Derek Esparza

Derek Esparza is a highly skilled animation professional with extensive experience in the field. Currently serving as a Principal Animation Designer at Respawn Entertainment since October 2018, Derek has previously held senior animator positions at Sony Pictures Imageworks, contributing to notable projects such as "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" and "The Sea Beast." With a background that includes significant roles in major animated films like "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" and "The Angry Birds Movie," Derek also has experience as a student mentor at Animation Mentor and various positions at leading animation studios, including Weta Digital and Blur Studio. Derek holds a BFA in 3D Character Animation from the Academy of Art University and has bolstered industry knowledge by assisting students in technical and creative development.