Q & A with Leon Nowlin
What inspired you to pursue a degree and craeer in media arts and science?
The desire to draw has been there since elementary school. I would trace everything I saw: tape cases, character backpacks, books...and fell in love with the idea of being a 2D animator. I liked to draw and I liked Disney.
From there, I got interested in becoming a special effects animator. I loved watching water, fire weather and sparkles in 3D. But the transition from 2D to 3D was most influenced by Jurassic Park; I was infatuated with dinosaurs and so I knew I was going to work on the next one. Two sequels later that didn't happen, but that was my desire.
In high school, I started liking the idea of compositing because I saw things in big pictures, broad strokes and loved when things came together. IUPUI was establishing its media arts and science program it just seemed to be a good choice - right in the back yard of home, priced in reason, project oriented, and merging technology with artistry.
How did your education at the School of Informatics prepare you for your career today?
IUPUI afforded me access to field related conferences, extra-curricular activities and a wonderful team of people in my corner. Through SIGGRAPH, Visionfest and Informatics Student Government, I was able to connect with people working within the industry, get out of the school's four walls and help make the vision tangible.
Some of the concepts discussed in class I remember struggling to wrap my head around, and it wasn't until I ran into that situation at work that light bulbs started going off and it began to make sense. From the informational interviews, to the idea of creating compelling stories, sticking to a script, to researching, sketching, and brainstorming before powering through a project (wasting a lot unnecessary energy) and even the notion of working in teams, maneuvering through schedules and being on one accord.
What was your favorite class in the media arts and science program?
Oh wow. this is such a hard one. I enjoyed so many classes...and not just because of the content but the class dynamics, the energy the instructors brought, and for some classes the groups were just out of this world. But two that seem to stick in my mind I would have to say were Beginning and Intermediate Sound Courses. The recording sessions were a blast and then learning the amount of work it takes to create a three-minute scene in a film or a three-minute song is just unreal. I left with such a respect for those within the sound industry.
What do you miss most about IUPUI and Indianapolis? Least?
Seasons!!!! Green grass...trees with leaves (not palm trees)!!! Yards (back and front)!! Parking! There are just so many things that you don't really know you take for granted until they're not there. My sense of time is completely off because I don't have checkpoints throughout the year to gauge the passage of time.
From IUPUI, I really miss the community of people that I met. Coming in, I never expected to leave with the extraordinary friendships I received at that school.
One thing that I can do without is the crazy humid summers.
You worked on the popular film Zombieland. Tell us about that experience. What was your role?
On Zombieland, I was a rotoscope artist. Rotoscoping is basically tracing along the edge of a character, background or object to it isolate from footage. There was a shot of a Ferris wheel colliding with some of the zombies chasing a character. This stunt would have been too dangerous in real life so the compositing/3D team would take different elements (a plate of the main character, a plate of the stunt men, the Ferris wheel) and combine all of these to look as if they were shot in one setting. I was responsible for rotoscoping the main character and some of the stunt-men for the compositing/3D team.
What advice would you give to students wanting to repeat your success and break into the industry?
Definitely challenge yourself in finding your motives, so that when you hit a rough spot you'll have an idea on how committed you are. It's definitely a privilege and it's cool to be able to blend technology and artistry but you should have an idea if it is something you're going to be comfortable doing and taking both the good and the bad that comes along with it.
Be courteous, not just for networking purposes or brown-nosing, but just sincere and cordial. You'd be surprised what a long ways that can go for coworkers, your boss or the work environment.
Be broad. This more so appeals to the marketability of an individual. Your desire may be to work in one capacity but being versatile (knowing more things) helps to keep you there. So while in school learn as much as your mind will allow. So many jobs are requiring you to know more than one aspect. Yes definitely work on what you’re passionate about and what you're strong at – but it never hurts to be conscious of similar and parallel avenues.
Looking back to your time as a student, did you always know you’d be this successful?
Successful? Haha, I feel like I don't really know what that means. Blessed is probably a better word to use here. I mean in terms of being able to use this talent in the workforce – I'm extremely grateful. To be perfectly honest, I remember four years ago thinking, “What am I doing? How in the world am I going to get a job? I have no experience, I'm a nobody from Indianapolis.” And even now, years later, I still have a lot of learning to do and a long ways to go. Especially now, it's a privilege to be working so my desire is to be an asset to whomever or wherever will have me.
What’s next for you and your career?
There's so much information and so many different avenues that I haven't fully explored. At the end of the day, I think I've always been attracted to being able to tell stories. Film and animation enable you to get people thinking and contemplating quickly and long after the story has been told. So at some point, after getting more tools in the toolbox, I would love to be able to tell stories and be a part of the larger picture.
