John Blalock  |  MFA

Education

Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA — Masters of Fine Arts: Animation, 2006

• Emphasis in Visual Effects: Compositing

Fresno State University, Fresno, CA — Bachelor of Arts, Art: Graphic Design Option, 2003

• Graduated Magna Cum Laude

National University, La Jolla, CA -- Masters in Education (student teaching remaining), 2010

Design Skills

Graphic Design        Motion Graphics         Compositing                         Video Editing

Paint & Roto             Matchmoving              Digital Color Grading            Motion Capture & VR

Software Packages

Compositing: Nuke / NukeX, Adobe After Effects, Blackmagic Design Fusion, Apple Shake

Motion Graphics: Adobe After Effects, Apple Motion

Digital Color Grading: DaVinci Resolve, Apple Color

Paint & Roto: Nuke, Adobe After Effects, Mocha

Matchmoving: NukeX, After Effects, PFTrack

Editing: DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut, Avid

Image / Video Manipulation: Adobe Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve, Apple Color, Adobe Illustrator, NukeX

3D Applications & Utilities: Unreal Engine, Cinema 4D, Autodesk Maya, Agistoft Photoscan / Metashape,

Reality Capture, Reallusion iClone & Character Creator

Motion Capture & Utilities: Noitom & Xsens Motion Capture Suits, iClone, FaceWare, Autodesk MotionBuilder

Technical Skills

Windows, Mac, DOS, and Linux Operating Systems. 

Adjunct Instructor: Academy of Art University (Virtual & Online)

San Francisco, CA — 2021 - Present

Instructor for Virtual (Zoom) and Online-based classes within the Animation & Visual Effects emphasis. ANM101 class is a potential 2nd-semester course for several related majors, with students learning the foundations of digital manipulation and creation within Adobe the products Photoshop and After Effects. ANM341 later extends these skillsets by introducing more specific and refined solutions to common occurrences such as tracking, rotoscoping, 3D camera usage, and incorporating the various skillsets into inclusive final projects.

Consultant & Instructor: The Academy of Film and the Arts

Ghent, Belgium — 2020 - Present

Weekly class sessions with select students, who work on real-world projects for the school that are culturally-focused. Freelance work is also contributed to projects when requested, along with decision-making within the hardware & software arenas. 

Instructor: Digital Media Arts, Irvine Valley College

Orange County — 2016 - 2018

Adjunct Faculty member within the Digital Media Arts major, teaching Introduction to Digital Media and Introduction to Photography.

Freelance: Xcel Energy

Minneapolis, MN — 2021

Shot, edited, and delivered drone footage of a natural gas facility, with fully integrated motion graphics. Labels and graphics were 3D tracked into the sequence, with voice-over narration at the clients request.

Instructor: Visual Communications, Laguna College of Art + Design

Laguna Beach — 2018

Adjunct Faculty member within the Visual Communications major, teaching Fundamentals of Digital Imaging - Photoshop. Also aided students with other classes and topics as requested, along with general curriculum guidance.

Digital Applications Supervisor, Chapman University

Orange County — 2016 - 2018

Full-time Staff member for Chapman University’s Doge Film School, Digital Media Arts (DMAC) department. Responsible in guiding and aiding with student thesis projects, visual effects approval committee, and software & hardware research. Also responsible for filling various IT-based roles in maintaining and upgrading software & hardware via network deployment. In charge of hiring, training, and managing student lab-assistants within the DMAC building, along with arranging and teaching workshops on various requested topics.  

Instructor: Visual Effects & Motion Graphics

Art Institute of California - Orange County — 2008 - 2016

Full-time Faculty member in the VEMG (Visual Effects & Motion Graphics) major, encompassing a number of courses & disciplines ranging from Advertising & Print Media, Film, Photography, Motion Graphics, Visual Effects, and Games. 

Served as Technology Committee Chair, which is responsible for assessing all software and hardware needs on a campus level, receiving, compiling and conveying those needs to the regional & national levels. Also responsible for campus research and purchases. 

Courses taught: Introduction to Visual Effects & Motion Graphics, Digital Image Manipulation, Previsualization, Motion and Shot Design, Motion Graphics, Broadcast Design, Visual Effects for Filmmakers, Video Production for Visual Effects, Motion Capture, Introduction to Compositing, Intermediate Compositing, Advanced Compositing, Rotoscope & Paint, Matchmoving, Plates and Elements, Internship, Portfolio Development, Portfolio I, Portfolio II.  

Instructor: Multimedia & TV / Broadcast Graphics

University of La Verne, La Verne, CA — 2015 - 2016

Adjunct Faculty member within the Broadcast & Communications, and Multimedia major. 

Classes Taught: TV Graphics: Focused on teaching students the fundamentals & design principles of Motion Graphics. The students then designed & executed logos, openers, interstitials, and lower-thirds for the local LVTV & KWST TV stations.

Survey of Multimedia: Taught students the fundamentals of design theories & use of software applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, After Effects, etc. 

Visual Effects Artist / Compositor / Color Grading Artist, “One More Round” - 2015

Synapse Pictures, Los Angeles, CA

Responsible for artistic effects development & integration, also including digital cleanup & enhancement, and partial digital color grading responsibilities. 

2D-to-3D Conversion Artist

3Drevolution, Hollywood, CA — 2010

Responsible for manually and procedurally generating isolated elements for the 2D-to-3D conversion process on the feature film conversions. 

Compositing Artist, “NUMB” — 2010

Synapse Pictures, Los Angeles, CA

Responsible for seamlessly compositing extra elements into shots, re-timing, and digital enhancement. 

Motion Graphics Artist, Dear Jack — 2009

Motion Graphics Artist for roughly 15 shots. Also responsible for color grading the film in certain sections, which was done in Apple Color. 

Compositor, Rhythm & Hues Studios, Los Angeles, CA — 2007

Compositor on “Alvin and the Chipmunks”, in which CG chipmunks were integrated in with live-action plates. Work inclusive of chipmunk & shadow integration, color-matching, overall integration, and post camera-moves. 

Compositor & Supervisor, Pixerati LLC, Chino, CA — 2006 / 2007

Composited videos for Apple’s Final Cut Studio 2 suite, both in-box and for web distribution. Supervisor to part of the compositing team, and responsible for training in the pipeline / production. 

Compositor & Motion Graphics Artist

Sony Playstation (SCEA), San Diego, CA — 2006

Responsible for compositing cinematic cut-scenes, as well as assembling motion graphics for marketing campaigns for the following titles: SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 2 (PSP) / Combined Assault (PS2), Gangs of London (PSP), and NBA Live 07 (PS2/PSP).

Compositor / Roto Artist / Matte Painter, “Fall of the Morning” (independent) — 2006 

Responsible for compositing sequences, as well as generating original matte paintings from gathered elements. 

Compositor, “Duran Duran: Live From London” (DVD Box Set) 

Pixerati LLC, Chino, CA -- 2005

Created both rotoscope mattes and composited shots for the 2D-to-3D conversion process of the footage, including settings the depth & convergence for each individual element / layer in the shot. 

Compositor, “The Movie of Your Life” Music Video (independent), San Francisco, CA — 2005

Composited 2 shots for the music video, which included green screen extraction, matte paintings and CG elements.

Awards / Honors / MISC:

2015 Larry Bell Award Recipient - Art Institute of California, Orange County. 

• Awarded once annually to a faculty member that goes above and beyond for students and the college.

Technology Committee Chair - Art Institute of California, Orange County, 2014 - 2016

• Responsible for receiving, assessing, and communicating hardware & software needs on both a local and national level. Other duties include budgeting, lab placement, and rollout of acquisitions.

Irvine Valley College Annual Student / Faculty Art Show, 2017

National Honour Key Society, 2002

Academy of Art University Spring Show, 2006