Derek Bonikowski

Derek Bonikowski is a skilled animator with extensive experience in the gaming industry, currently serving as a Senior Animator at Bluepoint Games since September 2024. Prior to this role, Derek held the position of Senior Animator at Lost Boys Interactive from April 2022 to September 2024 and Lead Gameplay Animator at Velan Studios, Inc. from February 2017 to September 2021. At Retro Studios, from October 2000 to February 2017, Derek contributed as a Senior Animator, creating notable features for the Metroid Prime Trilogy and Donkey Kong Country. Earlier in the career, Derek worked as a Stop-Motion Animator at MTV Animation/MTV Networks, producing high-quality animations for significant events. Derek holds a B.S. in Radio, Television, Film, Animation from The University of Texas at Austin and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.