Dave Merson Hess is an L.A.-based animation filmmaker, motion designer, and visdev artist.
Dave believes strongly in animated storytelling as a vital space for visual experimentation.
He enjoys making squiggly lines., in a way that makes people exclaim, "this feels like a lost Nick cartoon from the '90s!".
This registered owner of two scanners and several glue sticks is known to employ collage and other analog/mixed media techniques.
Dave is available for bookings.
You can contact him to discuss things like:
Short-form Animated Content Creation • Motion for Social • 2D Series or Feature Development • Character Animation • Background Design • Hand-Drawn Effects Animation • NBA Western Conference rumors
He enjoys making squiggly lines., in a way that makes people exclaim, "this feels like a lost Nick cartoon from the '90s!".
This registered owner of two scanners and several glue sticks is known to employ collage and other analog/mixed media techniques.
Dave is available for bookings.
You can contact him to discuss things like:
Short-form Animated Content Creation • Motion for Social • 2D Series or Feature Development • Character Animation • Background Design • Hand-Drawn Effects Animation • 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
Boards, rigging, and character animation for 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
Boards, rigging, and character animation for 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)
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)
music video director (2020)
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)