I am a Senior Animator with over 10 years of experience creating expressive, high-quality 2D and 3D animations for award-winning mobile games. I specialize in Spine, Unity Animator, and After Effects, blending strong animation principles with a deep understanding of mobile performance optimization and free-to-play player engagement. I have a proven track record of turning characters into beloved personalities that enhance gameplay, especially in kids' and family-friendly titles. I have worked across various projects and led creative visions while mentoring and developing animation pipelines. My experience spans directing animations for HBO and Nickelodeon, optimizing assets for mobile performance, and streamlining workflows using Adobe Suite, Figma, Spine, and Unity. I am passionate about character design and enjoy enhancing community identity through mascots and engaging visuals.…

Brandon Applegate

PRO

I am a Senior Animator with over 10 years of experience creating expressive, high-quality 2D and 3D animations for award-winning mobile games. I specialize in Spine, Unity Animator, and After Effects, blending strong animation principles with a deep understanding of mobile performance optimization and free-to-play player engagement. I have a proven track record of turning characters into beloved personalities that enhance gameplay, especially in kids' and family-friendly titles. I have worked across various projects and led creative visions while mentoring and developing animation pipelines. My experience spans directing animations for HBO and Nickelodeon, optimizing assets for mobile performance, and streamlining workflows using Adobe Suite, Figma, Spine, and Unity. I am passionate about character design and enjoy enhancing community identity through mascots and engaging visuals.…

Available to hire

I am a Senior Animator with over 10 years of experience creating expressive, high-quality 2D and 3D animations for award-winning mobile games. I specialize in Spine, Unity Animator, and After Effects, blending strong animation principles with a deep understanding of mobile performance optimization and free-to-play player engagement. I have a proven track record of turning characters into beloved personalities that enhance gameplay, especially in kids’ and family-friendly titles.

I have worked across various projects and led creative visions while mentoring and developing animation pipelines. My experience spans directing animations for HBO and Nickelodeon, optimizing assets for mobile performance, and streamlining workflows using Adobe Suite, Figma, Spine, and Unity. I am passionate about character design and enjoy enhancing community identity through mascots and engaging visuals.

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Work Experience

Creative Director & Animator at Bran Apple Media, Sacramento, CA
January 1, 2011 - Present
Produced animations for HBO and Nickelodeon, capturing audience attention and boosting brand engagement through vibrant visuals. Directed creative vision across diverse freelance projects, delivering high-quality animations, VFX, and interactive assets. Led artwork shops nationwide, mentoring students and educators on animation and design fundamentals. Developed mascots for youth teams and schools to enhance community identity through character design. Streamlined production workflows using Adobe Suite, Figma, Spine, and Unity to optimize asset delivery and team efficiency.
Senior Designer & Animator at Kodable, San Diego, CA
January 1, 2025 - August 20, 2025
Built Spine animation pipelines, training a 5-person art team and increasing average session length by 20%. Reduced mobile memory usage by 30% without compromising animation quality. Created animated characters, UI transitions, and VFX for Kodable, Bug World, and Creator, blending fun with educational clarity. Optimized animation assets for mobile performance, reducing load times and memory usage without sacrificing visual quality.
Animator & Marketing Specialist at PlayCo Global, Mountain View, CA
March 1, 2022 - August 20, 2025
Produced animations and VFX for marketing campaigns including The Walking Dead and Everwing, boosting click-through rates by 17%. Designed animated assets and visual effects for early prototypes, including Storyverse, an NFT-based user-generated content game.
Co-Founder & Creative Director at 77SPARX Studios, Sunnyvale, CA
February 1, 2020 - August 20, 2025
Designed and animated over 200 assets for Puzzingo and Wonster Words (#1 in category, 2B+ plays), helping sustain 4.8-star ratings across app stores. Created, rigged, and animated vector assets for C.L.A.W. (Character, environment & UI). Directed integration of animation into gameplay loops, enhancing interaction and player delight.

Education

Bachelor of Science at New England Institute of art
August 1, 2007 - December 15, 2010
Media Arts & Animation

Qualifications

2D Animator
January 1, 2010 - March 6, 2025
Illustrator
January 1, 2010 - March 6, 2025

Industry Experience

Gaming, Media & Entertainment, Education
    paper Ed-Tech Portfolio (Game Design, Art, 2D Animation)

    This highlights five family friendly games I have designed. Some I conceived, iterated and directed all the way through live-ops. Some I redesigned existing products. This games in this portfolio are heavily awarded and have been playeed several billion times world wide.

    https://www.twine.net/signin