Meet James Mosley II | Animation Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with James Mosley II and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, can you tell us about an impactful book you’ve read and why you liked it or what impact it had on you?

I would say “Producing Animation” by Catherine Winder (Author), Zahra Dowlatabadi (Author), and Tracey Miller-Zarneke (Editor). I believe it is the only comprehensive, sensible, material that breaks down all of the facets, techniques etc. of producing different kinds of animation. It practically teaches you how to build an animation production studio from the ground up. Finding this book years ago excited me and I devoured it. I read it 2-3 times and I still reference it. The book was really important to me because at the time I had a revelation that I wanted to become the best animation producer in the world and I started to see animation producing as a craft that I could master. By the time that I finished the book I was a production manager but I suddenly knew more than my role required and I began to chase the next level.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

Currently as an animation producer, my day starts off touching base with key role players on our production to align on the immediate demands/milestones of the day and then I’m usually speaking & problem solving with various department heads throughout the rest of my day.

There’s a lot of people and interpersonal management throughout the course of my day, and some of my energy is put towards contributing to form best practices, and managing the production team. I do a lot of cost assessment, paperwork execution (usually deals), and help make sure that internal production and the client/network are aligned on processes, notes, approvals, etc. in between time.

I also build/revise gantt schedules (with input from the team), conduct brainstorms with some of my team some days, distribute/provide resources between departments, monitor & approve, staff work hours and compensation, and assess & hire facilities/talent (with approval) when necessary in the pipeline.

The bulk of my work is to help facilitate communication, solutions & understanding between departments and/or the client/network. When assets are ready to be seen by the client/network I send deliverables for approval and when feedback is sent back my production team & the Director/Show Runner assess & execute the notes with the creative team.

All of a production crew’s efforts should be mobilized to do one thing: make the best animated content that reflects the Director/Show Runner’s vision & Client/Network’s brand within the conditions of being on time and within budget.

With all of the above, I’m also gaining some experience constructing bid packages for various potential projects alongside my Exec Producer.

This job can take many different forms depending on the kind of production you’re on and the company you’re at, but the fundamentals still apply no matter what.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

Ok so lets say that we have agreed to do 1-2 things a day, for a week, because I’m pretty old mentally and I like to be in bed by 8pm at this time in my life.

24 Hour Fitness Burbank on Empire Ave – Gotta’ get the workout in every other day to reset for life’s challenges.

Monday
Priscilla’s Coffee – love doing work here and I love the coffee.
Brand Library – Just a beautiful park and library to admire and I do some good reading/thinking there.

Tuesday
Semi-Tropic (Echo Park) – love the aesthetic of this place and I enjoy a good cocktail. Tequila is my weapon of choice.

Wednesday
Tavern on Brand – Also has great drinks, and pretty good food. Wings are cheap on Wednesdays, and you can never say “no” to cheap delicious wings.

Thursday
Isis Black & Gold Barbershop or Shear Affinity (Burbank) – I get my haircut at these places and both barbers have become my good friends.

Friday
Dave’s on Broadway – Love the karaoke here. My friend Rudy hosts it. I can’t resist singing a good Al Green “lets stay together”. I’m a romantic sap.

Saturday
Canyon Coffee – I go here and just mellow out on the street with my dog while drinking a good tea and checking the news on my phone.
Lonely Oyster (Echo Park) – I just discovered this place in Echo Park down the street from my new place. Love the seafood and the bartenders.

Sunday
Seaweed Sushi (Glendale) – My favorite sushi place in LA. The omakase is to die for. I do it only on special occasions when I’ve wrapped a production and I want to have an internal celebration for myself. It’s important to build a cheerleader relationship with yourself.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Jan Stebbins. She is an animation producer in New York, and a very special mentor of mine. Jan is a rare human who understands the creative and business side of animation equally but more importantly she is a good human being who cares for others genuinely. She’s kind, yet assertive and direct. If it wasn’t for her, I’m not sure I’d still be working in the business. She pulled me up at a very pessimistic time in my career and I can’t thank her enough for it.

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmosleyii/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesmosleyii

Image Credits
Photos are by Eze Egeonuigwe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ezephotography/ Website: https://www.visualsbyeze.com/