Jacy Otto
Backstory
Jaycobod Nathaniel Otto was born under very mysterious circumstances early one morning in March. His father, the illustrious Arthur Brandlesnatch, was a wealthy bureaucrat from across the Atlantic. After traveling to the colonies on business, Arthur met a young handmaiden named Celia Otto. The two quickly fell in love and Celia was soon with child. The two planned on eloping to the west, hoping to claim a large plot of land and live out the rest of their lives happily raising their unborn child.
Unfortunately, Arthur's large tax debt soon caught up with him. A band of British soldiers stationed in the colonies soon apprehended Arthur and shipped him back across the Atlantic. Stricken with grief, Celia began to go into labor. Yet, how could she birth a child with no father to raise him? Sullenly, she stepped into the path of an oncoming stagecoach, killing her in the process, yet the child survived. That child would come to be known as Jaycobod "Jacy" Otto.
Early Life
Okay, that isn't really what happened. I hail from central Indiana. Growing up surrounded by miles of cornfields and across the street from a pig farm, I developed an active imagination at a young age. Quickly becoming fascinated with Saturday morning cartoons, Sunday paper comics, and a couple of brothers, whose shoulders I would watch over while they drew; I began to draw at a young age. Soon comics books and videogames filled my free time. I designed my own Mario Brothers levels, built multilevel block mazes for gerbils, enacted massive battles with action figures, and ran around outdoors chasing wildlife or eating grass. After taking an interest in drafting and programming in high school, I decided on a BFA in Media Arts & Animation from the Illinois Institute of Art - Schaumburg.
Career
Peerless Industries2005 - 2006
Soon I had my first "real" job. I began my professional career as a Technical Illustrator/Writer at Peerless Industries. I wrote and illustrated instruction manuals for TV wall mounts.
Boundless Learning (formerly Pearson)2012 - 2024
In my pursuit of new skills I left CEC for Pearson. I cashed in my Actionscript knowledge and learned Javascript, HTML, and CSS. Pearson transitioned to Boundless Learning where I joined a taskforce exploring the cutting edge of emotional design and media development. I also joined a taskforce for incorporating AI tools into the media design and development process.
Perdoceo Education (formerly CEC)2006 - 2009
A few years later I got back to my animation roots with a job at Career Education Corporation as a Multimedia Production Specialist creating motion graphics for video presentations. I soon reignited a love for programming by learning Actionscript and creating a new content delivery system at CEC.
2009 - 2012
I managed a team of Multimedia Production Specialists and ensured that they met strict deadlines based upon student enrollments in classes. All the while still piling up hundreds of drawings in my free time.
TLDR
I work in Online Education creating media for online learners. I develop content using Javascript. I create responsive and accessible media pieces with a focus on learning objectives and ease of use for the user.