Today we’d like to introduce you to Cameron Burr
Hi Cameron, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m an independent 2d animator and motion designer. I create animations and graphics mainly for docuseries. I’ve worked on the netflix shows “The Toys That Made Us” and “The Movies That Made Us”, “A&E Biography: The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne”, “The Walking Dead: Last Mile”, and a bunch of other cool projects.
I went to the Evergreen State College in Olympia Washington wanting to learn how to animate. I loved drawing and I wanted to know how to make my drawings move. After college, I joined the carnival, delivered pizzas, worked in a few factories, moved to Texas with a friend and funded a documentary by guinea pigging in pharmaceutical studies. The last study I did gave me a bad reaction, and I settled down by working at a coffee shop. That’s a long way of saying that I didn’t just dive in head first into the world of animation. Years later, I moved to los angeles and got a job as a commercial NUKE compositor, which I had no training in. A friend was able to get me in as a junior as long as I could provide my own computer, which I’m super thankful for. From there I slowly transitioned to my roots as a 2d handdrawn/collage animator.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been smooth, but long, haha. I went from being a commercial compositor to story producer for reality TV, which kinda hurt my momentum in the vfx world. The company I was working for folded and I was having trouble finding steady work. I was also about to get married and had bills piling up, so I took a longer term job as a story producer.
I wasn’t sure what I was doing, and I thought I’d sabotaged my life, but it got me to where I am today. I’d made friends in the unscripted world that knew I had an animation background, and they put my name out there and got me noticed.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Sometimes I draw things and make them move, and sometimes I take images and stock photos and make them move. I usually get a written description from the editors or writers of what is needed, and I’ll create something that hopefully matches or is better than what they were thinking.
I’m most proud of the work I did on the A&E Biography: Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne. It was the first time I got paid to draw in my style, which is pretty loose. I honestly never thought that would happen, It felt like my high school dream had come true.
The thing that sets me apart is I’m a pretty good writer, and I think that has helped me out. I’m pretty good at adding humor where it makes sense.
Stylistically, I hate tweens, I like motion to be not so smooth. I think that has to do with growing up in the 80’s and loving limited animation.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Being able to self-edit. It’s been really important for me to look at an image or animation and know what needs to be done to make it as good as it can be. Sometimes that’s removing detail, sometimes it’s adding additional timing, or a funny button. But before I hand something back to the client, I watch and watch and rewatch what I’ve done to try and make sure that I’m proud of it. If its missed the mark, I at least know it’s good work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://doctorradical.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorradical_animation/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@doctorradicalanimation
Image Credits
home alone vs rocky V- The Movies That Made Us
ozzy and motley crue- A&E biography: the Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne
ozzy in front of maimed people – A&E biography: the Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne
sexy robocop- The Movies That Made Us
officers megatron and optimus- The Toys That Made Us
Ironic hello kitty and Alanis in the rain- The Toys That Made Us
boy and robot holding hands- my very very best friend (personal project)
