I'm a Series & Episodic Director with 10 years of experience leading high-performing teams in CG animation. I’m adept at crafting compelling stories, overseeing complex productions, and balancing creative ambition with production realities. I thrive on fostering collaborative environments, pushing creative boundaries, and translating client briefs into engaging visuals. I enjoy guiding both artists and producers to deliver high-quality content on tight timelines.

Mark Aristizabal

I'm a Series & Episodic Director with 10 years of experience leading high-performing teams in CG animation. I’m adept at crafting compelling stories, overseeing complex productions, and balancing creative ambition with production realities. I thrive on fostering collaborative environments, pushing creative boundaries, and translating client briefs into engaging visuals. I enjoy guiding both artists and producers to deliver high-quality content on tight timelines.

Available to hire

I’m a Series & Episodic Director with 10 years of experience leading high-performing teams in CG animation. I’m adept at crafting compelling stories, overseeing complex productions, and balancing creative ambition with production realities.

I thrive on fostering collaborative environments, pushing creative boundaries, and translating client briefs into engaging visuals. I enjoy guiding both artists and producers to deliver high-quality content on tight timelines.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Series Director at Giant Animation
March 1, 2025 - March 1, 2025
Directed Legends of Evergreen Hills, a 10 x 20 min web series, overseeing a 100+ person team of in-house and overseas artists. Directed several episodes and a 30-second opening title sequence, ensuring visual and narrative consistency across the series. Informed art directors on casting and environment design; led script analysis and guided episodic directors to sharpen storytelling. Recruited and interviewed top talent for each department; established bi-weekly meetings with the show creator and Bento Box to launch episodes and negotiate late-stage changes with cost-effective solutions. Collaborated with production to strategize delivery timelines, anticipated roadblocks, and implemented critical creative adjustments to meet deadlines on tight budgets. Strengthened team morale and communication through targeted reviews and supportive leadership.
Director & Creative Lead at Giant Animation
October 1, 2023 - October 1, 2023
Co-directed The Spark Tree, an 11-minute YouTube short, and played a pivotal role in expanding to Series Director for Legends of Evergreen Hills by leading a 100+ artist team. Oversaw creative direction, shot design, and reference material; ensured alignment with client branding and narrative goals, while maintaining production viability.
Writer, Director & Narrator at RTÉ Jr
September 1, 2021 - September 1, 2021
Wrote, directed, and narrated Samhain, a 2-minute short for RTÉ Jr’s Breath of Fresh Scare series. Managed production, including voice work and sound alignment, delivering a high-quality final output on a tight budget.
Animation Lead at Giant Animation
October 1, 2020 - October 1, 2020
Led Giant’s in-house team to deliver a high-action teaser for the show to Netflix; devised creative solutions to scripted challenges. Supervised 2D visual FX by Studio MeaLa with detailed notes and overlays to create a dynamic blend of 2D and CG.
Animation Lead at Giant Animation
December 31, 2019 - December 31, 2019
Animation lead for Sherwood (10 x 22 min series, 2019); directed animation pipelines and ensured consistent character performance across episodes.
Animation Lead at Giant Animation
December 31, 2018 - December 31, 2018
Animation lead for The Overcoat (30-min featurette, 2018); supervised animation and collaborated with production to maintain timeline and quality.
Layout Lead at Giant Animation
December 31, 2020 - December 31, 2020
Layout lead for Zog and the Flying Doctors (30-min featurette, 2020); established layout pipelines and translated script into cinematic layouts.
Layout Lead at Giant Animation
December 31, 2016 - December 31, 2016
Layout lead for Go Jeters (52 x 11 min series, 2015-2016); coordinated layout across episodes and departments to maintain timelines.
Animator at Brown Bag Films
December 31, 2014 - December 31, 2014
Animator on Bing Bunny (2013-2014); contributed to character animation and shot assembly.
Director at Repak Recycling School Campaign
October 1, 2016 - October 1, 2016
Directed a colorful animated campaign of 4 x 1-minute YouTube clips educating children on recycling best practices; supervised animation and voice casting; ensured engaging and informative content.
Director & Creative Lead at Giant Animation
October 1, 2023 - October 1, 2023
Co-directed The Spark Tree; contributed to development leading to Legends of Evergreen Hills and provided cross-project leadership.
Series Director at Giant Animation
August 1, 2023 - March 1, 2025
Led Legends of Evergreen Hills (10 x 20 min web series); oversaw a global team of 100+ in-house and overseas artists; directed multiple episodes and a 30-second opening sequence; ensured visual and narrative consistency across the series.
Co-Director at Giant Animation
February 1, 2023 - October 1, 2023
Co-directed The Spark Tree (11-min YouTube short); contributed to development leading to expanded role as Series Director for Legends of Evergreen Hills; organized cross-team collaboration for timely delivery.
Episodic Director & Creative Lead at Giant Animation
October 1, 2020 - February 1, 2023
Directed multiple pilot animated series, art decks, and teasers for DreamWorks, Gaumont, and Eagle Eye; pitched shows to major networks; directed the pilot episode for Piri Penguins, which BBC green-lit in 2023.
Director at RTÉ Jr – Breath of Fresh Scare
April 1, 2021 - September 1, 2021
Wrote, directed, and narrated Samhain, a 2-minute short for RTÉ Jr’s Breath of Fresh Scare series; supervised production, delivering high-quality final content on a tight budget.
Animation Lead at Giant Animation – Sherwood
November 1, 2019 - October 1, 2020
Led Giant’s in-house team to deliver a high-action teaser for pitching the show to Netflix; supported the series director with clever creative solutions; supervised 2D visual FX integration.
Animation Lead at Giant Animation – Sherwood
January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019
Additional role directing on 10 x 22 min series (Sherwood); oversaw animation quality and team coordination.
Layout Lead at Giant Animation – Zog and the Flying Doctors
January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020
Layout Lead for a 30-min featurette; coordinated layout and previsualization for production.
Animator at Brown Bag Films – Bing Bunny
January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2014
Animator on Bing Bunny; contributed to character animation and shot timing across episodes.
Lead Animation Team Lead at Giant Animation – Mama K Supa Team 4
November 1, 2019 - October 1, 2020
Led Giant’s in-house team to deliver a high-action teaser for Netflix pitch; supported show director with creative solutions; supervised 2D visual FX with detailed notes and overlays to create a dynamic blend of 2D and CG.
Director / Narration at Samhain
April 1, 2021 - September 1, 2021
Wrote, directed, and narrated Samhain, a 2-minute short for RTÉ Jr’s Breath of Fresh Scare series; supervised production, ensuring a high-quality final product on a tight budget.
Director at Samhain – RTÉ Jr
April 1, 2021 - September 1, 2021
Wrote, directed, and narrated Samhain, a 2-minute short for RTÉ Jr’s Breath of Fresh Scare series; supervised production, ensuring a high-quality final product on a tight budget.

Education

BA (Hons) in Visual Media & Animation at Ballyfermot College of Further Education, Dublin, Ireland
January 11, 2030 - October 28, 2025
Professional CG Character Animation Training at The Animation Workshop, Denmark
January 11, 2030 - October 28, 2025
BA (Hons) in Visual Media & Animation at Ballyfermot College of Further Education, Dublin, Ireland
January 11, 2030 - December 11, 2025

Qualifications

Professional CG Character Animation Training
January 11, 2030 - October 28, 2025
Professional CG Character Animation Training – The Animation Workshop, Denmark
January 11, 2030 - December 11, 2025

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Professional Services