Leslie Franco
Character Animator
Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts
Concentration in Entertainment Art/Animation
Artist Profile
A Little Bit About Myself
Hello! My name is Leslie Franco. I am a graduate of California State University, Fullerton. I received a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts, with a concentration in Entertainment Arts and Animation. I'm a 3D character animator, and my goal is to build a career in the entertainment industry.
I previously worked as an intern at Animation Libation Studios, where I took on tasks as a modeler, texture artist, and character animator.
Currently, I work as a part-time Online Game Design Instructor for STEM Forged, teaching K-12 students how to build their own games using the Blocksmith application.
In my free time, I focus on building up my portfolio with personal projects and collaborating on a short film with a small team.
Please feel free to take a look around my website, which I update frequently.
Current
Animation Project:
Work And Volunteer Experience
Online Game Design Instructor
June 2023 - Current
-
Guide students through the game design process, from concept to a finished game, by teaching 3D modeling, animation, and event systems while ensuring they grasp the game design pipeline and gain practical skills.
-
Develop sample projects alongside students to showcase the game engine’s advanced capabilities while testing student ideas, providing practical walkthroughs, resulting in published samples for student reference.
Firefly- Lightbox Expo
October 2023
& October 2024
-
Assisted exhibitors with booth setup, maintenance, and breakdown, provided information to attendees about exhibits, schedules, and navigation, and helped manage crowd flow and organize lines for booths to ensure a smooth and efficient convention experience.
Internship
May 2020 - April 2022
-
May 2020 - June 2021, Contributed to the production’s visual development by designing props and assisting with modeling room concepts, using reference images and 3D animation skills while collaborating with the director and a team.
-
Participated in character animation by collaborating on a 3D animatic, acting out shots for accurate posing, testing rigs for limitations, and refining camera angles to prioritize model development.
-
June 2021 - April 2022, Led a team of 10 animators, training new members, ensuring cohesive shots, distributing work, and animating weekly, which increased production by 600% due to each animator handling multiple shots per week.
-
Tracked production progress by updating weekly meeting notes, documenting completed animations, and recording the director’s feedback to ensure the team stayed on schedule.
April 2019- June 2019
-
Designed a sticker for the Newport Lifeguard Department, funded by Orange Coast College, to be distributed by lifeguards to people of all ages who got stung by a stingray as part of a volunteer project.
Mini Short Film
November 2016 - December 2016
-
Orange Coast College's Illustration and Film classes collaborated on a short film for the college president as part of an academic program.
“Every Morning You Have Two Choices: Continue To Sleep With Your Dreams, Or Wake Up and Chase Them.”