Meet Kristen Gish | Storyboard Artist & Writer

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

Hi Kristen, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
Working in animation wasn’t always an easy path for me. I moved to Los Angeles assuming it would take a few months to get a job as a professional storyboard artist, and it took me over a year. It can be a discouraging process, because often you’re doing a ton of storyboard tests for studios, assuming each time that THIS is going to be the test that’ll get you the job. When I realized that getting a job in animation wasn’t going to happen automatically for me, I had to reframe how I viewed myself as an artist. I wanted to work in animation because I wanted to be a storyteller and an artist. I didn’t NEED a professional animation job to validate that, I just needed to tell stories and make art. I took jobs teaching kids art while making comics and animatics in my free time. Once I stopped putting my self worth into whether or not I had a cool animation job, I was much happier and made much better art.

Eventually, I did get a job as a professional storyboard artist, but that came with its own challenges. I had much less time to make art for myself. Working in animation is incredibly rewarding, but it can be really easy to forget your own voice. I’ve learned that my happiness really does depend on carving out space for me to make my own art outside of the industry. In a way, I did have to give up on this idea that professional animation was going to be the one thing that fulfilled me, but that’s not a bad thing. If you have a strong sense of who you are and what kind of art you want to create, you can ‘give up’ on what’s not working and ‘keep going’ on what is.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
A lot of people who view animation from an outsider perspective don’t always understand what a storyboard artist does. It’s not just about drawing the shot. Depending on the show, it can involve writing, visual gags, acting, fight choreography, or even key animation. Storyboard artists are a jack of all trades, and I’m so grateful to have been able to learn all these skills working with different studios over the years. There are so many incredible artists in this industry, and learning from other passionate artists is my favorite part of working in animation.

The biggest challenge is figuring out how to tell your own stories outside of the industry. I’m currently making an animatic for my own pilot, and oh my god is it exhausting! It’s a ton of work, and I have days where I think ‘oh no, who’s even going to see this? Is this really worth it?’ But then there are days where it’s incredibly rewarding. This was my first time directing voice actors, and sharing my writing with someone else was really scary at first. But hearing the actors read my work and put their emotions into what I wrote was amazing. I hired both a composer and a sound designer, and collaborating with artists who have skills that are so different from mine was such a cool experience. I really think one of the joys of directing is sharing your work with someone and having them elevate it in ways you didn’t expect.

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.
I love Los Angeles, but it can be hard to figure out what to show out of towner’s because there’s so much to see! I like taking them to Downtown LA, because there’s a lot to explore in close proximity. I start the day by getting brunch at Grand Central Market, and then taking them to the Bradbury Building. After that, I take them to The Last Bookstore to buy some books and go through the book maze. After that, we take Angel’s Flight and head to The Broad for some art. If they’ve never seen the Walt Disney Concert Hall, I’ll take them there as well.

It’s tough because I don’t think any one neighborhood in LA is the quintessential LA experience, but that’s also what I love about it. I’ve lived in LA for almost nine years and I’m still learning new things about the city. My one advice for out of towner’s is to pick one or two neighborhoods and spend the day exploring them. Don’t assume you can check out Santa Monica and the Griffith Observatory in one day. Most stereotypes of LA are inaccurate, but people aren’t lying about the traffic!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people I could give a shout out to, but I’ll go with my friend Susan Yung! We’ve been friends since our freshman year of college, and she’s an incredible artist as well as a kind and loyal friend. She’s an art director in animation, and her use of color is AMAZING!

Website: https://kristengish.myportfolio.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KristenGish