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Meet former OC student Mitchy Richard

����SMtown: West Kelowna, BC
Program: Animation Diploma - 2023

How did you become interested in animation? What inspired you?
When I was a kid, I loved cartoons so much and I would constantly be pausing shows to see every drawing. Later in highschool, I watched Bee and Puppycat and realized that I wanted animation and art to be a central part of my life because I enjoyed the process of it so much and wanted to improve.

What are some of the reasons you choose ����SM to pursue your studies? What year did you graduate from OC?
I graduated in 2023, and it was a packed 2 year program. I chose ����SM because the Animation Program not only taught animation, but also covered so many areas in the industry. There was a focus on exploring what parts you liked and wanted to delve further into and the professors would help accommodate your interests.

What specific projects have you been a part of in the animation industry?
I got the pleasure of working with Atomic Cartoons to help make Netflix’s Red Fish Blue Fish!

Can you share where you’re working now and your current role?
Currently, with my knowledge of light and shadow, composition, and my proficiency in creative software, I’ve taken up work as a headshot editor with Wax Pencil Imagery!

How has your Animation Diploma from OC helped you in your career?
My Animation Diploma has not only helped me get a job in the industry, but it's also prepared me for change and how to think as an artist in the trades. Knowledge of software is such an advantage right now in countless industries, combined with how to think creatively and plan to complete projects and deadlines, it’s a skillset that's hard to come by.

Looking back, what aspects of the Animation Diploma have been the most beneficial to your career?
Three major areas come to mind: Learning the ins and outs of industry standard software, knowing how to plan and accomplish tasks to make difficult deadlines, and meeting some extraordinary people that I will be working with on some upcoming projects!

Do you feel the program prepared you well for the demands of the animation industry?
I am sooo grateful with the way the program was set up. It taught me how to manage my time to make deadlines, which were difficult at times, but needed. Most importantly, it taught me how to know when I wasn't going to make a deadline and how to ask for help and talk to professors about what I could do to succeed, which is exactly what happens in the industry. 

Have there been any standout achievements in your career since completing the Animation Diploma?
Definitely working on Red Fish Blue Fish for Netflix! It’s so weird and rewarding to think about all the shows I love so much that are on that platform and now I have a piece of me and my hard work with an incredibly talented and skilled team on there as well.

What’s been the most exciting or rewarding part of your career journey so far?
It’s kinda weird, but the most rewarding part for me is whenever I make a deadline and I get to watch what I've worked so hard on, there's such a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of “Yea! I made that with my own hands and a computer”!

What advice would you give to someone considering the Animation Diploma at ����SM?
Hard work definitely pays off and make some friends! Not only is it a great way to network and have connections when you finish the program, but it's also so good to talk to people and create things with people who are as passionate as you are!

What do you see as the next steps or goals in your career?
A. I’m going to continue working hard and try to create some really fun stuff with some awesome
friends I made from the program!

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your journey since graduating from the
Animation Diploma program at OC?
I’m eternally grateful for the friends I made through the program and I can see some really cool
projects in the future with them.

Where can we see some of your work?
You can find my work on my or on my !