Meet Ignacio Sandoval-Reilly | Experimental Animator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ignacio Sandoval-Reilly and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ignacio, why did you pursue a creative career?
When I was in middle school, I would constantly doodle in my notebooks. I think it was a way to relieve stress and also connect with others around me. I used to spend my recesses with three other people just making comics and talking about cartoons that we liked. When I was a freshman in high school, I think it clicked that creating art makes me genuinely happy and that I could make a living from doing it. So with this revelation in mind, I took as many art classes as I could, and I ended up working with dozens of different mediums that would inform my artistic practice. I took a liking to stop motion and traditional 2D animation. During my senior year, I applied to the California institute of the Arts for their experimental animation program, and got accepted (which is where I am currently studying.)

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I love creating serious films based of personal experiences, but also silly little films about silly little scenarios that have nothing to do with anything (the duality of man.) I love to try out new techniques like clay animation, or CGI, and try to figure out a story that would benefit from these different mediums. I feel as if I am constantly working on projects, and i wouldn’t have it any other way.

A big challenge I face, and I’d even go to say that almost all art makers face at least once in their lives, is impostor syndrome. It comes with the territory of being around so many creative and talented peers. It can be a bit intimidating at times. Remembering that you have your own artistic voice, and that people are psyched to see what you are creating, helps alleviate some of the “do I belong here?” and “what if I’m not good enough?” thoughts that pass through your head. I try not to let impostor syndrome dissuade me from doing what I love.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This may sound a bit silly, but whenever I hang out with friends, the day always seems to end at the local Islands Bar and Grill. It has a lot of fond memories that just keep getting built up there.

If I were to give a normal answer, I think my favorite place to visit in LA is the California Science Center. I had participated in a science fair there and fell in love almost immediately. Its a really cool experience, especially if you love to learn about aerospace and biology. I could spend the week there to be honest.

I also have a soft spot for Santa Monica, as I grew up near the ocean. I go to school in Valencia, which isn’t the closest to the beach, so whenever I can see the water, I get really excited. I think going on the pier with a few friends or loved ones is a really fun experience.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shout out my family, who are surprisingly chill about my career choice (after a lot of convincing.) I show them all of my films and they are always so supportive.

I would also like to shoutout my amazing friends and teachers, who help me learn something new about animation (and life) every day.

Website: https://www.munecoportfolio.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonneca/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-reilly-6706222b1/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZbCyfXsrsLRvc6BMMGr6g