Live Event Recording

The Making of Maxie LaWow: An Animator Explains

Summary: How are independent movies made today? What does a storyboard artist do, and how do you turn a passion for storytelling into a career in the animation industry?

To answer these questions and more, we interviewed Storyboard Artist, Animation Director, Sessions Faculty member Bill Drastal on his experience as Head of Story on the animated movie Maxie LaWow – Drag Super Shero. We explored how this animated feature was made, discussing how key scenes were brought to life and tapped Bill for his insights into how you can turn your character art and your stories into animated features.

Date: 4pm PT/7pm ET, June 19, 2025

Bill Drastal

Illustration Faculty

Bill Drastal is an experienced storyboard director and animation producer skilled in the production of independent animated films, television animation production, and video game development. Through his company Bento-box Entertainment, Bill has worked as a storyboard artist on Central Park, Great North, and Housebroken. As an artist and animator, Bill has animated comic characters for social and mobile games, created storyboards for online animated videos, and designed character actions and rigs for video games, for clients including Disney Interactive, Warner Bros Animation, Children’s Hospital LA, and Google. Bill recently served as Producer, Head of Story, Storyboard Director, Animation Director, Art Director on the animated movie Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super Shero (2024).

Gordon Drummond

President

Gordon Drummond is the President of a Sessions College and Chief Academic Officer of Sessions College. Gordon is an educator and instructional designer with a passion for art, design, and technology who joined Sessions in 2001. As President, Gordon’s role is to provide the leadership to help our school directors achieve their goals in education, operations, marketing, and student services. Key tasks include managing accreditation, licensing, and relations with government agencies and other institutions, coordinating strategic and educational planning, and representing the school at conferences and other public events. Prior to Sessions College, Gordon gained cutting-edge instructional design and online content expertise in roles at Kaplan, Inc., and LearningBrands. Outside of Sessions, Gordon has served on the Middle States Association Commission on Secondary Schools (2007-2015) and the Distance Education Accreditation Commission (DEAC) board (2017-2023).