Mike Ravella
About Mike Ravella
Mike Ravella is a Sets Lead at Pixar Animation Studios, where he has worked since 2016. He has a background in technical direction, character design, and visual development, and has contributed to projects such as the film Elemental, which received a VES award nomination.
Work at Pixar Animation Studios
Mike Ravella currently serves as Sets Lead at Pixar Animation Studios, a position he has held since 2021. In this role, he oversees the design and development of sets for animated films. Prior to this, he worked as a Technical Director at Pixar starting in 2016. During his tenure, he contributed to various projects, including the film Elemental, where his team, SetX, was nominated for a Visual Effects Society (VES) award for Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature.
Education and Expertise
Mike Ravella studied at Brown University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree from 2012 to 2016. His educational background includes experience in character design and visual development. Additionally, he studied at the San Francisco Cooking School, completing a Professional Culinary Track in 2020. His expertise encompasses look development and the design of complex, dynamic, and distant sets and skies.
Previous Work Experience
Before joining Pixar, Mike Ravella held various positions in different organizations. He worked as a Technical Director Intern at Pixar for two months in 2015. He also served as a Technical Director at Ingenuity Engine for two months in 2014. Prior to his technical roles, he was a Bookseller at Barnes & Noble from 2011 to 2013. Additionally, he worked as Head Teaching Assistant in the Department of Computer Science at Brown University from 2013 to 2016 and briefly as a Cook at benu in 2021.
Achievements in Animation
Mike Ravella has made significant contributions to the field of animation, particularly through his leadership of the SetX team at Pixar Animation Studios. The team's work on the film Elemental garnered a nomination for the Visual Effects Society (VES) award for Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature. This recognition highlights the impact of his work in creating immersive environments in animated films.