Headrick wins best 2D animation for fall semester

April 24, 2024

A lifelong interest in drawing led Beau Headrick to consider an animation degree for a career path.

“I felt like I could illustrate my story more if I could make the pictures move,” he explained.

Headrick, a junior Digital Art & Design Production Animation major from Canton, S.D., chose DSU for its tech focus and great animation program.

Headrick said that professors have been integral in creating a great student work environment. “Daniel Seman and Konrad Lightner are both tremendous in helping students.”

Seman has been particularly helpful to Headrick, offering tips to help evolve Headrick’s animations and skills with projects.

Headrick also finds inspiration from other animators, like Felix Colgrave. “His work always kind of wowed me; it’s very fun to watch.”

Headrick won the fall semester’s best project for 2D animation. “I didn’t expect it, so I was shocked and happy.”

Inspiration from other animators and help from professors led Headrick to expand the length of his initial project assignment. Students were required to animate a 20-second snippet by adding characters to a background design. After sketching up ideas and developing one he wanted to stick with, he felt confident making a longer animation.

“The three minutes of animation took me roughly three to four months including working over lunch and staying late into the night, leaving the building around 4 a.m.,” he said. “But it was definitely worth it.”

Headrick began with lots of sketches of different concepts, before working in animation software. Throughout the project, he solicited feedback from Seman and Lightner, who provided advice and notes. This has been his longest animation so far.

“My favorite part was when the hard work was out of the way, and I could sit back and relax and be happy and proud of the piece I had created,” he said.

This animation taught Headrick the importance of continuously working, avoiding breaks, and working long nights. “You have to really sink a lot of your time into it if you want something done,” he said.

He recommends using DSU’s animation program for the tools you’re given, like industry-standard software and equipment Toon Boom Harmony, Adobe Suite, and Wacom Cintiq drawing tablets, as well as benefitting from the expertise of the professors at Dakota State, and the DSU environment.

After graduating in December 2024, Headrick hopes to find work with a game, television, or online entertainment studio.