Alumni Spotlight: Maarten (’16) Builds a Standout Career in Animation

From the ISZL art rooms to the animation studios of Hollywood, Maarten Lemmens (Class of 2016) is building an impressive career in the film industry. With credits on blockbusters and an Oscar-nominated DreamWorks film, he continues to credit ISZL as the place where his creative journey truly began.

ISZL Alum Maarten Lemmens is celebrating after a film he worked on for DreamWorks was nominated for an Oscar. 24-year-old Maarten worked on Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. He is currently working on an unannounced feature film for summer 2023.

He discovered his love of 3D animation at High School, spending hours in the art room and working with the artist Nathan Ford, who was visiting to create an artwork to unite the ISZL campuses in Baar and Hünenberg. Maarten says, “Because of my interest in art, they grabbed me aside to assist him in this painting. Teachers were very flexible if I had to miss a class for the once in a lifetime opportunity that the school offered me. The paintings are still in both campuses to this day.

Maarten attended Ringling College of Art and Design in Florida. A film he animated in his last year at university, Goalie, won awards at several film festivals. He also worked on animations for the DC movie Black Adam, and also video games including Fortnite and Mortal Kombat.

Maarten has happy memories of his time at ISZL, from Grades 6 -12.

I still look back and truly appreciate the effect this high school had on me to be present here in Hollywood, Los Angeles so fast in my career. I can’t thank ISZL and my art teacher, Andrew Gray, enough for giving me that boost into a career that doesn’t feel like a job.

Maarten also kindly took time time to speak to our Grade 3s as part of their Unit of Enquiry ‘How we express ourselves.’ The grade 3 Teachers connected with Maarten and came together on a Tuesday afternoon (06:00 Hollywood time!) for a live link to LA to talk to Maarten about his life experiences post ISZL. He shared insights into working at DreamWorks, new movies and the highs and lows of his career.