Kristifir Klein (He/Him)
About Kristifir Klein (He/Him)
Kristifir Klein is a Technical Director at Pixar Animation Studios, where he has worked since 2015. He has contributed to various projects, including character development for 'Toy Story 4' and 'The Incredibles'.
Work at Pixar Animation Studios
Klein has worked at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California, for a total of 22 years, with a break between 2013 and 2015. He currently serves as a Technical Director, a position he has held since 2015. His contributions include sculpting and modeling for Duke Caboom in 'Toy Story 4', set modeling for both 'Toy Story 4' and 'Incredibles 2', and character development for Frozone in 'The Incredibles'. He also led the sets team for the Pixar SparkShorts project 'OUT!'.
Education and Expertise
Klein studied Information Management at the University of North Dakota, earning a degree in Business from 1990 to 1994. He also completed an Associate's Degree in Digital Media at Full Sail University from 1995 to 1996. Klein pursued language studies at Université Paris-Sorbonne, achieving a CCFS French language certificate in 2014 and completing additional courses from 2013 to 2014. He also studied French at Alliance Française in 2012.
Background in Teaching and Collaboration
Klein has experience in teaching and collaboration within the animation industry. He served as a Guest Teacher at The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark, for one month in 2014. Additionally, he was a Guest Sculpture Instructor at LEGO System A/S in Billund, Denmark, for one month in the same year. He is recognized for promoting cross-discipline work assignments to enhance team learning and collaboration.
Previous Work Experience
Before his extensive tenure at Pixar, Klein worked as a 3D Artist at Cohen Brown Management Group from 1998 to 2000 in the Greater Los Angeles Area and at Interplay Entertainment Corp. from 1997 to 1998 in Irvine, California. He also freelanced as a 3D Artist at SIEN Solutions in Paris for two months in 2013. His diverse experience in the animation field has contributed to his skills in modeling and character development.
Contributions to Animation Projects
Klein has contributed to various notable animation projects throughout his career. He played a significant role in the character development of two secondary characters for a future Pixar feature film. He also collaborated with Encyclopedia Pictura on a music video project for the artist Panda Bear, showcasing his versatility and creativity in different media.