Meet our alumni

Calista Chandler - Animation Art & Design

Original program: Animation Art & Design

Alumni Information
School: LaSalle College Vancouver/Dubrulle Culinary Arts
Grad Year: 2008
Program of Study: Animation Art & Design
Degree: Diploma

Employment/Professional Information
Company Name: Bardel Entertainment
Location: Vancouver
Job Title: Lead Animator
Primary Responsibilities: Making sure that the show gets done with minimal interruption.

Describe a typical work day:

Delivering, dividing sections of animations; giving critique to animators; receiving notes from a client and making sure it gets tackled by animators.

What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of?

Landing my first job, because it can be really challenging.

What are your creative inspirations or influences? Who are your heroes?

My creative inspirations could be from anything; movies, a day well spent at a coffee shop watching people, commuting, etc. My mom and God are my heroes.

What do you enjoy the most about your career?

The fact that I’m doing what I love everyday as a job is very enjoyable. It can get really busy and frustrating, but it’s still enjoyable in the progress. So far I have worked for Disney XD on Rated A for Awesome and Slugterra, and YTV on League of Super Evil and Monster High.

How did your education at LaSalle College Vancouver help prepare you for your career?

LaSalle College Vancouver helped me realize that it’s not an easy career and prepared me for it. So, in the working environment, it’s not a surprise.

What advice do you have for people beginning their careers in your profession?

Work hard, strive to be the best.

Your profession is constantly evolving, from the technology you use to new career opportunities that didn’t exist five years ago. What trends do you see on the horizon that will affect how you do your job or your profession at-large?

I see that some animation studios have started going east. Be ready to adapt, work hard and evolve as an artist.