Dave Merson Hess is an L.A.-based animation filmmaker and visual development artist.
Dave believes strongly in animated storytelling as a vital space for visual experimentation.
His animated work grew out of his love of analog drawing. Every day is a new opportunity to make inky, squiggly lines.
This registered owner of two scanners and several glue sticks is known to employ collage, multiplane, and other analog/mixed media techniques.
Dave is available for bookings.
You can contact him to discuss things like:
2D Animated Series or Feature Development • Creative Direction • Short-form Animated Content Creation • Music Videos • Multiplane Background Design • SF North Beach culture and legacy • Vintage German technical pens • Common rodents of urban Los Angeles • NBA Western Conference rumors
His animated work grew out of his love of analog drawing. Every day is a new opportunity to make inky, squiggly lines.
This registered owner of two scanners and several glue sticks is known to employ collage, multiplane, and other analog/mixed media techniques.
Dave is available for bookings.
You can contact him to discuss things like:
2D Animated Series or Feature Development • Creative Direction • Short-form Animated Content Creation • Music Videos • Multiplane Background Design • SF North Beach culture and legacy • Vintage German technical pens • Common rodents of urban Los Angeles • NBA Western Conference rumors
SELECT CREDITS/ROLES
Hot Topic, Inc
• motion designer for 400+ campaigns, posts, promos (2021-)
• special emphasis on character-driven collectibles (2025-)
• visdev / production design lead for NDA project (2026)
Little Dot Studios/Dr. Seuss Enterprises
Boards, rigging, & character animation
for a Dr. Seuss music video (2026)
• motion designer for 400+ campaigns, posts, promos (2021-)
• special emphasis on character-driven collectibles (2025-)
• visdev / production design lead for NDA project (2026)
Little Dot Studios/Dr. Seuss Enterprises
Boards, rigging, & character animation
for a Dr. Seuss music video (2026)
New Velvet Pictures
visdev artist for indie animated pilot (2026)
Spellbook.zip
creative director / digital brush development (2023- )
Hellavision Television
guest art director for the "Earth" episode (2023)
contributor to various episodes (2018- )
FOX Entertainment
promotion animator (2023)
visdev artist for indie animated pilot (2026)
Spellbook.zip
creative director / digital brush development (2023- )
Hellavision Television
guest art director for the "Earth" episode (2023)
contributor to various episodes (2018- )
FOX Entertainment
promotion animator (2023)
Bento Box Entertainment
short filmmaker for A Studio Digital (2022)
short filmmaker for A Studio Digital (2022)
California Institute of the Arts
special faculty, Collage Under The Camera (2022)
Course on visual development + animation techniques for multiplane projects
special faculty, Collage Under The Camera (2022)
Course on visual development + animation techniques for multiplane projects
NETFLIX Animation
animator & visdev artist on Storybots: Answer Time (2021)
NETFLIX Internal Production
motion, animation, & illustration for quarterly company films (2019-2020)
animator & visdev artist on Storybots: Answer Time (2021)
NETFLIX Internal Production
motion, animation, & illustration for quarterly company films (2019-2020)
Los Mundos: "Frutos Rojos"
music video director (2020)
Rush Process Fest
founder, festival director and film programmer for TX-based animation fest focused exclusively on animators working with analog media (2015-2018)
music video director (2020)
Rush Process Fest
founder, festival director and film programmer for TX-based animation fest focused exclusively on animators working with analog media (2015-2018)
Howler Bros
animator / bumper director (2018; 2020)
Steve Madden / 5Towns Music
animated social content creator (2018)
Dead Oceans / Secretly Group
music video director (2015, 2018)
Night Heron Animation
lead animator / art director (2015-2018)
two-time finalist, TIFF x Instagram 2016, 2017)
Aurora Picture Show
animation educator (2014-2018)
animator / bumper director (2018; 2020)
Steve Madden / 5Towns Music
animated social content creator (2018)
Dead Oceans / Secretly Group
music video director (2015, 2018)
Night Heron Animation
lead animator / art director (2015-2018)
two-time finalist, TIFF x Instagram 2016, 2017)
Aurora Picture Show
animation educator (2014-2018)