Meet Maria Norris Scaffido

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Norris Scaffido.

Hi Maria, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello! My name is Maria, I’m a filmmaker and animator. I’m based in the South Park neighborhood of DTLA, where I live with my partner Sam, and my kitten Taro! I’m originally from Central New York, which is where I grew up and studied film. I specialize in cut-paper stop-motion animation, and I love visual art of all kinds.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like many people in the art world, my professional and creative journey has been full of highs and lows. I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up for many years. I knew that I loved visual art and storytelling, but not much beyond that. I was extremely lucky to have parents who encouraged me to be creative and work hard on the things that I enjoyed. My mom encouraged me to write poetry and short stories as I got older, and shortly after I entered high school, my dad – who was a varsity basketball coach and teacher – connected me to the local news team editors. By the time I was sixteen, I was working part-time as a freelance journalist and photographer, and I continued writing articles and taking photos through graduation. While I enjoyed the work, I also couldn’t help but feel that something was missing, and I was still unsure of what career path I would ultimately take.

I enrolled in Onondaga Community College and began taking Radio, Television, Film and Broadcast courses. I was still working as a freelancer at the time and assumed I would continue down the road to becoming a journalist of some sort. I learned everything from how to operate studio TV cameras, to producing radio ads, to operating a switcher during a mock live broadcast. But during my time at OCC, I found that the assignments I loved the most were the short film projects – creating video-sound montages and reenactments of our favorite movie scenes.

I found myself with a new opportunity when my mom landed a job at Syracuse University that offered free tuition to her children. By now, I was enthralled with the creative aspects of television, film and video production, but I still didn’t have much of a visual portfolio. I applied to both the S.I Newhouse School of Public Communications and the College of Visual & Performing Arts but got rejected from both. I ended up enrolling in the College of Arts & Sciences and began taking Women & Gender Studies classes. These classes expanded my passion for social justice, anthropology and sociology – but I still longed for a creative outlet.

Soon after my transfer to SU, I was walking through the halls in between classes and saw a poster for a documentary production course. It was available as an elective to students regardless of their major, so I immediately enrolled. The course was taught by a great filmmaker and professor named Mišo Suchý, who introduced me to the works of Jan Švankmajer and Jirí Trnka – which has had a massive impact on me, and changed my creative trajectory. When I expressed interest in trying again to enroll in VPA, Mišo advocated for me. He reached out to another great professor and filmmaker, Donato Rossi, who helped me secure a spot in his class so I could meet the requirement for enrollment. I had a lot of great mentors at VPA’s film program, including Vasilios Papaioannu, Alex Méndez Giner, Gail Hoffman, and Kara Herold. Kara introduced me to filmmaker and experimental animator Kelly Gallagher, whose films also had a huge influence on my work as a stop-motion animator. I was so happy to get the opportunity to meet with her when she began working as a professor at VPA, and she kindly gave me some guidance on the animated sequences of my senior thesis film. Thanks to an amazing support system of family, friends and mentors, I graduated in 2019 with a BFA in Film & Transmedia and a minor in Women & Gender Studies.

There were few productions that drifted up from NYC, and finding work outside of personal animation projects and collaborations with other film students was difficult. I had managed to score a PA gig on a true crime TV series for a weekend prior to graduation and an Art Department role on a non-union feature in February of 2020. Like everyone, I had no idea what was coming in March – and I thought if I worked hard enough, people would remember me, and I would be asked back and pick up more work. Instead, I watched in horror as the world changed dramatically and scores of people succumbed to COVID-19. My partner Sam, who had been by my side since OCC, found himself laid off from his job along with me, and living in my parents’ basement to protect his older parents from infection. One of the few film production companies in the area converted into a face-shield production facility. We were grateful to have a safe place to stay, but we constantly worried about the future, and we knew it might be years before we could build careers in the way we had hoped.

As coronavirus numbers slowly improved, we decided to take a risk and plan a move to Los Angeles. We furiously researched jobs, places to live and everything we could before we set off. We drove and camped all the way across America, avoiding coronavirus hot spots as much as possible. It was truly an incredible, breathtaking journey – both exciting and terrifying at times – that neither of us will ever forget. When we finally got to LA, I applied to around thirty jobs a day, and within a couple of weeks, I was hired as a video producer for Buzzfeed. Although my professional experience was limited, Branden Smith – one of the Executive Producers at the time – took a chance on me, which I’ll always be grateful for. Soon I was writing, producing, directing, editing and stop-motion animating long-form videos for an audience of 5 million subscribers. With the support of my new job, Sam was able to enroll in grad school, and we got married over the summer – right before his third semester. I also had enough free time to work on my passions. I began collaborating with friends, both in Syracuse and Los Angeles, to create an adult animated stop-motion series called Trash Cats. I fell deeper in love with stop-motion animation and the unique creative possibilities that come with it.

In October of 2022, Buzzfeed unexpectedly ended my contract due to budget cuts. I was disappointed, but immediately began searching for new work. I’ve had a lot more difficulty finding steady work than I did when I first got to LA – and although I still haven’t landed a long-term contract or full-time position, I’ve had some amazing opportunities between then and now. I’ve completed several stop-motion animation commissions for musicians, artists, indie producers and content creators who saw some of my work on TikTok and were kind enough to reach out with interest in collaboration. I’m amazed that, in a city overflowing with extremely talented artists, my work was still sought out and admired. I also got an opportunity to assist on a couple of projects at Apartment D Films – a professional stop-motion animation studio, which was an awesome experience. I’ve had lots of downtime to learn new things and restore my creativity. I recently got to visit and show solidarity with the WGA strikers, who are fighting for a better future for all creatives in TV and film. My partner earned his MSW from USC this past May and quickly got a job as a licensed therapist at a nonprofit, which makes me so proud.

Navigating with the feast-and-famine nature of production work and the general uncertainty of the current job market has been challenging at times, but I’m very lucky to have the support system and privileges that have allowed me to feasibly try to build a career in the arts and entertainment industry. Although opportunities have been more available since moving to LA, I still go through periods of anxiety when I’m not working. It took me so long to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, and because of this, I sometimes feel like I’m constantly playing catch-up. But in reality, I know that there’s no “right” way forward and that everyone arrives to their own version of success on their own time. I also know that I can rely on myself and that I’m more than capable of adapting to new situations, learning new skills, and leaning on my support network if I need to. I know I’m not alone in my feelings; it’s tough for everyone right now, which is why It’s awesome to see so much solidarity and union activity across the entertainment industry and beyond. Writing, visual art and entertainment is truly valuable work, and it’s great to see others fighting for that recognition. No matter what’s in store for me, I’m eternally grateful for the support of my partner, family, friends, mentors and fellow creatives who have helped get me this far. I truly love living in Los Angeles, and I’m excited to see what opportunities come next!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a filmmaker and animator who specializes in cut-paper stop-motion. I’m currently a freelancer and offer commissions for animation production, illustration and video edits. I’ve done animated sequences for a documentary, produced music videos and short-form animated videos – and I’m really happy with what I’ve achieved so far. The thing that I’m most proud of is my experimental stop-motion series, Trash Cats. It’s a series that’s loosely based on some community college experiences, and takes a lot of creative inspiration from shows like Workaholics, Superjail, Courage the Cowardly Dog and Broad City. I began writing the first season when we first got to LA, and have been animating and editing over the past year. I recently finished the pilot episode, and I’m excited to begin sharing it with the world.

Having worked as a producer and in multiple positions on set, my varied background gives me a well-rounded understanding and insight into a lot of different production workflows, and I think the clients I’ve collaborated with appreciate this and see it reflected in my work. There was a time when I worried that stop-motion was too niche of a specialization, but I’ve found some great opportunities – and there’s an awesome community of stop-motion animators here.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mar-an-films.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mar_an_films/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trashcatsanimation/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trashcatsanimation/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/trash_cats_tv
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/deeppocketsful
• Other: https://vimeo.com/trashcatsanimation