JACKIE GARZA

Whenever things feel too stressful to deal with, I watch animated films from my childhood. They remind me of when nap time was my biggest threat and 10 dollars was an enormous amount of money. In the summer of 2016, I had the chance to meet Glen Keane (former Disney animator) at a conference in Berlin where he was a keynote speaker. He talked about his upcoming film he was directing- it was going to be a 3D animation with scenes of 2D here and there. At the time, I had only taken one game design class that dabbled in 3D software, but by the end of that conference, I set my mind on becoming a part of the animation industry. I want to bring people the same happiness I had while watching childhood classics such as Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Pocahontas (one of the few characters who looked similar to me). As I learn more about the pipeline, the more I appreciate the process and all the hard work that goes into it. I love seeing the progress I am making with every semester here at UTD. My goal of participating in the makings of movies that will inspire kids and create worlds to escape in is getting closer, all the while, I am exploring all the other things I can do with these tools I am practicing. I have helped create assets for friends who are making games and I am letting myself see where that takes me. Wherever I end up, my passion for bringing people joy through being a part of the animation industry will never go away.