Meet Meeka Stuart | Director of Animated Television Shows

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

Hi Meeka, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I was lucky enough to be raised in a creative environment – having a father, grandfather, great grandfather in the art field and a creative mother and grandmother, I like to think that I was destined to move into the creative side of careers

My mum always said that when I came home from school as a young girl – before asking for a snack, or telling my parents about my day – I would rush to my room to draw something that was stuck in my brain that needed to get out.

I genuinely can’t imagine working in any other field than something creative.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been in the animation industry for 25 years now and absolutely love it.
There can be ups and downs in this industry and it isn’t a 9-5 job in any way – but it is an absolute joy to be in.

I began my career in Storyboarding – right at the time where hand drawn was being replaced by digital animation.
It was a tough go for a little but being willing to adapt to both technology and where I worked helped me to continue my career all across Canada.
I feel so lucky to have been able to work in nearly all aspects of this amazing industry – from storyboarding, to concepts, to rigging, to animation, to supervising and working my way up to Directing.
I love Directing the most – it gives me the opportunity to get my hands into all aspects of the show pipeline.

I have had the privilege to work on small projects that required a tiny crew working together to get a passion project off the ground to big budget shows where it can take multiple years to complete and everything in between and each one brings new excitement and challenges

“Through the Woods” – a set of 10 3 minute shorts through the Fred Rogers Company that I was lucky enough to Direct took only a few months to complete with a tiny crew but ended up being game changing to my career, earning me my first “Outstanding Director in a Pre-School Series” Emmy Nomination
A surreal time and one that made me most proud creatively.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Ottawa, Canada’s capital and I LOVE it.
It is a big city with everything you need without feeling like a big city. We have busy urban areas but you can drive 10 minutes and you are in the middle of the woods.

There are so many favourite places I can mention!

The Canal that runs through Ottawa is absolutely beautiful – in the summer it is full of boats and canoes and in the winter it is frozen and becomes a 14 km skating rink.
Trees line the side and you can hang up a hammock and read a book and relax

Mayfair Theatre is another favourite – It opened in 1932 and houses a single screen, the best popcorn and is the place to see all the best indi screenings, Saturday morning cartoons, life bands to silent films and all the Rocky Horror you could ask for.

Across the street from the Mayfair is my favourite bookstore in the city – Black Squirrel Books that is home to 2 floors of used books piled to the ceiling. You can grab a book and a latte and spend the day.

My favourite restaurants go between my local little Vietnamese restaurant Barrhaven Vietnamese and the Bank Street version of “Whalesbone – the best place to get Oysters in the city.
Just a short walk down the street and I can get the best ice cream in the city – the hand made Mushu ice cream….nom nom nom.

My favourite way to spend the day is to hop in the car and drive 25 minutes to the neighbouring town of Almonte. (Basketball was invented there!)
I love wandering the shops and always stop at my favourite’s, Cheerfully Made, North Market, Crush Marketplace, Threadwork and Modern Fable

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents are obviously the biggest influence to me, they were the first ones to be my cheerleaders and surrounded me with all the creativity that I could have ever imagined.

Melissa – a friend I met in art school who told me that “cartooning” was still art when others around me told me it wasn’t.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-meeka-stuart-meeka-37343167/

Image Credits
Meeka Stuart
Patricio Veloso (friend)
Sarah Elgie (friend)