Today we’d like to introduce you to Aubrey Eden Dukes.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve wanted to work in Animation as far back as I can remember. As a kid, I wanted to be a Cartoonist because I didn’t know what else to call it. Movies like The Secret of Nimh, An American Tale, and Sleeping Beauty (amongst a few) showed me that drawing and painting for a living was possible. Which sounded like the most incredible journey to me. I was also lucky in that I benefited from a creative and supportive family. My brother and I were endlessly re-enacting our favorite movies, which, naturally, led to us making our own. I can’t say I was ever comfortable in front of a camera, but I loved visual storytelling. Like many, it was a passion that had me venturing out to Los Angeles to dive into the entertainment pool. Went to The Art Institute of Los Angeles (back when they had more than an online presence). There, I devoured my experience in art school and absolutely loved it, following the opportunities where they came. Each job afforded me a rich experience that would span nearly 20 years. I’ve had the privilege of working at Disney, Warner Brothers, and Powerhouse Animation, amongst many others. Over the duration of my career, I’ve dabbled in Storyboarding, Design (character, background, and concept), Compositing, Stereo Conversion, Localization, and Effects. All of which would have made the wee version of myself that dreamed of this life, Flanders squeal with delight.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There are many obstacles to look at in this current landscape. We’ve seen shows canceled out of the blue. We’ve experienced deadlines made increasingly more aggressive by a binge-mode culture. And we’ve watched generative AI germinate across a wide multitude of industries. This is a wild and weird industry to work in. One that certainly hasn’t always painted a picture of stability. When it comes to my passion for creativity, I can look at these issues and not blink an eye. Drawing and painting is an innate part of me. It’s a wheel that is in constant motion. How I may recreate the things that I observe, how I might convey the stories knocking around my head. How I can push my skills ever further by studying other incredible artists. Those parts of my passions will go untouched by these industry worries. You could throw me out in the middle of nature, as far from technology as possible, and I would find a way to make something. In fact, that sounds pretty awesome!
As for my career…I am worried. And with that worry, I do my best to educate myself on the issues at hand. I’ve connected with my art community and felt a swell of comradery. People are worried and speaking up about it. We’re watching that play out with the current strikes. We’re listening as those voices are getting louder and louder about toxic work environments. There are people speaking to Congress in order to educate the masses on the dangers of AI. People are standing up and fighting back. I’m encouraged and motivated by this community. It is one that is driven and energized into making change.
At the end of the day, the industry has always been a roller coaster in a landscape that is always changing. And if you strip this industry down to its barest bones, what’s left are people who wanna tell stories about the human experience. In whatever form they can. And that’s why I’m still on this ride because I can’t imagine doing anything else. And I don’t believe anything can ever truly tear that down.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
It’s always been difficult for me to jot down what column I would stand in as an artist. I love to play with a lot of things. That’s the joy of being a creative person. Many things interest me, which is why my career has involved many kinds of skill sets. Much of my career has revolved around Compositing. And the unexpected part of that kind of work (unbeknownst to me when first starting my career) is how broad it can be. I’ve worked at multiple studios as a Compositor, and most of those jobs have been quite different from one another. It’s a job that walks the line of creative and technical. Every job is like a creative puzzle you have to put together. I’ve benefited from all my other experiences in pre and post-production. As it’s an advantage to understand the moving pieces that go before and after my part in the pipeline. It’s been exciting to look back on my career and say that I worked on some of the biggest franchises of my generation. I got to work on many of the first Marvel films and close out the Star Wars Saga. And having done so, typically while working bewilderingly long hours and lengthy work crunches, I can say that my focus now is Animation. Which was what inspired m to work in this industry to begin with. And has led me to Powerhouse Animation, where I’m currently a Compositor/Effects Artist. Which has ticked my most high-priority boxes: Positive working environment, creative and collaborative team, and Confident and Supportive leadership.
Now, compositing may be my main throughline of work in my career. I first and foremost think of myself as a designer. In my mind, it’s like walking around in a cartoon world. I want to paint everything I see. In the knooks in crannies of my days, I try to draw as much as I can for myself. And when I’m not in the thick of work crunch or buried by our dogs, I’ll open myself up to commission work. It’s a real joy being able to collaborate with someone on a way to bring their personal something to life through illustration. It’s also such a pleasure being trusted with another person’s thoughts and stories.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
My wife and I are proud parents of a four-pack of pups. All different breeds, ages and most certainly, sizes. If you whip out pics of your kids, I will be answering back with pictures of my dogs. And I’m most certainly going to ignore people I pass on the streets while happily greeting their dogs.
Contact Info:
- LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/aubstheblix
- Website: artstation.com/aubstheblix
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubstheblix/
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/aubrey-k-eden-dukes-2818732
- Other: https://cara.app/aubstheblix
