Meet Juliana Pincus | 2D Animator and Storyboard Artist

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

Hi Juliana, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Growing up, I was surrounded by artists, from singers, painters, writers, actors…the list goes on. They all provided me with creative outlets, it was just a matter of finding which medium worked best for my self-expression.

Animation is what stayed consistent throughout all my creative interests though. I was always thinking of stories, creating characters, doodling on anything I could find, and the cartoons I watched only piqued my interest. I sort of fell into it, and the next thing I knew I was attending animation camps and applying to art schools to learn all I could.

It was something about how animation, and animated characters, are used to connect with an audience. I put little bits of myself in every character I animate, from how they look to how they move their hands, and there’s something magical about people responding to and connecting with that. It’s also great to be on the receiving end of that, to watch other characters in action and get glimpses of the creator’s interests, background, and inspirations.

So to summarize, I pursued a creative career because creating things is how I learned to communicate! And communicating an idea is so much more fun when you get to bring something to life through movement and characterization.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I really enjoy the acting part of animation, and don’t like to spend too much time on one drawing. Storyboarding allows me to draw loose and rough to get the idea out, and I like to carry over this roughness to my animation. It makes my art punchy and imperfect, while still being fluid and engaging to look at. I also love making my art as expressive as possible, as playing with expressions and exaggerating movement helps people connect with the characters. Generally, connection is a huge part of my art! Stories about relationships and forming bonds have always been important to me, and I like to use those stories to connect with others. I’ve also found humor and action to be a great way to communicate that message, as it can hook people while still having genuine meaning behind it.

I owe a lot of my expertise to the media I consumed growing up. I wanted to be good enough to draw the characters I enjoyed, so I studied art constantly until I got there haha. Now, I use these skills to tell my own stories and make my own characters, and it’s really gratifying to have the tools to do that. I also owe so much to the art classes I took in high school, and all the YouTube tutorials and art communities I engaged with. The information I learned was invaluable!

As far as something I’m excited about, I’m really pumped for my senior thesis film! I’ve worked on lots of creative projects before, be it set makeup or animating on other films, so this is one of the few times I get to go all out on something. It’s super ambitious, and centers on longtime characters of mine, and after chipping away at the story I’m excited to finally get started on it. It’s a long ways away, but look out for it!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ooh let’s start with daytime activities! I’d start off with the beach, be it Santa Monica, Venice, Dockweiler, or all three. There’s always something cool to find there, whether it be digging for sand crabs or looking around at all the shops. Then, we’d go to the California Science Center for Tess the Giant Robot, or The Grove for Barnes and Noble and the Farmer’s Market. I have such crazy nostalgia for both of these places, and there’s always a great time to be had at both.

As far as food places go, we’d definitely have to go to Roscoe’s. It was the first restaurant my mom went to when she came to California, so she made sure we ate there a bunch growing up. I wanna return the favor and share the wealth! I also have to shout out Little Tokyo, they have a bunch of great food places in the Japanese Village Plaza. There’s a dessert shop called Honeymee, and they have some of the best milkshakes I’ve ever had. Also, I’ve only gone to Hamburger Mary’s once, but I’d absolutely stop by on this trip. Dinner and a drag show makes for a wonderful night!

Speaking of, we’d have to see all sorts of movies. The Grove’s movie theater is a great choice, but I also love the Century City theater and The Alamo. One movie for each location for sure. We’d end off on The Nuart Theatre, where we’d see Rocky Horror Picture Show! My dad took me to see it when I was younger, and now I make it my mission to take all my friends to see it.

Last places we’d visit are the roller rink and the park. I love rollerskating, it’s my main mode of transportation, so we’d have to stop by Moonlight Rollerway for some jams and vibes. Then we’d find a park to chill and hang out in. I find them really fun to go to at night haha, but that could be a day trip as well.

That wraps up the tour! I’ve lived in LA all my life, so I’d absolutely go all out!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Oh there’s so many people I have to give thanks to! To start, I would not be where I am today without my family. They’ve supported me since day one, always encouraging my ideas and tolerating my random info dump sessions haha. I really value their feedback on my work, as they’re not only super enthusiastic, but also really creative people who want to see me succeed! I’m thankful for all they’ve done, my parents in particular for giving me so many creative outlets and helping me pursue animation school. So yeah, shout out to them and my two siblings (and my dog)!

I also have to thank my friends, and the faculty at USC animation. Everyone in my cohort is so incredibly talented and passionate, and they’re the best group of people I could’ve asked to go into college with. We all make an effort to lift each other up, and it’s such a joy to constantly learn and be inspired by them. I’ve met some of my best friends through the program (hi roommates, amongst others), and everyone in the USC animation community is just a delight to interact with. The faculty has also taught me so much about animation as a craft, and their support and incredible feedback has pushed me to become a better artist. I’m so thankful to each and every one of them. So yeah, shout out to yall!

Website: https://juliana-pincus.webflow.io/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wonder.house7/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliana-pincus-a72448240/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/art_wonderhouse

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JulianaPincus/videos

Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wonderhouse777