“Trinity [Western] was probably the most formative point in my life so far. The most valuable thing I learned was how to ask meaningful questions.”
— Ere Santos
Some years ago, Ere Santos was a student at Trinity Western. Today, he is a Senior Animator at Sony Pictures Imageworks working on some exciting projects in the world of animation. The talented artist is known for his animation and post-production work for films such as Spider-man: Across the Spiderverse 
(part 1), Addams Family 2, and two sequels of Hotel Transylvania.
Ere’s best piece of advice to TWU students is to “know what you want and chase it.”
For anyone interested in the media field, he says, “The film and TV industry in general is extraordinarily competitive and knowing who you are and what you want is essential in being able to be successful.”
“Having firm goals and working towards them will give you a solid leg up to make you stand out of the crowd.”
Recently, Jonathan Fehr, Director of Alumni Engagement and Communications at TWU, conducted an interview with Ere to learn a little more about him and his journey so far. Here below is their conversation:
JF: It's so nice to meet you. Before we get started, I'd love to hear a little about your background. Where did you grow up?
ES: That's a tricky question! I was born in Nigeria, I moved to Scotland when I was 3, and stayed till I was 14, then I moved to Canada and have been here on and off ever since!
JF: That's quite the journey! Were you interested in working in the field of animation even as a child?
ES: More or less. For as long as I can remember, I've been wanting to work in film either as an actor or computer animator. After discovering animation, I was excited by the opportunity of being able to be whoever and whatever I wanted in the animated world.
JF: Looking back at that time, when do you first remember thinking that this was something you wanted to pursue more seriously? Was there anything specific that influenced you?
ES: I caught the bug for animation watching behind the scenes footage for animated movies growing up. Seeing someone working on a computer made me realise that people can get paid to make cartoons, and that got me super excited!
JF: So, let's talk about TWU. What did you study, and what drew you to study here?
ES: I majored in Mathematics with Computing Science and minored in Theatre. My older brother enrolled there a few years before I did and hearing his experiences there got me excited about the school. After attending a preview weekend, I was sold!
JF: What was your experience like at TWU? Did you find any professors or classes to be especially helpful in getting you to where you are today?
ES: Trinity was probably the most formative point in my life so far. The most valuable thing I learned was how to ask meaningful questions. And the most impactful classes I took were my theatre classes. A huge part of my job is acting and performing and the lessons I learned in those classes really help me get through almost every day working as an animator.
JF: That's great to hear! Did you continue your studies somewhere else after you left? What prompted you to leave TWU and what came after?
ES: Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish my last year of studies at Trinity because of financial issues, but luckily that was the summer that I was able to return to Pixar Animation Studios in California as an animator. Immediately after that, I continued my career working on movies in London, England before coming back to Vancouver last year.
JF: What was your first job in animation? What was that experience like?
ES: My first job in animation was working on Hotel Transylvania 3 at Sony Pictures whilst I was actually still in my 3rd year at Trinity!
JF: That's awesome, great work! Do you have any words of encouragement for young alums or current students interested in animation? Any advice to them?
ES: My best piece of advice is to know what you want and chase it. The film and TV industry in general is extraordinarily competitive and knowing who you are and what you want is essential in being able to be successful. Having firm goals and working towards them will give you a solid leg up to make you stand out of the crowd.
JF: Thanks so much for your time, Ere. Do you have any final thoughts you'd like to share?
ES: Eat your vegetables, they're good for your bones.
See Ere Santos’ animation portfolio on Vimeo.
See also — Career and life calling: Alumna Melody Ho on working for a non-profit that empowers immigrant women and families in Canada:
TWU News
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier global Christian liberal arts University. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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The views expressed by students and alumni are their own. They do not necessarily represent the views of Trinity Western University or of any other companies, groups or organizations named.