MIND bio

MIND is Mike Ian Noble Dobson. 

Mike grew up in small villages near the shores of Georgian Bay, in Ontario, Canada. Following completion of a Bachelor of Arts in History at McMaster University, he attended the Animation Program at Sheridan College part time and then completed his animation training in the Animation program at Capilano College in Vancouver. Mike later completed a residency at the Canadian Film Centre’s Habitat New Media program.

Mike worked on the television shows; Naked News, Sons of Butcher, Adventurers, Sam and Max, Pippi Longstocking, Rupert, Stickin’ Around, Little Bear, Stories of the Seventh Fire, Anne of Green Gables and Roboroach. He also worked on the feature films, Marco Polo, Return to Xanadu and Osmosis Jones. 

His studio MINDMEDIAWORKS is open to commissions in Animation, Art, Design, Direction, Editing, Historical Research, Illustration, Instruction, Production, Sculpture, Storyboards and Writing. 

SKILLS

Art 
I illustrate and animate traditionally, in Flash and AfterEffects. I paint digitally and in acrylic. I'm a photographer & videographer and can edit what I shoot. I sculpt in Sculpy, wood, iron, bone and soapstone.

Computers 
I am competent in the use of both PCs & Macs. I know AfterEffects, Excel, Final Cut Pro, MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 14, Outlook, PhotoShop, Powerpoint, Premiere, Quark, Web Easy Pro 8 and Word at a professional level. I have a working knowledge of 3D Studio Max, Animo, AXA, Illustrator, Flash MX, Maya, and SketchUp.

Co-ordination
I can inspire and lead a team and produce results.

Instruction 
I have given many professional and volunteer classes on art and animation. I have given tours to thousands of people of every different age group and ability level at the historic sites Ste. Marie among the Hurons and Discovery Harbour.

Writing 
I can research, organize and write effectively.

WORK EXPERIENCE

MINDMEDIAWORKS 
Midland & Toronto, ON. 2010 - present
Owner of small multimedia service company that does animation, editing, illustration, graphic design, photography & video contract and independent work. mindmediaworks.ca

Noble Home Studio 
Lunenburg, NS. 2002 - 2012
Wrote and producing The Boys from Nova Scotia WIP. Historic documentary.

The Dunlop Team 
Midland, ON. 2005 - 2011
Created all marketing materials in Photoshop. Video Edit with MovieMakerPro Write and edit most copy. thedunlopteam.ca

Simcoe Video 
Midland, ON. 2008 - 2009
Shot and edited video open houses and webmercials. simcoeit.ca

Life Capture Interactive 
Toronto, ON. 2007
Illustrations for Roots Canada Leather. rootsleather.com
Storyboards for Spongepockets commercial and interactive web narrative ZOS.

The Art Institute of Toronto 
Toronto, ON. 2005 - 2006
Instructed classes in Intro to Game Design, Scriptwriting & Storytelling and Background Design & Layout.

Naked Broadcasting Network 
Toronto, ON. 2006
Graphics Editor at the Naked News. nakednews.com

Smiley Guys Studio 
Toronto, ON. 2004
Storyboarded on Sons of Butcher animated series. smileyguy.com

Kate Church 
Mahone Bay, NS. 2002
Assistant maquette maker for Cirque de Soleil miniature figures. katechurch.wordpress.com

The DaVinci Institute 
Halifax, NS. 2002 - 2003
Instructed life drawing, storyboards, layout, sculpture, animation history and classical animation techniques.
  
Canuck Creations 
Toronto, ON. 2001
Location and Prop design on Adventurers.

Red Rover Animation 
Toronto, ON. 2001
Storyboard revisions on Roboroach. Assistant Animator on KFC commercial. redrover.net

Yowza Animation 
Toronto, ON. 2001
Assistant FX Animator on Osmosis Jones. yowzaanimation.com

Sullivan Animation 
Toronto, ON. 2000 - 2001
Storyboard revisions, posing and layouts for the animated Anne of Green Gables series.
  
Bardel Animation 
Vancouver, BC. 1998
Assistant animator, checker, line-tester and production assistant for Stickin’ Around and PA. on the short, Stories from the Seventh Fire and the feature Marco Polo Return to Xanadu. bardel.ca

Nelvana 
Toronto, ON. 1997
Digitally painted on the shows, Sam and Max, Pippi Longstocking, Rupert and Little Bear using Animo software. nelvana.com

EDUCATION 

The Canadian Film Centre 
Toronto, ON. Interactive Arts & Entertainment Program. 2005
Learned Game Design, Interactive narrative writing and Final Cut Pro. Produced interactive narrative game Interference. cfccreates.com

Capilano College 
Vancouver, BC. Commercial Animation Program. 1998 -1999
Learned key animation, inbetweening, clean-up, posing, special effects, character and prop design, layout, storyboards, film technique, editing and 3D modeling, animation and FX in 3D Studio Max. capilanou.ca

Sheridan College 
Oakville, ON. Part-time Animation Program. 1997
Learned basic animation techniques and history. Averaged 8 hours of life-drawing a week. sheridaninstitute.ca

McMaster University 
Hamilton, ON. Bachelor of Arts. History degree. 1989 - 1994
Learned to organize, research and write effectively. Specialized in military history and film. Did intensive studies of art, anthropology, politics and architecture. mcmaster.ca