   My interest in creating artwork goes back as far as I can remember. I was born in Athens, Greece and moved to Canada with my parents at the age of two. I grew up in the West Island area of Montreal and, like most kids, started to draw as soon as I could hold a pencil.

   A reputation as a budding artist followed me throughout my years in school. When it came time to choose a career, however, I veered into the sciences, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology with honours from McGill University. As a geology student, I worked in the Gaspé Peninsula as well as in the arctic tundra region of northern Canada.

When I next decided to enroll for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Concordia University instead of pursuing a Master’s degree in science, it was to follow my heart and not to heed the dire predictions of starvation that ensued. “How can you switch from science to art?” was the all-pervasive question.

My view on the matter was simple. The perceived dichotomy that separates art and science is largely due to the different paths the two have taken in the exploration of the natural world. Each began as a direct observation of the universe, with science being mainly interested in how nature worked and art in how it looked. Any serious involvement with either should require some understanding of both.

I left the art program to begin a career in animation after a year. Moving from Montreal to Ottawa with Kim, my wife-to-be, was the first step in a journey that has led to more than twenty years in the animation industry. I've since lived and worked in cities across the country. As well as directing, supervising and animating at many of the major studios, I've also taught drawing and animation at the Vancouver Film School where I ran the classical animation department as Program Director and Head Instructor.

At present I'm dividing my time between directing animated series for television and doing animation storyboards. As for the near future, I'll soon begin to paint and teach again with a series of my own drawing classes and also to do storyboard work for live-action films.

- Nick Vallinakis -

ANIMATION EXPERIENCE

Director
What’s With Andy? -2D TV series/Season III, CineGroupe (2005-06)
Postcards from Buster -2D TV series/Season I, The Cookie Jar Company (2004)
Pig City -2D TV series/Season II, CineGroupe (2003-2004)

Storyboard Artist

Arthur -2D TV series/Season V,XI & XIII, Cinar/Cookie Jar (2000, 2006 & 2008)
Zeke's Pad -3D TV series/Season I, Bardel (2008)
Punch! -Flash TV series/Season I, Kiwi Animation (2007)
Edgar and Ellen -Flash TV series/Season I, Bardel (2007)
The World of Quest -Flash TV series/Season I, Mercury Film Works (2007)
Tripping the Rift -3D TV series/Season I, II, & III, CineGroupe (2005-07)
Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy -Game 2D elements, A2M (2005)
Bratz -2D feature DVD/video, CineGroupe (2003)
What’s With Andy? -2D TV series/Season I & II, CineGroupe (2000-01 & 2003)
Pinocchio 3000 -3D feature film, CineGroupe (2002)
Seven Little Monsters -2D TV series/Season I, II & III, Nelvana (2000-02)
Pig City -2D TV series/Season I, CineGroupe (2001)
Bob & Margaret -2D TV series/Season III, Nelvana (2000)
Redwall -2D TV series/Season III, Nelvana (2000)
Anne of Green Gables -2D TV series/Season I, Sullivan Studios (2000)
The Pink Panther -2D TV series/Season I, Bardel (1993)

Senior Animator
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea -2D feature DVD/video, Walt Disney Animation Canada (2000)
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas -2D feature DVD/video, Walt Disney Anim Canada (1998-99)
Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine Special -2D feature DVD/video, Walt Disney Anim Canada (1998)
Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World -2D feature DVD/video, Walt Disney Anim Canada (1997)
Beauty and The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas -2D feature DVD/video, Walt Disney Anim Canada (1996-97)

Animator
Peter Pan: Return to Neverland -2D feature film, Walt Disney Animation Canada (2000)
The Brothers Grunt -2D TV series, Natterjack (1994)
The Forgetful King’s Festival -2D personalized video, Interactive Video Systems (1994)
Rocket Rescue -2D/3D feature video, Interactive Video Systems (1993)
Here Comes Mumfie -2D TV series, Bardel (1993)
The Ren & Stimpy Show -2D TV series/Season II, Carbunkle Cartoons (1992-93)
The Little Flying Bears -2D TV series, CineGroupe (1990-91)
The Raccoons -2D TV series, Hinton Animation (1988)
Dennis the Menace -2D TV series, Atkinson Film Arts (1987)

Assistant Animator

Bebe’s Kids -2D feature film, Bardel (1992)
Ys the Magnificent -2D TV series, Atkinson Film Arts (1988)

Exposure Sheet Director
The Tofus -2D TV series/Season I, CineGroupe (2003-2004)
Arthur -2D TV series/Season V, Cinar (2000)
Seven Little Monsters -2D TV series/Season II, Nelvana (2001)
Stunt Dawgs -2D TV series, Gordon Stanfield Animation (1992)
Problem Child -2D TV series, Gordon Stanfield Animation (1992)

Layout Supervisor
The Pink Panther -2D TV series, Bardel (1993)
Dog City -2D TV series, Bardel (1993)

Layout
The New Adventures of Felix the Cat -2D TV series, Studio B (1995)
The Magic Schoolbus -2D TV series, Bardel (1995)
Tales of the Cryptkeeper -2D TV series, Bardel (1995)
A Bunch of Munsch -2D TV series, Gordon Stanfield Animation (1992)
The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin -2D TV series, Atkinson Film Arts (1986-87)

Design and Story Development
Punch! -Flash TV series using Photoshop photo montage/Season I, Kiwi Animation(2007)
The Forgetful King’s Festival -2D personalized video, Interactive Video Systems (1994)
Rocket Rescue -2D/3D feature video, Interactive Video Systems (1993)
The Pink Panther -2D TV series, Bardel (1993)

Television Commercials

Various including: Rolo, Chips Ahoy, Canada Savings Bonds, etc. -Michael Mills Productions (1988-90)
Nike -A.K.A. Cartoon (1996)

Illustration
Grocer Today -spot/cover illos, Canada Wide Magazines (1993-94)
Going Places (BCAA) -spot illos, Canada Wide Magazines (1993-94)
BC Home Digest -spot illos, Canada Wide Magazines (1993-94)
Current -spot illos, Pacific Trollers Association/Alpine Press, B.C. (1996)

TEACHING AND MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE

Senior Animator

Walt Disney Animation Canada (1996-2000)

-leading and mentoring animation team during feature production

-preparing and presenting drawing seminars on project specific characters, human anatomy and perspective

-supervising weekly 3hr life drawing sessions

Program Director/Head Instructor

Vancouver Film School (1994-96)

-developing curriculum, courses and schedules

-planning and implementation of departmental expansion

-staff management

-instructor: Animation, Animation layout, Storyboard, Film production, Life drawing, Perspective, Color, Light&shadow, Composition

EDUCATION
Concordia University -toward Bachelor of Fine Arts / Drawing and Painting (1985-86)
McGill University -Bachelor of Science (Honours) / Geological Sciences (1982-85)
Vanier College (CEGEP) -Diploma of Collegiate Studies / Pure and Applied Sciences (1980-82)

COURSES
Introduction to Animation with Maya -Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec (2004)
C Programming -BCIT, Vancouver, British Columbia (1993)
Graphic Art and Photography -Algonquin College, Ottawa, Ontario (1987)

COMPUTER EXPERIENCE
Graphics & Animation -Photoshop, Toon Boom Storyboard Pro, Maya 6.0, Excel, CorelDraw
Web Design -Trellian, HTML
Computer Programming -C Programming, Fortran

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