Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Held.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in the ’90s when computer graphics were exploding. Jurassic Park, Pixar, and the cutscenes in Final Fantasy VII completely captivated me. Then I discovered I could get software on my home computer and start making things myself. I remember thinking, “I want to do that.”
My high school somehow ended up with a few copies of Cinema 4D, and I was hooked. This was before YouTube, so I learned from books and a lot of trial and error. One of the first things I tried to model was Mario. It wasn’t very good, but I was fascinated that I could make anything at all.
A few classmates and I had worked on a film in college that got some attention, and almost immediately after graduating, people started reaching out with paid projects. We figured, “Why not?” and turned that momentum into MoreFrames Animation. Today I split my time between running the studio, teaching animation, and working toward my MFA. Through all of it, I’ve tried to stay curious and keep learning.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not. In the beginning, MoreFrames made enough money to tell us we were on the right track, but not enough to make a living. I worked other jobs while we slowly built the studio.
The creative side has its own challenges. Every project has moments where you think you’ve got something great, followed by moments where you’re convinced it’s falling apart. I think that’s just part of the process. Imposter syndrome never completely disappears.
There were plenty of late nights and missed plans, especially in the early years. Looking back, I’ve learned not to judge a project only by its flaws. Every project teaches you something, and that’s how you keep getting better.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m the co-founder of MoreFrames Animation, an independent studio in Erie, Pennsylvania. We started as a few friends working out of a living room and have spent nearly twenty years creating work for film, television, music videos, games, and commercial projects.
Because we’re a small studio, everyone wears a lot of hats. I might be animating one day and compositing, editing, or solving a technical problem the next. That’s always been one of my favorite parts of the job. I like figuring out how to make things work.
More than any individual project, I’m proud that we’re still here after all these years. We’ve stayed independent, we’ve continued to grow, and I still get to work with people I genuinely enjoy.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Curiosity!
I’ve always liked learning new tools, new techniques, and new ways of solving problems. Animation changes constantly, and I think being willing to adapt has been just as important as any technical skill.
I don’t think you ever stop learning in this field, and I hope I never get to the point where I think I have everything figured out. That’s something I try to bring to both my professional work and my classroom.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://moreframes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moreframes_animation
