About
I mentor animation, art, and game development teams so their work hits studio standards with confidence.
I tutor artists and developers so they can hit studio standards without burning out.
After leading crews at Disney, Blizzard Entertainment, DNEG, and indie productions, I now dedicate my time to 1:1 mentoring. You get the same production rigor—without needing to hire an entire consulting crew.
Hands-on tutoring built for production reality.
My tutoring practice is immersive and focused on measurable wins. Whether I’m helping a student structure their first reel or coaching a professional through a complex Unreal build, I move step-by-step with them until the work is ready for review.
Because I’ve been responsible for both artistic craft and technical infrastructure, I can translate between creative language and engineering constraints—so you stay focused on making something incredible.
About me
I studied art and animation and wrapped my degree in 2012, then jumped straight into production work across animation, game development, and VFX. Since then I’ve had the chance to build shots, rigs, pipelines, and tools for major studios as well as tiny indie teams. That mix is why I’m just as comfortable mentoring storyboard artists as I am coaching technical artists or indie devs—I’ve lived in every corner of the pipeline.
Today I spend most of my time mentoring and teaching artists, animators, and engineers who want real production-ready workflows. I dig into technical art, animation pipeline habits, and the kind of game development coaching that keeps scope honest. I bridge the creative and technical worlds so you always understand both the “why” and the “how,” whether that’s dialing in timing, refining compositions, or planning the next milestone.
The through-line is simple: collaborative coaching that makes you faster, calmer, and more confident on your own work. If you need a grounded guide who’s shipped projects and still loves the craft, that’s what toucan.ee is built for.
I partner with individuals who want feedback grounded in real production. Every tutoring plan is tailored, but the throughline is the same: clear goals, transparent critiques, and actionable next steps that accelerate growth.
People work with me because I bring:
- Industry experience: Credits from Disney, Blizzard, DNEG, and live productions worldwide.
- Cross-disciplinary insight: Creative and technical workflows connected end-to-end.
- Actionable feedback: Reviews that translate to immediate improvements on the next pass.
Toucan Studios OÜ
Through Toucan Studios OÜ I provide dedicated 1:1 tutoring for animation, game development, and creative tech students. Partnerships like Game City Kajaani keep me close to classrooms, but every engagement is still centered on individual progress.
- 🎮 Mentor game developers from first prototype through release across engines.
- 🎨 Guide animation and art students through industry workflows, critiques, and portfolio prep.
- ⚙️ Coach creatives on asset pipelines, project organization, and collaborative production.
- 🧭 Provide assignment support and critique loops that mirror studio reviews.
Mission
I’m here to bridge the gap between creative vision and technical execution. Every tutoring engagement pushes projects from concept to completion with workflows that match industry-ready practices.
Industry background that informs every lesson
Before focusing solely on tutoring, I led SG Production OÜ—delivering full-stack development and pipeline automation for animation, VFX, and game studios. That work keeps my tutoring grounded in today’s production realities even though I no longer take on consulting retainers.
Highlights from that era:
- Building custom backends and web applications tailored to studio needs.
- Developing frontend dashboards for producers, artists, and clients.
- Automating asset management and creative workflows across animation, VFX, and games.
- Designing production management tools that support distributed teams.
- Mentoring cross-functional teams in software best practices and workflow optimization.
This cross-disciplinary background is why tutoring sessions cover both craft and process. I’ve sat in the director’s chair and the lead engineer seat—now I use that experience to elevate your personal projects.
Open for 1:1 tutoring only
I now work exclusively with individual students and professionals. If you’re ready for focused guidance—as opposed to group workshops or consulting retainers—let’s connect.