Available to hire
Hi, I’m Payton Polak, a passionate animation director, producer, and 2D animator dedicated to creating engaging animated content with vibrant characters and storytelling. I have a strong background in character design and leadership, managing project schedules and creative teams to deliver quality animation projects efficiently.
With experience spanning original animated shorts, pilot episodes, and social engagement campaigns for luxury brands, I bring creativity, motivation, and organizational skills to every project. I also manage a successful YouTube channel, producing a wide variety of videos that reach a large online audience.
Experience Level
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
Work Experience
Producer | Animation Director at JoyBott Animation
May 1, 2025 - June 23, 2025Producer and director of original animated content. Responsible for leading our team to create colorful animations with engaging characters and stories. Ensure that we stay on schedule and work efficiently without sacrificing the quality of the project.
Executive Producer | Director | 2D Animator at The Showstoppers
May 1, 2024 - May 1, 2025Directed and produced a collaborative animated short film with a team of 10 artists. Developed a cast of dynamic characters and locations based on current mixed media trends. Contributed character animation, storyboards, cleanup, art direction, compositing, audio work, and motion graphics.
Motion Graphics Designer | 2D Animator at Hinkley
December 1, 2024 - February 28, 2025After a successful internship, invited to return as a Freelance artist. Developed animations to increase social engagement with luxury brands; Hinkley and Lark. Built custom animated banners and video content for the Lark website homepage.
Showrunner | Director | 2D Animator at The Epilogue of Endings
March 1, 2024 - September 30, 2024Directed, produced, and showran an independent animated pilot episode for original screenplay. Contributed cleanup animation, color, art direction, sound design, and motion graphics for the pilot episode. Created all of the animation’s compositing and lighting effects.
Motion Graphics & Video Production Intern at Hinkley
June 1, 2024 - August 31, 2024Developed animations to increase social engagement with luxury brands; Hinkley, Lark, and Fredrick Raymond. Created video and graphic content for large format trade displays used at High Point Market and Lightovation. Built video content for Ecommerce PDP pages to be used on Wayfair, Houzz, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.
Producer | 2D Animator at Baked with Love
March 1, 2024 - May 31, 2024Produced and directed a collaborative animated short film with a team of 20 artists. Worked as a 2D cleanup animator, colorist, compositor, and sound designer. Led our team by coordinating multiple schedules, establishing creative leads for delegated work. The film amassed over 1.6 million views after publishing via my online platform.
Director | 2D Animator at PAWS
January 1, 2024 - March 31, 2024Directed and produced a collaborative short film with a team of 10 artists. Worked as a 2D cleanup animator, colorist, storyboard artist, and sound designer. Created all of the film’s compositing and lighting effects on a tight schedule.
Content Creator at YouTube
February 1, 2019 - June 23, 2025Developed a channel with over 150 thousand subscribers, 16.5 million views, and 125 million impressions. Produced more than 250 videos, both expository and entertainment based, covering a wide variety of topics. Directed/Produced an original webseries with over 2.6 million views with 29 episodes and 11 secondary videos.
Producer | Animation Director at JoyBott Animation
May 1, 2025 - PresentProducer and director of original animated content. Responsible for leading the team to create colorful animations with engaging characters and stories. Ensure that the projects stay on schedule and maintain high quality.
Motion Graphics Designer | 2D Animator at Hinkley
November 1, 2024 - PresentAfter a successful internship, invited to return as a Freelance artist. Developed animations to increase social engagement with luxury brands Hinkley and Lark. Built custom animated banners and video content for the Lark website homepage.
Executive Producer | Director | 2D Animator at The Showstoppers
May 31, 2025 - July 18, 2025Directed and produced a collaborative animated short film with a team of 10 artists. Developed dynamic characters and locations based on current mixed media trends. Contributed character animation, storyboards, cleanup, art direction, compositing, audio work, and motion graphics.
Showrunner | Director | 2D Animator at The Epilogue of Endings
September 30, 2024 - July 18, 2025Directed, produced, and showran an independent animated pilot episode for original screenplay. Contributed cleanup animation, color, art direction, sound design, and motion graphics. Created all compositing and lighting effects.
Motion Graphics & Video Production Intern at Hinkley
August 31, 2024 - July 18, 2025Developed animations to increase social engagement with luxury brands including Hinkley, Lark, and Fredrick Raymond. Created video and graphic content for large format trade displays used at High Point Market and Lightovation. Built video content for Ecommerce PDP pages on Wayfair, Houzz, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.
Producer | 2D Animator at Baked with Love
May 31, 2024 - July 18, 2025Produced and directed a collaborative animated short film with a team of 20 artists. Worked as a 2D cleanup animator, colorist, compositor, and sound designer. Led the team by coordinating schedules and establishing creative leads. The film amassed over 1.6 million views upon publishing.
Director | 2D Animator at PAWS
March 31, 2024 - July 18, 2025Directed and produced a collaborative short film with a team of 10 artists. Worked as 2D cleanup animator, colorist, storyboard artist, and sound designer. Created all compositing and lighting effects on a tight schedule.
Content Creator at YouTube
February 1, 2019 - PresentDeveloped a channel with over 150,000 subscribers, 16.5 million views, and 125 million impressions. Produced over 250 videos covering a wide variety of topics. Directed and produced an original webseries with over 2.6 million views across 29 episodes and 11 secondary videos.
Producer | Animation Director at JoyBott Animation
May 1, 2025 - PresentAs Producer and Animation Director, I successfully developed two new intellectual properties, pitching both to Amazon Prime. I directed and produced a variety of original animated content, leading the team to create colorful animations with engaging characters and stories. I ensured projects stayed on schedule and maintained high quality and efficiency throughout production.
Motion Graphics Designer | 2D Animator at Hinkley
November 1, 2024 - PresentAfter a successful internship, I was invited back as a freelance artist to develop animations that increased social engagement with luxury brands such as Hinkley and Lark. I built custom animated banners and video content for the Lark website homepage.
Executive Producer | Director | 2D Animator at The Showstoppers
May 1, 2025 - August 6, 2025Directed and produced an animated short film that was an official selection of several film festivals including Cindependant Film Festival, Maumee Film Festival, and Georgia Comedy Film Festival. Developed dynamic characters and locations based on mixed media trends and contributed to animation, storyboards, cleanup, art direction, compositing, audio work, and motion graphics.
Showrunner | Director | 2D Animator at The Epilogue of Endings
September 1, 2024 - August 6, 2025Directed, produced, and showran an independent animated pilot episode based on my original screenplay. Contributed cleanup animation, color, art direction, sound design, and motion graphics, creating all compositing and lighting effects.
Motion Graphics & Video Production Intern at Hinkley
August 31, 2024 - August 6, 2025Created animations to increase social engagement for luxury brands including Hinkley, Lark, and Fredrick Raymond. Developed video and graphic content for large format trade displays featured at High Point Market and Lightovation. Built video content for eCommerce product detail pages used on platforms like Wayfair, Houzz, Home Depot, and Lowes.
Producer | 2D Animator at Baked with Love
May 1, 2024 - August 6, 2025Produced and directed a collaborative animated short film that amassed over 1.6 million views online. Worked as cleanup animator, colorist, compositor, and sound designer. Led team coordination and established creative leads for delegated tasks.
Director | 2D Animator at PAWS
March 1, 2024 - August 6, 2025Directed and produced a collaborative short film under time constraints. Served as 2D cleanup animator, colorist, storyboard artist, and sound designer. Created all film compositing and lighting effects on a tight schedule.
Content Creator at YouTube
February 1, 2019 - PresentDeveloped and maintain an online channel with over 150,000 subscribers, 16.5 million views, and 125 million impressions. Produced over 250 videos covering expository and entertainment-based topics. Directed and produced an original web series with 29 episodes and 11 secondary videos, accumulating over 2.6 million views.
Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts at Savannah College of Art and Design
September 1, 2021 - May 31, 2025Bachelor of Fine Arts at Savannah College of Art and Design
September 1, 2021 - May 31, 2025Bachelor of Fine Arts, 2D Animation at Savannah College of Art and Design
September 1, 2021 - May 1, 2025Qualifications
Industry Experience
Media & Entertainment, Education, Retail
Experience Level
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
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