10/20/21 RISE UP ANIMATION (ONLINE)
RISE UP ANIMATION
Introduced by Shon Xiao, Discussion Moderated by Aloha (Haekyung) Lee
https://www.riseupanimation.org/
Rise Up Animation was created by working studio professionals
Frank Abney, Trent Correy, Monica Lago-Kaytis & Bobby Pontillas as a
movement to provide support to all People of Color with the goal of
helping diverse talent Rise Up in the Animation Industry.
Frank E. Abney III, Director at Netflix Animation, Co-Founder of Rise Up Animation
Frank E. Abney III is a California native African-American who grew up with a passion for storytelling, drawing and movies. After graduating from The Art Institute of California - San Francisco, he began working as an animator on game, film and TV projects like Tomb Raider, Disney’s Oscar-winning Frozen and Big Hero 6 and DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 3 and The Boss Baby. He then joined the team at Pixar, where he has collaborated on Coco, Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4, and its upcoming film, Soul. Abney recently executive produced Sony Picture Animation’s Academy Award-winning short "Hair Love" with Issa Rae, and is currently directing an animated feature film at Netflix.
Trent Correy, Director & Animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Co-Founder of Rise Up Animation
Trent Correy is a Canadian-born shorts director and animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios with over a decade of experience working in the animation industry. Along with animating on films such as Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia and Moana, Trent also directed the animated short film “Drop”, which recently made its debut on Disney Plus. In 2018 Trent co-created the Oscar-nominated short, “One Small Step” with Bobby Pontillas & Taiko Animation Studios. Recently, Trent was the character animation supervisor for Olaf, Bruni and Gale on Frozen 2, and is the writer and co-director of the original animated short, Once Upon a Snowman, now on Disney Plus.
Monica Lago-Kaytis, Producer & CEO Frogbot Films, Co-Founder of Rise Up Animation
Monica Lago-Kaytis is a Latin-American producer. Born in Hollywood and raised in Los Angeles, Monica Lago-Kaytis joined Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1994 for the film POCAHONTAS and continued to work in a wide variety of production roles on traditional, CG and stereoscopic animated films including HERCULES, MEET THE ROBINSONS and THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG. She served as Associate Producer on WRECK-IT RALPH and ZOOTOPIA then made her live-action debut with Netflix’s THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES. Her talent for casting put Kurt Russell at the top of the list for his now iconic performance as Santa Claus.
Bobby Pontillas, Show Creator at Walt Disney TV Animation, Co-Founder of Rise Up Animation
Bobby Pontillas is a Filipino-American director and artist who has worked in the animation and games industries as an animator, character designer, art director, and director for such studios as Disney, Taiko, Blue Sky, ArenaNet and more. He is an Academy Award nominated director for the animated short film, “One Small Step”. Bobby is currently developing animated projects for the Disney Channel and Disney Plus.
Shengwei Zhou (szhou894@usc.edu):
ReplyDeleteWhat impressed me the most in today's lecture was a question raised by Tianyun and the answers of the four speakers. Tian Yun asked if she was not very social, would she lose a lot of opportunities in the process of finding a job and doing projects. This is actually a question I really want to ask in my heart. In many cases, I don’t want to socialize or talk. I just want to create my own thing. In my opinion, socializing and talking are a process that consumes my energy. After every conversation, I feel particularly tired. I can't be as active as some people in various social situations, or I can't be able to wear a poker face as a disguise.
The answers of the four speakers gave me a lot of inspiration, and I believe it also gave Tianyun a lot good advice too. That is, first you have to keep yourself professional. For those who can socialize, if they don't have a handy work, that's just empty talk. Second, communicate with people you really recognize from deep inside your heart, instead of trying to please everyone. No one is a fool. When you obviously don't like other's work and pretend to be very interested, no matter how masterful the disguise is, the others will see through it. Therefore, sincere communication is a way to make yourself and the other person comfortable. In this way, a stronger and more intimate social network can be established, helping people to better develop their potential and creativity at work.
Perhaps people’s anxiety and fear of social interaction stem from excessive purpose and fear of not being recognized by others. But for an artist, the most important thing is always the work rather than the social skills. There are many artists with quirks in art history, but they are still accepted and recognized for their extraordinary genius works, and even their quirks have become part of the works. Therefore, the most important thing for us is to maintain professionalism and continue to create.
Getting the chance to listen to and communicating with rise up animation has been a gift for us. Having been following them and watching so many sessions of their inspirational online webinars for the whole time ever since dipping my toes into the animation industry, they have become my role models since many of the guests speakers they invited share the similar backgrounds as i do, making it extremely relatable and touching for me when hearing their stories. And when knowing they are going to be our guests this week, I was very excited. They give us the presentation in a very loose form, since they are basically here to answer our questions and help us with our confusions as aspiring artists who are new to the industry. They shared their past journey in the animation industry, both their success and their struggling, and by listening to their experience I just felt like I'm not the only one who has been going through this. After that they shared their tips and suggestions about getting into and staying in the industry. All of their advice and tips for us are really solid, such as being flexible with the way we present ourselves when meeting people helps with interviews and leaving good impressions, and trying to meet more people when having the chance helps with building connections in the industry, etc. I was really inspired and learnt a lot of useful tips, and I'm super thankful for their presentation.
ReplyDeleteRui Han (ruihan@usc.edu)
Kacey Layson (klayson@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteHaving the founders of Rise Up Animation for Seminar last week was incredible! Frank Abney, Trent Correy, Monica Lago-Kaytis and Bobby Pontillas, the co-founders of Rise Up Animation are all experienced and accomplished artists in the Animation industry and they had such inspiring and encouraging thoughts to share. It was great to hear them tell their story as well as how they first started their careers in Animation.
I was particularly inspired by how Rise Up Animation got started. It was a response from the impact of George Floyd’s death last year and all the events that transpired because of it. Rise Up Animation’s goal is to empower BIPOC artists, animators and creatives in the industry and empower their voices and create more opportunities for them. I thought this was incredible, because of Rise Up Animation it makes growth more attainable and easily accessible for artists and students looking to get their break in the industry. They are able to get connected with a mentor that can share their experiences and be that connection for them. That’s what I love about the animation industry, there is always room at the table for new artists, ideas and voices- they encourage it!
It was also so awesome to speak personally with Bobby Pontillas. I admire his work and am so inspired by him as an artist, storyteller and as a Filipino-American artist as well. Hearing his take on how to find your artistic voice and creating genuine pieces of work was really inspiring. The idea of specificity within culture and community- while maintaining universal appeal through emotions, personal experiences, and being inspired by your own life, really resonated with me.
Thank you so much Rise Up Animation for sharing your stories, passions and purpose with us!
Delaney McCallum (jmccallu@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteIt was SO wonderful to talk with the founders of Rise Up Animation for Seminar last week! Any of them individually would. have been impressive guests, and I was blown away by their collective accomplishments. It was both a reality-shock and a comfort to hear how they all struggled to break into the industry. I always feel like I'm behind or I'm failing, when I know that rejection is a totally normal part of being in this field. I am inspired by all of their tenacity and passion for the art of animation. When Bobby described that moment of seeing animation and feeling the magic and realizing this is what he wanted to do, I completely related because I had a very similar experience growing up.
I really appreciated their advice about networking, especially for people who are maybe less social. I realized that networking is not about being super extroverted and making temporary connections. It's more about working the real relationships you have created with people along your career journey. It's much more important to be genuine and authentically yourself when connecting with others instead of using them to try and further your career.
Rise Up is such an important organization and I'm really happy to hear about its creation. I'm surprised it didn't exist sooner, but happy that the social limits of COVID helped its technological formation. The current events in this country make me feel hopeless and powerless, and its nice that they are creating room at the table for underrepresented voices. I'm really thankful for this presentation, and I hope I get to meet the speakers again in the future!
Tianyun Lyu tianyunl@usc.edu
ReplyDeleteI am so honored to having the founders of Rise Up Animation for Seminar! And I feel so inspiring by hearing them sharing their experience. It’s always hard for people to find themselves when they got into industry. And it’s even harder to found a company. So it was great to hear them tell their stories.
I was so anxious by hearing that Monica said you have to know someone to meet someone. It is true but it’s really hard for me because I constantly feel tired to build networking. But I did saw a lot of opportunities because of all the networking I have built. But I have to make some space from my mind to keep that networking still. Sometimes the only thing I am willing to do is doing stuff by my own quietly.
Thanks for Monica’s helpful suggestions about that she would say that when it comes to connecting, this is it. One additive that she will put on what the guy said it's not just in addition to loving what they do and being passionate that's going to come through. But if I am connecting with someone whose work I admire, all the better because most people love to hear that their work is admired or a touched me, and they want to talk about themselves. I just need to do is look at your favorite movies find your favorite artists that's your discipline find where they are maybe they're on linkedin send a message and say hey.
It was such an honor and privilege to have the founders of Rise Up talk with us via Zoom, and I'm very grateful for the energy they brought to the table. It was truly inspiring! I was shocked how disciplined and organized they are in terms of their work habits, because I think I get distracted too often when I work.
ReplyDeleteThey achieved what they have achieved because they have enough passion for what they do to endeavor their lives into it. I think passion and perseverance is the key to succeed in whatever field you work in. They talked about networking in the industry, and I totally relate to a lot of points they brought up, such as knowing people gets you jobs, but you need to be good first (duh). I've seen so many people getting jobs through networking, but the truth is, they not only know people, but they put themselves out there and have already shown their talents and skills.
And it is true that you need to be able to work in a team with good communication skills, because animation industry is about close team work. I relate so much to the idea that networking is not clinging onto somebody good like an opportunist, but to genuinely connect to those who you truly admire or appreciate. I always reach out to the artists whose work I saw and went "this person a genius," and I would go ahead to tell them how much I appreciate their work with light-heartedness and candor. And sometimes good results follow! I've made friends with an artist simply through chatting online, and when we met in person I could not describe how much I loved her as a person. So all in all, it is our passion for animation and art in general that unite people, and when the chemistry is right, networking just happens naturally.
Last but not least, I was so happy to see that everyone there on Wednesday was so approachable and kind-hearted. They are not just great artists/professionals themselves, but also amazing human beings and such great mentors. I hope as I keep develop as an artist, I could grow into someone who can be an inspiration to others too!
-Charlene Xu
Stefie Gan (stefiegan@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the energy Rise Up Animation brought to our seminar, Bobby, Frank, Trent, and Monica, were friendly, casual, and honest about their experiences and advice. I found it interesting to have Bobby, Frank, and Trent speak from an artist's perspective and Monica from the production side. From the short interaction, I can feel the tensions between production demands and artists' health and wellbeing. Monica warned us that working at a large studio would require at least 50-60 hours/week during crunch time. This may be even tougher for roles that are closer to the end of production, vs story artists. The Animation Guild may join in the strike to fight for better working conditions for artists. Everyone spoke on this topic of work life balance and remembering to have a life outside of work, so we can properly tell stories that mean something and also remember the importance of friends and family.
It was a challenge for me to think this holistically, but I'm getting here. I placed a lot of pressure on myself to get a studio job after graduation. The pressure built up to a point where it became overly important and even equated it to my own value and validation. We have to be aware when we place such unrealistic expectations and unhealthy relationships of our personal values, work to commercial means. It would be a good experience to work in a studio, but I remember what Eric Darnell said, the beauty of being an artist is we don't need permission from anyone to become one. We can still consistently produce work regardless of where we're working, and it may be more rewarding to have the time to make personal work as well.
A perk to working at studios is meeting all the talented artists and becoming friends with them. This group of friends created a nonprofit together and continue to make impact. USC is another place where we can build meaningful connections and I hope to keep in touch with my classmates and do some cool projects/start some companies together!
It was a great experience to have four founders of Rise Up Animation share their own journey of animation. And I'm very grateful to Boddy, Frank, Trent, and Monica for honestly telling us that animation production has never been easy work. Even entering this industry requires sufficient strength and luck. We can only improve our professional skills, strengthen teamwork ability, and be nice to everyone. And big animation studios are not the only answer for young artists to turn their dreams into reality. The animation industry, like animation itself, is full of possibilities.
ReplyDeleteThank them for providing us with a professional platform to engage in animation work in the industry. It does not only help us to get precious feedback from the industry's perspective but also closely connects us who love animation.
Naicheng Liu
It's such and honor to have the founders of the Rise Up Animation to the semniar and having them share their experiences. I signed up for their mentorship program on Instagram the year before and communicated with a super friendly animation production coordinator for a month. Later, because both of us were too busy, we did not continue this mentorship thing. The mechanism of this mentorship is beneficial and enlightening for animation students. The suggestions about networking they gave are very inspiring. Keeping our passion for art and being nice is always the secret of networking with other artists. They also mentioned that when they first entered the industry, almost everyone would work overtime. But when we are overwhelmed with work and stress, we should always pay attention to our health. Sometimes I forget to balance the relationship between the two.
ReplyDeleteShengluo Zhang
shengluo@usc.edu
It was fantastic having Rise Up Animation! I am keen on signing up for the mentorship program. I really appreciate them for giving an honest feedback for the questions asked by my peers. They also gave some great tips about networking. Rise Up Animation as an initiative is very inspiring. I would love to get on board with this and help to mentor folks from different communities so we can have more representation in the industry.
ReplyDeleteThey are such fantastic people! Thank you for inviting them for the seminar!
The founders of Rise Up Animation were very inspiring! It's so good to hear from a group of diverse artists talking about their experiences and sharing their thoughts in different perspectives. Everyone has such an unique story to tell, and some of them are a bit harsher and with more obstacles, which made me realized it wasn't always easy to pursue one's dreams and I am grateful for my opportunity now. However, they all have one thing is common - the same passion for animation. Some of them didn't come from an Animation background, but they have always known that deep down, animation was their true calling, and they will fight for their goal. This inspires me a lot since I wasn't an Animation major in college either. Coming here, in most of the time, I feel like I am not skilled enough nor understand enough about animation. But it was the enthusiasm and passion that brought me here in the first place, and I should never be forgetting that. We have come such a long way. Now I always tell myself to never forget about why I am here and my desire to learn.
ReplyDeleteSydney Chen
pinghsin@usc.edu
Thanks so much to Monica, Trent, Bobby, and Frank for such an inspiring panel! Hearing the origin stories of previous generations always inspires me. Our predecessors have explored so many different paths before us, yet everyone will still have a different story. Whatever the number of ways that have been paved before us, there are always more possibilities. An organization like Rise Up Animation will help us pave our own paths. Establishing Rise Up Animation is such a kind, meaningful, supportive act. It is the greatest action to share experience, knowledge, and support in a world like this. I truly appreciate all the time, effort, love, and support you are putting into this!
ReplyDeleteCherry Guo (guomengy@usc.edu)
This week, I was very fortunate to listen to The founders of Rise Up Animation’s presentation, It’s such a pleasure to meet Monica, Trent, Bobby, and Frank！Bobby mention that one person which applied to Disney like several times, but also be refused and the same here man like he can't even tell us how many times he applied to not only Disney, reamworks, pixar, Sony. When I just graduated from university, I also submitted portfolios to some big companies in China, but at the time, all the companies either ignored me (without the slightest message) or rejected me. At that time, I had huge doubts about myself, I was Isn’t it unsuitable to major in animation, do I need to change my work direction? (Actually, I still have this kind of confusion until now)But after listening today, I saw that so many people who are better than me have experienced the same situation, but still choose to persevere in improving themselves. I really admire this. I hope that in the future I can also adjust my mentality and avoid encountering give up when setbacks。Including Jennifer also mentioned that big companies rejected you not because of you, because they needed something different from you at the time.Including what Monica said when answering Nina's question later, realizing this dream will make us happy, so we will work hard to realize it. If there is no health or unhappiness, it is meaningless. So don't give up because of some small setbacks, but go ahead and pursue your dreams.
ReplyDeleteSHIQIHU(shiqihu@usc.edu)
It was a great pleasure and honor to meet Rise Up Animation studio, each one of the members is an inspiration in their own way! I really enjoyed listening to their personal stories and backgrounds and how they all started. I loved how passionate they are about animation, and I enjoyed listening to them talk about how they started up their own studio, and I was really touched by how close they are to each other.
ReplyDeleteI really respect their values and I respect their friendship. It is such an admiration to see how a group of friends can start up such a studio for a very thoughtful, valued and respected goal, to provide equal opportunities for all people and individuals.
I think, one of the things that resonated with me that most, is to remind myself that it is OK if I don’t work for a big studio, because after all maybe deep inside that is not what will make me happy. Thanks again for inviting such amazing people to our seminar. Looking forward to hearing our next guest.
Thank you,
Dina Garatly
Vicky Gu (xingyugu@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteThe four guest speakers we had last Wednesday from Rise Up Animation were all very wonderful and inspiring. Monica, Frank, Trent and Bobby were all amazing speakers and they’ve accomplished great things in the industry. It was cool to hear their personal stories, as well as how they came together to form Rise Up Animation during the pandemic. It was also interesting that they’ve all crossed paths and became good friends before they decided to form this organization. I like what Monica said that we should make friends at school because they will be the people that we end up working with and the connections we will have in the future. I’m glad that there as organizations like Rise Up Animation that represents the BIPOC individuals in the industry. I would very much love to sign up for their mentorship program and utilize any resources they’re able to provide.
Some of the most important things I learned from the Rise Up panelists is regarding breaking into the industry. It’s a hustle to get to a successful level, but it continues to be a hustle forever because that’s what it takes to make top tier work. A big help with this is surrounding oneself with like-minded, ambitious people, and eventually your presence and influence will push each other to higher heights. Another important thing that Monica mentioned is to actually apply for what you want to do. The example she gave was someone who wants to be an artist applying for a producer internship, and recruiters know that hiring them would take the place of someone who really wants to be a producer. On the other end, it’s best to apply for work you actually want to do so that you get the most out of it (something our previous speakers really made clear). Ultimately there will be a lot of rejections, but it’s part of the process until you finally break through.
ReplyDeleteThe most eye-opening realization I had while listening to the speakers was how difficult it is going to be for me to be in this industry. I’m no stranger to hard work and long hours, but I know that my back injury is going to be a major issue for me. The worst part is it’s the kind of injury that isn’t easily visible, so I will have a lot of social pressure to navigate before I feel comfortable doing the things I need to do to be able to work (people accusing me of faking it, wondering why I take so many breaks, etc). Luckily, I was able to get used to these issues while playing water polo so I know I’ll be tough enough to handle it, it’s just unfortunately something I’ll have to deal with. I hope that my bosses/colleagues will have some understanding of my situation, and I’ll have to be really good at what I do for it to be worth it to keep me around. I’ll need to be disciplined and take care of myself the way I need to, because no one else is going to facilitate it for me. No one will ever care about you more than you… except maybe family. It’s a bummer but it was good to hear it from Rise Up so that I can be prepared.
-Nina Ceklic
Vicky(Shunyi) Xie
ReplyDeleteI always gives no hope to the humility, there are always some bad and unfair things happened to poc and women, and I believe there is no hope to change it what so ever especially in the animation industry in US, Hollywood, which is a place/industry that came from white men leaded period.
However, seeing people from Rise up Animation gives me hope. I am very happy to see that at least there are some people who are trying to change the world even a little bit better. Rather than just posting something and shout out some slogan and using some hashtag, they are actually working on the things. They give free portfolio reviews to the group who are usually not getting enough attention in the industry, they help people to have more connections that will help them to find a job. Their background also proves that they will understand people with tough past and gives help. Of cause the whole Hollywood industry will not change in one day but people like them will always be the hero to make the society a little better.
One another thing is I wish I can hear more voice from international students/ workers, which means they have way less perviliege to "wait for the timing and chance of a job" in a highly competitive animation industry. Of cause the life of the second generation of immigrant is tough, but at least they can stay in the country and wait for 10 years to get the dream job. For student visa holder? They only have 1 year to get a full time job or they will be kicked out of the country forever.
After all it is a very good chance to hear the voice from them and I am very inspired and motivated by them.
ReplyDeleteI loved hearing from Frank E. Abney III, Trent Correy, Monica Lago-Kaytis, and Bobby Pontillas, about their animation journeys and the founding of Rise-Up Animation. I was excited to learn that Rise-Up Animation exists as a resource for BIPOC animators. It felt good to know that this support system is being developed for animators of color within the industry. It felt even better to meet the faces of Rise-Up Animation, and to see how friendly, positive, helpful they all were. You could tell that they all cared deeply about being a resource and a source of inspiration for new animators. I felt an affinity with Rise-Up Animation because I hope that I can be an inspiration for other animators of color one day too. I am thankful for Rise-Up’s work in breaking animators of color into the animation field.
The conversation we had about burnout and taking care of yourself stuck with me. I believe it was Frank E. Abney III who posed two questions along these lines: ‘How good will you be at your job if you’re burning yourself to the ground?’ and ‘What experiences can you bring to your work if you’re always at your desk?’ I found the latter question to be especially profound. Oftentimes an artist’s success is measured by how hard they are working or pushing at their craft. One might not consider that taking care of yourself and stepping away from your work can actually help it even more. I agree that an artist’s value should not be based on how much overtime they’re doing, how big their studio is, or how much they can challenge their limits. There are many different ways to measure success, and your measurement doesn’t have to be approved by anyone but yourself.
Victoria Cruell (cruell@usc.edu)
I learned so much from last week's seminar, starring the co-founders of 'Rise Up Animation': Monica Lago-Kaytis, Bobby Pontillas, Frank Abney, and Trent Correy. I've been following them ever since the George Floyd tragedy and as things got worse and worse as the pandemic broke out. The leader and the representative of a powerful country called USA bullying, blaming, making fun of people of a certain ethnicity. And making doing so seem okay and let the hatred and fear from ignorance and self-insecureness out to the public. I do understand that this is a pattern of society and economy, as seen in history. But I, also being an East Asian woman, had to feel negative thoughts because I am only human. It seemed like going to this country to study abroad, risking and spending all that money and time, would be a foolish investment. And that also I'd be risking my own life. 4 Korean women died from the Atlanta spa shooting. So many East Asian women, elderly, children were being attacked and harassed just for their ethnicity and coming off as "weak". But apparently, I am currently here. What helped me so much during those times of uncertainty, fear and rage was the kind of activity that the folks at 'Rise Up Animation' were doing. Yes, a lot of great advice came out that night. But what means more to me is how they are starting a change, even if it's not a mainstream thing to do, for no profit at all but for the sake of minority artists. I just wanted to bring that up and thank them for it. Because if it weren't for devoting and selfless people like them, I might not be here studying at this school, meeting all you amazing people. Thanks so much, Monica, Bobby, Frank, and Trent. :)
ReplyDeleteAloha Lee (haekyung@usc.edu)
As a person of color it was nice to see Rise up Animation helping and giving back to the community . Growing up for me was a struggle to say the least.
ReplyDeleteIt was always full on mission with multiple tasks in order to complete the objective in this case, having something as simple access to art supplies or a computer. Let alone a computer loaded with software and hardware to experiment with graphics and animation was a godsend. I didn’t have a computer until I was 18.
Thus it was really inspiring and beautiful to see them giving back to people of color and underprivileged youth.
They also talked about networking and what they said made so much sense, basically not not cling onto someone or act like a fan/ opportunist, instead connect with the person as they are a person just like you are in no way are they any different. In other words networking is about just meaning people it about connects and nurturing connections into working relationships.
Pedro Chinchilla
(pedrochi@usc.edu)
Aisha Jamila Harper ( ajharper@usc.edu // 5377-7371-00 )
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Rise Up Animation before this class, but I'm definitely a huge fan now. One of the things that I loved most was how genuine and down to earth each of them were. I really love how people with the same wave length always tend to find each other, and it's definitely the case with them. Another wonderful thing to witness was that they were all People of Color who were not only successful, but giving back. I can't wait to be in the same position!
They're unrelenting message of never giving up and doing what you truly love is something that I'll never get tired of hearing. What Monica was saying about getting a job in what you want to be doing, so that it frees up the space of a job you're not very interested in stuck with me. I didn't see myself just picking up any random animation job, but I'm more cognizant of the fact that if I'm not actively working towards what I want to be doing, it's something that could happen unintentionally.
I really appreciated hearing everyone speak, as well as the energy they brought with them. It's the same energy that I hope to inspire in others as I move forward in the creative industry.
Clara Chou
ReplyDeleteyuncheng@usc.edu
It was so fun listening to Frank, Trent, Monica and Bobby talking about animation last week. Such an informative and inspirational session, and I enjoyed it so much and learned a lot from it! I really appreciate all the opportunities that Rise Up Animation has created for all of us. They created a virtual environment for people who are passionate about animation from all over the world to make connections which is incredible. I have signed up for a portfolio review with Rise Up Animation and got a really great session! Their advice on how to balance your career and personal life is super helpful! This is something I definitely need to think about more in the future. Thank you all for coming!
Anna Wang
ReplyDeleteawang206@usc.edu
It was such a pleasure to listen to the stories from the rise up animation’s founders. Like many previous speakers, they have shared with us their inspiring stories of becoming who they are now. Being a student who has not yet enter the industry and anxious about the future, their speech was such an encouragement. I feel like I could relate to different pieces within their stories since each of them had their personal struggles and breakthroughs. Their backgrounds are so different yet they connect by the passion of animation. Being the amazing artists they are, they decided to found rise up animation and reach out to help younger artists.I am so glad to be able to have this resources by my side, and I decided to make a good use of it as well as their advices on how to socialize with other professionals in my journey of entering the industry.
The experience of listening to the presentation of Rise Up Animation last week is memorable to me. I am appreciated hearing them share about how was their journey entering the industry, and how is it keep going on with their dedication to their career. As a student coming from a relatively different cultural background than the others. Their experiences were admiring and relatable to me at the same time. It is so inspiring to hear how they struggle and work hard to achieve or find their dream position in different ways. When someone asks them how to remain their work-life balance. One of the great suggestions from Frank that I would love to bring with me is ( I cannot remember the accurate quote)“ If we are not living our life, how can we put our life experiences into our stories and works.” As a person that often considers that contributing to works and projects has the priority among all tasks in my daily life. It reminds me of the importance of a proper life balance. And I need to think things from a long-term perspective to truly contribute to the works that will be meaningful.
ReplyDeleteLydia Su
lrsu@usc.edu
Shon Xiao
ReplyDeleteTo me personally, the talk with Rise Up Animation was perhaps the most comforting talk we have had in this class. Hearing from other people of color and seeing them be fully vulnerable and genuine with their experiences releases a lot of the pressure and intimidation I felt towards entering the animation industry. On top of seeing people who look like me in the industry, I felt comforted by their shared experience of being consistently rejected from studios. A few previous speakers had mentioned rejection being normal, but never went into depth with it. Many of the speakers from Rise Up Animation explicitly noted that it took them years to make it to where they were today. Perhaps it is because there were four speakers instead of one, but I felt that this panel was a lot more well-balanced in their ideologies than previous speakers. The Rise Up Animation founders were realistic when telling us that studios do care about art style in our portfolios, and that sometimes you have to adhere to what they want. They were realistic when telling us about the strenuous working hours. However, they also stayed genuine to their own passions and encouraged us to do the same.
There were a few messages that stuck to me from Rise Up Animation’s talk. One in particular was Frank’s story about his professor that told him to “do what you’re afraid of.” I recall when I first decided to pursue animation, my mother asked me how I felt about it. I told her I was terrified. My mother said she was confused, as she figured that because animation was my own choice that I would enjoy the process. I am enjoying the process, but it is specifically because this is my own choice that I am terrified of failing. I strongly resonated with Frank’s story, and his professor’s words are giving me strength to continue pursuing this dream.
A very big thank you to Monica, Trent, Bobby, and Frank for such an amazing discussion this week. They introduced The Rise Up Program, a group focused on creating a diverse workforce in the animation industry and help emerging artists industry. This is such an amazing resource to navigate the crazy waters while trying to enter the industry. It was such a pleasure hearing from Monica, Trent, Bobby, and Frank as they shared their stories and journey to where they are today in their careers. From balancing work, home life and health to showing the many emerging possible in the industry the panel provided amazing information. An inspiring talk and I'm grateful they were able to speak with us!
ReplyDeleteKaisey
Gina Gonsalves ggonsav@usc.edu
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed all of our speakers from Rise Up Animation, it was so inspiring hearing their stories and how they became involved in Rise Up. All of them had such impressive resumes and experiences to share with us.
I specifically appreciate the discussion that we had about those of us who may struggle with networking and putting ourselves out there, whether it be that we are more introverted, shy, or have a bad case of imposter syndrome. This is something many of us deal with and is not discussed often in seminars so I really appreciated the time they took to give us advice about how to present ourselves when we get to the industry and tips for being more confident. I really appreciate the work they do to uplift and support underrepresented artists in the animation industry. I appreciate the inspiration and comfort they brought to our seminar, I will definitely be joining.
It’s so inspiring to hear the four great animators/producers and the founder of Rise-Up Animation talk last week. I grew up watching a lot of their work, and it’s so exciting to hear them speak and talk about their personal journey. I find it really encouraging that they didn’t start being able to go into big studios like Pixar and Disney, and they also struggled with what they wanted to do for a while. A lot of animators want to work for big animation studios like Disney and Pixar, and the competition is always fierce, so it’s relieving to hear that they didn’t start there either. Instead they build their way up, working other jobs in the industry, and for some of them, it also takes a long time to get there. I also appreciate how honest they are about working for those big companies. I was surprised to hear when Monica said she worked 100 hour weeks when she was in Disney, and I agree that it’s really important to know what you are expecting going into these animation studios. Another thing I really appreciate is that most of them are minority races in the US. Animation started out as an industry dominated by white male, and it’s great to hear fresh perspectives. I find myself having concerns and worries going into the animation industry as a minority, so it’s nice to be able to relate to a lot of the things they were talking about and hearing their experiences. I didn’t know about Rise-Up Animation before, and I’m so glad to know that there is an organization out there that’s helping new animators who are minorities, and I will definitely sign up.
ReplyDeleteRuoyu Chen(chenruoy@usc.edu)
This week’s speakers were not only all highly accomplished industry professionals with absolutely STACKED resumes (Big hero 6, Coco, incredibles 2, toy story 4, zootopia, Moana, wreck it ralph AND MEET THE ROBINSONS!!), but they also had such great energy! They gave some great advice, and it’s good to know they didn’t get to their prestigious industry positions immediately, but instead worked their way up slowly from the beginning. That took a lot of the pressure and anxiety off my shoulders about getting a great job right out of school. Thanks so much to all of them for taking the time to talk to us!
ReplyDelete-Jackson Roberts (jpr02403@usc.edu)
Adriel Meka
ReplyDeleteameka@usc.edu
This was such a successful seminar class! Definitely one of my favorites and I thoroughly enjoyed the universal aspect of it. I loved the fact that we got to speak with such a diverse group and hear all about their origins as artists and individuals. People that came from all walks of life, the highs and the lows, from privilege and from minority. It was so refreshing and validating to see each of their journeys lead them to a common place and great to hear that there are many paths to what we all see as our dream goal. Hearing Monica and Frank speak about their struggles and challenges and that hardships they faced while trying to breach the industry added a wonderfully human element to the discussion. Everyone was very lively and welcoming and on top of being open about their own experiences they were also very insightful and provided wonderful tips to navigate our dream industry. I had the pleasure of attending some Rise Up meetings during a summer internship at Nickelodeon and it was truly wonderful to see the sense of community, drive, inclusion, and passion that they all portrayed while presenting. They did an excellent job at trying to connect with the audience while also giving us some “cheat codes” to get our food in the door. Overall I was very delighted by the seminar and it was inspirational having the Rise Up team present. Definitely looking forward to this weeks speaker!
Having the founders of Rise Up Animation talking with us is incredible. They are all talented artists and I admire their works. They shared their struggles in the industry with us, how it’s hard but worth it. They shared how do they found Rise Up Animation because of the impact of George Floyd’s death. And they give tips to us about how to have a better time staying in the industry, such as building more and meaningful connections with various people, being more flexible while introducing yourselves, going to major big studios is not the only choice of finding a job and so on. Those words are precious and meaningful for me. Thanks to Frank, Trent, Monica and Bobby to share their knowledge and experiences with us!
ReplyDeleteJiayi Tang
Tangjiay@usc.edu
Frank Abney III, Trent Correy, Monica Lago-Kaytis, and Bobby Pontillas are incredible people, and I am so glad they are the cofounders for Rise Up Animation. I was shocked when Sheila announced they would be coming because I thought they would be too busy to come to our school! Their advice and honestly about work hours and their careers provided me with perspective about the industry. They were very friendly, and I appreciated their discussion regarding how George Floyd's death fueled the movement towards better inclusivity and representation in animation. Before RiseUp, I didn't remember there being a prominent, nonprofit organization so focused on connecting BIPOC artists with industry professionals. There was CTN, Lightbox Expo, and other conventions that provided portfolio reviews. Before COVID, one had to travel to these onsite conventions and face long lines to get five to ten minutes of feedback. In the age of zoom, there is a greater acceptance towards connecting online and receiving feedback from professional artists who would be harder to meet otherwise. On another point, I also appreciated Monica's advice about thinking about one's life choices. She discusses how big studios (and small ones sometimes) have crunch periods where one can work 100 hours a week. That sounds stressful and makes me wonder how they keep loving their work. She also mentions thinking about who would show up at your funeral. It sounds depressing, but it gets you to think about what life you wish to lead and if your coworkers or colleagues genuinely care about you.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated them coming to speak with our school. Thanks for inviting them!
Parker Chatham, pchatham@usc.edu
Last week, we had the great opportunity to meet the co-founders of Rise Up Animation - an organization that I know really helped students here at USC. It was eye-opening to learn about their experiences in the industry and the challenges that animators must endure through to survive (i.e. long hours, hustling for jobs, and maintaining mental health). One advice that I found to be incredibly helpful was that success is all about persistence. I remembered one of the speakers mentioned that he applied for Pixar many times to get in and how his doubts about his skills as an animator prevented him from growing. This was relatable for me and puts things in a more pragmatic light. A career journey is not an easy one so consequently, one should consider the rejections as signs for improvement. Through diligence and self-care, one can be prepared to tackle the hard setbacks and flourish.
ReplyDeleteJarrod Chatham, jchatham@usc.edu
Tyler Krantz (tkrantz@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteThank you for inviting the founders of Rise Up Animation to speak with us last week. I have long admired Trent Correy and Frank E. Abney III, and I appreciate that we had the opportunity to hear them speak on their careers and goals for diversity in the animation industry. I was incredibly inspired by Monica Lago-Kaytis and Bobby Pontillas, both of whom I did not know of before this seminar, but have worked on some of my favorite animated features and shorts, including “One Small Step”. Knowing that there is an organization like Rise Up Animation working for diversity in the animation is encouraging, as we enter into a field in the midst of significant, hopefully positive, change.
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for having the founders of Rise Animation! It’s really exciting to learn how they firstly stepped in to the industry and found out why animation is the thing they want to do in their whole life. Although every one has different route but they are all insist on it. I am really touching when they say it will take time to figure out what is the thing you really want to do. This has been confused me for the whole MFA1 year, even now, I am still not quite sure, but I do know a little more about what I want to do now. Taking time to think is really important. Moreover, I like how they advice that at the beginning, we do need to develop us to a certain specific direction, and it will be ok if we want to change after working for several years. I think this is a super helpful advice to me, because I always confuse myself in the things I want to do, like concept art and 3d motion graphics. Actually I can do all of them later after I entered into the industry. The most vital thing is that I need to get into it first. I really appreciate how Rise Animation spend so much energy and time to help the people who wants to get into the industry. It is really hard if we have to fight ourselves. I have also looked up their websites and instagram, I found a lot of artists are influenced and helped by them. Thanks a lot for their contribution and help!
ReplyDeleteSiqi Fu(siqifu@usc.edu)
It is interesting to hear about artists’ life experience and get to know their Rise Up Animation. The reason and motivation of the foundation of this organization are really nice. And lots of great suggestions, such as the talking about personality—whether introvert of extrovert. I do agree with all the answers by the Rise Up Animation Team. Not only people are getting more acceptable about different personalities nowadays, but also people are having more complexed personalities. I feel many people including me have performed different personalities in different situations. I think it’s good to be open-minded no matter introvert or extrovert. And the suggestions for people who is graduating are helpful too. As long as we tried out best to do the work. The outcomes will take care of themselves.
ReplyDeleteXiaoqian Zhu (xiaoqiaz@usc.edu)
DeleteJessica Wu(wujessic@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteI'd say last week's lecture was the most inspiring and helpful lecture of all the lectures we've had so far. They were really open to talk about their own experiences and the practical aspect of working in mainstream studios. I was surprised when Monica said that she used to work 100 hours at Disney. It is rare that a speaker is so honest with their working environment. And they also shared the journey of founding Rise Up Animation. As a foreigner that just moved to this country. It is really helpful to know that there's an organization that has our back and help us to grow as artists. Overall I really enjoyed the talk. I will definitely be checking upcoming events of Rise Up Animation and will be interested to join!
Thanks to Rise Up Animation for coming! Last week's presentation was amazing and very informative.
ReplyDeleteThey answered a lot of long-standing questions in my mind today about job searching and networking. I think many people will feel related to this topic like me, that building connection on purpose had created too much anxiety.
Of course, it is very inspiring to hear such experienced, and accomplished artists in the animation industry tell their stories and how they started their animation careers. Hearing their talk, you can really feel their enthusiasm, which is why I like this industry. Animators not only love the working field they work in but are also very open-minded and helpful. People in this industry are always willing to share their experiences with others, and they are not hesitating to give opportunities to new artists.
I have signed up Mentor Program of Rise Up Animation before, and it has become one of the very first opportunities for me to figure out my path. Therefore, I'm really glad that we have a chance to invite such an essential organization in the industry and create this conversation.
Giulia
tzuyupan@usc.edu
I've followed Rise Up Animation for a while and have been an admirer for the founders Frank Abney III, Trent Correy, Monica Lago-Kaytis, and Bobby Pontillas. They're not only very professional but also easygoing and friendly. There's nothing more helpful than listening to a "veteran" of the industry speaking about his/her career. I really appreciate how open and honest about their experiences. Each of them had different obstacles along the way. Some of them were cultural, some of them had to deal with one's health conditions. But they were all extremely strong to make things work out eventually. I'd love to sign up for their mentorship program in the future.
ReplyDeleteChenxue Lu
Chenxuel@usc.edu
To hear from these four incredible human beings was wonderful. I've been following Bobby Pontillas since he worked on One Small Step. Seeing how he's taking his own animation career and making something that benefits animators in the industry is so inspiring and heart-warming. I love their energy and harmony. I can feel that they really love what they do and always want to make things for the better. That's always a reminder for me to keep loving what I do and not stay within my comfort zone by reaching out to people and creators around me. I'm so glad that I could meet with them face to face and absorb this positive energy from them.
ReplyDeleteJiamu Tao
From Armando:
ReplyDeleteThe Rise Up animation seminar was a great presentation. What they are doing for the industry in helping out minorities interested in pursuing animation is truly inspiring. All the artist on the panel are incredible human beings for what they are doing and not to mention super talented artists. I remember my film screened alongside Bobby Pontilla’s five One mall step and I was in awe of his work so it was such a privilege listening to him speak on a more personal level. Monica Lago-Kaytis sharing her story really encouraged me to pursue a path that I never considered before, that of being an animation producer. Hearing her own experiences in the animation industry only reinforced this for me. I’ll defiantly be signing up for their mentorship program once the semester ends!!
Armando Sepulveda Mendoza