For over twenty years, Barton has blended management skills with experience in production and engineering. He has worked at Mattel Electronics, Symbolics, Information International Inc, Nichimen Graphics, Dreamworks Feature Animation, as a partner of Anohana Production Management & Technologies, and as owner of Marina Motion, LLC.

Education and information sharing have been a strong component of the hands-on managing style Barton has brought to film projects, such as The Prince of Egypt, The King and I (animated), Vertical Limit, Shrek and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

In a career moving from computer music to computer graphics and animation, Barton has focused on methods for practical use of technology, forming channels of communication between product designers and their users. His relationship with mental images started in 1997, while at Dreamworks, when he was on an Advisory Committee for what was to become Softimage|XSI. In 2003, he started the Los Angeles mental ray User Group, and in 2004 became part of the mental images team.

Barton is presently Director of Training and Special Projects for mental images. With his current focus on mental ray training, user community and shader development, he realizes his goal to empower both individuals and teams working in the development, production and technology of animated filmmaking.