My name is Siena
Allison and I am a rising senior illustration major, completing an animation
concentration. This summer, I had the pleasure of being the Illustration /
Animation / Design Intern for Transistor Studios, a company based in Brooklyn,
New York. Transistor is an award-winning creative collective that specializes
in producing broadcast commercials, and engaging long form content. I came
across Transistor when googling “animation studios in New York” -- I read
positive reviews regarding the studio as a work environment and enjoyed their
body of work, so sent an email concerning summer internship opportunities, and
they got back pretty much instantly! They were pretty excited to begin the
interview process with me, and then since all went well, even more so to offer
me a position.
My direct supervisor was Aaron Baumle, however, I often worked with
Lyejm Lewis as well -- both were responsible for art direction, and Lyejm did a
lot of 2D and 3D design. I was initially brought on to be just an illustrator
and animator, but since I have experience with other skillsets as well, I ended
up becoming a bit of a generalist and helped with essentially every project
that came through Transistors’ doors. I did 2D
animation and illustration such as: backgrounds and various assets,
storyboards, character design and exploration, pitch work. I also did 3D
modeling and animation, texturing, camera rendering, and after effects
compositing. It was a lot of work, but it was exciting to learn the ins and outs
of production, and the standard “studio pipeline” workflow. I met a lot of
really great freelancers through Transistor, and they all were eager to give me
their own bits of advice that they wish they knew when they were my age.
Through this
internship, I’ve further familiarized myself with programs and techniques that
I will be utilizing in my upcoming senior thesis, made new friends and
connections, and found a city that I really feel drawn to, and want to live and
work in. I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity, and I’m beyond excited
for the coming years!
