Jaime Castañeda

Jaime Castañeda is a Professor of Animation at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) since 2022. With over 20 years of industry experience, he has contributed to landmark films like Madagascar, Fight Club, and Alien Resurrection. His career blends engineering expertise with artistic storytelling, emphasizing narrative-driven animation. He teaches advanced 3D animation courses such as Core Principles of 3D Character Animation and Naturalistic Performance Techniques.

Education:

• M.F.A., Computer Graphics, Pratt Institute
• B.S., Management, Ithaca College

Research & Teaching: Castañeda prioritizes storytelling over technical reliance, advocating for holistic craft mastery. His pedagogy includes professional practices training for animation careers, covering pacing, weight, emotion, and technical workflows. He has led thesis projects for graduate students and developed animation pipelines for clients like Geico, McDonald's, and Nickelodeon.

Awards: Academy Award for technical direction on Bunny (1998), a pioneering short film.

Professional Experience: Roles span Blue Sky Studios (award-winning commercials), DreamWorks (Madagascar), and freelance animation for global brands. He also served as Art Director for the SYDA Foundation’s spiritual animations and banking campaigns at Megabanco.