Her Story
About Michelle
I've been a professional animator for over 7 years, and in 2022 I founded my own animation studio, which I've been running for 4 years now. Before starting my studio, I worked as a management development executive at Pipeline Media Group, where they hosted screenwriting contests, book contests, and film contests. I oversaw the script and film divisions and read a lot of scripts from both emerging and established writers. That experience taught me about the development side of Hollywood and what it really takes to make a great story, and it influenced my decision to start my own studio and lead a company myself. I realized I really like that bigger picture creative work. While I love writing and being an artist myself, I also love working with other creatives and clients and focusing on the bigger picture vision. At my studio, I handle everything from client consultations and understanding their vision, to writing or revising scripts, creating storyboards, and leading a small team of animators who execute the work. My role involves assigning work, reviewing output, giving notes, and managing client communications. I've been working from home since the pandemic, and I'm always seeking out different communities with women to connect with.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Michelle
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to not giving up and drowning out the negativity. As an artist, there are a lot of voices, whether in your personal life or on a societal level, where people don't really see you as a legitimate professional until you've 'made it,' unlike someone becoming a doctor or lawyer who gets perceived as more legitimate even while they're still in the process. The biggest thing is to try not to listen too much to those voices trying to steer you away. If you know this is what you want to do, it's the most amazing job in the world if you're really passionate about it. So it's about putting your blinders on and staying focused on your goal and your path. I think just making the decision to do my own thing and not worry about what other people have to say about it has been key.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I received was from my professors in undergrad, who were practicing artists themselves. They told me that as an artist, you may drift to different mediums, so you may feel more drawn to photography at some point, or painting or sculpture, but don't attach yourself to the medium, attach yourself to just being an artist. This advice has really run through my life because I've tried so many different art forms and I'm experimenting all the time, but ultimately my work and the themes I'm interested in have stayed somewhat constant. That perspective has been really influential for me.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The biggest thing is to just not give up. I've been an artist for a long time, and there are a lot of voices, whether in your personal life or on a societal level, where people don't really see you as a legitimate professional until you've 'made it.' Someone could be in the process of becoming a lawyer or doctor and they're not one yet, but they'll be perceived as more legitimate by society, versus if you're a practicing artist still making your own business or career trajectory. So the biggest thing is to try not to listen too much to those voices trying to steer you away. If you know that this is what you want to do, it's the most amazing job in the world if you're really passionate about it. It's just about drowning out the negativity and putting your blinders on and staying focused on your goal and your path.
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