My Resume

Mark Axton
9717 North Smith Street • Portland, Oregon 97203 • 971-506-2540 (Cell) • pure.maxton@gmail.com

Summary of Qualifications
With a quarter of a century’s worth of media experience, I offer a wealth of real-world production knowledge in a wide variety of media and techniques, along with the kind of wisdom that comes with maturity. A hands-on manager, I lead from the middle, demanding no more dedication from my team than I’m willing to put forth myself. I believe in Total Project Immersion - understanding the needs of the client from the ground up – and I always work to provide the smoothest client interface possible.

Core Competencies
Bidding, budgeting, scheduling, staffing, live-action, motion graphics and animation production management, post production and world-class client management for television commercials, feature film effects and shorts. Proficient in Adobe Premiere, Adobe Photoshop, Audacity, Microsoft Word, Excel & Project.

Work Experience

6/2010 – Present
Senior Producer – Funnelbox Motion Picture Studios, Oregon City, OR
Key Responsibilities: Produce live-action video, graphics and visual effects for commercials, corporate videos and short films for local, regional and national accounts. Supervise all aspects of pitches, bidding, pre-production, casting, set construction, Data transfer, compositing, effects, sound design, scoring,  post production and wrap. Breakdown and bid incoming projects based on agency storyboards. Consult and advise on company operations, strategy, human resources and growth.

5/2004 – 6/2010
Producer - Bent Image Lab, Portland, OR
Key Responsibilities: Produce live-action, stop-motion and computer animated commercials, visual effects and short films for national and international accounts. Supervise all aspects of pitches, bidding, pre-production, casting, set construction, prop and puppet fabrication, principal photography, film processing, video transfer, compositing, effects, sound design, scoring,  post production and wrap. Breakdown and bid incoming projects based on agency storyboards. Advised on company operations, strategy, human resources and growth. Instrumental in the growth of the company from a small startup to an internationally recognized commercial house. Major clients include Kellogg, Gillette, Airwick, Cartoon Network.Awards for work include Telly, Chicago International Television Award, Clio, Oregon Media Production Association Award of Excellence.
Helped establish company-wide procedures and guidelines for staffing, budgeting and production pipeline.

8/2002 - 5/2004
Producer/Production Consultant - Happy Trails Animation, Portland, OR
Key Responsibilities: Assisted small animation company in the design and implementation of professional, industry-standard production methodologies, bidding techniques, production accounting and public relations material. Lead and supervised all aspects of animation production from pitches to initial bids through production, post production, scoring and delivery. Primary client liaison for all phases of bidding and production.
Designed and implemented new procedures for accounting, bidding, budgeting and production.

9/2000 - 7/2002
Producer - Will Vinton Studios, Portland, OR
Key Responsibilities: Bid, scheduled, supervised and tracked all aspects of commercial animation production for national and international accounts. Supervised numerous direct reports, including directors, technical directors, animators, production coordinators and production assistants. Spots produced include M&Ms and Pillsbury Doughboy, as well
as internal short films and R&D projects. Client liaison for all projects. Responsible for all aspects of bid and budget, including tracking actual costs and optimizing profit margins. Advise on departmental and company restructuring. Developed sales force, collateral marketing materials, demo reel, press kits and web site for new motion graphics department. Prepared and conducted sales pitch meetings. Interim IT Department Manager and Interim CG Production Manager as needed while positions were being recruited. Actively recruited for permanent replacements in these positions.

4/1999 - 9/2000
Producer - Xaos, Inc., San Francisco, CA
Key Responsibilities: Bid, scheduled, supervised and tracked all aspects of CG animation and post-production with 19 direct reports, including technical department, creative directors and animators. Supervised production of graphics and animation elements for large-format feature films, television promos, special venue video presentations and large-format ridefilms. Client liaison for all projects; Supervised invoicing and collections of all client payables. Creative and production staff performance reviews. Supervised and approved all recruiting and hiring of animators and technical directors. Set up and maintained intranet production pages for sharing of internal production –related information.
Established large-format production pipeline. Researched and obtained full-scale ridefilm motion-base platform for development of original ride content.

10/1998 - 4/1999
Production Supervisor - Pacific Data Images, Palo Alto, CA
Key Responsibilities: Scheduled, supervised and tracked work of 15-person lighting and effects team for computer animated feature film, “Shrek”.

9/1997 - 9/1998
Technical Department Manager - Pixar Animation Studios, Richmond, CA
Key Responsibilities: Scheduled, Supervised and tracked all work for thirty-person Technical Dept. –- including modeling, lighting, shading and rendering – for computer animated feature film, “Toy Story 2”. Conducted all Technical Department performance reviews.

12/1995 - 7/1997
Digital Department Manager - Boss Film Studios, Marina del Rey, CA
Managed sixty-person digital department, including project scheduling, management and tracking, plant management, employee salary & performance reviews, technical management and liaison with model shop and motion-control departments. Feature film credits included “Multiplicity”, “Desperate Measures”, “Air Force One”, Turbulence” and “Starship Troopers”.

6/1993 - 9/1995
Production Manager - DreamQuest Images, Simi Valley, CA
Scheduled, managed and tracked all traditional and computer animated work and visual effects for several feature motions pictures, and television projects. Liaison between stop-motion department and CG department.
Credits include “The Crow”, “The Mask” and “Crimson Tide”and television programs including “Earth 2” and “The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.”

Education
8/1992 
American Film Institute, Hollywood, CA - Certification - Production Management Master Class

6/1984
Lane College, Eugene, OR - Associate Degree - Visual Design and Production - Film, video, audio, editing,
television, communications

References
Available Upon Request