The Fall 2025 EPIC Speaker Series
November 3rd, 10th, 17th, & 24th
Online, 6pm to 9pm PST
4 Speakers. 4 Evenings. 1 low price.
Regular Price: $130. Early Bird Pricing: $99
1 Ticket Provides Access to All Sessions
Location: Zoom
The event will not be recorded. Recording is strictly prohibited.
*ONLY* email addresses associated with a ZOOM account will be eligible for entry. If you do not have a ZOOM account, open a FREE account at https://zoom.us/signup and provide us with the email address used at sign in.
November 3, 2025: Musicality and Rhythm within Animation.
Learn about the process of adding musicality and rhythm to your animation. This lecture will draw
attention to workflow and efficiency and what it takes to make your work shine.
Andreas Procopiou, Senior Animator
PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS
Andreas Procopiou is a VES-nominated Senior Animator for his work on Surfs Up. He has over 20yrs of experience across games and film in renowned studios such as Pixar, Sony Imageworks and BlueSky. Native fluency in English and Greek has allowed him to bring diversity to his work. This includes a broad palette of content, ranging from realistic motion to cartoony, in both bipedal and quadruped characters. Andreas has been an Animation instructor since 2018 teaching both beginner level animation and advanced mechanics. Tips and Tricks has always been part of his curriculum, which help with workflow and efficiency.
November 10th, 2025: My journey to become a fine animator.
How I got my foot in the door and into the animation industry. Detailing my experience on some of the shows at Dreamworks and SONY; such as The Bad guys, Spiderverse, and most recently KPOP Demon Hunters.
Min Hong, Supervising Animator
DREAMWORKS
Min Hong is an accomplished animator with extensive experience in the global animation industry. Min has contributed to major feature films at top studios including DreamWorks Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks. He served as Lead Animator on The Bad Guys and as Supervising Animator on the Academy Award-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, showcasing his expertise in both character performance and cutting-edge visual storytelling. His diverse portfolio also includes work on the Netflix hit, KPOP: Demon Hunters. Currently, he works at NCSOFT in Korea. With a deep understanding of both Western and Asian animation pipelines, Min bridges cultures through compelling visual narratives.
November 17th, 2025: “Keep it simple” Building a performance.
In Keep it Simple, we explore the power of simplicity in animation by demonstrating how complex performances can be built from the most basic shapes and motions. Starting with a simple primitive shape, Frank breaks down intricate actions into their core elements, showing how clarity and strong foundational planning lead to more compelling results. Through a live demonstration in Maya, attendees will see firsthand how to develop believable motion and emotion from the ground up, using simple forms as a springboard for rich, expressive animation.
Frank Abney, Director / Senior Animator
SONY PICTURES IMAGEWORKS
Frank Abney is a highly accomplished professional animator, director, and storyteller, known for his work on some of the most successful animated films of the past decade. With experience at top studios like Pixar, DreamWorks, and Disney, he has contributed to blockbuster films such as Toy Story 4, Soul, Coco, The Incredibles 2, and Frozen. Passionate about diverse storytelling, Abney wrote and directed the acclaimed short film Canvas on Netflix, a deeply personal project exploring themes of grief, healing, and creativity. His dedication to representation in animation has made him a significant voice in the industry, inspiring aspiring artists and animators. With a strong background in character animation and visual storytelling, Frank Abney continues to push the boundaries of animation, both through his work in major studios and his independent creative projects.
November 24, 2025: Keeping your career in motion.
In this talk, I’ll share the lessons and insights I’ve gained from over 10 years animating in feature films, how I continue to push my craft, and what I believe it takes to build a fulfilling, sustainable career in animation.
Leandro Martins, Supervising Animator
SONY PICTURES IMAGEWORKS
Leandro Martins is a Supervising Animator at Sony Pictures Imageworks. Originally from Brazil and now based in Vancouver, Canada, he has contributed to films such as K-Pop Demon Hunters, In Your Dreams, The Sea Beast, Over the Moon, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and more. Prior to working in film, he gained experience as a designer and illustrator in advertising, games, and editorial. A passionate comic book reader and art book collector, Leandro also enjoys drawing and playing music in his free time.