Skylar Surra
About Skylar Surra
Skylar Surra is a Principal Animator at Riot Games, where he has worked since 2020, contributing to various projects and exploring new animation technologies. He has held multiple roles within the company and has experience in animation education and development.
Work at Riot Games
Skylar Surra has held multiple positions at Riot Games, starting as an Associate Animator from 2012 to 2013. He progressed to roles including Senior Animator from 2015 to 2017, Animation Lead from 2019 to 2020, and currently serves as Principal Animator since 2020. In these roles, he has been responsible for generating specifications and building scalable animation systems and pipelines. He also directs and explores animation styles for unannounced research and development projects, and functions as the sole animator supporting projects throughout the prototype phase.
Previous Experience in Animation
Before his tenure at Riot Games, Skylar Surra worked at 38 Studios as an Animator for eight months in 2011 and 2012. He also served as a Workshop Instructor at Animation Mentor from 2016 to 2017. His early experience includes a role as an Animation Mid at Riot Games in 2014 for 11 months. Throughout his career, he has specialized in building initial core animation systems and logic for game prototypes.
Education and Expertise
Skylar Surra studied at PennWest Edinboro, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Applied Media Arts: Traditional Animation from 2005 to 2009. He furthered his education at Animation Mentor, obtaining a Certificate in Character Animation from 2010 to 2011. His educational background supports his expertise in animation technology and problem-solving within the animation field.
Animation Specialization
Skylar Surra specializes in building initial core animation systems and logic for game prototypes. He enjoys exploring new animation technology and solving complex animation problems, which enhances his contributions to the projects he supports. His role as Principal Animator involves directing animation style and ensuring the quality and functionality of animations in various game development phases.