Meet the SciAni team – Jonathan James
Get to know Jonathan James, one of our editors here at SciAni.
How long have you been an editor at SciAni and how did you get into editing?
I’ve been with Sci Ani for almost two years now – I’ve always enjoyed learning about science and have come to really appreciate how animation can be used to convey it in an eye-catching and engaging way. The role here at Sci Ani is the perfect fit – blending my enjoyment of editing with creativity, as no two projects are ever the same.
What is one of your favourite animations you’ve worked on and why?
It’s very tricky to pick out a favourite animation because I’ve enjoyed working on a wide variety of projects. In terms of overall impact, the two animations – How can we use genes from germs to improve public health? and Genome Detectives – we want YOU. We got to combine, in tailored style, 2D and 3D elements in a really fun and creative way – and the impact of the work has been immense; at the time of writing, nearly 6,500 genes have been described. To top it off, we had the pleasure of meeting the client face-to-face at their launch event and we got to realise the impact of the animation for such a broad audience.
What do you enjoy most about being an editor?
For me, the most enjoyable thing about being an editor is the variety of projects we work on. One day, I might be getting stuck into quantum physics – the next, oceanic management. Naturally, by connecting with such a mix of clients – big and small – you never stop learning! Taking a client’s ideas from initial broad concepts and narrowing these down to a succinct, powerful narrative keeps the creative juices flowing!
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I’m always interested in exploring new places – over the last year, I’ve really enjoyed solo travelling – both locally across the UK and further afield – in May I visited the Czech capital, Prague and enjoyed exploring the romantic architecture and sampling the Central European cuisine. Closer to home, during the warmer months I’m an avid hiker and enjoy getting out into nature whenever I can. When it’s colder, you’ll find me indoors, enjoying a hot chocolate, curled up with a good book, looking after my two cats, or expressing my creativity with art.
