Originally inspired to create an animated music video as a Christmas present for his niece, R.J. is an award-winning animated filmmaker, composer, and screenwriter. He creates hand drawn 2D animated films for children and adults.
In 2023, his short films were shown in 44 film festivals internationally. Notably, his short animated film, Arlo Sings the Blues (In the Middle of the Night) received the most audience votes to win Best Animation Film for the 2023 BAMkids Film Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in New York. It also was selected for Australia's biggest Oscar-qualifying short film festival, St. Kilda Film Festival, and Flicker's Rhode Island International Film Festival.
R.J. hand-painted watercolor backgrounds for his children's short, Pinto the Mean Bean. This film had it's West Coast Premiere at the 26th Annual Dances with Films festival in June 2023 at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatres in Los Angeles, CA. Also, Pinto the Mean Bean was nominated for Best Oregon Short at the Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation, and Technology which took place at OMSI in Portland, OR in August 2023.
Both of his children shorts were included in showcases at the Hollywood Theatre at the Portland International Airport. Arlo Sings the Blues screened in the Fall 2023 program for 3 months (September - December) and Pinto the Mean Bean screened in the Winter 2024 program for 3 months (January - March).
R.J. grew up in Ventura, CA but lives in Portland with his wife, baby girl, and orange dog, Lucy. He earned an B.A. in Arts and Letters from Portland State University in 2004 and founded Catch and Hatch Studios in 2022.
Currently, R.J. is seeking a production company and distribution for a half hour adult animated comedy series called The Pinto Variety Hour.
He hopes to inspire a kinder worldview with his animation.