Pasadena Convention Center
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Carlos F. Puertolas (He/Him)

Director Animator
Carlos Fernandez Puertolas is an award-winning Spanish animator and director with over 20 years of experience in the animation industry. He is currently the Head of Animation at DreamWorks Animation on the upcoming animated feature film "Shrek 5." Throughout his DreamWorks tenure he has contributed to some of the studio's most iconic franchises and films such as "Shrek", "Madagascar", "Megamind", and "The Boss Baby." In 2015, he became the Head of Character Animation on "The Boss Baby", and later led animation on "Trolls World Tour" and "Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken." Alongside his studio work, Carlos continues to pursue personal storytelling, directing animated and live-action shorts such as "Frank & Emmet," which have received international recognition and awards. His creative curiosity also extends into experimental projects, including the animated series "Across Dimensions with Terry Benson", where he explores new narrative formats and visual approaches, as well as his latest animated short film, "How Not to Die on an Alien Planet." Carlos is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and currently lives in Glendale with his partner, his son, and tiny dog.

PARTICIPANT SCHEDULE

1 Artist. 1 Year. 1 Hour a Day

Carlos F. Puertolas

The talk is called “1 Artist. 1 Year. 1 Hour a Day”. and focuses on how I created my animated short film How Not to Die on an Alien Planet by working just one hour a day over the course of a year. Instead of trying to replicate a large studio pipeline, I embraced creative limitations as part of the process, using strict time constraints, simplified workflows, Eevee rendering, long shots, and exploratory design methods to create a very personal animated film with minimal resources.

More than a technical breakdown, the talk focuses on the mindset behind sustaining personal projects over long periods of time, protecting creative energy, and learning how limitations can become a creative advantage rather than an obstacle.

Skill Level: Advanced

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