top of page

/Resumé

Nikki Rice Malki

/biography
Born and raised in Seattle, Nikki moved to California to attend college, receiving a BFA in Film Production in 2002 from Chapman University. For the next 6 years she worked various office jobs in the film industry while also earning a Masters Degree in Secondary Education. In 2006 Nikki decided to shift her career to Special Effects Make-Up working at Creature FX studios and from there segueing into the stop motion world, beginning in 2008 with Shadow Machine on the Adult Swim hit show, Robot Chicken: Season 3. Nikki has worked as a puppet fabricator, lead fabricator and department head on numbers stop motion television shows, commercials and films, helping create iconic stop motion characters for such shows/films as Happy Honda Days (Socal regional commercial campaign for the last 12 years), Ask the Story Bots, Buddy Thunderstruck, Anomolisa and Ted Lasso to name a few. In 2022, the next adventure brought Nikki back home to Seattle to be closer to family and to hang out her own shingle as Puppets Northwest, offering a one stop shop for puppets of all kinds, SFX, 3D modeling/printing and educational outreach of all of the above.
 
WORK EXPERIENCE

Ancient Order of the Wooden Skull (Los Angeles, CA) September 2023 - October 2023

"Happy Honda Days - Honda Commercial" - Network TV - Stop Motion

   Puppet Supervisor/Fabricator

      - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

      - teaching and training

      - armature design

      - stage support

​

Ancient Order of the Wooden Skull (Los Angeles, CA) October 2022 - January 2023

"Meevil the Stunt Weevil" - Stop Motion

  Puppet Supervisor/Fabricator

       - digital character design

       - 3D print

       - armatures

       - silicone casting

​

Ancient Order of the Wooden Skull (Los Angeles, CA) February 2022 - April 2022

"It's a Wonderful Binge" - Hulu - Stop Motion

  Puppet Supervisor/Fabricator

       - digital character design

       - 3D print

       - armatures

       - detail painting

​

Open The Portal (Los Angeles, CA) January 2022 - February 2022

"Neptunes Music Video" - Unfinished by Client - Stop Motion

  Puppet Supervisor/Fabricator

       - digital character design

       - 3D print
 

Shadow Animation (Los Angeles, CA) September 2021 - October 2021

"Happy Honda Days - Honda Commercial" - Network TV - Stop Motion

   Puppet Supervisor/Fabricator

      - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

      - teaching and training

      - armature design

      - stage support

​

Shadow Animation (Los Angeles, CA) - March 2021 - May 2021

"Ted Lasso Christmas Special - Opening Credits" - Stop Motion

Head of Puppet Department/Lead 3D Modeler

       - digital character design

       - 3D print

       - detail painting

​

Ancient Order of the Wooden Skull (Los Angeles, CA) - November 2020

"Fall of the House of Usher - Boston Lyric Opera"

       -digital character design

​

Acho Studios (Los Angeles, CA) - November 2020

"Big Mouth - Christmas Special"

       - digital modeler

​

Hot Wheels City Season 4 (Burbank, CA) - January 2020 - August 2020

   Lead Puppet Fabricator/ 3D Modeler

       - armature

       - character foam build up

       - detail painting

      - xBrush sculpt and 3D print

​

Apartment D (Burbank, CA) - October 2019-November 2019

"American Girl Doll" - product commercial

    Puppet Supervisor/Fabricator

      - armature design

      - fabrication

 

Shadow Animation (Los Angeles, CA) September 2019 - October 2019

"Honda Commercial" - Network TV - Stop Motion

   Puppet Supervisor/Fabricator

      - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

      - teaching and training

      - armature design

      - stage support

​

Chiodo Bros. (San Fernando, CA) - May 2019 - September 2019

"Alien Xmas"

   Lead zBrush Modeler/Lead Puppet Fabricator

       - 3D modeled main and background characters

       - set up and ran RP department

       - technical design of puppets

       - foam build up

       - detail painting

​

Hot Wheels City Season 3 (Burbank, CA) - March 2019

   Puppet Fabricator

       - armature

       - character foam build up

       - detail painting

​

JibJab Bros. Studios (Los Angeles, CA) - May - June 2018

"Ask The StoryBots" Season 3 - "Recycle" Episode

   Puppet Fabricator

       - character buildup - foam, fur

       - molding and casting - Dragon Skin Silicone

       - sculpting - clay, Magic Sculpt

​

Extra Credit Studios (Culver City, CA) - March-April 2018

"Dolor" - short film

   Character Designer/Puppet Fabricator/zBrush Modeler

      - character design/concept

      - zBrush sculpt

      - foam buildup

      - paint and finishing

​

Mattel (El Segundo, CA) -  March 2018

"WWE Entrance Spots"

   Puppet Fabricator

      - toy modifications

​

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) - 2017

"Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special" - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Puppet Supervisor

​

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) - 2017

"Robot Chicken: Season 9" - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Puppet Supervisor - pre production, stage supervisor

  

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) - 2016 - 2017

"Supermansion: Season 2" - Sony Crackle

   Lead Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator/zBrush Modeler

      - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

      - teaching and training

      - armature design

​

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) - 2016

"Buddy Thunderstruck" - Netflix

   Lead Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

      - character concept/design

      - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

      - teaching and training

      - armature design

​

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) - 2015

"Robot Chicken: Season 8" - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Lead Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator/zBrush Modeler

      - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

      - teaching and training

      - armature design

​

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) - 2015

"Robot Chicken: DC Special 3: Magical Friendship" - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

    Lead Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

       - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

       - teaching and training

       - armature design

​

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) - 2015

"Supermansion: Season 1" - Sony Crackle

   Lead Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator/zBrush Modeler

      - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

      - teaching and training

      - armature design

​

Shadow Animation (Los Angeles, CA) October 2014

"Honda Commercial" - Network TV - Stop Motion

   Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

      - hair design and application

      - armature build

​

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) Aug 2014-Sept 2014

"Denny's: Slammies Promos"

   Stop Motion Puppet Fabrication

      - molding and casting

      - puppet fabrication

​

Screen Novelties (Echo Park, CA) April 2014 - June 2014

"Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas" - NBC

   Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

     - molding and casting

     - puppet fabrication

​

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) July 2013 - April 2014

"Robot Chicken: Season 7" - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Lead Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator/zBrush Modeler

      - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

      - teaching and training

      - armature design

      - replacement robot wing design and sculpt

​

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) July 2013 - April 2014

"Robot Chicken: DC Special 2: VIP" - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Lead Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

      - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

      - teaching and training

      - armature design

​

Starburns (Burbank, CA) March 2013 - June 2013

"Charlie Kaufman's Anomalisa" - Feature Film - Stop Motion

   zBrush Modeler and 3D Print Tech

       - character sculpts

       - mouth shapes

 

Shadow Animation (Los Angeles, CA) October 2012

"Honda Commercial" - Network TV - Stop Motion

   Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

       - hair design and application

​

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) Feb 2012 - Sept 2012

"Robot Chicken: Season 6" - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Senior Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

       - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

       - armature design

​

Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Burbank, CA) Feb 2012 - Sept 2012

"Robot Chicken: DC Special" - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Senior Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

      - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

      - armature design

​

Shadow Animation (Los Angeles, CA) April 2011 – Present

“Hell and Back” – Feature Film - Stop Motion

   zBrush Modeler

      - character sculpts

      - mouth shapes

   Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

      - mold making, seaming, painting, fabrication

​

Shadow Animation (Los Angeles, CA) March 2010 - December 2010

“Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode 3” - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

      - sculpting, painting, costuming

​

Shadow Animation (Los Angeles, CA) March 2010 – December 2010

“Robot Chicken: Season 5” - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

      - sculpting, painting, costuming

​

Shadow Animation (Los Angeles, CA) June 2009 – Nov. 2009

“Mary Shelly’s Frankenhole” – Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator - Hair stylist

      - wig sizing and construction

      - paper hat designing and construction

​

Shadow Animation (Los Angeles, CA) Jan. 2009 – June 2009

“Titan Maximum: Season 1” - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

      - mold making, matrix, silicone, stone

      - armature building

      - sculpting, casting, painting

 

Shadow Animation (Los Angeles, CA) Oct. 2008 – Jan. 2009

“Robot Chicken: Season 4” - Cartoon Network Adult Swim

   Stop Motion Puppet Fabricator

      - sculpting, painting, costuming

 

SKILLS

Computer: zBrush - Photoshop - Magics - Maya - Rhino

 

Puppet Fabrication: molding - casting - painting - build up - design - armature design and construction

 

Special Effects: Creature design - Sculpture - Life casting - Molding and casting - Painting and fabrication - Hair punching and tying

 

Character Make-Up: Prosthetic ap. - Aging techniques - Bald cap ap. - Hair laying - Injury

 

Beauty Make-Up:  Corrective - Natural - Fashion/Fantasy - Make-up design

 

Hair Styling:  Temp Color - Blow dry - Curls and wave - Shampoo and set - Up styles - Period Style

 

Graduated

Make-Up Designory; October 2007

Master Make-Up Artistry; A 760-hr program in all aspects of Make-up Artistry

 

University of Phoenix, November 2005

Masters Degree: Secondary Education

GPA: 3.7

 

Chapman University; May 2002

B.F.A., Major Film/TV Production; Minor in Public Relations

GPA: 3.65

 

SPECIAL SKILLS / INTERESTS

photography - acting - improvisation - directing and producing - arts - crafts - baking - science - astronomy - sports both watching and playing - classic Hollywood - classic cars - crocheting - knitting - camping - horse back riding - juggling - bike riding - hiking

 

Make-up FX Resume Available On Request
bottom of page