Biography

Anya Vaughn is a freelance animator specializing in 2D and stop motion. She received her MFA from Rochester Institute of Technology, and her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art. She prides herself on her ability to create art in a variety of styles and mediums, and loves to learn new skills.

Anya’s most recent project was a commission from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for a 14 minute film to accompany their performance, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, during their Halloween concerts. Her graduate thesis film, The Tale of Mari, which has had previous and upcoming screenings in multiple festivals. Anya is accepting new commissions and projects.

Resume

EDUCATION

2021-2024 Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

MFA 2D and Stop Motion Animation

2016-2020 Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

BFA Animation, Concentration in Illustration

EXPERIENCE

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra - Contract Animator 08/2024 - 10/2024, 08/2025 - 11/2025

  • Animated two films to accompany educational concerts for young children and families

  • Independently developed animations from the pre-production to post-production stage, including visual development, storyboards, asset creation, and animation production

  • Met with clients to establish benchmarks and ensure the films adhered to their goals for the project

  • Utilized Clip Studio Paint, TVPaint 11, and Adobe After Effects to create assets and animations

Black Rocket Productions - Lead Instructor 06/2025 - 08/2025

  • Led animation and video game development courses for kids between the ages of 8-15

  • Taught students how to take their art and story ideas from the concept stage through development into animated shorts, 3D models, and web games

  • Taught students how to animate using accessible programs such as Construct 3 and Mine-imator

Rochester Institute of Technology - Graduate Lab Assistant 08/2021 - 05/2023

  • Provided technical assistance to walk in students and faculty

  • Performed inventory to ensure all University property was accounted for

Rochester Institute of Technology - Graduate Assistant 08/2021 - 12/2021

  • Supervised Animation 1 undergraduate class during lab time

  • Gained teaching experience by providing assistance to students working on 2D, stop motion, and 3D animation projects

HONORS AND AWARDS

The Tale of Mari - Graduate Thesis, Animated Documentary - 2024

1st Place Winner - Finger Lakes Film Festival

Best First Time Filmmaker - Hobnobben Film Festival

Runner-Up for Best Student Film - Women Over 50 Film Festival

Merit Award - Documentaries Without Borders International Film Festival

Featured in

Boston Asian American Film Festival

CAFF The Cultural Animation Film Festival

Community Stories Film Festival

Fargo Film Festival

Okinawan Panorama - Okinawa Pan-Pacific International Film Festival

Richmond International Film Festival

The Women’s Film Festival

Valkyrie International Film Festival

Nominated, Semi-Finalist, or Honorable Mention for

DaVinci Film Festival

Toronto International Women Film Festival

World of Film International Festival Glasgow

Featured in the RIT SOFA Honors Show and the Best of RIT Student Films of 2024

SKILLS

  • Passion for visual storytelling, and experience utilizing collaboration and feedback to create engaging visuals while maintaining story clarity, tone, and stylistic consistency

  • Experience with all stages of animation development, including visual development, scripting, storyboarding, asset creation, animation, compositing, sound design, and editing

  • Experience using various art and animation software, including Toon Boom Harmony, Storyboard Pro, TVPaint 11, Clip Studio Paint, Dragonframe, and Adobe Suite programs such as After Effects, Animate, Photoshop, and Premiere

  • Experience creating both frame-by-frame and puppet based 2D animation

  • Experienced with a variety of different animation styles and techniques, including stop motion and traditional mixed media