How would you describe what you do as an animator and animation director?
That’s a hard one! I suppose I bring things to life, like a magic trick or like being Frankenstein.

What are the main influences and inspirations behind your work?
Growing up, I was really obsessed with Wallace and Gromit, and everything Aardman made – particularly their Channel 4 short films from the ‘90s. I think their early work has a surreal and experimental edge that they’ve slightly lost through the years.

Another big inspiration was watching Jan Švankmajer films while at uni. He’s a true surrealist and his work made me realise that stop-motion is open to all kinds of ideas, not just more ‘kid-friendly’ work.

Would you say you need any specific training for what you do?
Not really! I feel it’s more important to be passionate about animation and ideas in general. Learning things as you go along means you’re not restricted by one particular way of doing things. I recommend following what feels good to you and staying true to your ideas.

Is there a specific pathway into animation that most people take?
I don’t think so. As with most creative jobs, the fact there isn’t a set path makes it hard to get into. But there's no right or wrong way to get into animation. Obviously, it helps if you're related to Walt Disney or if your uncle owns Pixar! Really, you have to make connections and get your work out there.

I work freelance, which I enjoy as it means I get to work with a lot of different people and clients. Most of the stop-motion animators and directors I know are freelance, as there are very few stop-motion studios that hire animations or directors on a full-time basis.

What’s been your favourite project to work on so far, and why?
It’s hard to decide! I directed an ad for Salomon a while ago that was super-fun. It was a big plasticine dinosaur stomping around in trainers, squishing a cardboard cityscape. I loved coming up with the ideas, sculpting it and the animation was so fun.

What was your journey like when you were first starting out?
When I was first starting out, I found it really hard to stay positive and have the confidence to continue. I was hardly making any money and was very doubtful if I’d really be able to do animation as a career. It’s so hard to stay motivated if jobs aren't coming in.

I was living on a houseboat at the time and renting an old leaky studio. Really, Instagram saved me. Putting my work on there gave me hope that I could have a career in animation and directing.

How did you go about landing your first few jobs, clients or commissions?
It was really down to Instagram and sending out hundreds of emails to random people. I started posting on social media and after a while, I got some small commissions. It was all new to me, and I found it hard dealing with the business side of things.

I also sent out a lot of emails and messages directly to brands on social media, but most of the time I didn’t get a reply. I did get a few jobs that way though! You can’t really predict what will work. Try everything you can think of and something will stick.

What has been your biggest challenge along the way?
Doing commissions, updating social media and sending emails – while keeping my everyday life separate so I’m not working all the time – has been a challenge.

I think that’s an issue for a lot of creatives, maintaining a work-life balance. When you do what you love as a job, you never really switch off. I’m in a very privileged position, so I shouldn’t really be complaining about it, but keeping everything in the air has been hard! I'm better at it now.

What are some things that you’ve found useful to your work or career, and why?
There is a wonderful book called Stop Motion: Craft Skills for Model Animation by Susannah Shaw. It covers everything you need to know about stop-motion.

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin is another great book. It's helped me a lot with understanding where ideas come from and how to push myself to create more. I’d recommended it to anyone in any field.

Then, there’s a great podcast called The Animation Industry, available on most platforms. Episode 32 with Stephen Chiodo is filled with so much useful information and ideas about animation and the industry. I listen to that episode religiously.

Also, after I finished uni and was unsure what to do, reading the articles and experiences of other creatives on Creative Lives in Progress helped me stay focused and believe in my own work. Hearing other people’s stories gave me the confidence to pursue a creative career in the early days.

What have been your greatest learnings with making money and supporting yourself as a creative?
Understanding that the work will come, you just have to put yourself out there. For me, it tends to happen in waves. I’ll be super-busy for four months, then it will die down for a few weeks, then I’ll get busy again.

You just have to trust that the right people and clients are out there, but you have to find them! Also, it’s about making genuine connections with people. You’ll work with some people and it will just click, you’ll get on and it'll be a great project. Those are the ones that keep you motivated to keep going.

What’s the best career-related advice you’ve ever received?
I heard a Henri Matisse quote somewhere that says, "Don’t try to be original. Be simple. Be good technically, and if there is something in you, it will come out." Now it’s on a Post-it note on my studio wall. It takes the pressure off always trying to create something original.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get into a similar role?
Don’t follow trends, they won’t last long and will quickly become outdated. Find what you like and stay true to that. Also, don’t let people change your vision to fit theirs (unless they're paying you a lot of money!)