#42 Storyboard Artist Lila Martinez: It's Not Easy, but It's Not Impossible

In today's episode, you'll hear storyboard artist Lila Martinez's fascinating story. Lila Martinez had a passion for animation while watching Disney animated movies, Looney Tunes and Tex Avery cartoons at an early age in Mexico City. Through tenacity and the drive to pursue her deep interest for the medium, she enrolled at the Vancouver Film School, where she diligently studied the craft of traditional character animation and CGI. While employed in the Mexican feature animation industry as a character animator on Guardians of the Lost Code and Juan Escopeta & Heroes Verdaderos. She co-founded Phenomena a boutique animation studio, to provide pre-production art and animation service for the Latin America television commercial market. In 2013 she made a decision to focus on storyboarding where she later realize her true calling is storytelling. Her strength lies in visualizing scripted narrative, problem solving story holes and building a character driven sequence. Within a year, she had the opportunity to become a story artist, on an upcoming feature animation produced by Original Force in Los Angeles. The offer came from Sandra Rabins the executive producer on Shrek. At Original Force, she storyboarded Duck Duck Goose (Spring 2018) under Cody Cameron (co-director, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2) direction and later Chris Jenkins (producer, Home). In addition to boarding two additional features in the studio pipeline with director John Eng (co-director, Rugrats Go Wild). When a childhood fulfillment to work on The Simpsons as a storyboard artist came along through producer David Silverman. She was promptly hired to work on season 28 meeting the demanding television schedule and deadlines. Lila then moved on to another Fox TV Animation production, based on the popular Seth MacFarlane's primetime series, American Dad, for season 12. Where she applied her speed, story diligence and knack for problem solving visual clarity, in a fast paced environment. Lila believes as a story artist each assignment is a creative challenge to exercise her story muscles, and reinforcing each production needs with the best possible outcome. From melodrama to visual gags to strengthening a story point and being a team player for the project to succeed. Her notable qualities is attributed growing up at a young age, with the desire and sheer perseverance to work in the wonderful world of animation. Find Lila: Web: http://www.lilastory.com/ Twitter: @lila_martinez