Todd Jacobsen

Meet Todd Jacobsen

Creative Director at Todd Jacobsen, Inc.
Todd Jacobsen

About Todd

About Todd

Mentor of 2D Animation

Todd is a thirty year veteran of the Hollywood 2D animation industry with extensive experience on features, TV, commercials, and theme park installations. He has worked at Disney, DreamWorks, Warner Bros., Netflix, Universal, Nickelodeon and Fox. Todd has also freelanced on a number of projects for smaller studios across North America.

  

Todd's work

Credits include The Simpsons, FernGully: The Last Rainforest, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Cats Don't Dance, The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, The Princess and the Frog, and numerous properties featuring the classic Looney Tunes characters.

FernGully
The Ren & Stimpy Show
The Road to El Dorado
The Prince of Egypt

Q&A with Todd

Which city are you currently based in?

Stevenson Ranch, California

What did your pathway into the industry look like?
I taught myself how to animate in 1988-1989 while taking courses in Graphic Design at California State University at Northridge, as they didn't offer animation classes at the time. I made a one minute stop-motion project in my dorm room, and created a portfolio containing my film and my best graphic design assignments. I submitted it to two studios and the second one hired me as a Production Assistant on a show they had just started producing called The Simpsons. I worked on the first two seasons of that series, spent the next two years on the production side of the industry (FernGully, The Ren & Stimpy Show), and then made the transition to drawing full time.
What has been the best experience of your career so far?
Working on FernGully, Cats Don't Dance, The Road to El Dorado, The Princess and the Frog, and the last four years freelancing from home on features, TV, and commercials.
What’s your advice for students?

Be completely open to changes within the industry, learn as many techniques for executing animation as possible and, above all, play nice with others!

Learn animation from industry pros 

3D Animation Essentials

3D Animation Essentials

3 months - Beginner

Learn 3D animation basics for beginners! Start with the essentials, including the 12 Principles of Animation, character rigs and posing, then animate your first walk cycle using industry tools.
2D Animator Specialization

2D Animator Specialization

9 months - Advanced

Study advanced aspects of 2D animation and create compelling characters, expressive acting and FX animation. Increase your technical skills and build a polished portfolio with mentor support.
3D Animator Specialization

3D Animator Specialization

9 months - Advanced

Master complex character animation techniques to create impressive 3D scenes. You’ll also focus on portfolio preparation and career development with your industry mentor to help you get job-ready.
2D Animation Essentials

2D Animation Essentials

3 months - Beginner

Learn 2D animation basics. This short course covers hand-drawn-style animation, the 12 Principles of Animation, and classic exercises like the bouncing ball and walk cycle led by industry artists.
<b><br>2D Animation</br></b>Bachelor of Digital Art


2D Animation
Bachelor of Digital Art

24 months - Beginner to Advanced

Master the industry tools and techniques to pursue a career in 2D animation. Breathe life and personality into your creations and delve deep into production pipelines and creative workflows.
<b> <br>3D Animation</br></b>Bachelor of Animation & VFX


3D Animation
Bachelor of Animation & VFX

24 months - Beginner to Advanced

Discover how to bring your digital characters and creatures to life for film and games. Build your 3D animation skills from beginner to advanced and discover key production pipelines and processes.
2D Animation Foundations

2D Animation Foundations

9 months - Beginner to Intermediate

Build your 2D animation foundations using both modern and traditional animation workflows to create animations from scratch. Receive guidance from industry pros who’ve worked on iconic cartoons.
3D Animation Foundations

3D Animation Foundations

9 months - Beginner to Intermediate

Forge foundational 3D animation skills taught by industry experts. Learn to make your 3D characters walk, talk, and interact with their environment as you build your understanding of body mechanics.
2D FX Animation Course

2D FX Animation Course

1.5 months - Intermediate

Master the art of hand-drawn 2D animated effects—including flames, gasses, liquids, magic, and more—from initial design to final rendering, guided by an industry expert.
2D Storyboarding Course

2D Storyboarding Course

3 months - Intermediate

Master the essential tools of storyboarding for character-driven dialogue & drama scenes and create fully realized storyboards with guidance from industry pros.
What do you enjoy most about being a CG Spectrum mentor?
The opportunity to share my knowledge and experience with newcomers to the industry.
How do you stay creative outside of work?
I enjoy gardening, cooking, and refinishing furniture. I'm also restoring a 1966 convertible I've had since college.
What excites you most about the future of animation?
The ability to create and distribute finished content in a self-contained setting.

Learn more about Todd's experience on his website or connect with him on LinkedIn.

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