As part of our series profiling graduating seniors, we are highlighting Liza Makarenko ’25, Computer Animation, whose thesis film, Beautify, won Gold at Best of Ringling 2025 for Computer Animation.
The film follows a young woman named Vera as she battles a hyper-idealized version of herself that steps out of a beauty filter app. Beautify explores themes of self-worth and identity through a surreal lens, blending emotional storytelling with thriller and horror elements.
Makarenko is passionate about storytelling in all forms, especially visual storytelling. “I love illustration and concept design, and I’m especially drawn to emotionally rich, slightly eerie narratives,” she said.
As with many of the majors at the College, studying the human form plays a huge role in the growth of Computer Animation Students. In Makarenko’s commitment to figure drawing, she supplemented her studies outside of credited coursework. “I’m a big fan of figure drawing and was a regular at FEWS [Figure Enhancement Work Shop], and have gone regularly throughout my time at Ringling. It’s something that’s really helped me grow artistically and stay connected to the fundamentals.”
Not surprisingly, her successes follow her off-campus. Marenko was offered a coveted internship for the summer.
“I’m super excited to share that I’ve been offered a position as a Set Dressing TD Intern at Pixar this summer! It’s a huge opportunity, and I can’t wait to learn from and contribute to such an inspiring team,” she shared. “After graduation, I hope to keep working in visual development or layout, telling meaningful stories and helping create emotionally impactful animated films.”
Pixar, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is known for producing some of the most successful animated films of all time, including the Toy Story series, Finding Nemo, and Inside Out. As an intern, Marenko will work alongside Pixar employees and contribute as a member of the team. Interns also take part in lectures and screenings held on the Pixar campus, gaining insight into the studio’s creative process and production workflows.
Ringling College’s Computer Animation program is ranked third in the world for 3D Animation by The Rookies. Alumni win Oscars and Annies and work at leading animation studios worldwide, including Pixar.
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