Conversations with Angelo Hatgistavrou

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angelo Hatgistavrou.

Hi Angelo, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hello! I’m Angelo Hat. I’m from Long Island, NY and I’ve been trudging through the candy-colored sludge of the animation industry since 2009. I went to art school in Boston at The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, initially for Fine Art, but after taking my first animation class, I fell in love and decided to focus on Film/Animation instead. I’ve always been attracted to animation, and even wrote that I’d like to do “japanimation” in an 8th grade writing assignment. But I didn’t realize what was possible until I took that first class. Drawing, painting, sculpting, filmmaking, sound, music – every art form co-exists in the magical unity of animation. This mishmash of media really spoke to me as a person who loves all these things and has extreme ADHD. So I dove in head first and haven’t looked back. That lead me to a career in Los Angeles, starting as an animator and working my way up to a Supervising Director. I also make my own shorts when I have the desire (and the time) and constantly develop new projects – I’m pitching a feature around as we speak!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has NOT been a smooth road. Who the hell ever has a smooth road? I started my adult life during The Great Recession and I feel like we’ve been in and out of mini-recessions ever since. So much so that I’ve written a pilot about it. It feels like it keeps getting harder to “make it” as capitalism stumbles through it’s late stages. There is a bright side, though – Being exposed to the bottom before has prepared me for the inevitable bottoms to come. The film/animation industry and LA in general is going through a rough patch right now, but out of tough times come tough people. I really believe that. It sucks when you’re going through it, but it builds great resilience, and if you can hold on just enough to get through it, you often get rewarded. The best thing you can do is work on yourself, on your own art, on your relationships with people, with your family. All the external stuff will figure itself out, and you can’t control it. Just know that things tend to get better after they get worse.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
If I’m doing this right, you should know that I’m a director in Animation by the time we get this point in the interview, haha. I love directing because there’s no greater fun than shaping the tone, look and feel of a project. I’ve been told I have a “left of center” point of view, whatever that means. I like finding the absurd in the mundane. Life is absurd, lean into it. I love shifting tone when appropriate and catching people off guard. Nothing should be one-note in my opinion. I like being playful, not taking things too seriously unless it’s really warranted. That’s how I live my life, too. We’re making cartoons, man. It rules. I just wrapped on a show for Amazon called “Kevin” and I really think it exemplifies some of the stuff I’m talking about. It’ll be out this coming spring. I’m really proud of it. I’m also proud of the feature I’m pitching because it comes from a very personal place, and I tapped into some real ancient genetic shit that has been blowing my mind and giving me a passion I haven’t felt about a story before. I’m so proud of my wife for sticking with me and being my rock and for telling me when I’m being an idiot. But the thing I’m most proud of, is my kids – and they’re not even that old yet! I like being silly with them. They’re so funny and creative and beautiful. Every child is a work of art.

What makes you happy?
My children! For the reasons I talked about in the last question. Surfing, cooking, watching a good movie, reading a sick manga, being in the woods, standing on a mountain, microdosing. Why? Because they help me unwind, find purpose or feel inspired. But I think focusing on the “why” too much might not be the right way to think… Just enjoy the happiness when it’s there. Bask in it. It’s great.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.angelohat.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelohat/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelohat/
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3015457/