Hello! My name is Melissa and I'm a Canadian 2D animator based in Ottawa, ON. I specialise in digital hand-drawn and puppet rig animation. In my childhood, I watched (and rewatched) many animated classics like Disney's 'The Lion King' and Don Bluth's 'The Land Before Time.' As a kid, I would draw my favourite characters, and I would evolve to draw my own original characters. I always gravitated toward stories that revolved around animals, and that definitely shows in my short film 'The Gift,' a story about a dog whose owner brings home a new animal companion. It explores the dog's fear, and her gradual acceptance of the new member of the family. I loved exploring dramatic and dynamic shots to emphasise the dogs' sizes and their emotions, and giving them a fluid style of animation similar to Disney's 'Lady & The Tramp.' I aimed to make the film feel wholesome and nostalgic.
