CASEY NELSON801.910.1235 ••• la_casa@hotmail.com ••• http://www.caseynelsonstuff.com/

Salt Lake City, UTEager to explore the world – willing to relocate.

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Good-humored writer and artist experienced in writing dialogue and plots for high-profile video games and seeing the corresponding cinematics through completion. Talented illustrator of several published books and magazine articles and excellent communicator in English and Spanish. Ideal collaborator and team member with strong skills in creative problem-solving, effective multitasking, and proven adaptability.

SPECIAL SKILLS AND CORE STRENGTHS

Bilingual: English and Spanish • Accomplished painter and illustrator • Designer and decorator • Effective communicator • Humor and improvisational comedy (improv) • Character design • Excellent interpersonal skills • Public speaking and presentations • Direction

TECHNOLOGY

Corel Painter • Adobe Photoshop • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint • Movie Magic Screenwriter • Outlook

WORK EXPERIENCE

DISNEY INTERACTIVE/AVALANCHE SOFTWARE STUDIOS (WALT DISNEY COMPANY), Salt Lake City, UTSENIOR ARTIST • 2002 – present

Met with directors and writers of Disney films and properties to gain expertise about the material, then became the property protector, ensuring designers and artists maintained the same feel within the game. Partnered with producers and designers to develop the video game’s story and flow throughout the lifecycle. Wrote the lines spoken by the characters throughout the video game and proofread all on-screen text. Conceived of characters, objects, and worlds in the games and developed storyboards for animated scenes. Led assignments for or contributed to the following projects:

CONCEPT ART

“Tak and the Power of Juju” • “Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams” • “Tak: The Great Juju Challenge” • “Disney Infinity” • “Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes”

STORY TEAM

“Tak: The Great Juju Challenge” • “Chicken Little” • “Chicken Little 2: Ace in Action” • “Meet the Robinsons” • “Bolt” • “Hannah Montana: Spotlight World Tour” • “Toy Story 2” • “Cars 2” • “Disney Infinity: Pirates of the Caribbean” • “Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes”

ACHIEVEMENTS

Directed animation, effects, and sound effects for each scene, collaborated with Disney Character Voices, and directed the voice actors to ensure the spoken lines matched the written text.

Honored to be one of three artists responsible for the inception and creation of the story department. Acknowledged for great writing and humor, which contributed to Disney’s acquisition of Avalanche. Awarded “Leading the Way” honor in year-end reviews for determination and hard work on projects. Received a Disney Inventor award for produced work in “Hannah Montana: Spotlight World Tour”. Co-developed C.H.R.O.M.E. (Command Headquarters for Reconnaissance and Operations for Motorized

Espionage) for “Cars 2” video game—a slogan now on toy packaging and non-game materials.

CASEY NELSON ••• 801.910.1235 ••• la_casa@hotmail.comPage 2

SELF-EMPLOYED, Provo and Salt Lake City, UTILLUSTRATOR and EVENT COORDINATOR • 1997 – present

Illustrated children’s books, including four hard covers: “The Big Fib”, “The Boy Who Ate America”, “My First Book of Prophets”, and “My First Book of Temples” as well as three books in the “Believe and You’re There” series.

Designed and wrote several book cover and magazine articles. Created the appearance, logos, design, and menus for three Utah-based restaurants. Organized two, 100-person, summer trips to Jackson Hole for a weekend of whitewater rafting and camping,

arranging meals, entertainment, sleeping logistics, and transportation for all participants. Planned and decorated parties for 300+ attendees for more than 30 events—dances, dinners, auctions, weddings,

and awards ceremonies. Provided food, music, theme, promotions, and clean-up.

DISNEY CHARACTER VOICES, Burbank, CAWRITER and EDITOR • 2014

Hired as temporary staff during illness of a full-time employee. Met with clients in Disney Parks as well as the toy, video game, and publishing industries, to name a few, to discuss projects requiring character audio. Worked on variety of projects and many remain in development or unannounced.

Studied extensively characters’ speech, personalities, stories, and dialogue for confident, precise writing. Created audition sheets for both new and existing characters. Wrote new dialogue and edited existing lines for projects, ensuring each stayed true to the character. Projects

included the following: dialogue for exit/emergency messages for parks; letters to children from Disney characters; large production stage shows; holiday events; various toys; and video games.

COMEDYSPORTZ, Provo, UTIMPROV COMEDIAN • 2000 – 2006

Practiced and performed weekly with a comedy troupe, in groups of seven, to provide improv entertainment for parties or gatherings of 50-1000 people.

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY, Provo, UTDRAWING INSTRUCTOR • 2000 – 2006

Taught figure drawing to the advanced Illustration, Animation, and Fine Art majors twice per week, for three-hour sessions. Focused on line, shape, light, shadow, and modeling. Prepared lessons, demonstrated drawing, and gave sketchbook assignments. Worked with each student personally, noting improvements and clearer understanding.

SAFFIRE, Pleasant Grove, UTLEAD CONCEPT ARTIST • 2000 – 2002

Produced 2D animation for handheld games. Worked as Texture and Concept Artist. Oversaw and coordinated design and art decisions for Backyard Games, baseball video games for handheld devices.

EDUCATION

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY, Provo, UT • BFA, ILLUSTRATIONRICKS COLLEGE, Rexburg, ID • ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE, FINE ARTS