There’s a new Promised Land speaker in town — please welcome Toniko Pantoja

Toniko Pantoja is a director, story artist, teacher, and animator specializing in hand-drawn animation.

He was born and raised in Southeast Asia. In 2014 Pantoja graduated from the California Institute of Arts with a degree in character animation. He has worked as a full-time story artist for Dreamworks Animation SKG for both feature (Croods 2, Trolls, Veggie Tales) and TV productions (The Adventures of Puss in Boots), Strange Weather Film and Base FX (Wish Dragon), and Chavvo Animation Studios. He has also worked as a 2D character animator for Tonko House (PIG: The Dam Keeper Poems), Studio La Cachette (League of Legends Worlds 2016 opening cinematic), Cartoon Network (Clarence: Tails of Mardrynia), and Picnic Productions.

Pantoja has created a number of animated short films, such as Serenade to Miette, Crayon Dragon, Wolfsong, and the Annie Award-nominated Tiny Nomad. He has also mentored and taught at the Concept Design Academy in Pasadena, CA.

He is currently teaching animation online, producing educational videos for independent animation, and developing intellectual properties for Brushtale Works Studios Inc. He is also working on a new short animated film.