Derek A. Bentley
Technically sophisticated and commercially aware, with a talent for formulating creative solutions that consistently exceed expectations. Leverages deep understanding of computer graphics, game development, and visual imagery to successfully communicate content and purpose, balanced by a decade of experience working in video game development, educational software, 3D graphics and animation instruction, and web development. Specialized experience in the gaming industry, 3d modeling, texturing, environments, with expertise in CG cinematic animation, visual effects, post-production, photorealistic rendering and lighting, photography, and video production. Serves as the conduit between right brained artists and problem-solving engineers, with a reputation for handling technical and creative challenges that defy resolution by others. Enthusiastic, positive, professional, team motivator, and PC troubleshooting guru, with a curious creative mind.
Game Development · Environment Art · 3D Modeling · Texturing · Lighting · Rendering · Post-Production · Compositing · Particle Effects · Visual Effects · Multimedia Training Software · Digital Photography · 3D Instruction · Process Improvement · Art Pipeline Development · Project Management · Strategic Planning · Team Leadership · Windows Systems Administration · PC Hardware · Workstation Builds
Panasonic Avionics, Bothell, WA · 2009 — 2011
3D Artist / Animator - Training Multimedia Group
Builds on extensive experience in 3D and animation to expand the effectiveness and creativity of In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) system maintenance training courses. Leverages extensive technical expertise to create 3D-rendered stills/animations, photo realistic representations, and interior/exterior aircraft rendering for airline-specific training courses.
Key highlights
Microsoft Game Studios, Redmond, WA · 2003 — 2009
3D Environment Artist / Vegetation Specialist - Core Art Team - ACES Studio
Advanced through positions of increasing scope and profile to lead the creation of high-quality and highly detailed in-game vegetation. Balanced design simplicity, quality, asset scheduling, and required resources to establish a Vegetation Art Asset Pipeline in collaboration with the graphics team.
Key highlights
3D Environment Artist - Flight SImulator X - ACES Studio
Populated the entire island of Sint Maarten for use in the Flight Simulator X (FSX) downloadable demo, including buildings, vegetation, and other scenery. Created a new high resolution terrain texture map spanning the entire island utilizing aerial imagery. Documented and created a tutorial of the entire aerial image integration process, which was later used to train a number of other terrain tile painters/artists.
Key highlights
Environment Artist / Track Assistant / Track Lead - Forza Motorsport - Turn 10 Studio
Took over as acting Track Lead on the Japanese Mountain point-to-point track Fujimi Kaido, which subsequently became the favorite drift racing track in Forza v1. Worked directly with the game designer (Dan Greenawalt) to redesign and shorten the track spline into a manageable length, led execution of the development plan, including scheduling, distribution of workload to assistants, creating Japanese species of vegetation, texturing road sections, and modeling/texturing terrain.
Key highlights
Wildtangent, Redmond, WA · 2000 — 2003
3D Artist / Animator / Visual Effects Artist / Graphic Designer
Developed a wide variety of 3D environments/content, environmental effects, and animated effects for clients including Microsoft Music Mixer for Xbox, Dodge, Toyota, Chrysler, AOL, Pepsi, Sony, Electronic Arts, and FOX.
Key highlights
3D Artist / Animator - Training Multimedia Group
Builds on extensive experience in 3D and animation to expand the effectiveness and creativity of In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) system maintenance training courses. Leverages extensive technical expertise to create 3D-rendered stills/animations, photo realistic representations, and interior/exterior aircraft rendering for airline-specific training courses.
Key highlights
Enhanced the effectiveness of training sessions and online courses by rendering photo realistic representations of Panasonic Avionics Line Replaceable Units (LRUs).
Delivered custom training animations for kiosk-installed training software of various airlines, such as ex2 training for Hawaiian Airlines flight crews.
Modeled, textured, and produced realistic renderings of aircraft interiors and exteriors, including the Boeing B777 and Airbus A330, for training applications.
Delivered custom training animations for kiosk-installed training software of various airlines, such as ex2 training for Hawaiian Airlines flight crews.
Modeled, textured, and produced realistic renderings of aircraft interiors and exteriors, including the Boeing B777 and Airbus A330, for training applications.
Microsoft Game Studios, Redmond, WA · 2003 — 2009
3D Environment Artist / Vegetation Specialist - Core Art Team - ACES Studio
Advanced through positions of increasing scope and profile to lead the creation of high-quality and highly detailed in-game vegetation. Balanced design simplicity, quality, asset scheduling, and required resources to establish a Vegetation Art Asset Pipeline in collaboration with the graphics team.
Key highlights
Interfaced with the graphics team to create an appropriate Vegetation Art Asset Pipeline taking in consideration factors such as (1) simplicity of design, (2) quality vs. time, (3) asset scheduling, and (4) resources needed. The process yielded a wide variety of beautifully rendered in-game trees with an increased level of detail and influenced the way the ACES simulation engine handled instance rendering.
Successfully met a restrictive three-week production schedule to deliver the Train Simulator 2 One Year Out demo on time, by partnering with Turn 10 Studio (Forza Motosport) to quickly produce vegetation assets through conversion.
Trained and mentored one contractor in the best practices and techniques for the ACES simulation engine vegetation creation and integration process, resulting in the development of 40+ species of vegetation for in-game integration.
Successfully met a restrictive three-week production schedule to deliver the Train Simulator 2 One Year Out demo on time, by partnering with Turn 10 Studio (Forza Motosport) to quickly produce vegetation assets through conversion.
Trained and mentored one contractor in the best practices and techniques for the ACES simulation engine vegetation creation and integration process, resulting in the development of 40+ species of vegetation for in-game integration.
3D Environment Artist - Flight SImulator X - ACES Studio
Populated the entire island of Sint Maarten for use in the Flight Simulator X (FSX) downloadable demo, including buildings, vegetation, and other scenery. Created a new high resolution terrain texture map spanning the entire island utilizing aerial imagery. Documented and created a tutorial of the entire aerial image integration process, which was later used to train a number of other terrain tile painters/artists.
Key highlights
Built out the entire Sint Maarten Island for use in the Flight Simulator X (FSX) downloadable demo.
Modeled and textured 20+ static scenery aircraft that were placed at various locations around the world. Most notable were the F-18's and the H-60 Blackhawk/Seahawk that sat on the deck of the high detail aircraft carrier I modeled and textured, which was featured in the FSX Acceleration Pack.
Modeled and textured 20+ static scenery aircraft that were placed at various locations around the world. Most notable were the F-18's and the H-60 Blackhawk/Seahawk that sat on the deck of the high detail aircraft carrier I modeled and textured, which was featured in the FSX Acceleration Pack.
Environment Artist / Track Assistant / Track Lead - Forza Motorsport - Turn 10 Studio
Took over as acting Track Lead on the Japanese Mountain point-to-point track Fujimi Kaido, which subsequently became the favorite drift racing track in Forza v1. Worked directly with the game designer (Dan Greenawalt) to redesign and shorten the track spline into a manageable length, led execution of the development plan, including scheduling, distribution of workload to assistants, creating Japanese species of vegetation, texturing road sections, and modeling/texturing terrain.
Key highlights
Re-designed and developed a plan to take the Japanese Mountain racetrack (Fujimi Kaido) to content complete.
Coordinated with engineers to improve custom tools for exporting game data, which lead to higher efficiency and greater ease of use.
Coordinated with engineers to improve custom tools for exporting game data, which lead to higher efficiency and greater ease of use.
Wildtangent, Redmond, WA · 2000 — 2003
3D Artist / Animator / Visual Effects Artist / Graphic Designer
Developed a wide variety of 3D environments/content, environmental effects, and animated effects for clients including Microsoft Music Mixer for Xbox, Dodge, Toyota, Chrysler, AOL, Pepsi, Sony, Electronic Arts, and FOX.
Key highlights
Quickly adapted to constantly changing modes of operation, enabling the successful execution of many multimedia web titles in an exceptionally short period of time.
Traveled off-site for an intense, three-week work assignment that resulted in the successful procurement of a multi-million dollar contract with a third-party company (AOL).
Traveled off-site for an intense, three-week work assignment that resulted in the successful procurement of a multi-million dollar contract with a third-party company (AOL).
3D Artist / Animator, Snowblind Studios, Bellevue / Bothell, WA
Softimage|3D Animation Instructor, Academy Education Center, Minneapolis, MN
3D / 2D Artist, Catdaddy Games, Inc., Bellevue, WA
3D Artist / Animator, Monolith Productions Inc., Kirkland, WA
3D Artist / Multimedia Artist / Web Designer, Precision Tapes / Precision Powerhouse, Minneapolis / Plymouth, MN
Softimage|3D Animation Instructor, Academy Education Center, Minneapolis, MN
3D / 2D Artist, Catdaddy Games, Inc., Bellevue, WA
3D Artist / Animator, Monolith Productions Inc., Kirkland, WA
3D Artist / Multimedia Artist / Web Designer, Precision Tapes / Precision Powerhouse, Minneapolis / Plymouth, MN
School of Communication Arts, Minneapolis, MN
· Advanced 3D Animation Diploma Softimage|3D demo reel production
· Computer Art & Animation Diploma 3D Studio R4 / Photoshop / CorelDraw
· Certificate of Completion for Multimedia Training (Autodesk Training Center)
Anoka Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids, MN
· Associate in Arts Degree
· Advanced 3D Animation Diploma Softimage|3D demo reel production
· Computer Art & Animation Diploma 3D Studio R4 / Photoshop / CorelDraw
· Certificate of Completion for Multimedia Training (Autodesk Training Center)
Anoka Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids, MN
· Associate in Arts Degree
Development Platforms: Microsoft Windows PC, PS2, N64, Xbox
Software Proficiencies: 3DS Max, mental ray™, Photoshop, Zbrush
Additional Experience: Maya, Blender, After Effects, Premiere, Terragen 2, Xfrog, SpeedTree, UDK, Unity
Software Proficiencies: 3DS Max, mental ray™, Photoshop, Zbrush
Additional Experience: Maya, Blender, After Effects, Premiere, Terragen 2, Xfrog, SpeedTree, UDK, Unity
Please contact me by email, or through my contact page for my resume in doc or pdf format, which includes my phone number, and additional information.