Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
Hello! My name is Régis (pronounced Reggie) Camargo, and I’m very grateful to be a husband to a lovely wife, a father of two rowdy daughters, and the owner of a young Shiba Inu mix dog. I’ve worked for 15+ years in features, motion design shorts, series, and special event projects as a Director, Story Artist, Animator, and Designer. I’m currently storyboarding on a yet-announced project at a Union studio here in Los Angeles, and I hope to return to directing for series or short subject works in the near future. I also hope to return to pitching my own independent projects and hopefully get to develop them further with a bigger team in which we can all collaborate to create something new and exciting for new audiences—and who knows, maybe something transformative and memorable, too!
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Being a Latinx artist already comes with its own challenges, but I think managing to stay true to my purpose with the craft of animation and storytelling, while also just being able to get work for its own sake (and that of my bank account), is something that I feel is still rather challenging in my career. For many years it was difficult to separate the work from life outside of work, and everything just became part of an “animation lifestyle” that I made for myself, which mostly ended up being one in which I strove to make every waking (and sleeping) moment part of the growth to become a better artist, a better craftsman, a better employee… after all, I loved it so much, but also, there was very little time left for much else.
So thanks to my wife and my kids, and going through a lot of therapy, a few years ago I learned to separate those aspects of my life and career. It was ironically through that process that I’ve felt the most growth and pride in my own work, and it’s what’s kept me driven and optimistic to continue in this crazy business.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
Hiroyuki Imaishi, Yoh Yoshinari, Sushio, Akira Amemiya, Shigeto Koyama, Hideaki Anno, Kazuya Tsurumaki, Mitsuo Iso, to name a few—their design, animation, and directing sensibilities are constantly on my mind.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
There is a lot I’ve already accomplished, especially as a Story Artist, Animator, and Director, that very early in my career I didn’t think was even in my future. And so now, the drive to dream bigger is there to hopefully get to direct and run a short series or feature based on my own stories and characters.
Even if I may never get to produce something at a grander level for a worldwide audience, the process of putting a pitch or treatment together still excites me. It’s all potential without the baggage at this stage, but it’s also what makes a crew fall in love or have a sense of purpose about a project to push through the tough days and hardships that the industry presents us all. I still have a lot of naïveté about just making cool things in animation, but I’m also proud that I haven’t lost that spark either.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
Being a member in The Animation Guild means truly being able to have the dreams I mentioned in my previous answer. I wouldn’t have the peace of mind to know that certain parts of my health, and that of my wife and kids, have some support through the healthcare benefits we get as members—even during periods when I’m not employed. And the support network of members that are always looking out for Union kin creates a sense of community that makes this journey a little less lonely, especially during hard times. Whether we are looking for work, developing something new independently, or just communicating with each other to enact greater change whether within or beyond TAG, I’ve found that members are more and more there to listen and support each other. It’s that strength of community that keeps me hopeful for my own dreams in the field, as well as that of others. I want every one in my Union to thrive!
Learn more about Régis at his website and online portfolio.
Follow him on X (Twitter) and LinkedIn.
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