Mateus Soares de Souza Lima
+45 50 27 85 59
March, 14th, 2015
Dear Teachers and Staff of “The Animation Workshop”,
I’m writing you to apply to the “Character Animation Program”. You can find my portfolio on the following link: http://www.matlimadmissionportfolio.blogspot.dk/
I am a passionate animator who is always looking for opportunities to learn more and who wants to improve my knowledge and techniques. I studied Fine Arts in a Brazilian college, with focus in animation. Even though there I had the opportunity to work in several short movies, including my personal one, after I graduated I felt that I have had a good basis in some theoretical concepts but I had a lack of knowledge in more technical aspects of drawing and animation. Seeking for more knowledge I decided to use the money I saved working for about 2 years as illustrator and teacher’s assistant at college to improve my skills. I spent five months in Los Angeles studying more about Concept Art and Visual Development with some of the best artists in the animation Industry. It was a great experience and I enjoyed my time there trying to took the most I could from the classes and trying to expand my network with professionals and students from all around the world.
When I got back to Brazil I started to work developing a webseries for a small studio, It was a good experience, but there, I was the main animator and I felt that I was staying in the same place professionally and I needed to find a place where I could be in contact with more experienced professionals, and where I can keep improving myself. I took a test to work at “2D LAB”, one of the biggest animation studios in Brazil, and was called back to start working there. I did not think two times and moved from Belo Horizonte to Rio de Janeiro without knowing anyone there or having a place to live, because I know I'll be in an environment where I could learn and improve my skills.
I’ve been working with animation for TV series for almost 2 years, and this need to keep learning urged me again, and one more time I decided to clear my bank account and I came to Viborg to take the “3D Character Animation Program” at TAW. Since I arrived here I feel like I am in the best environment for learning and after talking with some students from the CA program, I started to work in a new portfolio, because “The Animation Workshop” is the right place to improve myself at the moment and I believe that the CA program have all the classes and assignments that I felt I missed from the other schools where I studied.
My influence as artist came from traditional paintings from artists like Caravaggio, Alphonse Mucha, Norman Rockwell, J. C. Leyndecker, Drew Struzan and James Jean. As a storyteller I have big influences from comic books, starting as a kid with the Disney classics produced among others by Carl Barks and Don Rosa, passing by the superheroes comics, and now I’m looking for more personal works like “Daytripper” by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba and “Blankets” by Craig Thompson. From the comic books when I was a kid I get like to reading and grow as a teenager with the company of fantastic worlds from Harry Potter’s and Lord of The Ring’s books. One writer that keeps surprising me with his stories is Stephen King. Although the fantastic always fascinated me, one of the last books that really touched me was “The Diary of Anne Frank” that I thought it was going to be a book about war but is actually a book about life, relationship and family. I’m passionate for the animation and all the different techniques you can use to tell a story. Some works that amazed me recently were the glass painting shorts by Alexander Petrov, the pin screen shorts by Jacques Drouin and the beautifully digital painting from “The Damn Keeper” by Dice Tsutsumi. From the animated feature films, I’m a great fan of disney classic movies, specially the ones from the 90ths golden era. One of my favorites is “Tarzan” for its amazing animation. As a cinema fan I’m always looking for different styles and ways to tell a story from directors from different countries with their personal touches but I have a special feeling for the silly 80ths teen movies like “Stand By Me”, “Back to The Future” and “Goonies”.
I have a special admiration for the Disney animators from the nine old men to the 90ths features animators like Andreas Deja, Bruce Smith, James Baxter and principally Glen Keane with his expressive drawings. One younger animator that I admire and that is an inspiration for me as a professional is Bobby Pontillas. A great artist who is always looking for new challenges, that even with a position as an animator at Disney Animation, took the Visual Development training program at the studio to improve his skills and that still shares his experiences and process with the animation community.
From my back works on graduation short movies I had the chance to learn and improve my skills in some softwares like Photoshop, After Effects and Flash. For the last two years I’ve been working with digital cut out animation with Toonboom Harmony, in which I have advanced skills with animation, and some basic knowledge of Rigging. I’m just starting to learn 3d Maya, so in the moment I have a basic knowledge of it.
My aspiration is to become part of an big animation studios crew, where I can help to tell stories that will cross borders and touch people from around the world, meeting amazing professionals that can team up to tell our personal stories.
I don’t have financial condition to afford the tuition of the program, but inasmuch I’m from Brazil, one of the countries that VIA University College give priority for its scholarship, I applied for it to cover my education and housing, and I have some family savings that I can use for my personal expenses.
Best Regards,
Mateus Soares de Souza Lima
