Resume
About Me
Don Marks FX + Animation
Resume
About Me
As a creative and technically driven VFX Artist with over a decade of experience in mobile, PC, VR, and AR development, I specialize in crafting stylized, performant visual effects that elevate gameplay and player immersion. My expertise lies in Unity’s VFX systems—including Shuriken, flipbooks, mesh-based FX, and custom shaders (HLSL/CG)—along with a strong foundation in Maya, C#, Python, and 2D/3D asset workflows.
I bring a collaborative mindset to every project, working seamlessly with artists, designers, and engineers to bring features and environments to life through visually compelling and optimized effects. From building and integrating VFX in Unity to developing tools that streamline pipelines, I am passionate about enhancing both the creative and technical quality of the games I work on. With a BFA in Animation from the University of Central Florida and a career spanning games, television, and film, I’m excited to contribute to the vibrant, playful world of Monopoly GO! and help push its visual fidelity even further on mobile platforms.
Work History
2022 - Present
Senior Tech Artist
Blizzard Entertainment
I work with engineers and artists at Blizzard to optimize pipelines, develop shaders, and create rigging solutions for Warcraft Rumble on PC and Mobile. I troubleshoot Unity and Maya challenges, ensuring assets meet performance benchmarks while maintaining the game’s style. After it transitioned to live service, I refine workflows, automate processes, and optimize assets for better visuals and efficiency, while also enhancing rigging workflows for seamless character integration.
2021 - 2022
Lead Tech Animator
Jam City
Created and optimized VFX, character rigs, and shader-based effects for mobile titles in Unity. Collaborated closely with Tech Art and Engineering to resolve performance issues and implement scalable FX pipelines. Built tools in C# to streamline FX production, ensuring visuals remained consistent across game features.
2019 - 2021
Senior Tech Artist
Scientific Games
Developed and integrated slot game VFX, animations, and shaders using Unity, enhancing real-time visuals and sync performance. Optimized particle systems, character FX, and scene-based transitions for mobile play, and automated processes with C#.
2018 - 2019
Art Director
Zapdot Inc
Directed teams of artists across mobile and PC projects with a hands-on role in VFX development, shader creation, and pipeline refinement. Helped define FX styles and implement polished, efficient effects consistent with the creative vision.
2018
Animator/FX Artist
Disruptor Beam
Delivered animated effects and asset-driven FX workflows for smartphone games. Collaborated with Art Directors and Producers to balance style with performance while building FX previews for prototypes.
2017 - 2018
Animation Director + Animator/FX Artist
Sharecare Reality Labs
Led FX and Animation development for VR medical simulations. Created shaders, VFX, and optimized rigging/animation workflows with Maya and Unity, emphasizing mobile VR performance and realism.
2016
2D Character Animator
Rick and Morty
Bardel Entertainment
At Bardel Entertainment, I had the opportunity to work on Rick and Morty, delivering high-quality animation that matched the show’s unique style under tight production deadlines. Using Toon Boom Harmony, I contributed to the Emmy Award-winning series, ensuring consistency and excellence in every scene.
2016 - 2017
Lead Animator/ Game Artist
Concept Gaming
Designed animated VFX assets for online games and improved FX pipeline flow remotely. Worked directly with leadership on creative gameplay concepts and stylized visual treatments.
2013 - 2015
Character Animator
Archer
Floyd County Productions
At Floyd County Productions, I contributed to the Emmy Award-winning show Archer by rigging characters, setting up scene layouts, and delivering final animated shots for FX Network broadcasts. Beyond animation, I developed custom After Effects plugins and tools using JavaScript, inspired by the studio’s skilled toolmakers. My role focused on optimizing production workflows and accelerating pipelines to maintain efficient, high-quality output.
2013
3D Artist/Animator
Merlin Mobility
Created AR effects and optimized models for Unity-based iOS/Android apps, including shader and animation implementation. Streamlined mesh retopology and asset performance for efficient mobile deployment.
2012 - 2013
Lead 3D Artist
Sealund and Associates
Directed a 3D team for training simulations, delivering animation, FX, and illustrations using Unity and Maya. Enhanced FX pipelines to meet visual fidelity and real-time playback across platforms.
2011 - 2012
3D Character Animator
Goat Story with Cheese
Art and Animation Studio
While based in Prague, I animated scenes for the 3D feature film Goat Story with Cheese. I created shots from scratch without initial blocking and polished pre-existing blocked shots to final completion, ensuring consistency and high-quality animation throughout.
2011
Compositing Artist
Sesame Street
Animatic Media
In this role, I handled rendering and compositing to add final visual polish for the 3D animated show The Adventures of Kami and Big Bird. I provided updated renders for weekly reviews and trained new compositing artists in the pipeline, ensuring consistent quality and workflow efficiency.