ADRIAN CATHIE

adrian.cathie@gmail.com

About Me

Hello again! You’ve already seen the topline and client-list, so here’s a little more about the projects I’ve worked on, and the person behind the Wacom pen.

I’ve led teams and set the look for shows including The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball, Deadend: Paranormal Park and Beast Boy: Lone Wolf, working across 2D and 3D. I’m naturally curious, always chasing new techniques and ideas, and I believe a happy team leads to even happier clients.

I grew up in East London, spent most of my career there, and recently made the move to Basel, Switzerland.

Outside of work, I love going on walks, film photography, Greek food, and dry historical novels. You may also find me at the pub, speaking passionately about aforementioned things.

Go to: About Me | Experience

Specific Skills and Software Proficiency

Photoshop – I have a very strong understanding of this software for backgrounds, matte painting, and graphic design. I have also created custom UI-based scripts and pipeline tools for use in productions.

After Effects Strong understanding of the compositing process, as well as general shot-work and motion graphics animation. I have led on projects of many kinds specifically centred in After Effects.

Maya – Strong understanding of the 3D pipeline, especially asset and environment creation. I mostly do this for fun now to unwind after a day of working in 2D!
Cinema4D – General understanding with an emphasis on scene creation. Worked on many commercial projects, both static and animated. Rendered using Redshift and Vray.
Blender – Strong understanding with a focus on asset creation – have worked on static and moving projects including simulation, product advertising, and animated projects.
Zbrush, Substance, Mari, Xgen, Arnold, Vray – Fulfilling the asset and character creation pipeline from absolute start to rendered finish.

I am also very production-minded. This entails being conscientious of time, efficiencies, and team management – and would involve developing team morale, scheduling, and pipeline engineering. I feel that this is important when leading teams, but also valuable when working within one. We are ultimately an industry that runs on time, and I find it very important to balance creative efforts and project scopes with timelines that are efficient and stress-free.

Go to: About Me | Skills

Experience

‘Living the Dream‘ – Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe
Compositing Supervisor (Late 2025 – Mid 2026)
Working directly with the showrunner and directors to set the look for this new show, and liaise directly with the vendor studio in Ireland. This involved creating breakdowns, briefs, and reviewing work in passes for each 20-minute episode. Also involved creating styleframes, keyshots, and final passes of crucial shots.

‘The Amazing World of Gumball Season 7‘ – Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe
Background Supervisor (Mid 2024 – Late 2025)
Leading the BG department for season 7 of Amazing World of Gumball. This is the first season of the successful show in 6 years so the pipeline and processes had to be essentially rebuilt from the ground up. I would attend tech reviews, create breakdowns, brief and review each episode, and deal with general team management. I was also very closely involved with the layout team and technical directors at Studio SOI, working in a very closely advisory capacity and providing retakes, cutting down episodes, and streamlining the workload.

‘Beast Boy: Lone Wolf‘ – Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe
Art Director (Late 2023 – Mid 2024)
Art directing on a series of 10×3 short films, working directly with the director, Rhys Byfield, and setting up the project from the ground up. This meant establishing a pipeline, creating preboard packs, briefing and reviewing layout, background, and compositing, and creating key backgrounds and colour scripts.

Art&Graft
Senior Art Director (Early 2022 – Late 2023)
Working across various media and projects, fitting style and subject matter to suit clients’ needs. As Art Director I am tasked with setting the look of a project, working on it throughout, and guiding the team that is required to undertake it. This involves very hands on pre-production and conceptual design, as well as deep technical production work throughout the entire pipeline. It also involves in-depth deck and presentation work which includes building the pitches and decks themselves, as well as presenting to clients throughout the process. Projects vary from graphic/motion design, to filmic animated shorts. Software includes Photoshop, After Effects, Cinema4D, Illustrator, Premiere, Maya, Blender.

‘Deadendia’ – Blinkink / MysteryQ / Netflix
Background Supervisor (Mid 2020 – Late 2021)
Initially starting as a Lead Background artist, I mostly created keyshots and location designs for the episodes, as well as senior backgrounds. I was then promoted to Background Supervisor to oversee the team and work with the schedule, feedback, assignments and prepwork. I really enjoy working in a team and encouraging them to grow and explore, as well as ensuring they have plenty of work prepared and an efficient, understandable workflow.

‘Love Monster’ – Karrot Animation
Art Director (Early 2020 – Mid 2020)
Returning to Love Monster to work as the Art Director, setting the look, creating colour scripts, and developing the visuals of the show alongside the Director. Also involved setting work, setting retakes, and delivering briefs and debriefs. We worked with a client company in China to deliver the backgrounds.

‘Elliott From Earth’ – Cartoon Network Europe
Key Background Artist (Mid 2019 – Early 2020)
Working directly with the Art Director and Directors to develop the look and style of the show, and creating keyshots and colour scripts to be followed by the client studio, Miyu Productions.

‘Love Monster’ / Development – Karrot Animation
Background Artist and Development Work (Early 2019 – Mid 2019)
Working on a vibrant flat style 2D animation for Cbeebies, closely working with the Art Director and Director. Following this I worked on various pitches and development work, working directly with directors and clients.

‘Amazing World of Gumball’ – Cartoon Network Europe
Junior – Senior Background Artist (2016 – Late 2018)
Starting as a Junior on Season 5, I left Season 6 as a Senior. This is thanks to the lovely team and amazing guidance from extremely talented artists. The job was mostly matte painting with 3D set creation, so a great mix of both mediums.

Bournemouth University – Computer Animation Arts BA
First Class Honours (2013 – 2016)
Thoroughly enjoyed my time studying computer animation at Bournemouth (not AUB!) where there was a clear focus on 3D VFX and animation. I’m grateful for this experience as it helped inform my approach to 2D in a methodical and technical way.

This does not include various freelance and smaller projects undertaken in between those listed above.