PDI/DreamWorks

Jason Schleifer is currently the Head of Character Animation on PDI|Dreamworks' next project that has yet to be named.

Since joining the studio in 2003, Schleifer has been able to juggle multiple responsibilities while maintaining a consistent quality of work as a character animator. His main duties require him to translate the visions of the Director(s), Production Designer and VFX Supervisor into a movement and an emotion of a character within the film. Schleifer has also been involved in collaborating with the Character Rigging Department in testing and providing feedback for new rigs, which can be seen in the hit film Madagascar , its spin-off short, The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper, Over the Hedge and on the animated hit Shrek the Third. For the sequel Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Jason was took on the role of Supervising Animator, leading a team of 6 animators. During his off-hours away from the studio, Schleifer enjoys being a mentor for an online animation school, Animation Mentor.com.

Prior to his career at PDI/DreamWorks, Schleifer had extensive involvement at Weta Digtial beginning as a Creature Technical Director and later promoted to an Animation Lead while making the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. In addition to his film career, Schleifer has developed a couple of DVD's for Alias on creating animation rigs, as well as being a co-author and co-presenter in a SIGGRAPH 2002 course on character rigging.

Schleifer has a B.A. in High Honors from the University of Califorina , Santa Barbara . He also received an Honorary Doctorate of Animation from the Digital Media Arts College in Boca Raton, Florida .