MEET YOUR CCA ANIMATION TEACHERS! 

Cortney Bell

Ed Bell 

Valerie Mih

Wed, September 28th 7:00PM  

ZOOM LINK: https://cca.zoom.us/j/94896742482

Each guest will introduce themselves and talk a bit about how they got into both animation as a career and how they came to be your teacher at CCA! We will be showing stills and/or videos of their personal work examples There will be time for a Q&A with students at the end so now's your time to find out all you ever wanted to know about Cortney, Ed and Val! 

Courtney Bell (Teaching 3D Computer Animation 1)

Cortney holds an M.F.A. in Computer Animation from The Art Institute of California – San Francisco and in his career he has worked with Advertising agencies, large and Independent game studios including EA and Epic Games, Medical device companies, and even a couple law firms creating visuals meant to capture and entice.Cortney has a personal philosophy that his animation should strive for some inherent, deeper meaning that has the potential to touch the audience. The goal is always to take the viewer on a thought-provoking narrative and visual journey that inspires the viewer to question common assumptions. Something that even after the story is done keeps the viewer’s mind intrigued and questioning.

Ed Bell (Teaching Animation 2)

 Ed is a multiple award winning animation artist, director and writer, who’s work spotlights the joys and struggles of People of color  — whether through the mediums of short-films, animated series,  features or in VR. Ed is currently leading his team on PBS Digital’s intense historical animated series: History Of White People In America. In 2021 he collaborated with the Jim Henson Creature Shop and animation Maeosto Silvain Chomet ."I’m an animation/comics nerd to my bones. But, I am attracted to work that challenges mainstream ideals of beauty, Heroism or Human Virtue, so when I left the studios and went independent, I focused on projects that help move the needle of diversity in the Entertainment Arts.“Ed graduated from Cal Arts a month after getting hired  by his first Hollywood studio,  and he never looked back. He animated for Brad Bird, Disney/Touchstone, Warner Brothers Animation and Paramount on groundbreaking films and programs like Be-Be-s Kids and Roger Rabbit, before joining Colossal and Wild Brain as a head animation creative.

Valerie Mih (Teaching 3D Computer Animation 1 & Portfolio Production)

Valerie Mih is an animated filmmaker with a wide range of both studio and independent production experience. Commercially, she has animated for Pixar Animation Studios ("Toy Story II," "Geri’s Game," "A Bug’s Life"), Lucas Learning Limited ("Star Wars Math"), WildBrain (Hershey’s Kisses commercials) and game companies (Electronic Arts, Rockstar San Diego). She has independently produced/directed animated shorts for PBS and the festival circuit ("Paper Peace," "Harmonize," "The Pet’s Zone"), as well as a half-hour animated physics documentary ("EINSTEIN," awarded best animation at the International Festival of Cinema and Technology). Her company, See Here Studios, has published several interactive iOS children's book apps. A multidisciplinary artist, she often composes the music and lyrics for her independent productions. Her current production, Quantum Physics for Kids, is a multi-faceted educational program teaching physics and science to children in grades 2-6. For more information, visit http://www.quantumphysicsforkids.com. She holds an M.F.A. in animation from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, where her student film "PETS" was awarded a student Emmy, and a B.A. in American Studies from Stanford University.