four months later, he returned to San Francisco to work on spots and short films at Click 3X and WildBrain, Inc. Working on commercials and short films helped him secure a position at San Rafael
San Rafael, California
San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
, CA.-based Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) in March 2001. At (ILM), Baena worked as an animator on Jurassic Park III
Jurassic Park III
Jurassic Park III is a 2001 American science fiction film and the third of the Jurassic Park franchise. It is the only film in the series that is neither directed by Steven Spielberg nor based on a book by Michael Crichton, though numerous scenes in the movie were taken from Crichton's two books,...
, Men in Black II
Men in Black II
Men in Black II is a 2002 science fiction action comedy starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The film also stars Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Rosario Dawson and Rip Torn...
, and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
. Eventually, Baena left ILM for Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
in 2002 where he worked on the films Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
, The Incredibles
The Incredibles
The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated action-comedy superhero film about a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, a former director and executive consultant of The Simpsons, and was produced by Pixar and distributed by...
, Cars
CARS
Cars, or automobiles, motor cars, are wheeled motor vehicles used for transporting passengers.Cars or CARS may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Cars , a Disney/Pixar film series...
, Ratatouille
Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice. The full name of the dish is ratatouille niçoise.- Origin :...
, WALL-E
WALL-E
WALL-E, promoted with an interpunct as WALL•E, is a 2008 American computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and directed by Andrew Stanton. The story follows a robot named WALL-E, who is designed to clean up a waste-covered Earth far in the future...
, and Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure film, and the third installment in the Toy Story series. It was produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Lee Unkrich. The film was released worldwide from June through October in Disney Digital...
as well as the short film Boundin'
Boundin'
Boundin' is a 2003 Pixar short film, shown at the start of the film The Incredibles. The film was written, directed, narrated and featured the musical composition and performance of PIXAR animator Bud Luckey.-Plot:...
.
Animation mentor
Baena works with fellow cofounders, Bobby BeckBobby Beck
Bobby Beck is the CEO and cofounder of the online animation school, Animation Mentor, which was started in March, 2005. It was the first post-secondary school that helped students to pursue a career in animation...
, AnimationMentor.com’s CEO and President, and Shawn Kelly
Shawn Kelly
Shawn Kelly is an animator of movies and was a co-founder of the company Animation Mentor, an online animation school with student/mentor relationships at its core.-Life and career:...
to define and shape the school’s overall direction. Baena balances his cofounder responsibilities with his full-time animator job at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California.
Awards
In Cars, Baena animated several scenes with the two Italian cars Guido and Luigi and received a 2007 Annie AwardAnnie Award
The Annie Awards have been presented by the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood since 1972...
nomination for Best Character Animation for his work.
Filmography
Animation Department:1. Toy Story 3 (2010) (animator)
2. WALL-E (2008) (animator)
3. Ratatouille (2007) (animator)
4. Boundin' (2003) (animator)
5. Finding Nemo (2003) (animator)
6. Exploring the Reef
Exploring the Reef
Exploring the Reef is a humorous short documentary film included on the second disc of the Finding Nemo DVD. It features Jean-Michel Cousteau in a documentary film he is trying to make about coral reefs, but Marlin, Dory, and Nemo keep interrupting him....
(2003) (V) (animator)
7. Hubert's Brain
Hubert's Brain
Hubert's Brain, made in 2001, is the first computer-generated film made by San Francisco digital media company Wild Brain. The movie is 17 minutes long, took one year and $3,000,000 to produce, and won the 2001 Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Short Subject...
(2001) (animator)
Visual Effects:
1. Cars (2006) (animator)
2. The Incredibles (2004) (animator)
3. Men in Black II (2002) (animator: air chase and post office sequences, ILM)
4. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) (animator: ILM)
5. Jurassic Park III (2001) (CG animator)
Further reading
- Carlos Baena Interview at CG-Node
- Carlos Baena Interview at 3D Total
- Carlos Baena Video Interview at Blender Nation
External links
- Carlos Baena's Website
- Carlos Baena at New York Times
- Animation Mentor Website