Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
Howdy! My name is Cameron Woodard, and I am a Story Artist living in Los Angeles. I went to college to pursue my passion for animation at Loyola Marymount University. Upon graduating, I secured a Production Assistant position at Wild Canary Animation for several years before being hired on as a Revisionist for Disney Junior’s Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures.
Over the past year, I’ve spent my evenings and weekends working on a new chapter for my spooky detective adventure game, Occult Crime Police. As a solo project where every piece of art, line of dialogue, and snippet of code comes directly from me, it is a wholly idiosyncratic work which embodies all of my niche interests and showcases my particular brand of humor.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Unfortunately, with tight production schedules, there’s so little time for training or mentorship. Even entry level positions expect you to be able to hit the ground running. I wish we could see a greater focus on professional development.
Then of course there’s the recent industry slump. It almost feels rude to apply for a job when you know you’re competing with a thousand out-of-work artists who are just as qualified as you. Turns out impostor syndrome gets cranked up to eleven when everyone’s contending for the same three open positions! Luckily, it’s also given me time to work on my personal project, which has helped me to discover my unique strengths and flex creative muscles I don’t typically use.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
As a kid I was obsessed with the behind-the-scenes content on DVDs. I probably watched the bonus features on The Incredibles DVD more than I watched the film itself. There was something illuminating about it, like when a magician reveals the secret behind an impossible trick. I think I believed there was some hidden message in there. Like if you noticed the right thing in the right making-of featurette, you would suddenly intrinsically understand the secret to animation.
Recently I’ve been impressed with the work of independent animator Ian Worthington. He’s managed to devise a workflow in Blender which combines the conveniences of 3D animation with the hand-drawn charm of 2D animation. He’s even managed to nail down the Rankin-Bass stop motion style better than any TV ad or Christmas episode I’ve ever seen. Just a really smart guy leaning into the limitations of being an independent artist, creating work that, above all, is just plain fun to look at.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
Maybe this is a boring answer, but all I want right now is a chance to execute the craft. It’s the doing that gives me personal satisfaction. In the long term, I’d love to work on a board-driven comedy show. I think that’s a space where I could have a lot of fun and flex my unique creative muscles.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
The past year and a half have been a rough time for the industry, as anybody could tell you. The thought of the Union is what’s kept me going. Both the idea that the Union can support me in my journey, and the idea that I can support others through the Union. To me, the Union represents the hope that if we stick together and stand our ground, we can weather this storm.
See more of Cameron’s art on his website.
Learn about his video game Occult Crime Police.
Follow him on Twitter.
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