OddBeast has announced two key staff changes as the award-winning motion design and production studio continues to expand its scope and services. Northern Kentucky University (NKU) alum Gracie Markus joins the OddBeast team as an associate producer, and William “Liam” Conway has been promoted to 3D animator/Houdini specialist.
Gracie Markus, who began doing projects for OddBeast as a freelancer, quickly established herself as a hustler and instrumental member of the team, earning praise from the studio’s clients. In her new full-time role, Markus will handle both CGI and live-action requests, creating detailed statements of work to manage each project’s deliverables and scope while using her mad time-lord skills to navigate OddBeast’s calendar and deadlines.
“Gracie has been with us in a freelance capacity for roughly 6 months, and we knew we couldn’t do it without her!” said OddBeast founder/president Ronny Young. “She’s incredibly kind, smart, and on-the-ball with details. Adapting quickly, she’s a life-long student and is always open to finding a better way to accomplish our goals.”
Markus graduated with a major in Electronic Media & Broadcasting and a minor in Marketing. Throughout her time at NKU, she held such roles as producer, director and social media creative director for a multitude of projects. She was also a marketing & promotions intern for Megacorp Pavilion during her senior semesters. When she’s not working, you can find Markus nurturing a passion for photography, playing with her two beloved dogs or traveling the world. She runs on Dr. Pepper and green tea.
Project links: Buffalo Trace – Leave Your Trace, CSO Content, Hello Sunday
Liam Conway joined OddBeast in 2023 as a junior animator, a role in which he grew a ton as an artist, learning Houdini and single-handedly bringing a new level of CGI simulation to the studio. In his expanded role, he will take on full-scale projects while leaning more into his creative POV. Conway’s Houdini specialization will be clutch for liquid CGI needs, and he will help foster a teaching environment as OddBeast brings on new and younger talent.
“Liam has the attitudes we’re looking for in artists: he’s highly self-motivated, interested, learns on his own, doesn’t wait to be told what to do, has his own POV, is constantly seeking to improve, and he simply has a high give-a-shit level,” added Young.
Conway studied a year at The Ohio State University before transferring to the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where he majored in Electronic Media and minored in Philosophy. After taking a class at CCM led by Mike Gasaway (one of the lead animators and directors of “Jimmy Neutron”), he was hooked and set off on a career in animation & visual effects. When not at work, Conway is an avid gamer and proud cat-owner of a beautiful queen named “Zelda.”
Project links: Explosion Welding Simulation, Hello Sunday Images, Personal Work on Instagram
