Geoff Munn is Helping to Grow Point Park's Animation Program into a Top School to Learn the Craft
"If you want to learn from industry professionals who are and have been in the field, and successfully so, Point Park is for you. The faculty, as well as the student body, are extremely welcoming, and the campus in the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh is the place to be."
Tell us about your career path and what brought you to Point Park University.
After I graduated from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh in 2005, I began working in the video game industry. I worked on PC, Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii games. After the video game industry, I began working as a 2D animator for an invention company.
I then moved on to full-time freelancing and have run my own freelance art studio for the past 14 years.
A little over a year ago, I began teaching design and illustration in an after-school program for high school students. I then connected with Point Park when they were looking to fill an artist-in-residence position for the animation program. I began work as a part-time instructor in January of 2022 and am now a full-time visiting artist in residence.
What can students expect in your classes?
Students can expect a fun, laid back atmosphere, but also a lot of work. I am a big proponent of the more you do something, the more you understand it and the better you get at it. I like to give the students as many skills as they can manage, which creates a more marketable portfolio in the end. I try to ground the lessons in the real world, giving examples of how topics are used every day in the industry. I also like to expose the students to as many current artists as possible, as well as the masters of the past.
What advice do you have for a student considering Point Park’s cinema arts programs?
If you want to learn from industry professionals who are and have been in the field, and successfully so, Point Park is for you. The faculty, as well as the student body, are extremely welcoming, and the campus in the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh is the place to be.
What are you most looking forward to at Point Park?
I am looking forward to helping grow and shape the animation program into a top place to learn the craft of animation. And to help foster the next generation of animators. Being among a group of creative people has re-energized me, and I can’t wait to see what Point Park helps me achieve as well!
Photo by Madi Fisher '24