How Jake Pryor Fell in Love with Animation

Jake Pryor is a motion graphics designer, animator, and storyteller based in Portland, Oregon. He is passionate about creating projects that engage, inspire, and connect people through captivating design and animation. He's currently a senior animator at Where The Buffalo Roam. When he's not drawing some slick lines, you can catch Jake lifting some weights up and down, getting a sick submission in jiu-jitsu, or cooking a five-star meal. 

LBB> How did you fall in love with animation? 

Jake> As a teenager, the early days of YouTube sparked my love for animation. The idea that you didn’t need large teams to make entertaining animations and stories got me hooked.

LBB> Tell us about the animation project that kick-started your career? 

Jake> My first professional job that kick-started my career was for the Golden State Warriors through my internship at GS&P.

'Strength in Numbers' was the campaign, and on the first day, I wanted to prove that I was an asset to the team. The creative director gave me two days to complete all of the rotoscoping, and I completed it in two hours. After earning the trust of the team and creatives, more and more opportunities began to flow in. 

LBB> How would you describe your art style and what are your biggest inspirations that developed it? 

Jake> I would describe my style as cartoon minimalism with a dash of texture. My biggest inspiration that developed my art style was the uber-talented Isaac Park, who I met at GS&P. He really pushed me to find what my style was and to take design seriously.

LBB> From your perspective, what’s the key to animation that really lives? 

Jake> I think the key to animation is to be a life learner and study how things move in real life. Once you understand that, you can break the rules and be artistic with the movements. 

LBB> Show us your favourite or most impactful project that you’ve worked on - tell us, what is it that makes it special and what were the memorable moments or challenges? 

Jake> I made a short personal animation to help me with grief. It was loose, and it was raw. For the first time in a long time, I made something that was purely from my heart to help heal a broken heart. 

LBB> How do you approach character design? What is your creative process like?

Jake> I first think about the purpose of the character in the story. What do they need to convey? After that, I think about the world they live in. When I start to draw, I keep things extremely loose to get the main idea of shape and form. I start adding more details and refining the shape. Once I have everything roughed in, I start my outlining and colouring. This character is the blue man. A personal project and one of my favourite characters I’ve created because I find over-the-top muscles and weird proportions hilarious.

LBB> Tell us more about observation and movement - what is the process you go through to study the movement of characters? 

Jake> Just like designing a character, I think about the purpose of the character and how that movement will support that character’s personality. I will set up my phone and act a lot of the time. 

LBB> We all know of some ever-green adult animations, but lately, they have definitely been on the rise, from Rick and Morty to Arcane. What sort of opportunities does this open for animators, both within and outside the advertising industry? 

Jake> It’s exciting to see the need for a variety of styles being met. It’s no longer, “If it’s 3D, it needs to look like Pixar,” or “If it’s 2D, it needs to look like The Simpsons or Family Guy.” Studios and brands are becoming more willing to experiment with different styles and techniques to make their movies or products stand out. This opens up a multitude of possibilities for design in the future. 

LBB> How does one figure out what kind of animation style or styles fits a particular story or project? 

Jake> From an advertising standpoint, study the brand guidelines. This will help you understand what your client wants and what will be approved and not approved. Then, use your intuition and your personal taste. Try putting yourself in the shoes of the audience and ask, “What would I like to see?” 

LBB> What is your favourite piece of technology or software that you use and how does it help your creative process? 

Jake> I love Photoshop and After Effects! I use Photoshop to create concepts and ideas. I make three to five sketches of an idea and do frame-by-frame animation there. I’ve been using After Effects for 15 years, and the program helps me make smooth movements that evoke emotion with “easy ease.” 

LBB> What sort of briefs or projects do you find more personally satisfying to work on? 

Jake> The projects I’ve been drawn to recently are the ones that tell an emotional or a comical story rather than just trying to sell products or services. When there’s a touching story or a relatable character, it makes the visual design and animation more impactful. A project that I loved animating, which does a great job with storytelling rather than trying to sell a product or service, is the California Poison Control PSA.

LBB> What recent projects have really stood out for you and why? 

Jake> I directed a spec animation spot for Tag Heuer that combined 3D and 2D animation. Working closely with talented 3D artists and developing a pipeline to integrate both styles was extremely satisfying. 

LBB> Who is your animation hero and what is it about their work that inspires you? What example of their work particularly stands out? 

Jake> Henrique Barone and Emanuele Colombo are two names that stick out to me. I love how simple their looks are, and the motion of the animation is top quality! 

LBB> Outside of the field of animation, what really inspires you? 

Jake> Physical movement really inspires me. Whether running, squatting weights, or Brazilian jiu-jitsu, I love movement and how things happen in chain reactions. I think it’s beautiful. 

LBB> What do you think are the misconceptions about animation throughout the industry? 

Jake> The biggest misconception is that you must be an expert in the industry. Depending on the job, we need people on all different levels of proficiency to complete a project on time and budget. 

LBB> What are the biggest changes to animation and challenges facing animators at the moment and what are your thoughts on them? 

Jake> There are so many tools and programs coming out to the animation industry. I think the challenge for animators with all these tools is not to be swept up by the newest shiny program or plug-in but instead, hone in on the fundamentals. That's what will make great art, not some program. 

LBB> Any advice you would like to give to aspiring artists? 

Jake> Stop comparing yourself to others. It’s good to be inspired by others' work, but you should never think your work is bad because someone else's work is different from your own. Enjoy being a novice, intern, or junior animator. There’s so much to learn and discover.