ENDORSEMENTS & RECOMMENDATIONS

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R. Brent Adams

Director of the Center for Animation

Brigham Young University

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"As the founder and chair of Brigham Young University’s Center for Animation, I had the pleasure of working with Miki as my Research Assistant of two years, and I could not recommend a better candidate.

Miki was hired as my Research Assistant in 2016, but she has filled many more roles and has proven to be an invaluable help not only to me, but to the Animation Program as a whole. (I have a lot of students that I can choose from as my Assistant but I knew she would be the best choice by far.) As an example, when I mentioned that the Center for Animation’s website was outdated and that we hadn’t been able to update it for several years, she offered to do whatever was needed. I had met with web designers over the past couple of years but I felt like they didn’t understand how different our website needed to be than the typical campus department site so I never hired any of them. I hesitated mentioning our need to Miki because I knew she could do it but I didn’t want to overwhelm her with a task that was totally outside of her experience. Miki learned web design and had the website up within two and a half months with very little assistance. (animation.byu.edu). Also, each of us faculty were too busy at the time to gather the information for her that we promised, so on her own, she gathered all of the materials for the site from a variety of sources. I couldn’t have been more pleased.

Miki has also proven to be an invaluable help when it came to film production. Unlike most animation programs, the seniors at BYU all work together to create a 5 plus minute animated short film. She and her husband Erik storyboarded and pitched this year’s short film, Grendel. Out of 40 or so ideas, the students voted on theirs. Miki then joined the R&D team to learn how to implement Renderman into the pipeline. She eventually began to take on the unofficial role as Production Manager as she created a beautiful, easy-to-use, and interactive production spreadsheet, and she was often the facilitator of communication between the students and the director and producer. She also worked to make sure each of the students had access to that assets that they needed. When the student director left over the summer, Miki filled the role as Assistant Director, giving art direction to the students and running the leadership meetings and dailies. I was concerned about interrupting the leadership change because both the Director and the Producer accepted summer internships. However, she transitioned into and out of the role, passing things back to the director without any conflict. We trusted her with this role because we knew we could count on her. This may have been the most difficult assignment I have tasked her with because of all the things that could have gone wrong but she made it work so seamlessly.

She has been one of my best students. She is very self-sacrificing, organized, easy to talk to, and trustworthy. Not only has she been a huge help to the other students and to the film, but she has been so helpful to me and the many responsibilities I have. I never worried about things getting done and in a manner that would make me look good. I sometimes hesitated mentioning to her some of the things that needed to be done because I was sensitive of her needs as a student. She always seemed to be able to get everything done and it was always with a smile. I sincerely miss her and her positive attitude, but I know that she will be invaluable to you. I can unequivocally recommend her to you.

 

Sincerely,

R. Brent Adams

Director of the Center for Animation

Brigham Young University"

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Robin Conover

BYU Independent Study Art Director & Supervisor

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"Miki is an amazing person and an incredible addition to any team. Her creative ability to communicate a client's story or idea is wonderful. She is dedicated and passionate with her art but also open-minded; willing to try new things; and always comfortable with taking advice or criticism. She is a terrific problem solver and able to inspire a team in a way that left every member of the team glad to be a part of assignment. Reliability and trustworthiness were consistent with her work ethic. Above all, she is a true pleasure to work with simply because of her good heart and contagious smile. She is a team leader in all the ways a company would desire."

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