Phil Ellering has vivid memories of the day an assembly at his junior college changed his life. His instructor for an Introduction to Digital 艺术s class insisted that he attend a presentation about computer animation, but Phil was hesitant to learn about something that was outside of his comfort zone.

“I was designing this logo and 她, ‘Phil, it's time to go.’ And I was like, ‘Actually, I'm going to sit this one out.她看着我, 她, “你要走了……”我走了, and there was a panel of students that had gone to 满帆. And everything that they were saying was resonating with me. 他们说，‘我不是一个技术人员. This school scared me’… The more everyone on the panel was talking, 我认为, ‘哇, 我应该这么做,’”他回忆道.

Phil went home that day and told his father that he was going to 满帆 to study 电脑动画. The program gave him the confidence and technical skills to spread his creative wings and pursue career paths that he’d never considered. 如今，他在平衡自己的编辑工作, 设计师, and podcast producer for Reality Capture Network with his children’s book series about Stuffy, 这是他在满帆工作时设计的角色.

Phil’s journey with Reality Capture Network (RCN) started when he was hired as a laser scanning technician for its parent company, 三维关系. 三维关系 uses tools like laser scanners and drones to create 3D maps of architectural sites and complete land surveys for clients like oil and gas companies. Phil’s role at the company shifted when 三维关系’s founder asked him if he’d like to help spread the word about the business’s services by producing a podcast. 菲尔抓住了这个机会, and he quickly put his video editing and animation expertise to use by creating visual animation fly-throughs, 运动设计, 宣传动画, 社会内容, 介绍和介绍, 还有节目宣传视频.

现实捕捉网络播客 has become a popular educational resource for the 3D technology industry, and Phil is putting all of his skills together as he gets ready for RCN’s second professional conference.

“I think life all the way up to this point was setting me up and preparing me for this position, which is wear as many hats as you possibly can and work as hard as you possibly can and use as many of your creative skills as you possibly can,他说. “It's been a huge undertaking, but it's been a lot of fun.”

当他不在RCN幕后工作的时候, Phil makes time for another creative project: illustrating and writing a series of children’s books about a character named Stuffy. His daughter brought the idea out of retirement when she came across one of Phil’s old drawings.

“One day she found a little sketch of a character that I created while in a 2D animation class at 满帆. 任务是在一个步行循环中扮演一个角色. I ended up making Stuffy, who was round and soft and friendly and simple. 我第一天就完成了，教练, 山姆, 谁曾在迪士尼工作过, 走过，说:“A,’”菲尔回忆道. “Eleven years later, my daughter pops up on the scene, and she found a sketch of Stuffy.”

Phil’s daughter loved the roly-poly character so much that she started asking Phil to draw Stuffy constantly. They eventually started drawing together on a daily basis, and connecting with his daughter over Stuffy inspired Phil to create the Stuffy books. There are currently two books in the series with a third on the way, and Phil makes 幕后的预告片 每本书.

Whether he’s drawing with his daughter or editing podcast episodes about 3D laser scanners, 菲尔很有创造力. 他对艺术的热情使他走上了正确的道路, but his time at 满帆 helped him reach new professional heights.

“学校对我来说意义重大，”他说. “I don't think I would've had the belief in myself in a role like this. 如果我能回到15年前, 20年了，看看我现在在做什么, 那会吓到我的, just with the workload and the amount of things that I'm tasked to do. But school was paramount in setting you up for the intensity, 你要做的剪辑, 保持敏捷. 它确实让我为现在的工作做好了准备.”