Professionals Directory

Nuria Bataller Prat

Valencia, Spain

I am a professional stop-motion animator who, after completing my studies in Valencia in 2014, developed a special interest in body expression, acting, and character animation. I have worked for different animation studios on projects such as Ubisoft’s video game 'Just Dance', advertising projects, TV series, as well as numerous short films such as 'Pietra', 'Carmela' (candidates for the 2026 Goya Awards), 'The Fence', 'The Aspirant', 'Only Rats', and the feature film 'Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake' (2025). My aspiration is to continue bringing characters to life and to convey emotion to the audience through this wonderful technique!

Olivia Marie Valdez

California, United States

meep morp BAU Stop Motion 2021 USA

Thiago Calçado

Florianópolis, Brazil

I’ve spent my career breathing life into some of the world’s most celebrated stop-motion films. Most recently, I served as Senior Stop-Motion Animator on 'Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio', winner of the Oscar® and 71 other awards. My filmography includes 'Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nuggets' from the legendary Aardman, the Oscar®-nominated 'Kubo and the Two Strings' (LAIKA, 2016), and Wes Anderson’s 'Isle of Dogs (2018)'. As a director, I created 'Sol em Dó Ré Mi' (2024), a vibrant children’s TV series about a cheerful musician who discovers that routines can be magical adventures. I am also directing 'Ana Bolinha', another colorful and playful series for young audiences. My upcoming work includes 'Wildwood', LAIKA’s next feature, set for release in 2026.

Cristal Buemi

Toronto, Canada

Cristal Buemi is a Puerto Rican-Canadian award-winning multidisciplinary artist (stop motion animation, film, video art/installation, collage and digital design), currently located in Toronto, Canada. Her work pushes frame by frame boundaries by exploring the diaspora through land and its relation to the body, materiality and inherent beauty found in the minutia. Through a mindful, feminist, experimental, and ecological lens, Cristal focuses on abstract storytelling, sustainability and texture. Both her independent and collaborative works have been exhibited worldwide including: Dawson City Film Festival, Sankofa Square, Planet in Focus Film Festival , Les Sommets du Cinema D’animacion, Animac, Harbourfront Centre, Fashion Art Toronto, Cardiff Animation Nights and broadcasted on AMC, MTV, BellMedia and HBO.

Andrei Simkin

Barcelona, Spain

My name is Andrei Simkin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreisimkin/). I was born in 1999 and I have been residing in Spain since 2012. I graduated in film studies at ESCAC university, specializing in Animation and VFX. Following my passion for stop-motion and character animation, between 2022 and 2023 I created KAPITAN, my first short film directed and produced in collaboration with ESCAC Films (which in 2024 began its festival circuit and distribution with selections at the Málaga Festival, Animac (Lleida) and Animation Dingle (Dublin)). I have recently returned to Spain after spending time in Portland, Oregon, where I worked as a stop-motion animator at the amazing LAIKA studio on the feature film "Wildwood", while continuing to develop my authorial projects, focusing my work on a fantastical imaginary and humor. My recent work this year was directing the animation for an upcoming stop-motion shortfilm "BOBS", produced by "IVI Productions" and directed by Julia Marcó. I also have experience in other different types of animation too (3D, 2D, VR) and extra knowledge in other areas, such as photography/cinematography, script-writing, editing, production, among others.

Raquel Piay

Pontevedra, Spain

Stop motion professional since 2017, I have worked in several short films and feature films as puppet maker, set builder, model maker and costume designer. I also have a lot of experience in stop motion post-production removing rigs, cleaning shots and compositing.

Lucas Clayton

Bristol, UK

Lucas is an animation director, writer and animator specialising in stop motion animation. His work combines traditional stop motion animation with narrative themes of male identity, fanaticism and nature, as well as cinematic and expansive cinematography. His films have been shown at festivals around the world and have been variously awarded. He was previously co-founder and co-director of Almost A Studio, a small stop motion studio based in Barcelona.

Nazanin

Barcelona, Spain

I’m Nazanin Analoie, a stop-motion animator passionate about bringing handmade worlds to life.

Louisa Esposito

London, United Kingdom

I’m a model maker from London. I graduated from BAU in 2023, where I made my short film Weightless. I’ve since worked at WiredFly on the stop motion video game Out of Words, and am looking to continue model making for stop motion.

Leah Blem

Barcelona, Spain

I am a stop-motion animator and scriptwriter from Cape Town, currently based in Barcelona. I had the great privilege of attending the BAU stop-motion masters in 2020-2021, and have remained in Barcelona since. These days, I work mostly as a writer, but I still love to tinker between the frames with whatever's lying around at home when I have a spare moment.

Carrick O'Reilly

Silver Spring, United States

I am an animator and artist from Silver Spring, Maryland in the USA. I have a background in 2D animation and animation production. I have worked on "The Simpsons" TV show and Netflix Animation's "The Magician's Elephant." I am working towards being a music video and short film director and I graduated from BAU's class of 2025.

Fred Stanton

London, UK

I am a director and animator based in London, specialising in stop-motion puppet animation.

Irene Iborra Rizo

Barcelona / Alicante, Spain

Screenwriter, director and executive producer of the stopmotion feature film Olivia and the invisible earthquake. Citoplasmas Stop Motion owner. Bau's Stop Motion Masters facilitator. Cima, Gac, Dones Visuals.

Arnau Gòdia Montesinos

Barcelona, Spain

Stop motion professional since 2018, as an animator, my experience includes a wide range of formats: feature film, short film, commercials, and TV series. Parallel to my animating experience, I've also directed commissioned animation projects such as commercials, short films, and animated sequences. My focus is on discovering compelling stories that can be told in stop motion

Anna Solanas Santacana

Barcelona , Spain

With her own production company, "I+G Stop Motion" (founded in 2004), Anna has co-directed, co-written, and produced nineteen short films. Her projects have participated in over two thousand festivals across five continents, garnering more than two hundred awards, including a Goya Award nomination, three Méliès d'Argent for Best European Short Film, and a Gaudí Award.

FranK J. María

Barcelona, Spain

Dr. Frank Maria is an animator and educator with decades of experience in stop motion animation. He currently serves as Coordinator of the Master's in Stop Motion Animation and the Audiovisual Design Department at BAU, University Center of Arts and Design in Barcelona.