Joe Apel
Arcadia, CA. 91007 Cell: (626) 437-2735 Email: optionjoe@yahoo.com

Summary
What makes me a top notch animator? A love for storytelling? Check. A talented artist who is adaptable to a wide variety of drawing styles? Check. A dependable team player with exceptional time management and multi-tasking skills, who can perform well under looming deadlines? Check again! Inspired by the pioneers of animation while aware of current trends in TV, film, and the web? You got it! Well now that I’ve captured your attention...

Skills
Computer
PC and Mac proficient. Skillful with a Cintiq and Wacom tablet. Extensive experience with the following programs:
Adobe Flash, Illustrator, Premiere and Photoshop; Autodesk Sketchbook Pro. Ability to learn new programs quickly.

Traditional
Storyboarding. Composition and Staging. Traditional Animation. Character Design. Sketching of humans, animals, and landscapes.
In depth knowledge of human and animal anatomy.

Experience

Nickelodeon's Brain Surge, Hollywood, CA      Feb. 2010 – April 2010
Character Designer/Flash Animator
Designed characters and animated in Flash for season two of the Nickelodeon game show, Brain Surge.

W!ldbrain, Sherman Oaks, CA      Aug.. 2009 – Jan. 2010
Flash Animator
Flash Animator for the HBO series, The Ricky Gervais Show, set to premiere in February 19, 2010.

Radical Axis, Studio City, CA      Sept. 2008 – July 2009
Assistant Director of Animation
Managed the LA office. Created character designs for a variety of projects in development. Lead storyboard artist & lead Flash
animator for the Sony produced web short, A Priest, A Rabbi, and A Minister Walk into a Bar. Flash Animator on in-store spots
for Chuck E. Cheese restaurants and Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim series Squidbillies.

Soup 2 Nuts, Watertown, MA     Mar. 2007 - Aug. 2008
Storyboard Artist / Flash Animator
Created storyboards and animated in Flash for the PBS series WordGirl.

Radical Axis, Atlanta, GA      Feb. 2006 – Apr. 2007
Flash Animator / Traditional Animator
Key Flash animator and supervisor for the Comedy Central series Freak Show and the Comedy Central webisode series Window
Seat. Flash animator for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim series Squidbillies. Traditional animator for Aqua Teen Hunger Force:
The Movie. Traditional and Flash animator for Chee-to’s and Cartoon Network commercial.

Soup 2 Nuts, Watertown, MA     Sept. 2004 – Dec. 2005
Storyboard Artist / Flash Animator
Flash Animator and Storyboard artist for the NBC/Discovery Kids series Time Warp Trio. Animated in Flash for Cartoon
Network interstitials featuring Mandy from The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy.

Film Roman, North Hollywood, CA     June 2003 – July 2003
Intern/Production Assistant
Assisted on a number of series including King of the Hill, Free for All, and X-Men: Evolution. Created secondary character
designs and turnarounds for King of the Hill.

Freelance

Renegade Animation, Glendale, CA      July 2009 - Aug. 2009
Flash Animator
Flash Animator for Cartoon Network’s The Mr. Men Show.

BigFott Studios/Scholastic Films, Whites Creek, TN     Sept. 2007 - June 2009
Freelance Traditional Animator
Created key poses, inbetweened, and inked scenes for I’m Dirty and The Gym Teacher from the Black Lagoon

Rhombus Creative, Burbank, CA      Dec. 2007 - Feb. 2008
Director of Animation / Flash Animator
Oversaw production and animated two main characters on the pitch film Kiko, from character designs to final edit.

Calabash Animation, Chicago, IL     Apr. 2004 - Jan. 2005
Freelance Animator
Cleaned up and inbetweened character animation for Mastercard Icons, Trix, and Lucky Charms commercials.

Thunderbean Animation, Ann Arbor, MI     Nov. 2002 – March 2004
Freelance Traditional Animator
Animated the segment Choking Hazard for the short film, 25 Ways to Die, and various local and nationwide commercials.

Education – B.F.A.

College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI       Sept. 2000 – May 2003
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with a concentration in animation and digital media

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI     Sept. 1993 – Dec. 1998
Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in drawing