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CORE SKILLS:


• Character Animation (Biped, Quadruped, keyframe animation, motion capture)
• Creature animation (monsters, fantasy creatures, insects...)
• Mechanical animation
• Custom Rigging
• Modelling (vehicles, insects)
• Tutoring animation and modelling
• Managing small team of animators and programmers : numbering 3 to 6

​SAMO BATAGELJ / BIO

PERSONAL STATEMENT:


As a CG artist as well as a human being I aspire to better myself constantly. A day you don’t learn something new is a day wasted. As much as gaining new knowledge I also enjoy sharing my knowledge with the people I work with. Professionally I always try to improve productivity by improving and changing the procedures, required to finish the given task. I also try to find interesting things in the work my colleagues are doing.

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS:


      Institute                     Course              Grade                        Date

Biotechnical faculty           Biology            6(ISCED)                 1997-2004



TECHNICAL SKILLS :



        Software                                  Experience level

          Maya                                             8 years

     Motion Builder                                      6 years

      Photoshop                                          7 years

      3DS Max                                            4 years

     After effects                                          3 year

  Xubl (Zen) Engine                                    7 years



EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

GUARDIARIS (September 2014 – Present)

“Lead animator”

  • FEWAS - armored personell carrier symulator (texturing, character animation, photo shooting, video editing, modelling, rendering, model optimization)

  • SAS - Small arms symulator (modelling, rendering, video editing)

  • RGW, PZF - grenade launcher symulator (modelling, rendering, video editing)

 

FREELANCER (January 2014 - September)

 

  • Nano Health (animation, rigging, modelling)

  • Hollow fear (character animation)
     

 

PLATIGE IMAGE (October, November 2013)

"3D animator"

  • Hero and the Message (character animation, environment animation)

 

FREELANCER (March 2013 - September 2013)

 

  • TV commercial (animation)

  • Hollow fear (character animation)

  • The Curse of Moorden (character animation)

  • Nano health (Unity animation, rigging)

  • Various animated logos)

 

METRIC MINDS (January, February 2013)


“Motion editor”


Tarzan (CG animated motion picture)



        • Cleaning MOCAP data



        • MOCAP clip blending
 

        • Fixing feet floor contacts, hand contacts
 

        • Finger animation

ZOOTFLY (September 2005 – June 2012)

“SENIOR ANIMATOR”
 

Marlow Briggs and the mask of death  (PC, PS3)

 


       • Skinning, rigging and game play animation for most non-biped creatures


       • Skinning, rigging and animation (game play + cut scene) for the level bosses
 

       • Biped character skinning + animation (MOCAP retargeting + keyframe animation)
 

       • Integrating Nvidia PhysX nodes into characters and props (Ragdoll)
 

       • Facial rigging
 

       • Prop animation (vehicles, fire balls, tentacles, etc.)
 

       • Main character combat animation (MOCAP + keyframe animation)
 

       • Cut scene animation (character, vehicle, camera)
 

       • Developing  AI state machines in cooperation with the programmers
 

       • Developing new Maya animation  tools in cooperation with the programmers
 

       • Tutoring new animators in skinning, rigging and engine integration

“SENIOR ANIMATOR”
 

Expendables (PC, PS3)
 

       • Vehicle animation
 

       • Worked together with the programmers to optimize character skeletons for a higher frame rate
 

“SENIOR ANIMATOR”
 

Military simulator (PC)


       • Biped skinning, rigging and animation (MOCAP + keyframe animation)

“SENIOR ANIMATOR”


Jurassic survival (PC teaser)

 
       • T-rex skinning, rigging and animation

“SENIOR ANIMATOR”
 

Prison Break (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
 

       • Biped skinning, rigging
 

       • Biped game play animation (MOCAP retargeting + keyframe animation)
 

       • Cut scene animation (characters, vehicles and  cameras)
 

       • Facial skinning, rigging, animation
 

       • Animal skinning, rigging, animation (dogs, rats, pigeons)
 

       • Worked closely with other animators programmers and level designers  in developing a comprehensive movement, cover and fight system for the main  

         character
 

“ANIMATOR / 3D MODELLER”
 

Time0 (demo PC, PS3, Xbox360)


       • Skinning, rigging and animation of various non biped characters (monsters, robots, transforming characters)
 

       • Cut scene vehicle, camera and prop animation
 

       • Worked closely with the concept the artist and character modeller to optimize character geometry and skeleton configuration
 

       • Testing and integrating Nvidia PhysX nodes into various character skeletons
 

       • Wrote a design document about character creation for Xubl engine
 

       • Prop modelling
 

       • Worked together with the concept artist in weapon and creature design


“ANIMATOR / 3D MODELLER”


WW3 (demo PC, PS3, Xbox360)


       • Mechanical skinning, rigging and animation
 

       • Responsible for mechanically accurate animation of vehicles (F-35 fighter)
 

       • Wrote proposals for possible weapon systems in the near future
 

       • Prop modelling
“ANIMATOR / 3D MODELLER”


Panzer elite action – dunes of war (PC, PS2, Xbox360)


       • Vehicle modelling
 

       • Vehicle cut scene animation
 

       • Prop modelling
“ANIMATOR / 3D MODELLER”


Alfa street derby (slot machine)


       • Horse modelling
 

       • Jockey modelling
 

       • Horse + jockey skinning, rigging
 

       • Horse animation
 

       • Jockey animation
 

       • Worked closely with a horse race enthusiast to ensure a realistic, hand animated horse gallop

LANGUAGES:


Slovenian – Native
Croatian/Serbian/Bosnian - Fluent
English – Fluent
German – Intermediate

INTERESTS & HOBBIES:


I design, manufacture and ride longboards. Occasionally I go skating in an indoor skate park.  I also model, texture and animate my own models (insects and spaceships).I try to follow the development of CG industry by learning new software and engines (Zbrush, Mudbox, Unreal engine, Cry engine). I am one of the few people that can honestly claim to be a huge fan of Star Wars AND Star Trek at the same time. My interests also include weapons, aircraft, history, science fiction and ecology. As a biologist I am also interested in scepticism and critical thinking.

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