
Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
My name is Natalia Falciglia, and I’m a Visual Development Artist at Skydance Animation. I live out in the high desert with my two dogs now, but originally I’m from the Bay Area in Northern California where I attended a digital arts college and worked in retail before moving to Southern California and … working more retail jobs. Specifically, at a theme park, where you really learn the art of patience and people skills. I’ve been working in animation since 2020, initially starting as a Production Assistant, then as a Production Coordinator, at DreamWorks TVA on Dragons: The Nine Realms, before eventually finding myself at my current spot at SDA.

What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Breaking in initially was my biggest challenge. I used to talk myself out of applying for things or was continually discouraged with rejections from jobs I did apply for. It was tough to keep trying after so long, and I had a hard time asking for help. So it took almost a decade after graduating before I got my first “in” moment, thanks to friends who were out there advocating on my behalf and got my resume in front of people willing to take a chance on me. Now the biggest challenge is trying to push down the feeling of needing to “catch up” with the rest of my peers and instead trying to forge ahead on my own meandering path in this industry.

Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
I try to follow people across as many disciplines as I can, because you never know where a spark of inspiration might come from. I follow many talented artists across the board so it’s hard to pick just a handful of names. I want to absorb and learn from anyone and everyone that I can.

What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
I hope to do what one of my mentors always urged us to: Do good work and be good to work with. In whatever work I’m doing, that’s the one phrase I always keep in the back of my mind. There’s always the desire to constantly improve, but I’m enjoying the growth process with every new team I join. There are so many wildly talented people in animation I’d love to work with—the list is enormous—who are pushing it in directions that are exciting and fresh, so being part of their projects is high on my list. It would mean stretching myself out of my comfort zone in a lot of ways, but I think that would be a big accomplishment in its own way.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
I appreciate the security and support that the Guild offers. There’s a great sense of community, and it’s encouraging to see how TAG is out here fighting for the people making up this industry.
Learn more about Natalia at her website.
Follow her on Instagram.