Brandon Ray
Paper Brain Productions, LLC
Sugar Land, TX, USA
832-275-6776
www.brandonray.net
Brandon Ray searches for new ways to add depth to the traditionally 2-dimensional medium of paper. From building 3-dimensional paper cityscapes to constructing functional paper puppets, he uses stop-motion animation and puppetry to bring his creations to life. Recently, Brandon has applied his technique to a variety of subject matters, ranging from a light-hearted children’s fable commissioned by Amazon Studios, to the troubling tale of injustice dealt to Damien Echols and the West Memphis Three. Aside from his own paper creations, Brandon teaches the fundamentals of paper-puppetry animation to kids around the world on PBS superstar Mark Kistler’s global art web-cast.
Work Experience
Paper Brain Productions, LLC
Owner & Animator
* Animated for the first season of the Amazon Original Series Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street
* Animated numerous commercial projects for Rivet, including the visual concept/design and animation for Addy-winning "Sunnova, Go Solar. Save Money."
* Awarded 'Best Music Video' for "Anything Made of Paper" at the Irvine International Film Festival and Rincon International Film Festival, along with three awards from the L.A. New Wave Film Festival
* Part of the Texas Filmmaker's Showcase 2014
* Animated the opening for the Only in Houston Award Honoring Alfred Cervantes which played at the 2013 Addy Awards Houston
* Created the online series Paper People Jokes, which was shortlisted in the Best Series category for the 2010 and 2012 Vimeo Festival + Awards (top 12 out of 15K entries)
* Animated 3 short animations which were featured on Channel Frederator
* Created animations for Electric Literature, Vimeo Festival + Awards (promotions), and Channel Frederator (birthday special)
* Featured artist & instructor on Emmy-award winning Mark Kistler's creative educational network
* Produced the Return of the Commander animated series, which features voice talent from PBS drawing-guru "Commander Mark" Kistler from the series "The Secret City" and "The Imagination Station"
* Launched an interactive joke-animating iPhone app that received rave reviews
* Premiered animations at Cinebarre Theaters across the nation
* Animated numerous commercial projects for Rivet, including the visual concept/design and animation for Addy-winning "Sunnova, Go Solar. Save Money."
* Awarded 'Best Music Video' for "Anything Made of Paper" at the Irvine International Film Festival and Rincon International Film Festival, along with three awards from the L.A. New Wave Film Festival
* Part of the Texas Filmmaker's Showcase 2014
* Animated the opening for the Only in Houston Award Honoring Alfred Cervantes which played at the 2013 Addy Awards Houston
* Created the online series Paper People Jokes, which was shortlisted in the Best Series category for the 2010 and 2012 Vimeo Festival + Awards (top 12 out of 15K entries)
* Animated 3 short animations which were featured on Channel Frederator
* Created animations for Electric Literature, Vimeo Festival + Awards (promotions), and Channel Frederator (birthday special)
* Featured artist & instructor on Emmy-award winning Mark Kistler's creative educational network
* Produced the Return of the Commander animated series, which features voice talent from PBS drawing-guru "Commander Mark" Kistler from the series "The Secret City" and "The Imagination Station"
* Launched an interactive joke-animating iPhone app that received rave reviews
* Premiered animations at Cinebarre Theaters across the nation
January 2013
- Present
Houston, Texas, United States
Gortimer Gibbon's Life On Normal Street
Animator
Created animated scenes for eight different episodes of Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street, an Amazon Originals series streaming on Amazon Prime.
- Ranger and the Legend of Pendragon's Gavel (2014) ... (special animation)
- Gortimer Gets Shushed (2014) ... (special animation)
- Gortimer and the Mystical Mind Eraser (2014) ... (special animation)
- Mel vs. the Mel-o-dramatic Robot (2014) ... (special animation)
- Pilot (2014) ... (animator - animation)
- Mel vs. The Fickle Fortune Teller of Fate ... (animator)
- Ranger and the Mysterious Metamorphosis ... (animator)
- Gortimer and the Leaky Dreamcatcher ... (animator - animation)
- Ranger and the Legend of Pendragon's Gavel (2014) ... (special animation)
- Gortimer Gets Shushed (2014) ... (special animation)
- Gortimer and the Mystical Mind Eraser (2014) ... (special animation)
- Mel vs. the Mel-o-dramatic Robot (2014) ... (special animation)
- Pilot (2014) ... (animator - animation)
- Mel vs. The Fickle Fortune Teller of Fate ... (animator)
- Ranger and the Mysterious Metamorphosis ... (animator)
- Gortimer and the Leaky Dreamcatcher ... (animator - animation)
September 2013
- Present
Los Angeles, California, United States
A&A Video Productions
Post-Production Supervisor
* Growing this full-service video production company from 5 full-time employees to a staff of over 40 full-time workers
* Developing a unique and original approach to music-driven storytelling
* Training editors, managing their output, checking their work
* Hosting weekly educational seminars
* Personally editing and sometimes animating upper-level productions ($10K + productions)
* scripting, storyboarding, scheduling, and directing several projects as a creative director for The A&A Storyteller Series and You + Me Concept Films
* Scripted, directed, and edited the award-winning film, "Mi Companera de Viajes," traveling is Thailand to film some of the scenes
* Taking an active role making decisions regarding the future and direction of the company that contribute to the company's success
* Developing a unique and original approach to music-driven storytelling
* Training editors, managing their output, checking their work
* Hosting weekly educational seminars
* Personally editing and sometimes animating upper-level productions ($10K + productions)
* scripting, storyboarding, scheduling, and directing several projects as a creative director for The A&A Storyteller Series and You + Me Concept Films
* Scripted, directed, and edited the award-winning film, "Mi Companera de Viajes," traveling is Thailand to film some of the scenes
* Taking an active role making decisions regarding the future and direction of the company that contribute to the company's success
May 2005
- September 2013
Houston, Texas, United States
Education
The University Of Texas At Austin
B.A. Radio Television Film
1998
- 2002
Austin, Texas, United States
Awards
LA New Wave Film Festival
Best Animation, Best Directing in an Animation, Best Editing in an Animation
2014
Skills
Stop Motion,
2D Animation,
Adobe After Effects,
Adobe Photoshop,
Concept Art,
Dragonframe,
Final Cut Pro,
Motion Graphics ,
Paper Puppetry,
Toon Boom ,