Frankie Mendoza, an intermedia arts senior, is a former traditional art student who combined his passion for drawing with his technological skills to create 3-D animations. In high school, Mendoza created an award winning 2-D animated short called the “The Story of Alfred.” He has been freelancing since 2004 and does commercial animation work.

He is currently working on a 3-D animated short called “Shaun,” a story about a cursed barbarian seeking redemption. Mendoza hopes to complete “Shaun” by the end of this semester. Mendoza spoke with The State Press about his form of art: animated storytelling.

The State Press: What is your major?

Frankie Mendoza: My major is intermedia, with a focus on 3-D imagining/animation.

SP: What do you want to do?

Mendoza: What I want to do is visual development, which encompasses all of that (preparation, character design, storyboarding, and creating the look of cinematography. So, it’s telling a story with every image you draw.

SP: What specifically did you like about visual development, and how did you decide that visual development is what you wanted to focus on?

Mendoza: I got into visual development because by doing the whole 3-D animation thing, I realized I am the strongest in my illustrations and in my 2-D work. Before doing the 3-D animations, I’ve done the 2-D animations. I did not only because it’s what I am strongest at but I also like creating the look of the film you are going to see.

SP: What do you like best about 2-D animations?

Mendoza: 2-D animations will always be my ... favorite over 3-D animations simply because — I don’t know what it is. I can’t put my finger on it. Not any one detail. I think I like the look of the hand-drawn animation. I like when the animation is really strong or the illustrative look of the characters. Like Disney films, for one example, and also like Miyazaki films. Miyazaki films are the perfect example of what I really like in 2-D films.

SP: Why did you start animating?

Mendoza: The first two years of high school, I focused on illustrations, colored pencil, a lot of drawing and art. I was an art student, but once junior year came around I had always wanted to take media, but it never fit into my schedule.

I finally took it, and once I was introduced to video I was thinking I could make my drawings move. I had done a test. It was very small little animated character running on the desk. I had video, so it was my first composite and animation project ever and I was like, I am doing this now. I guess that was the first time I animated something.

SP: How has your work improved since high school?

Mendoza: [When] I first started off making videos or animations in high school, it was always about style over substance. I think that’s very much changed over the years. It’s so much about story now than it is about the way it looks.

You could have it look like crap but have a really good story, and it could be the most interesting movie you ever did see.

SP: Why is everything for the story?

Mendoza: The story is No. 1 because it’s really just [for] the story people go to see a movie. They want to escape into the world you create through the story [and] through the characters. No amount of special affects will save a bad story.

SP: What do you want people to take from your work?

Mendoza: I would always like people to be inspired by it. I want to say I tell the stories not just for entertainment and to pass time. That’s a horrible reason to make something, just to pass time. You also want to grab something for it and maybe grow a little when you watch it.

SP: What kind of illustrations do you like to do?

Mendoza: I mainly focus on character design. So, I really like focusing on characters and that’s in a whole range of styles too.

SP: What has been your favorite character to create?

Mendoza: I would have to say Shaun is my favorite character [I have designed] so far because we had been very influenced by Conan [the Barbarian] and the ’80s-like manly, low fantasy movie. So we were thinking let’s make a character like that.

Reach the reporter at lpalmisa@asu.edu.