Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
I’m originally from Minnesota, which has a very big and well-funded arts culture. I was very lucky to spend my last two years of high school in a public art school where I was able to develop my drawing and design skills. I studied animation at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. There I spent most of my time focused on 3D animation as I wanted to be as hirable as possible when I graduated.
In my senior year, I was creatively burnt out from 3D and was missing my real passion: 2D animation. I decided to switch gears and make a 2D thesis film. During production of my thesis, I revised my idea so many times, I ended up with a sizable amount of storyboards in my portfolio. During the thesis showcase, [it] was suggested by many studios [that I] move forward with storyboarding, and thanks to some very kind recommendations by those studio heads, I was able to get my first board revisionist position on a feature in Toronto. I’ve continued to work in feature boards since then, finding storyboarding to be the best mix of 2D animation, writing, and design that keeps me engaged and challenged in my work.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Before I became a part of the Union, my work was very contract based, and the contracts were often very short. As the storyboarding process of films has gotten shorter and shorter, the artists find themselves searching for jobs sometimes multiple times a year. It is difficult to continuously switch between productions, art styles, and leadership. I am thankful now to be in a more stable position where I can really delve into the film I am working on and bond with my team.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
My biggest art hero is Shoko Ikeda, who was an animation director at Kyoto Animation for many years. She worked on my favorite anime, Inuyasha, and her episodes stand out in how incredibly balanced, appealing, funny, pushed, and emotional her drawings are. I study her work often and hope one day I can capture a little bit of her magic. Even though she passed away far too young, the artistic legacy she left behind continues to inspire me. My biggest inspiration I’ve gotten to personally work with is Florent Lagrange. We worked together on The Willoughbys, which was my first job as a full board artist; his drawing ability pushed me to work harder, and he took the time to teach me when I was very rough around the edges. He’s simply one of the best!
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
My ultimate goal is to direct, both animation and live action films. I have a passion for horror movies, so I work on scary shorts in my personal time. I would love to one day have my own production company where I can focus on indie animation production exploring more challenging themes and stories.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
After working for many years in a non-union environment, being in the Union has been great for stabilizing my career and providing a network to connect with other artists. I appreciate that the Union provides transparency in how they are moving forward with protecting artists and how all members can be involved in the process. It feels good to not have to fight alone anymore.
See more of Propp’s artwork at her website.
Follow her on Instagram.
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