Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
Heyo, my name is Diana, and I’m currently directing on My Adventures with Superman over at Warner Bros. I moved from Oregon and attended UCLA in hopes of becoming a historian and politician—until I switched into my school’s film program. I’ve always loved comics, and film seemed kinda close to it, and animation seemed kinda close to that. Almost 10 years later I’m still scribbling around studios.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Back when I first started, I dealt with a lot of microaggressions and harassment. While I believe things have gotten better, it’s easy for artists to doubt themselves when we put so much value in how we are seen and how our work is received. I’m still working on detangling my sense of self from my art, while still trying to keep my joy with art alive. I stress to every newcomer to not doubt themselves and to remember that they deserve to be here. You don’t need to do more to “prove” yourself.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
I have the pleasure of working with my inspirations on my current show! We have such a talented crew and intensely kind leadership. I feel it’s rare to work on a production where the people treat you like a human being, and that empathic approach to creating animation is what inspires me.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
I’d like to be able to create a short one day, not necessarily through a studio, but just a little slice of something that someone could look at and go “hehe.” Overall, I want to be able to continue working on productions where we put people above deadlines.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
Being in the Union gives me security and hope for a future where I get to continue working with wonderful people from all walks of life. I also like to imagine working with people one day who watched what I boarded and say “oh wow, I loved that when I was kid!” Hehe!
See more of Diana’s work at her website.
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