Meet Jennifer Shiman | Cartoonist, content developer and animator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Shiman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Before I became a mom, my work-life relationship had blurry boundaries. Having worked on projects I love, the work would blend with the passion of creating, such that I would think nothing of working all night or without regard for other needs. After I had my daughter (now 10), I encountered non-negotiable time and energy limits which required an overhaul of self-care and a re-definition of my identity. I learned to choose projects that were not only inspiring but also scalable and portable to cope with and flourish under new conditions.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an independent cartoonist, content developer and animator. My passion is storytelling through engaging, entertaining content across multiple platforms for a global audience.

I am best-known for my animated parody series, “30-Second Bunnies Theatre.” I completed over 95 short cartoons in which bunnies re-enact movies in 30 seconds. The shorts have appeared on broadcast television, on demand, online, and in an award-winning global ad campaign.

My bunny parodies began as an online portfolio project in 2004 and had a great audience response. Over time, I joined forces with clients such as Starz Entertainment Group, horror channel FEARnet and other licensors. Select bunny shorts formed the backbone of a DDB Germany/Volkswagen Fox campaign, winning advertising awards at Cannes, the New York ADC Festival, and the London International Awards. In 2008 the bunnies won two Webby awards for outstanding animated online series and the People’s Voice in that category. I continued working with clients and licensing bunnies content through 2020.

Currently, I am writing and drawing a graphic novel entitled World’s End Detective Agency. My dream has always been to tell a longer-format story in comics form, and it’s as creatively challenging and exciting as I ever could have hoped.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Some of my favorite spots and things to do in L.A.: To counteract all the driving you’ll do, I recommend a lot of hiking, urban and otherwise. Walk the trails at Griffith Park and check out the observatory. Wander around the Los Feliz and Silverlake neighborhoods, plus the reservoir. Eat at Viet Noodle Bar in Atwater Village. Definitely eat at Canter’s deli, too, for proper lox, bagels and phosphates. Go to some farmer’s markets — the one in Santa Monica is huge. Get fancy drinks at the Tiki-Ti on Sunset. See some live music at the Troubadour. Take a tour of Little Tokyo and buy some bean-paste treats at a shop in Japanese Village Plaza, eat ramen at Daikokuya, and buy some cool books and stationery supplies at Kinokuniya bookstore.

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?
I dedicate a shoutout to Lynda Barry. Her approach to comics and artmaking has inspired me to the core.

Website: https://www.patreon.com/30secondbunniestheatre

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebunnies

Other: http://www.angryalien.com

Image Credits
Angryalien.com