Meet Lydia Estepp | Storyboard Artist

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

Hi Lydia, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve loved telling stories my entire life, so growing up, I always had an inkling I would pursue something creative for my career. For a while, I was interested in pursuing writing, but that goal shifted once I discovered my love for animation and visual art. I was fortunate to have parents who supported my decision to go into the arts, and I ended up going to Ringling College of Art and Design to study computer animation.

I think the main thing that drove me towards a creative career was the desire to move people through entertainment. I’ve always loved television and movies, and I recognize how impactful a good story can be.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I graduated back in May of this year, which is something I’m definitely proud of. This summer, I got the opportunity to begin working as a freelance storyboard artist at Disney Television Animation. It’s been a great experience so far, and I’ve learned so much from my coworkers. Now that I’m out of school, I’m excited to continue to learn on the job as well as to learn and explore new artistic hobbies on my own time.

One big lesson I’ve learned is how to stand up for myself and my work. I’m naturally very shy, which is a bit of an issue when trying to pitch storyboards or communicate my ideas. During college, I realized I had to work on this if I wanted to be successful in my career, as well as to be happy in my life outside of work. I’ve had to consciously work towards being more confident in myself and my work, and while I still have some room for improvement, I’m proud of how far I’ve come in that respect.

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’m actually not in the LA area yet, but I’ll be moving there in the next few months! I’ve been fortunate to be able to work remotely from home for a bit, but the studio I work for is LA based and I’m excited to move out there.

One of the things I’m most excited about for when I get to the city would definitely be the food. I’m a vegetarian living in Texas so I don’t exactly have the best options for eating out. I’ve been researching all the vegan and vegetarian places in LA and I’m looking forward to visiting them.

I’m also looking forward to the nature in California. I love the beach, so I’m excited to be so close to the coast. I also can’t wait to visit the parks in the area.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The friends I made at Ringling have been so supportive and inspiring. Many faculty members also helped me to grow and develop my skills. I also want to shoutout my thesis partner, August Park, who I worked with on our thesis film last year. I literally don’t know what I would have done without them, and I’m proud of what we were able to make together.

Website: lydiaestepp.com

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