Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
I’m from the Midwest originally and moved out to California to go to CalArts. I actually had a pretty hard time finding my place in college. I had a teacher insinuate I wasn’t cut out for boards my freshman year, and that made me spend a lot of time waffling about what I WAS cut out for. I graduated with a character design portfolio, but I couldn’t get a character design job. The main reason was that I wasn’t very good at it! I didn’t really like spending a lot of time on drawings.
I’ve always loved drawing a lot and drawing fast. I worked as a PA for a while, and during that time, I did indie comics. That made me realize how much I really do love visual storytelling and gave boards another shot. I got a revisionist position and moved to storyboard artist, then director from there. The second I started working in story, I could tell that was what I was truly passionate about.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Work/Life balance is something I’ve struggled with for years. When I first started storyboarding, I would stay in the office unspeakable hours trying to “make up” for what I thought I was lacking in talent. It never even really helped, I was always tired and stressed, and my work still suffered because of that. My lack of confidence in my job made me feel like I only deserved to be working, not to relax. It took me a long time to unlearn that. I’ve been lucky to be on crews that push a healthy balance, and now it’s something I always try and keep an eye on with my own board artists.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
Chris Nee is a huge inspiration. Her trajectory of coming in and not only making space for herself, but then using her power to make space for other creators to tell their stories, is the dream. And whenever I need to remember why I love animation, I always return to the work of Masaaki Yuasa.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
While I have dreams of stories I want to tell, my biggest goal is to facilitate healthy crew environments. This industry is full of amazing artists that have so much to give, but when leadership doesn’t respect crew members’ lives or the work they put in, it leads to mental and physical burnout that doesn’t allow individuals to thrive. In addition, the healthier the crews, the more likely those who historically have not seen themselves in the industry feel safe to stay and tell their stories. My goal is to create good work, in addition to a healthy environment, not instead of one.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
Animation is an industry where we are constantly pouring our hearts and passion into work, and having a union is a constant reminder of how valuable we are and what we deserve. We have a space to come together to freely talk about our concerns and discuss solutions, without fear of punishment. I’m glad we get to exist as a community, supporting each other, instead of having to fight for our rights as individuals against big systems.
Learn more about King at her website.
Follow her on Instagram at @samcking.
Follow her on Twitter at @SamanthaCKing.
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