David Lee Talks About 7 Years With Rainmaker

Name: David Lee
Position: Animation Supervisor

Q: What were your first impressions of Rainmaker before you arrived?

A: When I first started several years ago, the company was called Mainframe Entertainment. They already had quite a strong reputation, and I was very familiar with the shows that they were producing. A friend of mine, whom I knew in high school, was working in the mocap department; so I got a lot of info on what it was like to work there. At the time, I was employed in Classical Animation as an assistant/clean-up artist, and I had wanted to try my hand at 3D. Mainframe seemed like the ideal place to try to get my foot in the door. Almost a decade later, I'm still here!

Q:How would you describe your first project at Rainmaker?

A: My first project was on an episode of Action Man. Let's just say it was not my finest hour(s). At the time, I was not very computer literate, so it took me a long time to make the transition from pencil and paper to keyboard and mouse. I was on the chopping block two times, but each time I narrowly avoided getting let go. The bottom line was, I just kept at it, never gave up, and I was fortunate to have been given a fair chance.

Q: How would you describe the person you work closest with?

A: I actually don't have a single person that I work with more than others. It has been a conscious decision on my part to always try to work with new people, and different projects. I enjoy constantly mixing things up with a new crew, and it helps keep me from getting too comfortable and complacent.

Q: When you started at Rainmaker, did you ever think you'd be in the position you're currently in?

A: I get asked this question all the time!

No, I absolutely did not! I always thought I just wanted to be a character animator. I really had no desire to move up the chain. Several times in the past, I was asked if I wanted to try out Animation Supervising, but I always turned it down. As fate would have it, one day, the supervisor of the project I was on became a daddy (Hi C-Rad!) and someone needed to step in to fill that role. That someone was me.
It turned out to be a good thing, because I learned that I actually did enjoy supervising and managing others, and I never would have known if circumstances didn't lead me into that position.

Q: When your friends ask you what is fun about your job, how do you reply?

A: As cliche as this sounds, it’s the people I work with that make things so enjoyable at the workplace. They are a very unique, talented, and eclectic bunch - most of whom have great taste in music. I can't think of any other place where I could be hearing a discussion about the intricacies of Boccioni's sculptures from the Furturist movement to my right, and a heated debate over who would win in a fight between Wolverine and Bruce Lee on my left (all while listening to the most obscure Pink Floyd bootleg from the Syd Barrett days that a co-worker found at a used record shop in Osaka.)

(Oh, and by the way, Bruce Lee could take out Wolverine ANY DAY!!)

Q: How has your impression of Rainmaker changed since you started working?

A: Let's just say, that my impressions change every day, and I mean that in a good way. I am continuing to learn more about not only how this company works, but also about myself and the role I play here. Just when I think I've got everything figured out, something comes along that makes me realize I still have a lot to learn.

But that's how we grow, right? I feel like I'm learning something new everyday, and that is what keeps me going, and striving for more.