Char

Tell us a little about yourself and your career.

I abandoned the idea of art as a career in high school. A few years later, an overseas anime opened international applications for key animators, and I was accepted. After that, a career in art seemed possible. I was fortunate enough to find friends in the industry; Polly Guo found me work in L.A., and I’ve been working in animation ever since. I won’t say that my hard work wasn’t a factor, but having help and support from others goes a long, long way, and it wouldn’t have been possible on my own. I’ve been working in the animation industry for almost 10 years now. 

What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?

Learning what you can and can’t do feels like a key part in finding your footing when starting a new career. There may be things that you don’t excel at that others do, and vice versa. Finding peace in that and enjoying your admiration for others can help ease the anxiety of not being able to do enough. And most importantly, learning how to take breaks. I think artists can be stubborn, but having time away from art is a very important part of preserving your life with it.

Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?

Production coordinators! They do a lot of work we could not do without and are truly the pillars that hold things together. It’s been 10 years, but I still feel like a novice when it comes to navigating everything, especially when you change studios so often. When I witness their work, I always think that there’s more that I could be doing…

What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?

As a Storyboard revisionist, my goal is to uplift the works of others and to help them achieve their vision and passion in an invisible way. It’s simple, but I’m satisfied with that.

What does being in the Union mean to you?

Having worked in non-union productions, you can feel a tangible difference in the way that everyone’s right to a safe, sustainable workplace is taken more seriously. I’ve accepted conditions that were exploitative and unfair when I started out because I didn’t know any better. With the help of others who are genuinely caring and more experienced, I’ve learned a lot since then. There’s always room for improvement, and there’s always room for conversation on what needs to be improved.

Learn more about Char at their website.