May FableFriday: Erik Laats, Junior Developer

Erik Laats’ keen eye for design and game-building background provide him with the perfect combination of skills to develop FableVision’s projects. After working for a startup in Boston and an advertising agency across the globe in Sydney, he came back to the east coast with revived gusto to pursue his passion of creating games and interactives. Erik approaches his projects with accessibility in mind, to ensure that all users have a fun experience. 

“Everyone has a unique perspective, and I love designing and developing to accommodate ranging technical backgrounds, generational differences, and cognitive and physical disabilities,” says Erik. “The best designed experiences are ones that transcend these divisions.”

Read on to learn more about Erik’s typical day as a junior developer, his TikTok-famous pet, and his range of active and calming hobbies.

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What’s your “journey to FableVision” story?
I have long been interested in animation and illustration and I was immediately drawn to FableVision’s clear affinity for beautiful, hand-drawn artwork during my senior year at UC Davis. Digging deeper, I was thrilled to find the company primarily built games and interactives with an educational bent – another interest of mine.

After a few months of email badgering, former Technical Director Brian Grossman agreed to speak with me. While I had an interest in developing games and websites, my experience was primarily in design, so FableVision decided to go with Nathan Wentworth, and I was left to continue my job search.

With a little luck, I found myself as the designer in a tiny software startup (then SYRG, now HourWork) in Boston. At such a small company, I had plenty of opportunities to help the developer team, so I pitched in whenever I could. Between these moments and a few personal game projects, I grew my confidence in technical work.

In 2019, my partner and I moved to Australia, and I found a position as a “creative technologist” at a trendy advertising agency in Sydney. It was the perfect hybrid of technical and creative work, providing me with a great chance to expand my technical abilities with my design background.

Upon returning to the United States once the pandemic began, Brian put me in touch with Jordan Bach, our current technical director, who was looking for new freelancers. After freelancing for about six months, I joined FableVision as a full-time junior developer!

What’s a typical day like for a junior developer?
I like to start the day by taking the cat for a walk and doing The Mini Crossword. Once that’s taken care of, I’ll dive right in on my current project. I am usually scheduled for one or two projects over the course of a week, so I’ll spend my morning crunching through new features or handling thoughtful client feedback.

Most days are broken up by a few client meetings, which are a nice break from the code editor. I’ll work closely with the producer or other team members to make a development plan to accommodate client requests. In the quiet moments, I like to investigate new technologies and fiddle with prototypes. If I can, I try to sneak any interesting things I’ve learned into current projects.

How does your experience in design help you create projects at FableVision?
Design and development form a symbiotic circle – one cannot exist without the other. While designing, it is useful to consider the limitations of the technology you’ll be using so you can make informed decisions. Conversely, when developing based on a design, it’s common to stumble across an edge case or some design question that wasn’t caught in the design phase. I do my best to solve these problems on my own, keep the development moving forward, and ensure the project stays on track.

Screenshot from Michael’s Flowers, a game created by Erik.

How have you approached accessibility in games and why is doing so important?
While technical accessibility – which includes things like screen reader and keyboard usability – is super important, I am also interested in exploring accessibility in a broader sense. Is this generally easy to use? Is it easy to find? Will someone with no prior knowledge be able to enjoy and understand this? I try to keep different perspectives in mind to create the most effective experiences.

What have been some of your favorite FableVision projects?
I loved working on Keenville, created in partnership with the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and Georgia Center for Assessment, because it was exciting to be on a team with developers for a large, technical project. Keenville closely embodies why I was drawn to FableVision – beyond the technical challenge, it strives to build its own imaginative universe, complete with a comprehensive world, dozens of games, and a sense of agency. I would love to see this package expand.

I also like the GASHA GO! World games from Georgia Public Broadcasting. I worked on Claw Control, which was a perfectly sized project that allowed me to take ownership of it. The huge emphasis on art and creative design led to clever interfaces that joined them together successfully in the program.

What do you hope to work on in the future at the studio?
I would love to work on a larger-scale, narrative-driven Unity game, with an emphasis on storytelling and relevant player decisions. I find these types of games very compelling, and I enjoy the challenge of building a game that accounts for player agency. These are fun to create from both a development and design perspective, especially if the game needs to be educational, too. The last FableVision project like this that comes to mind is Wanderlight.

You enjoy creating your own games and comics! What’s a side project you’re currently working on and from where do you draw your inspiration?
In my college days, one of my biggest hobbies was playing Super Smash Bros. Melee competitively. My school had a big tournament scene and people met weekly to host brackets, watch events, and hang out. It was amazing to be a part of a passionate community and inspiring to see the positive effect an old video game could have on people. While I still play for fun and go to the occasional tournament, Melee is more on the back burner these days. It will always be important to me and a foundational part of why I love making games. 

Recently, I've been drawing inspiration from my cat, Winston. He’s so ridiculous that it’s hard not to imagine him as a silly protagonist in a comic or a game. Since he loves cinnamon, in my latest project, players use their fingers to draw lines of cinnamon in the sky. Winston follows those lines on a skateboard and the goal is to reunite him with his three best friends – cow, ham bone, and donut (his favorite toys). It’s a prototype right now, but someday I hope to finish it. A while back, I made an idle game where Winston fishes and then stops to play his Nintendo Switch. The player has to tell him to fish again.

As a present for my partner, I wrote a dozen or so comics about Winston. They depict some key moments, including his adoption, our daily interactions, and when he gets too hot.

Speaking of Winston – tell us more about him!
When we adopted him from a shelter in 2020, he was a skinny and scrawny 6-month-old kitten with a biting problem. He’s since filled out nicely into a full-grown adult menace! Like all cats, he’s got some quirks, and my partner built a big following on TikTok around his love for cinnamon. I don’t want to out Winston, but he’ll snuggle anything… although cinnamon is definitely his favorite! 

He’s not the brightest bulb, but he loves to play and go on walks and nature hikes. It’s hard to get him out of the door sometimes, but he’s great at coming home to the food – he’ll run all the way back with his ears down. 

What are some of your hobbies?
When I started working, I took up rock climbing to combat sitting in an office. It’s fun to risk life and limb, jumping from rock to rock, feeling alive! I’m unable to think about anything else at that time, so I have no choice but to stop worrying and being stressed out. It’s a fun escape.

Since the pandemic, I’ve also started paying more attention to birds. While birding may have a lame reputation, it’s a useful way to stay present. No matter where you are, you can step outside and listen to the birds. I’ve slowly learned how different birds look and sound, and it is so satisfying when something flies by that you recognize. 

More About Erik

A picture of a cardinal taken by Erik.

Favorite game? Super Smash Bros. Melee – I’ve been playing it since I was six. A close second would be Undertale. 

Favorite Pokémon? That’s tough. The child in me says Lugia, but I also like Surskit, he’s a cutie.

Favorite bird? The green heron. They don’t look like your typical herons – they’re still hunters, they hide in the weeds, and wait for hours. It’s my goal this summer to get a nice picture of one.

An Erik fun fact that most people don’t know? When I was 10 years old, I jumped off the swing and “obliterated both of my arms at once,” as my doctor said. That was a defining moment for me and it took me about a year to recover. I had to serve spaghetti at a school fundraiser with my two enormous casts.

Retelling a Legendary Tale: Mahabharata Animation Spotlight

Family, duty, and rivalry—this is the story of the Mahabharata, one of India’s oldest and most well-known Hindu epics. To take viewers on a journey through the legendary pages, FableVision partnered with the Peabody Essex Museum to animate an abridged retelling of the epic. This larger than life visual narrative is currently projected on a gallery wall and featured on the museum’s website for virtual tours. 

The longest epic in existence, the Mahabharata is the source of stories and teachings that have been part of life in India for two thousand years. It tells the story of the Pandavas and Kauravas, two families born of the same blood. Their conflict is one that is morally grey, with heroes and villains on both sides. The animation begins with author Vyasa, who unfolds the story of the Pandavas and Kauravas as they struggle to reconcile jealousy and rivalries that comes to a head in a grand battle. As Vyasa tells the story to the Hindu deity of beginnings Ganesha, the epic comes to life before our very eyes.

The animated epic will feature alongside paintings by Maqbool Fida (M. F.) Husain, one of India’s best-known modern artists. To introduce Husain's work and additional pieces inspired by his vision, FableVision wove elements of the prolific artists’ paintings into the animation and worked with subject matter experts and curators from the museum to create a compelling and poignant animated homage. The exhibit features works inspired by Husain’s vision of the Mahabharata, alongside paintings, sculptures, and other historical materials that showcase India's long and layered history. The South Asian Art exhibition is available for viewing in the physical museum as well as online for people to enjoy.

FableVision’s art team was led by Director of Art & Animation, Bob Flynn, and Lead Designer on the project, Jane Winters. “Early on in development, I came across the work of Natalia Goncharova, Mystical Images of War. Bold shapes, striking composition, gritty textures—all produced in black and white lithographs,” shared Winters. “We took these elements and used them in the overall design of characters, props, and backgrounds. Lastly, we made sure that the characters could be identifiable by silhouetted shapes because they all had such important roles in the story.”

Color played possibly the biggest role in differentiating the two sides of the family and setting the tone of each scene. Because we were working with a limited color palette, we wanted it to be clear which family was the Pandavas—Red—and which family was the Kauravas—Grey. As far as storytelling, we used a combination of close-up and wide shots to communicate the emotions and struggles through facial expressions, hands, weapons, and more.

FableVision is proud to partner with the Peabody Essex Museum to present this moving testament to the Mahabharata’s rich, significant, and complicated history. Watch the video now, and pay a visit to the exhibit to experience more of Mahabrata’s vast and dynamic history. And be sure to check out our previous collaborations with the Peabody Essex Museum, including the quirky, animated history of Augustus the Strong.

To learn more about the animation and exhibit, read Peabody Essex Museum’s blog post here, watch the BBC World News America clip here, and check out GBH’s “Arts This Week” feature here.

September FableFriday: Hannah O’Neal, Lead Animator

“One of the things I like most about my job is creating fun and engaging characters, animals, and designs that bring a smile to the audience’s faces and brighten their day for having seen it,” says Hannah O’Neal. Once a FableVision intern, now lead animator, Hannah has created stunning animation at the studio for years. During her time as an intern, Hannah connected with the work and mission of FableVision, and when she finished her internship, she soon began freelancing. She then joined the team as a staff artist/animator and later became lead animator. In her role, she has delivered high-quality animation on a number of award-winning projects, and takes part in many important conversations surrounding the studio’s animation process. 

What distinguishes FableVision from other studios in the industry, for Hannah, is the work environment. “FableVision has a tremendous studio culture that creates a positive place to work,” says Hannah. “As an employee for a while now, it’s always been a pleasure working in a place that has collected what is both some of the best talent and also the nicest people in the Boston area.” 

Read on for more information on Hannah’s role at FableVision, where and how she finds artistic inspiration, and how she is shaping the minds of future animators in her animation course at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

What is involved in being a Lead Animator at FableVision, and how has your day-to-day routine changed since the beginning of your time at FableVision?
I still get to do a lot of the day-to-day animation tasks, making characters and designs move around in an interesting way, but now I also get to be more a part of the upfront discussions on not just what we’re working on, but also why, and how. In that way, I have the opportunity to shape the way we approach our animation for a given project and make sure we’re doing the best we can to meet our clients’ and partners’ goals. I am also able to interact more with other animation freelancers on projects and help direct them. I interact more with clients, as well, and provide animation-related information and feedback that helps keep projects looking their best.

As the art/animation internship coordinator, you’ve guided many young artists and even former students of yours in their practice. What do you look for in an intern candidate, and how does it feel to work with your students and former students at FableVision?
I was once an intern at FableVision, so I feel really blessed to be able to help usher in our new art interns every semester. I’m always looking for candidates who have the appropriate skill level in their portfolios for art or animation; however, portfolios only get a candidate so far. I also need to make sure that the candidate will fit in well within our close team-oriented environment. So I look for talented folks who are also up-beat, goal focused, and willing to jump into a team project and work with other people to make something great! I do my best to make sure my interns and students are getting the best professional experience possible, while also making it a positive experience for the studio to interact with these talented young people. By the end of the semester, I tend to be very sad when I have to say goodbye to them, but we all typically stay in touch, and I do my best to keep those connections alive.

You started out as a FableVision intern! How does your experience transitioning from intern to animator to now lead animator affect how you run the internship program?
FableVision was a great place to intern, and if I have anything to say about it, it remains a great place to intern! Becoming an animator after being an intern was a very different experience for me. The transition from animator to lead animator involves more managing, which means there is more overlap with my role as internship coordinator. I manage a team and their time, as well as direct look and feel of a project’s motion needs. I take what I learn managing the interns and apply it to what I do as a lead, and vice versa. 

What’s a project you’ve worked on this year that you’re especially proud of? Do you have any all time favorites?
This year, I just wrapped up a project that deals with financial literacy content. I was able to work with some really amazing writing and character designs, as well as some fantastic voice acting. Things came together so well and made my job not only easy, but super fun to execute. When we previewed the animation in front of the studio, it made people laugh and have a good time. That’s the best part of the job, when our team comes together well and makes something everyone really enjoys.

What are some things that have influenced your art style over the years?
As a kid, I was really into anime-style animation. While I am not as interested in that as an adult, I still use its visual language in my work. This is easy to do because most animators these days are using anime-inspired visual cues as well. Other inspirations include independent comic artists and illustrators of varying styles and genres. I love styles that push poses and emotions beyond the expected, and you tend to see more of that in comics since you have to say more in one character pose than you would in animation. I also derive a lot of inspiration from video games in terms of how things can move and what software to use to do so. I love seeing the latest from top-name motion graphic companies, as well. I’m fascinated by how much one can relate to an audience using abstract shapes and good graphic design. But what I have always felt most inspired by is nature! I’m a huge nature nerd, and it has always informed what and how I create art.

How did you first become interested in animation? What advice would you have for an artist pursuing the field today?
As mentioned, I love nature, and it’s because of that love that I was drawn to animation, specifically to the idea that I could essentially create living art. I could make art move and breathe and run and laugh. It seemed to me to be a very powerful form of artistic expression. One thing I would suggest for an artist interested in learning how to create animation, and ultimately becoming a professional animator, is to make sure you’re okay with drawing a lot! It can be tedious, and if you’re finding the level of tedium is preventing you from feeling that spark of creativity, you may want to try other forms of art. But, if you are really into it like I was, you should learn the basics first! 

And I what I mean by “basics” is learning how to draw animation (either on paper or in a software that lets you draw frame-by-frame) before starting to learn software. The animation world is very competitive world, and there are more software options than you can shake a stick at. There’s also a lot of pressure for a young animator to learn ALL THE SOFTWARE! However, all the software in the world isn’t going to make you a good animator if you don’t understand how to move and draw with a sense of weight and 3-dimension. It takes an experienced artist to make that movement something worth watching, giving your object life, making it relatable, and giving it a purpose. That can be quite a tall order! But if you can figure out how to do that, no matter what software (or paper) you use, you’ll be on the fast track to becoming a successful animator and artist.

Where do you seek out opportunities for viewing art and animation? What are some of your favorite animated shows/movies/cartoons?
Studio Ghibli films are always a great source of animation inspiration for me in regards to tone, story, and character movement. Anything animated by Milt Kahl is worth studying for hours if you can as well! He was a master of animation. One of my most favorite animated TV shows is Batman the Animated Series from the 90’s. It was very formative for me! It pushed character design and story in the realm of children’s television and is still such a pleasure to watch. I also love the animation coming out of the Cartoon Saloon in Ireland. They’re great at adding interesting stylized design and story to make epic and enjoyable animated films. Practically anything coming out of Gobelins school for animation is also top-notch! And last but certainly not least, I’ve really enjoyed the works of Giant Ant, an amazing motion graphic studio! 

Tell us about your current teaching gig!
I am lucky to work in a place that lets me take part in teaching a class on 2D Animation software at MassArt. I have always really loved teaching, which is part of the reason I enjoy running the intern program at FableVision. I’m going into my second semester teaching, and I’m really looking forward to it. Helping young artists learn to be the best they can is super rewarding work!

We heard you’re also into gaming. What’s your current favorite video game, and are there any games that have influenced your artistic style over the years?
My favorite video game is Journey—hands down! It’s SO amazing in every way I hope a game to be amazing. It has a meaningful story that promotes cooperative play with others, it looks stunning, and the music is *chef’s kiss*. It’s an award-winning game for a reason.

More about Hannah:

What’s at the top of your travel bucket list and why? New Zealand because it’s so BEAUTIFUL and kind of weird, and I can pretend to be a hobbit. It’d be great!
You love to camp! Do you prefer a tent or a camper? TENT 100%. I like hiking into a remote location and pitching a tent by a fire. There’s just something so satisfying about that—being so lost in and surrounded by nature.
We heard you grew up on an animal farm. Do you know why cows come close when they hear trumpets or other music? Cattle will come to any weird noise you make so long as they believe there will be food at the end of their journey. We used to yell out a sort of song to attract the cattle to come feed. They have to hear you over fields and hills, so you have to be really loud! It went something like, “SoooooeeeeEEEEe Cooome n’ Get iiiiiiiitttt!” and hit the empty bucket against the giant feeding trough because it makes a loud sound. The cattle loved it!
Favorite song to listen to while working? I like to listen to albums, so it’s hard to pick one song! I like to listen to the album “Songs from Moonlit Lake” by Daniel Olsén because it’s so darn cute!
Favorite work snack? Double chocolate cookies from Flour Bakery!
Describe your ideal dessert: There was this legendary dessert dish my Granny made when I was a kid that she called Mississippi Mud Pie Graveyard. It was a kind of cake with LOTS of chocolate things. It had pudding, oreo crumbles, and maybe some cream cheese. MOST IMPORTANTLY, though, it was in a casserole dish decorated with gummy worms and marshmallow ghosts to resemble a graveyard, since she made it for Halloween. I will never forget that dish and want nothing more than to eat that again, but only for Halloween!
Summarize FableVision in three words: Hard-working, good people.

Come PLAY at the Studio: Creative Juices 2019

FableVision’s annual Creative Juices Art Show is back, and this year, we’re having a play-date at the studio! The theme for 2019 is PLAY, and our team has spent the last few months creating artwork, games, interactives, food, and more centered around this theme. We have over thirty artists and makers—ranging from FableVision staff to freelancers to former interns and friends—displaying their work. The studio has been hard at work to ensure that all the projects are in place and everything is ready for the night of the show.

Continue reading for a play-by-play from three of this year’s event organizers: Christina Kelly, Production Designer, Hannah O’Neal, Lead Animator, and Bob Flynn, Director of Art and Animation. And don’t forget to RSVP here to save your spot!

What is the history of Creative Juices? How did it start, and what was the inspiration behind it?
Hannah: It came from this idea that we wanted to show the creative activities we do outside of work. We had a blog that we used to showcase our personal work and inspire each other, and we called it Creative Juices. Bob even designed a logo for it, and we still use that same logo today! We decided in 2010 or so to branch out from the blog and actually do an art show. Just like the blog, the show would be open to everyone in the studio to exhibit, not just artists. At first we were going to do something in a gallery space in town, but we decided to do it in our own studio space instead. That’s how the Creative Juices Art Show first came to be!

Bob: Everything that Hannah said. Keith Zulawnik, myself, and Jay LaCouture had been attending art shows at local galleries and figured, why don’t we do something like this? The inspiration behind the name came from a phrase Peter H. Reynolds was known to say: “getting our creative juices flowing.” It took a lot of work to get the first show in place, but each year we take advantage of what we learn from previous years.

What went into planning this event?
Hannah: Though the art team spearheads the planning, we had to put our heads together with the marketing team to work on scheduling, branding, and outreach for the show. The art team takes on the role of finding and organizing people to participate and, with the marketing team, designs and prepares all our lovely labels, lanyards, and other print materials. Preparing the space is a combination of everyone pitching in and putting up their creative pieces and prepping the space for maximum fun and enjoyment.

How did you pick this year’s theme, and why is it important?
Bob: I believe Christina and I came up with it together. We were tossing around ideas. I’m always searching for something simple that can be interpreted a number of ways. The idea of PLAY is synonymous with the spirit of the studio. You learn best when you play—where you’re allowed to make mistakes, start over, and improvise on perceived accidents. I feel my best when I’m in play mode.

Christina: Play is such a fun word. There are so many different things you think of when you hear it. It also allowed us to branch out from the usual 2D art we create at the studio and also make games and other types of projects!

What kind of work will we see at the show? Who is displaying?
Christina: Anything you can think of. Art, poems, food, music, games. There’s going to be a really fun variety.

Bob: We have freelancers and staff who are working on games, which syncs up nicely with the theme. And the children of a few of our staff members are also displaying work.

Hannah: We’re lucky to be a studio with so many talented people, from all kinds of backgrounds and expertise. This is the night everyone gets flex their creative muscles in the many ways we have to make something creative. So we’re going to see all KINDS of things, not just art on the walls. It’s pretty exciting!

What are you most excited about for the art show?
Hannah: Filling the walls and rooms with our creative spirit! And sharing that with some of the most talented and creative people in our area! Over the years our Art Show has become an event where you can’t help but run into some of the finest creative minds in our industry, many of whom are our collective friends and greater community. I love seeing some of my old friends and meeting new creative people. I also hope to make new friends and really glue our artistic and creative community together  over some good food, drinks, and creative work.

Christina: I love talking to new and old faces. It’s great having people come in to celebrate art and creativity with us. It’s also fun just to have an excuse to party with people.

Bob: It’s so great to see old friends. And conversely, it’s the best way to meet people new to the Boston animation, gaming, and educational media scene. I spend most of the night catching up with folks.

When and where is Creative Juices? How do I get my ticket?
Christina: Friday, May 31! You need to RSVP on Eventbrite to get on the list. The ticket is 100% free, though. What a deal!

May FableFriday: Julie Oliveira, Production Artist

“I would describe my style as colorful, cartoony, and nostalgic. I think for me, my art style is continuing to grow and evolve, and it always has been,” says Julie Oliveira. A talented illustrator and animator, Julie joins the studio as FableVision’s Production Artist. Julie earned her bachelor's in animation from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where she learned a lot about art and animation not only from the formal classroom setting, but also from her peers outside of classes. “I’m constantly trying to improve and learn from what inspires me while still making sure it always has a personal touch. I’m excited to learn from all of the talented people at FableVision, from the diverse projects, and from client interactions as well. I think working here will help me become a more versatile artist.”

In her role as Production Artist, Julie collaborates with the rest of the art team to bring ideas to life. Her part in the production process involves designing assets for interactive media, games, websites, and more. She creates concept art for animation, designs website style guides, makes new assets from existing style guides, and sometimes takes part in the animation process.

From finding inspiration from people and projects at the studio to learning new tips and tricks about areas she is less familiar with, such as game design, Julie continues to look for ways to grow in her career and in her art. The studio is excited, not only to see what Julie can learn from others here, but also what she can teach and bring to each project and team she joins. So let’s jump in and find out more about what drew her to art, what she looks forward to in her career at FableVision, and her favorite recipe to make from scratch!

First and foremost, welcome to FableVision! How did you hear about us, and what originally drew you to the studio?
Thank you! I had heard of some of FableVision’s projects, such as Zoombinis, and looked into the studio more when I graduated. I always knew I wanted to create media for children, and the FableVision projects that focused on that are really what drew me to the studio in the beginning. I’ve always had a soft spot for cartoons, colorful characters, and games. I was also interested in  making educational media more inviting and engaging, so FableVision seemed like the perfect fit!

You studied animation at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. What was that experience like?
It was a great experience! For me, the most important part of my college experience was the community. I learned the most from the people around me: my friends, my peers, and my teachers. Being around a lot of talented and like-minded people helped me to grow and challenge myself in more ways than classes alone ever could. I made some of my best friends at MassArt, and I’ll never forget the late nights in room 721, when we would all work on our theses together while listening to music or podcasts and ordering food. Those are some of my favorite memories from school!

There’s a lot of discussion, now, involving the relevance of art schools. Personally, I think that tuition is certainly too high to be accessible to most students. It’s more convenient and affordable to get degrees online, but there is so much more to learn from than what you get out of class. This is especially true considering the invaluable relationships you make in college. It’s important for these experiences to be accessible for everyone.

When and how did you realize you wanted to be an artist?
I’ve been interested in art and creative activities ever since I was in preschool. When I was little, my mom let me try all kinds of pastimes, like basketball and soccer, but the only thing that stuck was pottery class. In elementary school, I leaned more into drawing and creating characters. By middle school, I was oil painting. When it came time to decide where I wanted to go to college and what I wanted to do with my life, the answer was simple. I’d always been drawing and coloring, and I figured, if I could just keep doing that, I’d be happy. And I am!

From your vantage point, what do you think differentiates FableVision from other studios?
What drew me to FableVision initially were the types of projects. Everything the studio creates is fun and full of character, while also sticking to the goal of producing educational media and tools that help people learn and enjoy learning. For me, that was an important part of growing up and being in school. I think that’s part of what makes FableVision awesome, but also why it’s important to me as part of the team! Another thing that makes the studio unique is the people here; the staff is such a warm family.

What does a day in your life as Production Artist look like?
A day in my life starts with coffee and a pleasant walk across the river. Then, I dive into my projects for the day! Being a production artist involves being open to whatever direction the day takes you in. Sometimes you focus on one project for the whole day, and sometimes different tasks pop up throughout your time. It’s nice to be able to get into a groove and really sink into a project for a few hours, and then be able to pop over and see what others around the studio are up to. One of the best things about my job is that I’m collaborating with other people. It’s so much fun to contribute my portion to a larger whole and see everyone’s bits come together at the end to make something really amazing.

Tell us about the graphic novel project you’re working on! What is it about and how does that process differ from the work you do at the studio?
I’m currently working with a writer on a graphic novel surrounding the lives of four kids who go to summer camp at Area 51 in New Mexico. I’ve always had an interest in paranormal stories, and it’s really lucky that I happened to cross paths with a like-minded creator! Working on a personal project at home is definitely a very similar process to what I do at work, although somewhat less organized. It’s wonderful helping clients create their visions and collaborating with a larger team at work, but it’s also nice to be able to inject my own personality into something a bit more with a project like this at home.

What are you most looking forward to in your career at FableVision?
I’m looking forward to growing more as an artist and continuing to learn new things both on my own and from the talented people I work with at the studio. Learning doesn’t stop when you graduate, and for me I still have a lot of goals I hope to achieve in the future. I know the types of different projects I’ll work on at FableVision will help guide me there. I’m also looking forward to the fun events we take part in together here, like board game nights, video game discussions, and participating in a weekly cooking exchange.

You enjoy playing video games. What game is your favorite, and does the art in that game influence your own work or process?
A lot of games are very important and special to me, but Earthbound has to be my favorite. I played it for the first time a few years ago and just fell in love. It definitely felt like a connection to a piece of media I’ve never had before because I already saw so much of myself in it. Needless to say, once I played it, it certainly became a huge inspiration to me as a creator. I love the goofy artstyle, and as a whole, it just has so much charm and character!

Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
I’ve learned so much from all of the talented people I’m surrounded by, such as my friends, teachers, and coworkers, and I feel very lucky! My mom and grandma inspire me in many other ways, and I really see what kind of person I strive to be in them.

We heard you like to cook. What is your go-to recipe when you have to bring a dish to a potluck?
My go-to recipe is definitely a pasta dish with tomato sauce from scratch. I grew up living within walking distance from my grandparents’ house, and every Sunday, my grandma would make homemade pasta and sauce with tomatoes and basil from my grandpa’s garden. My grandma taught me how to make tomato sauce, and my grandpa taught me how to make mozzarella cheese by hand. I still make my own tomato sauce in my apartment, but nothing compares to my grandma’s. It’s something I always look forward to when visiting home.

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More About Julie:

Most rewatchable animated series? Avatar the Last Airbender. I’ve seen the whole thing through about 11 times!
Favorite animated movie? Lilo and Stitch.
Smiley fries or curly fries? Curly Fries!
Favorite color? Burgundy.
Favorite childhood memory? Visiting the Museum of Natural History in New York City with my Mom.
Favorite Boston museum? The Museum of Science!
Dream vacation? I’d love to go back to Japan!
Animal you would most like to have as a pet? Realistically, a cat or dog. Unrealistically…a racoon. I love their tiny hands.