Hi, I’m John Willis, a passionate 2D animator and character designer who loves bringing stories to life through expressive characters and dynamic motion. I draw from a strong foundation in animation history and a hands-on approach to storyboarding, concept art, and video editing. Over the past few years I’ve collaborated on short films, promotional material, and freelance projects, honing my craft in tools like Adobe Animate, After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, Maya, and Toon Boom Harmony. I’m always exploring new ways to tell visually engaging stories with clear character personalities.

John Willis

Hi, I’m John Willis, a passionate 2D animator and character designer who loves bringing stories to life through expressive characters and dynamic motion. I draw from a strong foundation in animation history and a hands-on approach to storyboarding, concept art, and video editing. Over the past few years I’ve collaborated on short films, promotional material, and freelance projects, honing my craft in tools like Adobe Animate, After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, Maya, and Toon Boom Harmony. I’m always exploring new ways to tell visually engaging stories with clear character personalities.

Available to hire

Hi, I’m John Willis, a passionate 2D animator and character designer who loves bringing stories to life through expressive characters and dynamic motion. I draw from a strong foundation in animation history and a hands-on approach to storyboarding, concept art, and video editing.

Over the past few years I’ve collaborated on short films, promotional material, and freelance projects, honing my craft in tools like Adobe Animate, After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, Maya, and Toon Boom Harmony. I’m always exploring new ways to tell visually engaging stories with clear character personalities.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Animation & Video Editing at Promotional Shorts
May 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026
Animation and video editing for promotional shorts, including pacing, transitions, and sequence assembly.
Animation & Video Editing at Promotional Shorts
May 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026
Animation and video editing for promotional shorts, focusing on character timing, lip-sync, and integration with concept art and storyboards; collaborated with the team to refine visual style.
Character Animation, Ink and Paint at Jo-Dee Messina
May 1, 2026 - June 1, 2026
Character Animator at The Helpers (Short Film)
November 1, 2025 - March 1, 2026
Character animation for a short film.
Character Design, Storyboards at Casey and the Star
January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2026
Character design and storyboard work for a short film project.
Rough Character Animation at Ig Gy and Mr. Kirk
January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Rough character animation and timing for provided concepts.
Rough Character Animation at Casey and the Star
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2026
Rough character animation
Character Design, Storyboards at Ig gy an d Mr. Kirk
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025
Character design, storyboards
Concept Art, Storyboards, Rough Character Animation at The Great Star CapER, Short Film
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025
Concept art, storyboards, rough character animation
2D Animator at Casey and the Star
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2026
Character animation and ink & paint duties for a project.
Rough Character Animation at The Great Star CapER (Short Film)
January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025
Rough character animation for a short film.
Spring Internship - Concept Art & Character Design at Tennessee Titans, Promotional Material
March 1, 2024 - May 31, 2024
Assisted in concept art, character design, and storyboard development for Titans promotional materials; collaborated with the art team to refine visuals.
Rough Character Animation at The Great Star CapER, Short Film
January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2025
Created rough character animation for a short film, coordinating with storyboard and design teams.
Rough Character Animation at Empty Nets, Short Film
January 1, 2024 - January 1, 2025
Rough character animation
Spring Internship at Pencilish Animation Studio
January 1, 2024 - January 1, 2024
Spring internship focusing on Concept Art and Character Design.
Rough Mascot Animation at Gator Boy, Short Film
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2024
Rough mascot animation
Rough Character Animation at Gator Boy (The Helpers Short Film)
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2024
Rough mascot animation for a short film project.
Character Animator at The Legend of Bill (Short Film)
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2024
Character animation, concept art, and character design for a short film.
Spring Internship - Concept Art & Character Design at Tennessee Titans, Promotional Material
January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022
Contributed concept art and character designs for promotional materials, assisted with storyboarding and rough character animation.
Spring Internship - Concept Art and Character Design at Tennessee Titans
January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2022
Promotional Material
Pawned at Short Film
January 1, 2022 - March 1, 2022
Character animation work for a short film.
Spring Internship at Tennessee Titans
January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2022
Promotional material; Concept Art and Character Design.

Education

BFA in Animation at Lipscomb University
August 1, 2022 - May 2, 2001
BFA in Animation at Lipscomb University
January 11, 2030 - June 9, 2026

Qualifications

Selected Caricature Artist for Lipscomb University & Landmark Christian School Gala Events
January 11, 2030 - June 3, 2026
Selected Caricature Artist for Lipscomb University Gala Events
January 11, 2030 - June 3, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Professional Services, Software & Internet