Tess Martin - animator/filmmaker
tessmartin@filmandscissors.com

PROFILE
Tess Martin is an animator who has been making her own short films since 2002. Her specialty is back-lit paper cut-outs. Her last film (“A Moment's Reverie,” a 10 min. back-lit paper cut-out stop frame animation) won the University of Brighton's top prize for the final year shows of 2007, and can currently be seen at the e4Culture Gallery in Seattle, WA. It has shown at the Local Sightings Film Festival in Seattle; Premiere Plans Film Festival in Angers, France; the St. John's International Women's Film Festival in Canada; the Tate Britain Museum in London, UK, among other venues. In addition to completing four other animated films independently, she undertook a six month volunteer placement in Ghana, where she taught animation, Creative Arts, and IT, resulting in a 3 min. student animated film. Since settling in Seattle she has taught workshops with Bainbridge Island Television, various community centers, and the Reel Grrls organization, where she is a volunteer mentor. She received an Artist Trust GAP Grant in 2009, for work on her current film, and is a 2009 Artist Trust EDGE Program for Filmmakers graduate.

SKILL SUMMARY
● Teaching: proficiency in teaching drawn, cut-out, clay and object animation as well as iStopMotion, iMovie, iDVD and Garageband or
Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro if applicable.
● stop-frame animation: proficiency in paper cut-out technique requiring timing, movement and patience.
● Computer literacy: proficient in Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, AfterEffects, Photoshop, Premiere, Animator DV, Macromedia Flash,
Dreamweaver, iLife Studio, as well as Mac and PC operating systems.
● Self sufficiency and a love for learning new techniques.
● Fluency in English, Italian and French.

AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS
“A Moment's Reverie” was accepted into the following festivals, galleries, and events:

- e4Culture Gallery, Seattle, WA, Nov 5 2009-Oct 7 2010.

- Local Sightings Film Festival, Seattle, WA, Oct 2-7 2009.
- Premiers Plans Film Festival ('Plans Animes' category), Angers, France, Jan 18-27 2008.
- 2008 Sunscreen Film Festival ('animation short' category), St. Petersburgh, Florida, March 19-22.
- St. John's International Women's Film Festival, St. John's, Canada, Oct. 16-20 2007.
- Premiers Plans Film Festival short films night 'La Grande Nuit du Court,' Angers, France, June 6 2008.
- Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market video library, at the Festival Int. du Court Metrage, France, 1-9 2008.
- PoetryFilm short film event at the Tate Britain Museum, London, UK, Oct. 5 2007.

“Tribute” (a cut-out stop -frame animation timed to a Beatles song) was accepted into the:
- 2007 Loop Digital Arts Festival, Brighton, UK, Aug. 18 2007.

"Gaijin/The Foreigner" was accepted into the: e4Culture Gallery, Seattle, WA, Nov 5 2009-Oct 7 2010.

Other achievements:
● Artist Trust GAP Grant recipient, Seattle, WA, 2009; Artist Trust EDGE Program for Filmmakers graduate, Seattle, WA, 2009.
● Winner of the 'Burt Brill and Carden's First Prize Student Award' 2007, in recognition of outstanding artistic achievement at the University
of Brighton Degree Shows.
● Founder and President of the University of Brighton's Filmmakers' Society, and organizer of the One Night Stand student films events.

RELEVANT EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

July 2009 - present - NW Film Forum office volunteer, Seattle, WA. Data entry and general office duties at busy non-profit and cinema.

July 2009 - Animation Workshop Instructor, Atlantic Street Center, Seattle, WA. Created curriculum for and ran a two day animation workshop with fifteen girls, aged 9-15 at a community center in South Beacon Hill. We used found objects and board games and learned iStopMotion, iMovie and iDVD.

June 2009 - July 2009 - Paid Mentor, Reel Grrls Video Camp, Seattle, WA. Taught stop-motion animation, audio and editing at a four day camp where fifteen girls, aged 10-15, made five short films.

June 2009 - and June 2008 - Animation Camp Instructor, BITV, WA. Created curriculum for a four day camp on Bainbridge Island that included drawn, cut-out, clay and found object animation for six kids aged 10-14. We used iStopMotion, iMovie, iDVD, and Garageband.

Sept 2008 - May 2009 - Volunteer Mentor for Reel Grrls, Seattle, WA. Aided a group of teenage girls in producing their own film projects. Created three episodes of Reel Grrls TV, and short pieces as part of animation workshops, to be aired on local community TV station.

Aug 2008 - Jan 2009 - Animation/Filmmaking tutor, numerous students, Seattle, WA. I helped kids create their own animations or live action films, training them in any necessary software, such as iStopMotion, iMovie, FinalCut Pro or Photoshop.

May 2008 - Assistant to animator Bruce Bickford, Seattle, WA. Aid in photographing Bruce's line animation, post-production, festival submissions, merchandise packaging and organization. Requires multi-tasking, professional demeanor and 'people skills.' Learned the rigors of self-promotion and the importance of developing a committed artistic practice.

May 2008 - Contract Animator, BodyBread Co., West Lafayette, Indiana. Was hired to make a stop motion short for the BodyBread website, using their own, specific material. Required adaptability, skill under time pressure, and ability to fulfill a brief: the short had to illustrate the company's premise and at the same time suit their website.

June 2008 - Visiting Artist, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. Invited to give a talk entitled 'Introduction to Stop-Frame Animation:' a sample of my work, a demonstration, and clips from a variety of historically important films.

Nov 2007 – April 2008 - Volunteer Teacher, Precious Gift Int. School, Accra, Ghana. Ran a student animation workshop resulting in a 3 minute drawn animated film; taught a regular Creative Arts class covering drawing, shading and painting; taught a regular IT class for the school staff, training them in Windows, Microsoft Word and Excel; assisted teaching French and organized a regular 'Reading' club.

May – June 2007 - Set Artist for feature film 'Dummy,' Format Films, Brighton, UK. Created the paintings used in the film as those of the main character (an artist). Required skill under time pressure, and liaising with the Design and Art Directors: the paintings had to look inspired, but at the same time had to include specific elements from the film.

June 2007 - Assistant Art Director on short film 'SPAM,' London, UK. Set dressing, gathering props, controlling traffic and crowds on location.

July 2007 - Runner on short film 'The Lonely Cowboy,' London, UK. Assisted the sound and camera crew and performed Video Tape Technician duties.

Oct 2002 - Set Construction Assistant on 'Marty' at the Huntington Theatre, Boston, MA. Building the background elements and props for a stage production of 'Marty.' Required basic and complex knowledge of construction, good time management skills, and a valuable understanding of the operation of a major theatre production from start to finish.

EDUCATION
Aug 2004 – June 2007 - University of Brighton, Brighton, UK, BA Fine Art Sculpture, Mark: First.
Aug 2003 – June 2004 - Byam Shaw School of Art at Central Saint Martin's, London, UK, Foundation Fine Art, Mark: Merit.
Aug 2002 – June 2003 - Boston University, Boston, MA.
2002 - International School of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, International Baccalaureate.