Barry has a Bachelor's Degree in Animation and spent six years at Lucasfilm Singapore. He was involved with the TV series: "Star Wars-Clone Wars", "Transformers", 'Rango', and 'Avengers.

He said that he believes professional animators are fulfilled by the projects they want to work on. Even though I did not have a large role in Avengers, it was still a big fulfillment to be able to work on my dream project. "When we reach a certain point, we start chasing dream projects instead of working on anything.

Barry teaches his students "Understanding Acting". Students learn how to animate a character’s behavior in his module. Understanding acting will help an animator create convincing stories, and viewers can relate to 2D and 3D characters.

He told us what it's like to be a professional animator and what Raffles Singapore has in store for you as a student.

1. How do you find inspiration as an animator? You need it?

It's a yes! Doing it every day is creatively exhausting. You'll never tire of it as a student because you love it. It never occurred to me that I would have a hard time finding inspiration when I was a college student. After working every day, your creativity will be drained.

It is great to see inspiration coming from peers and work. Students' work can be inspiring, but it is also a reminder that someone will always do better. We should always strive for improvement.
Inspiration comes to me primarily from the industry. The movies are always breaking new ground, getting better and more beautiful.

2. How long does it usually take to animate a thing?

It could take anything from a day to two weeks, depending on the circumstances.

3. Do you create your works in a professional setting alone? 

Do you work with a team or alone?
In the animation industry, the rule is that if the job has to do with the field, then I will do it. Other parts of the job, like lighting and modeling, are done by others. The pipeline for a single scene can take anywhere from a month up to a half-year to complete because of all the departments involved.

4. What makes you interested in animating?

It's a form of art. It stimulates the imagination. A lot of cartoons are aimed at children, so we've been exposed to them since childhood. They are often the ones who get inspired by them. Some people continue to love cartoons and animations in their adult life and even want to work in the field.
This is what I've noticed - people are interested in movies because they have been watching them since childhood, like Disney cartoons gogo anime .

5. Why did you choose to work in animation then?

Yes! That's true. It's also because of the incredible cartoons. But I also think it is because we make movies? Making movies is cool to me because I've always enjoyed movies, storytelling and other stuff like that.

The concept is the same, just a different approach.

6. What do you enjoy most about your work as an animator?

It's all about the acting. When you animate puppets or models, there is an element acting. You should share your inspiration with other animators and students studying the topic.

You can actually talk to them and tell them "Hey, what you did was cool!" It's cool to talk to people you know and tell them, "Hey! What you did was awesome!" Discuss it. Once they are famous, they don't stop being friends.

7. What software is used by professional animators that Raffles students can also learn?

Maya is the software we use. It is currently the most popular software.

8. Adobe's Creative Suite is used frequently in the animation industry?

Adobe is still being used for different types of tasks. Adobe isn't the main software, but is used to perform smaller tasks like brushing and cloning. It is used only in one area, namely background painting. Adobe should be used for this part only.

9. What else will they learn in class?

I mainly teach about acting. Understanding and being aware of the way people behave is a skill that requires advanced training. We watch movies and I explain it to them.

Understanding is one thing; application is quite another. Real life actors have it easier because they already have their own bodies, and have lived in them their entire lives. As an animator they only have software skills. It is important to train your software skills so that they blend with acting when creating a good animated film.

Even though acting is primarily about physical awareness or psychology, I encourage my students to do physical exercises and physical acting like actors.

10. What should students looking to study animation look for?

The best courses will focus on your portfolio and getting you started. The student must be able produce something at the end of the course. You need to have a portfolio that shows that you are able to reproduce the quality.

11. What challenges should students prepare for before enrolling in a diploma program in animation?

They should expect to work hard. This industry requires a great deal of work, because it is based on personal determination.

This course will not be easy, but it is taxing. It is a passion driven course, so be ready. It takes a lot to practice.

12. Would you recommend a Mac to a student who wants a laptop computer for animation classes? Why?

In fact, I don't have a preference. This is not a big problem. The industry does not have a standard. Linux is a good choice because it's easy to customize. Mac and PC are both good because they come with the necessary suites to perform works required.

13. How can fresh graduates find an animation job in Singapore or abroad?

The students will need to be aware of who is hiring, and what positions are available. Second, they need to know what skills the companies want so they can tailor their portfolios accordingly.