FROM D&D TO 3D
Dylan Sisson reveals what led to his first role at Pixar, and provides advice for developing as an artist
How did you get started in the industry?
In 1997 I got my first job in 3D animation working on an RPG for the Sony Playstation, Shadow Madness. When I interviewed with one of the owners of the company, we talked about Dungeons & Dragons for over an hour… nothing else. D&D helped get me the job, totally unexpectedly. Then in 1999, I created an independent animation which won the award for Best Computer Animated Short at the Animar Festival, which led to an opportunity at Pixar.
What skills and qualities are essential to your role?
As to “essential”… I guess I would recommend to try and keep a sense of humour. You’re definitely going to need that if you want to make a profession in VFX and animation. It’s an industry that has ups and downs, and really requires a love of the medium itself. Otherwise, there are more stable, and more boring, things to do with yourself.
What advice can you give to artists that may want to work at a studio?
Try out a lot of things. See what’s most interesting to yourself because it might not be what you first think. Also, it’s not necessarily about ‘getting a job’ but also finding a good fit for yourself and skillset. I’m a big advocate for pursuing your interests, taking on your own projects for their own sake, and seeing where that leads. Developing a speciality or personal style can’t hurt.
Do you have any advice for developing your techniques?
Learn the fundamentals of traditional art. In college I studied typography the old-fashioned way, setting lead type for a Vandercook letterpress, along with studying traditional drawing and animation. Technology is always evolving and offering fewer arbitrary limitations, but that can paradoxically stifle the creative process, with too many options. For me, I’ve found constraints and limitations an important ingredient for creativity and personal style, and I find myself returning to the fundamentals all the time, where I can follow traditional techniques, or choose to break them.