Carol Madrigal is a Motion Editor for WETA FX and a freelance Unreal Engine artist. Her passion for art and creative work started when she was very young, while growing up in Venezuela creating Virgin Mary banners for events at her Catholic School.
After receiving a scholarship to study at the Savannah College of Art and Design, she immigrated to the US, earning a BFA in 2D and 3D animation in 2002. Following graduation, she landed a motion capture artist position with Giant Studios, where she mastered the Giant/Lightstorm software suite. Carol has been credited as a motion capture artist in a multitude of films and games such as Polar Express, James Cameron’s Avatar, HALO5, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: End Game, and more. Her resume includes names from leading studios such as Profile Studios and WETA FX.
 
Carol was selected to be a part of the Unreal Engine Fellowship in Fall 2020 where she completed the short film, “Virtual Field Trip.” Today, she has committed to a new chapter as a content creator, unleashing her creative spark that was buried under years of following one direction.

Read our Q&A below to get to know Carol!

How do you define creative success?

As an artist, creating something that is meaningful, seeing it to completion and being able to share it with others,  is success for me.  The icing on the cake is making a living out of the whole thing.

Have you had to/willingly make any changes following the reemergence of the industry after the height of the pandemic? Ie. work structure, remote working, remote production, etc. 

Yes, the pandemic made me into a 100% remote worker.  I have had to learn to balance work/life in a way that I had never thought possible, yet it is incredibly rewarding.  I am able to be present for my children as well as present for my career.  

How would you describe your creative process? Could you provide details?

My creative process varies depending on the media that I am working on.  In general, after an idea, I start evaluating my options for execution.  If this is part of something that I do well, then pretty smoothly, I am able to accomplish a goal. If it is something new to me or that I am not very good at, I spend time researching the process and any background info that could make my idea even better. Then, I execute. Of course in between, there is always a moment where either I realize this is a winner or that I need to go back a few steps to the drawing board.  When working with a team, it’s a group effort in a similar way to accomplish a goal.

What are some of the challenges that you face moving ahead into a content heavy landscape for 2022?

There is a lot of work out there now, but there is also a lot of evolution in the industry. My biggest challenge as an animator and a creator, is trying to stay up to date with tech, software and processes that are out there. I am always trying to find the time to continue to learn and grow., 

What are some of your creative goals for the upcoming year? How do you plan on achieving them?

My main personal creative goal is to complete a new short animation in Unreal Engine. I have been working on a story with a couple of friends and just need to follow through with execution. This has been a busy year for me; making time for it will be a challenge but it will be my main priority apart from my family and work. 

What does being part of the Telly Awards Silver Council mean to you?

It is an honor for me to be a part of the group of folks that gets to be entertained by the best of the best while evaluating and rewarding quality work and excellence in visual media.

What is one thing the Telly Awards community should know about you?

I was the kid that used to draw and paint the banners for the events at my school. I have always  been an artist and wandered into 3d animation because of my love for cartoons and animated music videos.  Now, almost 20 years in, I still get to create, and I love the projects that I have contributed to.