I’m often asked “What do you do for a living?” “I’m a 3D Animator,” I always reply, and without fail, their eyes become as big as saucers. What follows is a barrage of questions about what specific type of 3D work I do and how did I get to have the coolest job in the world.

But, it was an animator’s job that I had always dreamed of. In college, I took a second job working the graveyard shift at an all night diner to buy my first computer. I remember being so excited with my first 3D package and modeling anything I could get my hands on. Going to school on a “teach yourself” tract was perfectly suited for how I learned new things best. Sitting in a small, dimly lit room with five other guys attempting to learn the same thing I was; offering each other tips on the best bump mapping techniques or the benefits of ray-tracing (the newest buzzword of 3D Studio Max 2.5 in 1997).
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