About

Hi! My name is Deanna and I’m a 3D Technical Artist specializing in rigging. I earned an MFA in 3D Animation from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2025, and graduated from Brown University with a combined degree in Visual Art and Computer Science in 2021. I’ve completed three independent films, all rendered in Unreal Engine, and worn many different hats on projects ranging from multimedia educational shorts (ScienceLore) to Augmented Reality mobile experiences. I love to learn, and to work with a team. I’m constantly teaching myself softwares and techniques in the pursuit of a goal, and more often than not am quickly turning that information around to help others. My dream job is intellectually challenging, and surrounded by passionate individuals in art and science. If your project has problems that need solving, my inbox is open!

Resumé PDF

Skills

3D Rigging, Character Animation, Simulation

Python scripting for rigging in Maya

Optimizing 3D assets for game engines

Working knowledge of the entire 3D pipeline — 3D Modeling, Texturing, Animation, Lighting, and Rendering

Teaching and troubleshooting

Softwares & Languages

Maya, Unreal Engine, Houdini, Blender, the Adobe Suite, Python, MEL, VEX, Java

Experience

Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

Character Mosaic - Rigging Artist                                                       

MAY 2024 - PRESENT

  • Learning and executing a variety of rigging techniques on previously-modeled characters to create easy-to-use, well-deforming, diverse character rigs for student use

  • Writing adaptable Python tools to expedite and refine the rigging process

  • Implementing feedback from a test animator working with the rigs

3D Research Assistant         

MAY 2024 - DEC 2024

  • Supporting faculty on grant research producing 3D scans of historical buildings suitable for remote academic reference in history- and architecture-related fields

  • Developing best practices for scanning, processing, and exporting scans to Unreal Engine

Graduate Teaching Assistant         

AUG 2023 - MAY 2025

  • Led a semiannual student workshop on rendering films with Unreal Engine

  • Assisted faculty running multiple undergrad- and graduate-level courses including: 3D Animation II, 3D Animation III, Sophomore Workshop, and Particles and Dynamics

Finger Lakes Virtual Museum, Rochester, NY – 3D Generalist         

SEP 2024 - MAY 2025

  • Modeling, texturing, rigging, and animating 3D assets to be implemented as part of an AR experience for various historical sites across the Finger Lakes Region

ScienceLore, MAGIC Spell Studios, Rochester, NY – 3D Team Lead     

MAY 2023 - AUG 2023

  • Led a small team of 3D artists to complete the 3D portion of a 2D/3D-hybrid educational short

  • Rigged the lead character: a talking jack-o-lantern, and integrated and lit all assets in Unreal

Education

Rochester Institute of technology

MFA Film and Animation, 3D Animation

Named the College of Art and Design’s “Outstanding Graduate Student” in 2025

Brown University

B.A. Computer Science and Visual Art, with Honors

Roberta Joslin Award, 2021: Awarded by Department of Visual Art for innovative thesis work