Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
I was a kid who loved drawing and didn’t want to watch anything unless it was animated. I wanted to be an animator, but growing up in Maryland in the ’90s, I had a hard time seeing a way forward. One time I signed up for a 3D Studio Max class at the community college, and it was canceled due to lack of interest. I decided that if I was serious about animation, I’d have to go to art school.
It took a while. I was a journalist and a marketing writer first, but I made it to Ringling College of Art and Design, and then I moved to L.A. in 2012. I worked for a small studio called Soapbox Films doing art for feature film marketing campaigns before I landed my first animation gig at DreamWorks TV, then moved to Disney TVA. My friends Breana Williams and Waymond Singleton had a great podcast called Black N’ Animated, and I briefly worked with them to grow it into a platform for bringing the Black animation community together.
I left L.A. in early 2020 when I couldn’t find work and honestly I thought my career was over. To my surprise Sony contacted me because they were including Spider-Byte, a comic character I co-created for Marvel in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. A couple years later, I got a remote Storyboard Revisionist position on Disney Junior’s Ariel.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Getting hired. It took me five years after graduating art school to get my first animation gig. I had a good 18 months on Rapunzel’s Tangeled Adventure at DTVA, but other than that, jobs didn’t last long. I moved back home because I couldn’t afford to stay without full-time work. Little did I know, the pandemic was coming! It prompted Wild Canary Animation to go fully remote, and they hired me on Ariel, so I got to return to the industry despite living on the East Coast.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
I’m inspired by the friends who have seen me through the highs and lows of animation and the people who gave me a chance to prove myself. Jack Hsu was my mentor and advocate when I was brand new to the industry. Youa Vang, LeSean Thomas, Matt Wayne, Shea Fontana, Ezra Edmond, and Jerry Brice showed incredible faith in me. Steve Hickner and Dan Haskett have been so kind and generous with their knowledge. They’re doing the work to make animation a place for everyone.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
Now that I’m back in Maryland, I want to help young artists develop their own careers. It can be hard to find your way when you want to work in entertainment but live outside Hollywood. Having made that journey, I’m in a position to provide a bit of guidance. The industry is changing a lot too, and young artists need to know how to build a career that’s resilient even in hard times. I can’t afford to live in L.A. anymore, so I’m counting on the industry expanding so artists can be a part of it no matter where they are.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
The Union is a necessity, and it’s a shame to have to say that, but it’s the truth. The Union sets boundaries with employers and advocates for humane working conditions and fair compensation. I’ve worked non-union jobs, and I’m an author too, so I know the sorts of boundaries employers cross when there’s no one stopping them. My mother was a Union worker, and if I worked in any other industry I would want to be a part of a union.
Learn more about Nilah at her website.
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