“I Moved to Los Angeles to Work in Animation” is a memoir in the guise of a generous and sparklingly clear how-to guide written and illustrated by Natalie Nourigat and published by Boom! under its Boom Box! imprint. For those aspiring to follow in Nourigat’s footsteps and work in the field of television and feature film animation, to say the book is invaluable would be a colossal understatement, but the real feat is that the book is enjoyable even if a career as an animation story artist is not an aspiration.
Written and illustrated by Natalie NourigatCover by Natalie NourigatWhen artist Natalie Nourigat left her life in Portland to move to Los Angeles and pursue a job in animation, she realized that despite her research, nothing truly prepared her for the wild world that awaited in the studios of Southern California.
This autobiographical how-to graphic novel explores the highest highs and lowest lows of pursuing a dream in animation. Brushed with a dose of humor and illustrated advice about salaries, studio culture, and everything in between, “I Moved to Los Angeles to Work in Animation” is the unique insider experience you won’t find anywhere else.
Nourigat does not shy away from delving into the personal tribulations of making the decision to leave her freelance-driven art career to move from her hometown of Portland, Oregon to Tinseltown. Immediately following a thoughtful disclaimer about the contents of the book only representing her own experiences, Nourigat’s introduction succinctly lays out the thought processes and feelings she experienced behind her eventual decision to make the jump to working in animation. Nourigat’s playful art style immediately welcomes readers into the journey, even presenting the extreme difficulty of finding a job (the next section of the book following the introduction) in a positive light. Nourigat seemingly welcomed each challenge she faced that stood in the way of her goal with proactive responses to each adversity. If the specifics presented here and in the introduction aren’t immediately relevant to every reader, the attitude and persistent tenacity required comes through in Nourigat’s non-snarky and genuine writing style. This is not to say that Nourigat glosses over the challenges implicit in career-change journey, but her choice to not wallow in the uphill battle and instead focus on the deterministic aspect is welcoming in an era of navel-gazing. As a result, readers cannot just experience relief when she finally lands a job, but they can also share in her joy. While Nourigat does not imply that her methodology was the right one, her success does imply that her attitude and willingness to adapt to each setback was the key factor.
The following section on the actual move to Los Angeles becomes a bit more personal and is wisely kept very brief, as it likely is the most mutable from reader to reader. It does however provide a deeper emotional hook to the book that sets it apart from a simple step-by-step guide before settling into cleverly constructed sections on perks of working in Animation Guild studios and day-in-the-life details before returning to a clear-eyed ode to living, working, and playing in the City of Angels followed by some words of caution that gives some ballpark specifics to real costs of living in Los Angeles as well as potential pitfalls to expect. Along the way, Nourigat’s positive tone never falters, making the book skip along with more breeziness than one might expect.
Nourigat’s awareness that her journey was likely unique leads to the most pragmatic section of the book where she charts a course for others to find success in their employment search. The section is underscored by her overwhelmingly positive experiences working with other people in animation who are characterized as equally generous individuals with each other’s well-being and career success at heart. At times, it almost feels too utopian, but Nourigat is careful to point out that the loneliness of living in Los Angeles is a tangible thing, and that the more open-minded, amenable, and hardworking one is at work, the more opportunities for other work will present themselves. If there’s one quibble with the book it’s that Nourigat seems to present a scenario where being positive, hardworking, and friendly equates to career satisfaction and success. Certainly there are opportunities to experience soul-crushing or overwhelming challenges that can’t be overcome with hard work and positivism, but perhaps this would have run too counter to the overwhelming you-can-do-it tone of the book. Older and more cynical readers might view it as a detraction even as Nourigat takes care to note that animation careers are not necessarily inherently age-discriminatory. As she says from the onset, this is her experience. The second half of the book focuses on a quirky and inventively illustrated staccato FAQ section that likely offers more than anyone even thought to ask about starting a career in animation story departments, and her decision to conclude the book with perspectives from a diverse group of people working in the field provides a sound punctuation.
Ultimately, the book is so whimsically presented that it almost belies its utilitarianism as a serious guide to embarking on a career in animation. Don’t be fooled. Nourigat’s holistic approach to outlining the realities of working in the industry imparts just as much useful information as any career guide, and it’s certainly more fun and concise. While the focus is so specific, many may not find this title on their bookshelves unless they inadvertently assume this is just a memoir. While it does have elements of an autobiographical work and even enjoyable as one person’s singular journey, Nourigat’s genuine wish that others could use her experiences to share in her success is the real draw here. It’s as optimistic as anything you are likely to read in comics, and Nourigat should be applauded for her willingness to share so unselfishly about her experiences in a field that can seem so impenetrable for creative artists. It’s a book that encourages and entertains with assured cartooning and humor. It’s a book about chasing a dream in which it is hard to fault in the face of its unabashed positivity.
