Jason Waltman

Life at Wittenberg

Graduation Year: 2001

Major: Computer Science

Minor: Studio Art

Non Course Activities: Departmental thesis on Image Filtering

Math/ Comp Sci department involvement: Internships at NASA VSEP and Datatel

Most helpful classes: All of the programming classes were helpful (I'm a programmer now!).  I felt they taught me the foundation I needed to write successful programs after college and easily pick up other languages along the way.  I wish that we would've had a more advanced programming course teaching more OOP and design in C++.

Courses You Wish You Would’ve Taken: I wish that we would've had a more intense computer graphics course.  The intro course I took at the University of Utah was 1000% more difficult than the Wittenberg course and I felt completely under-prepared.  I wish I would've had more knowledge of the types of problems in CG before I got to Utah so I would've had a better idea of the direction I should follow.

Grad School

Graduation Year: 2003

School: University of Utah

Degree: Masters in Computer Graphics

Jobs

First Job: FX developer, PDI/DreamWorks Animation

Current Job: FX Artist

I’m an effects artist at PDI/DreamWorks, the Redwood City branch of DreamWorks Animation. I split my time doing effects for shots in our feature animated films and developing systems to facilitate the work our department does.

Salary: $85,000 – 1300,000

Possible Internships: PDI/DreamWorks’ effects department does not hire interns for either development or effects work. Our R&D department sometimes has intern opportunities but they’re rare. If available, they’re looking for very skilled programmers who have a lot of knowledge about rendering.

Life

Marital status: Single

New Hobbies: I enjoy photography, cooking, hiking, snowboarding, and trying to find the best restaurants in San Francisco.

Contact Me

Email: jason AT jasonwaltman.com

Phone: 650-520-8795

Currently Living in: San Francisco, California Updated 4/11/09