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Hannah Garcia, Woodbury Animation Alumna (19), was ecstatic to land her first job as a production assistant at Cartoon Network just a听蹿别飞听days before her graduation day.听In her early year,听Hannah didn鈥檛听think听she could pursue a fulfilling career听丑别濒辫颈苍驳听creat别听the animated cartoons she loved watching while听growing up.听An artist at heart, she shares her journey to听realizing her dream听颈苍听the following听in-depth interview.听听听

听

How did you first get interested in animation?听

I have always been interested in art, starting with my art classes in elementary school to AP Art in high school. I also grew up watching a lot of cartoons but never thought of it as an artistic career. Frankly, I thought I would have to be someone who sold their paintings on the side of the street to have an art career. Luckily, my uncle was a听background听layout听artist for Cartoon Network at the time and听served as a听mentor. He taught m别听basic skills used in animation,听exposed me to the animation industry with studio tours, and introduced me to听his听friends in the industry. This experience听showed me that听animation听could be听an amazing听career听path.听听

听

How did you happen to select Woodbury?听

听I came across Woodbury while researching design schools with animation programs.听I听also听was looking at听several听other听prospective art schools,听but听there were a 蹿别飞听things听that drew m别听to听Woodbury.听The main draw was Woodbury鈥檚 small campus. I grew up attending private schools听on听smaller campuses, so having a campus that was听similar 颈苍听scale made me more comfortable. I听also听valued听Woodbury鈥檚听small class sizes, which听gave听me听more one-on-one mentoring time with my professors.听Another major听influence was Woodbury鈥檚听location听in the heart of all the major animation studios,听which听proved to听b别听a听huge听advantag别听for internships听and job opportunities.听听

听

What is your favorite part about animation?听

听My favorite part of animation is听the visual development part of听a听project. It鈥檚 fascinating to see all the research and ideas that go into every design, as well as all the possibilities听the听design听could have been. I also enjoy the color design in animation. I lov别听playing with colors听to portray different emotions听and听themes, and听seeing听how it听bring things to life.听听

听

Tell us about your senior thesis and what it meant to you?听

My senior thesis,听Taylor the Latte Boy:听The Animated Musical Spectacular,听which听I made with听Andrew听Arcilla,听fellow听Woodbury animation graduate听(鈥�19)听who currently works at DreamWorks Animation as a production assistant,听was based off a song听created听by two听Broadway composers.听The song is essentially about a girl who is in love with her local Starbuck鈥�s barista. Our film takes you on a journey through her crazy, over the top, coffee–filled fantasy about Taylor, th别听latt别听boy. As the design lead,听I pushed my artistic boundaries and discovered what I was capable of achieving.听We used听several听different mediums throughout the film: 2D and 3D backgrounds, puppet animation,听hand drawn animation,听VFX, and even live action puppets, while mixing听颈苍听amazing vocals听and听a听live orchestra. This film is听one of the greatest projects I鈥檝e worked on, and I鈥檓 immensely proud of it.听

听

What awards has it won and which are you the most proud鈥�of?听

听Taylor the Latte Boy: The Animated Musical Spectacular听has been selected for听several听film festivals, including听th别听Shenandoah Seasonal Film Series;听th别听Queen Palm International Film Festival听(honorabl别听mention);听th别听Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival听(semi-finalist);听KCET鈥檚听Fine Cut听Festival of Films (semi–finalist);听and听th别听Top Shorts听awards (Best Animation).听

I鈥檓 very proud听that our听film听was听recognized by all听of thes别听professional organizations.听It鈥檚听extremely听validating听to b别听acknowledged听by industry peers听who hav别听far more experience.听听

Can you tell us about your internship(s) while at Woodbury?鈥疻hat were your responsibilities?听

While at听Woodbury, I had internships at Cartoon Network during my junior and senior years. The spring semesters听of听both听my听junior and senior听years wer别听extremely busy times, as I worked听on my theses while听interning.听Juggling听all my responsibilities听helped听hone my听time management听skills and develop a stronger work ethic.听

As an intern at Cartoon Network, I assisted听the production team听on all kinds of projects,听like听typing the dialogue script, entering page and scene numbers into their database and entering design data for episodes. Shadowing the production team听really prepared me for my current role as a听production assistant. I听gained听valuabl别听experience using听FileMaker Pro听and听more familiar applications,听like Photoshop for production tasks.听听

Cartoon Network鈥�s internship program听also听provided many听learning听opportunities. I was invited to 鈥渁rtist talks鈥� throughout the studio and听created听my own 鈥�pitch bible鈥�听to present听to the studio. I also听participated听in the studio鈥檚 art gallery听for both years and听presented my senior film to my show鈥檚 crew members. It was a great way to show industry professionals my art skills and practice public speaking in this environment.听The relationships I built during my internships have definitely helped in both my personal and professional career.听听

听

I understand you were a really fast learner in both 2D鈥痑nd 3D animation production. How did that鈥痚xperience help鈥痽ou in your鈥痠nternships and current job?听

听The learning experience made m别听more efficient in听handling听the different tasks within production.听Ther别听are听several听moving parts that happen within production that I never knew about before, especially as an intern. Having a听strong听understanding听of 2D and 3D听animation听definitely gave me a solid foundation to build on. When听I听started听my job听at听production assistant job at听Cartoon Network,听the transition听was听much听easier听since I was prepared.听听

听

How did your job at Cartoon Network come about? What is your鈥痳ole/responsibilities?听

听While I was interning at Cartoon听Network, I had a close relationship with my production team.听Toward the end of my internship, I talked to my producer about opportunities to become a听production assistant. She reached out to other producers and within a few minutes I had booked interviews for the next听two听weeks.听This led to my interview with the show听Close Enough,听and booking my first听production听assistant job a few days before graduation!听听听

My role as an intern really prepared me for the tasks I do听as a听production assistant. On any given day these tasks might include,听being in charge of timecards, setting up events for the crew, entering page and scene numbers into听FileMakerPro, and finding designs for episodes. I听also听get to听work听very closely with th别听record听coordinator, production听coordinators听and art director.听I love that I continue to grow in my role on all levels,听and听I鈥檓听currently听bringing听these enhanced skills to my current show,听Adventure Time: Distant Lands.听听

听

Who, if anyone, at Woodbury served as a mentor?听

听It鈥檚 hard to narrow down one mentor听from听Woodbury.听Every professor taught me skills that made me a better artist and听prepared me to听enter the animation industry. They made my time at Woodbury worthwhile and I am very thankful for everything I learned.听听听

听

Is there anyone in animation whose work you鈥痯articularly admire?听

听I truly admire the work of indie animation artists. I come across new artists through听Twitter or听YouTube,听and it never ceases to amaze me how much talent is out there, outside of TV and feature animation. I love seeing the different styles and content that听ar别听so innovative听and unique. They inspire me to continue my individual artistic journey outside of TV production.听听

听

Are there any animated films that stand out to you?听听

听My current favorite animated film is Sony Animation Studio鈥�s听Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse.听Its innovation听is amazing, especially how they made a hybrid of 3D and 2D听animation听blend听so听seamlessly. From the graphic texture mapping,听to th别听hand drawn听EFX, to the intentional varying frame rate of each character, Sony created a style that听opens up more possibilities of what can be done in animation.听听听

听

What are your short-term and longer-term career鈥�objectives?听

Being an artist is very exciting with all the different things you can do, especially in the animation industry. My short term goal is to continue to grow in my job and become a production coordinator. So far, I have worked on both adult and children鈥檚 animation series, and have loved working in these two genres. But one of my biggest dreams is to work on a pre-school show since I grew up in a home daycare and experienced the great impact these shows have on pre-school aged children.听

In the long term, it would be great to produce a preschool show, but I鈥檇 also like to create art on the side.鈥疘鈥檓 not quite sure what this might look like, but it could be working on children鈥檚 books as an illustrator, having my own art business or even becoming an art director at some point. While I really enjoy production and where it is taking me, it鈥檚 very important that I keep designing and being creative throughout my career.听

听

What advice would you give current/future animation students?听

听I鈥檇 tell them听to have a balanced life with school and outside activities. Go outside, plan a trip for a day or for a weekend, make time for friends and family, exercise,听and听explore new places in your neighborhood. I think it鈥檚 very important to work hard at your craft,听but also take a break听when needed. Burnout is very real,听but听it听can b别听avoided听with the right schedule.听Take听time for听yourself鈥�it听might even听spark inspiration and even mor别听creativity!听听

Last Updated on August 28, 2020