previous page
TOC
Rising Stars
Rising Stars of Animation 2022 With so many brilliant people working in the ever-growing world of animation, it’s never an easy task to select the few who are spotlighted in our annual Rising Stars feature. Consider this a mere sampler of what is happening in the big animation world out there. We are so completely blown away by the level of talent, expertise and sheer artistry and craftsmanship represented in this year’s selection and proud to be able to shine some light on their unique perspectives and experiences. We know we’re going to be writing about their shorts, TV shows and movies for many years to come:
Latoya Ravenea Exec Producer, Rise Up, Sing Out, Disney Junior Director, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Disney+ Age: 31 Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York (to St. Lucian parents; I am a St. Lucian citizen, too!) School: UCLA [studied Creative Writing & Fine Arts and then got my MFA in Animation] First job in animation: P.A. on the Disney Junior show Sheriff Callie’s Wild West. My first art job was as a revisionist on the Puppy Dog Pals. What I love about my job: I love that as a director and a showrunner, I am able to coordinate all these different moving parts and help get a project over the finish line. Directing feels a lot like one giant puzzle game and I love the challenge of it. I especially love working with the storyboard artists and helping them craft impactful shots. When we are able to create a storyboard sequence that really achieves the emotion, nuance or humor my team and I were going for, it is such an awesome feeling. But hands down, my favorite part of this job is seeing what I create resonate with people. When I get to see the audience responding and connecting with the stories I got to tell, that is the best feeling in the world. Biggest challenge: Time! TV animation is such a fast-paced medium and I
always feel like the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, just constantly kind of running late. But actually, though it’s such a big challenge, I kind of enjoy the limitations of time constraints. I almost feel like it forces you to make decisions more confidently and to really become an efficient artist and director. Animation idols: Bruce Smith of course — it’s still super surreal that I am working with him! But I also adore the work of Mamoru Hosoda, Jorge R. Gutierrez, Glen Keane, Hayao Miyazaki, Shinichiro Watanabe, Brad Bird, Genndy Tartakovsky ... Haha, I will stop here because I could go on for a while! Fave movie growing up: I think Kiki’s Delivery Service was kind of a life-changing experience for me as a child. I remember being utterly mesmerized by all the magic in it and till this day, there are certain shots I can imagine as clearly as if I were watching it. I must have forced my parents to watch it with me easily 20-plus times! Best career advice: It was, “Your timeline and your path do not have to look like anybody else’s.” Right out of grad school, I was drowning in student debt, working in the electronics section of a Target and feeling like a failure because all of my classmates were getting studio art jobs. I thought many times, “Maybe the fact that I haven’t managed to get a studio job like they did means I am not cut out for this.” But I was very fortunate to have a former teacher tell me this advice then — and I am so grateful I listened to her. Future plans: I want to continue to make shows that push the needle forward. Working on both Rise Up, Sing Out and The Proud Family showed me what it’s like to tell stories that challenge the usual narrative and that celebrate BIPOC experiences in a deeply personal way. So, I am definitely looking to make more content like that — and help other Black and brown creators tell their stories as well.
www.animationmagazine.net 32
TOC
april 22
previous page
