Viewing entries tagged
intern

Comment

It’s Thyme to Meet the Spring 2020 Interns!

Intern Logo 2.png

It may not be spring quite yet here in Boston, but a new group of spring interns have found their way to FableVision Studios! Their collective technical, art, marketing, and production skills—and shared love for the movie Ratatouille—are surely a recipe for success. We’re excited to see what masterpieces they cook up this semester! Read on to learn more about their internship goals, Boston-area recommendations, and who inspires them.


Esther Tzau

Hometown: Weston, MA
School & Major: Tufts University, Computer Science and American Studies (race and ethnic studies)
Position: Technical Intern
Portfolio: etzau01.github.io

Tell us about your journey here! What brought you to FableVision?
When I was a senior in high school, my graphic design teacher suggested I check out FableVision because she knew I’d fall in love with their work and mission. Since then, I’ve been lurking on the InternVision blog, marveling at all the past intern projects, and reaching out to a few former interns. One of the interns I contacted was a technical intern who worked with Brian Grossman and had a really valuable experience. I applied, and it feels pretty surreal to be featured here now as an intern!

eating - Esther Tzau.jpg

What skills are you hoping to work on or develop during your internship?

  • Gain familiarity with the Unity game engine, plugins, and the scripting languages Unity supports as I develop 2D games with the intern team

  • Use PHP, MySQL, and the Laravel web framework to build a working web application

  • Effectively and clearly communicate technical ideas/processes to team members

Remy dreams of being a chef. How is your FableVision internship helping you build skills to get closer to your dream?
My goal is to use my technical and creative skills to support the kind of empowering storytelling, education, and media that FableVision produces every single day. FableVision's team is constantly experimenting with new and emerging technologies, and in the first month I've already learned so much about the tech behind animation and games.

More About Esther!

  • Anyone can cook! Favorite dish to make: Crêpes! I have many fond memories of my family gathered around the dining room table rolling fresh fruit, whipped cream, and Nutella into warm, buttery crepes.

  • Favorite place/thing to do in Boston: I love spending time in Chinatown. I grew up going to church in the neighborhood and often join community organizing efforts, learn Asian American histories, and share warm meals with people I love.

  • Song you’re listening to on repeat: "Feel The Vibe" by BJ The Chicago Kid. Homey and warm.

  • Gusteau inspires Remy throughout his journey. Someone you look up to: My mama. She is my biggest support and best friend.


IMG_0112-2 copy - Gregory Bond.jpg

Greg Bond

Hometown: Walpole, MA
School & Major: Boston University College of Fine Arts, Graphic Design
Position: Art Intern
Portfolio: gregbond.art

Tell us about your journey here! What brought you to FableVision?
I actually found the internship through the other spring Art & Animation Intern, Natalie! We've been friends for a long time now, and she told me about the internship a little while back. I figured I would go for it and apply, and I was lucky enough to get the position!

spring-break-barcelona-174+-+Gregory+Bond.jpg

What skills are you hoping to work on or develop during your internship?
I want to develop my animation and digital illustration skills while working at FableVision this semester. Animation and digital illustration have both always interested me, but were areas that I couldn't really study in my program at BU. So I'm super grateful that I can work on these skills at FableVision!

Remy dreams of being a chef. How is your FableVision internship helping you build skills to get closer to your dream?
Participating in the Art & Animation Internship is awesome because I'm getting a ton of insight into how a professional animation studio functions! I'm interested specifically in children's entertainment, so FableVision is fantastic, as I'm getting a lot of exposure to children's educational animation.

More About Greg!

  • Anyone can cook! Favorite dish to make: To be honest, I'm not great at cooking. My go-to is usually turkey burgers, or some kind of fun bagel sandwich!

  • Favorite place/thing to do in Boston: My absolute favorite place in Boston is the New England Aquarium. I used to go all the time when I was a kid, and I can't help but feel so inspired whenever I visit now.

  • Song you’re listening to on repeat: I've actually been getting really into K-Pop recently! Specifically, I can't stop listening to “Baby” by ASTRO.

  • Gusteau inspires Remy throughout his journey. Someone you look up to: I have always looked up to the older members in my a cappella group at BU, In Achord! Ever since I was a freshman, I've always gone to them for advice, support, and really everything. They've definitely become my family at BU!


9CE68E45-6FCE-4831-8441-65CBFC6C96CD.JPG

Janina Huang

Hometown: Boston, MA
School & Major: Boston University, English and Communication (emphasis in advertising)
Position: Marketing Intern

Tell us about your journey here! What brought you to FableVision?
I learned about FableVision my senior year of high school! My sister and I were researching animation studios in Boston, and FableVision popped up. When I saw the 2015 relaunch of Zoombinis in the FableVision portfolio, a game I loved as a kid, I was immediately interested. I’ve been following the studio and InternVision ever since. Now that I’m a senior in college, it’s exciting and pretty surreal to be here!

What skills are you hoping to work on or develop during your internship?
Social media writing! It can be daunting to stare down a blank piece of paper (or Google Doc), and I’m working on getting over that initial block and just writing the tweet! I’ve been having a blast so far, and I’ve learned so much from the edits Monica and Sarah give me. I’m also looking forward to our intern project! Developing and writing for games has been a dream of mine for a while now, and I’m so happy to see each of us interns shine in our respective roles.

3DF8072D-DBDD-4EBD-9322-DE9E6243D14F.JPG

Remy dreams of being a chef. How is your FableVision internship helping you build skills to get closer to your dream?
My dream is to put as much good into the world as possible, so being at FableVision is certainly helping! On a professional level, FableVision’s mission and work embody so many things I care about: storytelling, education, and empathy, to name a few. Just being in the studio, listening to and learning from the people who work on these projects, is kind of the dream!

More About Janina!

  • Anyone can cook! Favorite dish to make: Lately, I’ve been making a lot of soup.

  • Favorite place/thing to do in Boston: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum! It’s such a unique art museum with an interesting history.   

  • Song you’re listening to on repeat: “Rain” by Ben Platt

  • Gusteau inspires Remy throughout his journey. Someone you look up to: My high school English teacher and advisor, Dr. Proll! A major part of who I am—from my choice of study, to my love of writing, to the way I think about the world—is because of her wisdom and guidance.


About me pic - Natalie Charewicz.jpg

Natalie Charewicz

Hometown: Chatham, NJ
School & Major: Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, English and Art (focus in illustration and animation)
Position: Art Intern
Portfolio: natcharewicz.com

Tell us about your journey here! What brought you to FableVision?
I was following an artist on Twitter who had done an internship at FableVision previously and I found out about it after looking through their page! After that point, I got a bit hooked on InternVision and would constantly keep an eye out for updates and to see what all the interns were working on each semester.

What skills are you hoping to work on or develop during your internship?
Learning how to work creatively as part of a bigger team! Making independent artwork for college classes is really different from being a part of a group project that involves pitching ideas, creating placeholder art, helping with scripts, and so many different moving parts for all areas of production. It’s a lot to juggle at once, but that’s part of the fun.

Remy dreams of being a chef. How is your FableVision internship helping you build skills to get closer to your dream?
This internship is definitely helping me improve my teamwork and collaboration skills, which are really important parts of any field. Plus I’m getting to work on my art in a different setting than what I’m used to, which is great for improving my skills.

More About Natalie!

  • Anyone can cook! Favorite dish to make: So it’s kind of bold of me to imply that I can make any dish *well*, but I really enjoy making crêpes, especially with my dad.

  • Favorite place/thing to do in Boston: This changes daily, but I think I have to go with getting brunch and/or coffee with friends (especially at @union; this is free promo. I love that restaurant), and then spending the day just goofing around pretty much anywhere.

  • Song you’re listening to on repeat: Right now it would have to be “Curiosity” by Amber Liu and “How To Love” by Day6!

  • Gusteau inspires Remy throughout his journey. Someone you look up to: Rachel Bloom! For those who don’t know her, she wrote and starred in the TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which is a musical comedy and probably my favorite show of all time. It really inspires me that she was able to combine her love of acting and writing to basically live the best of both worlds. I hope to be able to do that with my own passions someday.


86322294_486045642283672_2830898423232724992_n - Rubin Soodak.jpg

Rubin Soodak

Hometown: New York, NY
School & Major: Harvard Graduate School of Education, Ed.M. in Technology, Innovation, and Education
Position: Production Intern

Tell us about your journey here! What brought you to FableVision?
The lighthearted, passionate attitude in everything they do! 

What skills are you hoping to work on or develop during your internship?
I want to understand how to take client-driven creative projects from start to finish and it would be GREAT to get some familiarity with Unity and visual design.

Remy dreams of being a chef. How is your FableVision internship helping you build skills to get closer to your dream?
I dream of working on animated content for the clients that FableVision has worked with for years. This is my first time seeing how a studio of this caliber gets their projects done, and I feel like I'm stepping closer to my goals just by being here!

86278811_171015484327170_7200265058289451008_n+-+Rubin+Soodak.jpg

More About Rubin!

  • Anyone can cook! Favorite dish to make: Chocolate. Chip. Banana. Bread.

  • Favorite place/thing to do in Boston: Scurry about in dark alleys.

  • Song you’re listening to on repeat: “Coffee Shop” by Pizzagirl.

  • Gusteau inspires Remy throughout his journey. Someone you look up to: I’m the oldest, and the tallest, of four kids. But I look up to my brother and sisters. They’re my biggest role models. If they see this, they’ll never let me live it down…


IMG_8183 - Sophie Chung.JPG

Sophie Chung

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
School & Major: Harvard Graduate School of Education, Ed.M in Technology, Innovation, & Education
Position: Production Intern
Portfolio: sophiejchung.com

Tell us about your journey here! What brought you to FableVision?
The name has definitely been floating around in our program at Harvard for a while now as a prestigious internship site for those who love and desire more experience in educational media. I shot my shot, and look where I am now!

What skills are you hoping to work on or develop during your internship?
Until now, I have dwelled mostly in the film marketing sphere. This is my first real professional chance to dig into the production side, and I'm beyond excited to get that landscape purview as well as the detailed hands-on experience.

Remy dreams of being a chef. How is your FableVision internship helping you build skills to get closer to your dream?
My dream...is to be in the room where it happens. More specifically, to be in the room of strategy and production when the day comes for a pilot children's TV show with Asian American characters and culture.

AADB483B-CC9E-4F02-AFAE-8809959E873C - Sophie Chung.JPG

More About Sophie!

  • Anyone can cook! Favorite dish to make: I'm actually much more of a baker than a cook. And I do think my banana bread and carrot cake recipes aren't all that shabby!

  • Favorite place/thing to do in Boston: The Seaport District gives me proximity to water. The South End has personality. And I adore walking through (and getting lost in) the Arboretum. I also love how I can walk anywhere with some good music, look up at the stars, and just breathe in the air. Not a Boston-specific thing, but it's a favorite life thing I do.

  • Song you’re listening to on repeat: “La La Lost You” (the acoustic version) by NIKI, 88rising

  • Gusteau inspires Remy throughout his journey. Someone you look up to: Hands down, my mom. My life is inconceivably better for her wisdom and love in it.

Comment

Comment

Not on the Nametag

Post-Header-Diner.png

Not on the Nametag is the collaborative project of FableVision’s Summer 2018 interns.

It’s time for a late-night bite! Join your friends Tab, Ada, Jo, and Brandon for a 2 a.m. diner run in this immersive, interactive comic. Not on the Nametag invites you to find and forge connections in unlikely places, and challenges you to stand up for what’s right.

Step through the doors of Gracie’s Diner, help yourself to a milkshake, and take a look around. You just might find something you didn’t expect…

 
 

Learn more about FableVision's internship program (and how to apply!) here.

(Editorial note: The Unity web player will not work on mobile devices. For optimal playing experience please view this interactive on the latest version of Chrome if you're experiencing issues.)

Comment

Comment

A Taste of "Gourmet Galaxy!"

This season’s batch of art, production, and marketing interns have been hard at work on an exciting new independent project: Gourmet Galaxy! As we gear up for the launch of the this delicious intergalactic game, we decided to give you just a little taste of what to expect.

Brought together by our passion for opening up educational opportunities for kids and appealing to their sense of curiosity and adventure, our brainstorm session was a salad bowl of creative ideas. After tossing together a well-blended mix of concepts, we hit on the idea of space chefs and intergalactic recipes.

Gourmet Galaxy follows Nutmeg, a space chef in training, as she explores a beautifully illustrated planet full of treats. Her mission: to gather enough ingredients to help her dad make a tasty (and healthy!) meal. Kids, you’re definitely going to want to try this at home!

We sat down with the production team to share what went on behind-the-scenes. From character creation to game design docs, we’re giving you the low-down on Gourmet Galaxy.

IMG_7627.jpeg

What was your role in the project?
Lucia: For this project I served as a producer. I worked with the team to make sure that we were aligned, on-track, organized and moving towards our big release! I also co-wrote the dialogue and was a part of determining the overall vision for the game. Nutmeg and Chef Poppyseed for the win!
Maged: I was a programmer!
Maggie: I was the artist and designer on this project. I created Nutmeg, Chef Poppyseed, all the backgrounds, and assets.
Sarah: I was the lead animator for Gourmet Galaxy. That means that I animated the walk cycles, idle animations, and pick up actions for game play. I also animated the cutscenes. I assisted in writing the script as well.
Allie: I was in charge of creating all the marketing materials for the game.

Where do you think the project really pushed you?
Maged: I have never worked with sprites as large as this, so it's been a challenge making it all work. I'm more used to pixel art and much smaller (literal) scale things.
Maggie: This project was the first time I worked in a professional environment, which was great learning experience! It really put my technical drawing skills and time management to the test. I only had about three months to design backgrounds and assets; I had never worked on a video game before, and I really learned a lot about the production pipeline.

Sarah: Making Gourmet Galaxy has pushed me to think more about organization and deadlines. I've had to think about the project and its contributors as a whole, working in a way that works best for the group at any time. I've learned to consider which animations need to come first so everyone has something to work on at any given time -- ie. I needed to get walk cycle and idle animations to our programmer (Maged) before working on a cutscene that can be added later. The production process for projects like ours is more clear to me, and I feel like I can use this knowledge in the future.

Production Designer Christina Kelly recording voiceover for Nutmeg. 

Production Designer Christina Kelly recording voiceover for Nutmeg. 

What is your favorite part of what you contributed? What is your favorite thing about the game overall?
Lucia: I was an advocate of the measuring portion of the game. Gourmet Galaxy is a whimsical adventure that ultimately leads to a tangible recipe that kids can make in real life with their families. The measuring station is important because it serves as the transition from a fictional world to a child's real kitchen. This feature contributes to math fluidity and self-confidence!  
Maged: Coming up with a smart way to do dialogue that we can quickly edit, add new character portraits, attach to music, and the like all from one simple XML file has been fun.
Maggie: My favorite thing I did was design Nutmeg and Poppyseed! I really enjoyed the challenge of trying to blend the outfits of chefs and astronauts.
Sarah: My favorite part has been storyboarding and animating the opening sequence of the game. I am drawn to narratives so this gave me the opportunity to explore the development of our main characters in a fun and expressive way. Plus, frame by frame animation is a personal passion of mine, so it was nice to have the chance to incorporate it into Gourmet Galaxy.
Allie: I really loved watching the overall project evolve. I loved seeing the deliverables from the artists. They really set the tone of the game which I loved translating into marketing materials.  

Comment

Comment

Read Outside the Margins: Chapter Two

HousetoHome.jpg

Sometimes a family is two parents and their 2.5 kids, and sometimes it’s a group of super-powered teens and a dinosaur. Not everyone’s relatives look like the Bennet bunch or the Addams clan, so we're bringing a diverse range of family-centric stories to the table. With stories of tight-knit families growing into their shared future, fractured families finding solace in one another, and found families redefining what “home” is, our list has there is something for everyone. Find out which book is your perfect match with the quiz below!



CLAIRE.jpg
tarbeach ss.jpg

Tar Beach - Faith Ringgold (picture book, preschool)
Ringgold’s picture book is a love letter -- to New York, to family, and to the magic of childhood itself. My mother and I read this story all the time when I was young, and I was just as enchanted reading it for this blog as I was back then. For a fun activity, check out Ringgold as she reads her own work here


abuela.jpg

Abuela - Arthur Dorros and Elisa Kleven (picture book, preschool) 
I never read any of Elisa Kleven’s books when I was a kid, but when I discovered her illustrations a few years ago, I instantly fell in love. Her brilliant combinations of color and pattern are the perfect pair to Arthur Dorros’ magical story about Rosalba and her beloved Abuela. Follow along as the two take flight and explore the sights and sounds of New York City from the sky -- and don’t miss the chance to practice your Spanish at the same time!


cloudia 2.jpeg

Cloudia & Rex - Ulises Farinas and Erick Freitas (comic book, elementary school) 
The power of the gods in fun-sized packages! Cloudia & Rex follows siblings Cloudia and Rex as they set off on a road trip with their newly widowed mother. When the gGods bestow their powers upon the sisters, they are flung into a journey of discovery, sacrifice, and reconciliation. Ultimately a story about the power of family and healing, I found myself laughing at their uniquely teenage problems, and tearing up at their ultimate dedication to one another.


ALLIE.png
runaways.jpg

Runaways - Brian K. Vaughan, Adrian Alphona, and Takeshi Miyazawa (comic book, middle school)
When your parents turn out to be super-powered evil masterminds, your friends become your family. From alien powers to a telepathic link with dinosaurs, the group of friends grapples with how to use the powers passed down to them to undo the chaos their parents created. Despite existing in a world of wizards and aliens, the comic is one of the most realistic depictions of found family that I’ve encountered, dysfunctions and all.


fun.jpg

Fun Home - Alison Bechdel (graphic novel, high school) 
Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel Fun Home has become a classic -- and rightly so. The autobiographical story tracks Bechdel’s journey coming into her lesbian identity against her father’s downward spiral with his own identity as a gay man. The “tragicomic” broke my heart and put it back together so many times with it’s starkly honest portrayal of internalized homophobia, mental illness, and parent-child relationships. Once you finish the book, you can relive the whole thing with the Original Broadway Cast Recording.


logiv.jpg

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life - Benjamin Alire Sáenz (novel, high school)
Seventeen-year-old Salvador knows who he is -- or at least he thinks he does. But when tragedies strike both his own family and that of his best friend Sam, Sal is sent into an identity-crisis tailspin. Surrounded by a wonderful cast of characters, from his gay adoptive father to his beloved grandmother, Sal grapples with grief, masculinity, and identity before ultimately redefining what it means to be a family. Once I dove into Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s poetic writing, I could hardly put this book down.


The goal of Read Outside the Margins is to shine the spotlight on stories that students from all walks of life can connect with and actually want to read! Read more about our mission here! Don’t miss the rest of the series, catch up on Chapter 1!

 

Comment