Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
I grew up in Québec, Canada, and spent 10 years in the Toronto animation industry before moving to L.A. two years ago. I’ve worked in multiple departments, and it’s been a very rewarding journey so far. I started out doing character builds in Harmony and took on various character, prop, color, and location design roles before trying my hand at production, recruiting, and artist management. I learned a lot in these positions and eventually decided to pivot back to the art department because I missed seeing my creative contributions on screen. I’m currently art directing Hailey’s On It! at Disney TVA, and I’ve been lucky enough to work on projects I’m really proud of such as Big Blue, The Breadwinner and Ever After High.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Breaking into the industry was really challenging for me. I graduated in 2010 and wasn’t able to immediately find a job, so I ended up working at a bank for two years while I redid my portfolio. It was difficult because I started to doubt I had made the right decision by pursuing a career in this field. I love this art form though, so I just kept drawing and working toward the goal of one day working in an animation studio. I finally got my big break when I joined the Ever After High crew at Guru Studio in Toronto. I’m grateful for my time on that show, I learned so much and made some really great friends along the way.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
I feel like I discover new inspiring artists every day on Instagram, but I still think my biggest inspirations are my close friends. Perin McLean, Gyimah Gariba, Scott Forbes, Sam Bradley, and my partner, Dan Sprogis, are incredible artists whose work I really admire. They’re so talented, and there’s something about knowing them on a personal level and getting a glimpse into their work ethic that inspires me to continue doing my best.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
Art directing a series has been a goal since I joined the industry, so I’m really happy to be doing that now on Hailey’s On It! I’m hoping I get to continue art directing cool projects that are focused on telling compelling, diverse stories and would love to eventually create a series of my own.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
Canada didn’t have an animation union when I was there, so it was a wonderful learning experience for me to join TAG when I moved to L.A. and find out about all the protections we are afforded as artists here. Being a part of the Union creates a sense of community and strength in numbers that is very reassuring. I’m glad to be a part of it.
Learn more about Lee Ann on her website.
Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
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