![Andrew Kinsler](https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/legacy/enews/2007/12/e7578/jcr:content/image.img.cq5dam.thumbnail.500.500.jpg/1534517258050.jpg)
Digital Design Student on L.A. Co-op Contributes to National Commercials (and Popular Culture)
Its not hard to see why University of Cincinnati digital design senior Andrew Kinsler, 24, of Western Hills, returned to Los Angeles this fall for his second cooperative-education quarter with interactive design firm Exopolis, Inc.
Last spring, during his first co-op quarter with the firm, Andrew got to use all to himself both the impressively large desk and fittingly large office of the firms president. He also got to meet comedian Dane Cook. All the while, Andrew was contributing his animation skills to commercials for national clients, including work as the lead 3-D modeler creating much of the animation for a commercial related to Pivot, a service provided by Sprint Nextel and Time Warner Cable.
So heavy duty were Andrews responsibilities on that commercial that he worked every day of the week and even slept on the floor of his (presidential) office to get everything done. But he recollects it was all worth it when the commercial aired last summer when he was home with his family in Western Hills.
It came on during a Sunday night, and we were eating dinner. Suddenly, I heard this very familiar music and audio, and for a moment, I didnt know if it was real or just in my head because Id lived with that soundtrack for so long, says Andrew. He adds, I actually spit out my rice to tell my parents to watch.
During his last two weeks of his springtime co-op with Exopolis, Andrew also contributed to a Fox/TBS commercial related to baseballs World Series. He made background flags in 3-D and then provided a billowing motion so they seemed to be moving in the breeze. That particular commercial was later spoofed on Saturday Night Live. States Andrew, I laughed really hard when I saw the spoof. It was 100-percent funny and probably funnier for me because Id lived, if only a short time, very intensely with the real commercial. It was a rad experience to be involved in the process and to see it all used as a send up on SNL.
And now on his second co-op with Exopolis, Andrew says his work life is a complete roller coaster literally as he contributes animation work to a national commercial for Pigeon Forge, Tenn., a vacation destination with museums, theme parks and more.
Were exploring many ideas, including one where a roller coaster goes up and down hills while dinosaurs snap at it, he explains.
Everyone contributes ideas, Andrew adds. Thats because in modeling and animation, no one person can do all the work. Its 100-percent all about a team, finding the right people to work with and working right alongside them.
That, states Andrew, is the most important lesson hes learned on his co-ops. And its a lesson he has learned and put into practice well. Thats obvious since he already has a number of job offers waiting for when he graduates this June from UCs internationally recognized College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP).
Its been an adventure, and its all been made possible because of DAAP. If I hadnt gone to DAAP, none of this would have happened, Andrew claims.
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