Check Out Neil Wade’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Neil Wade.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
After moving around quite a bit, my family settled in Tulsa, Oklahoma where I spent most of my upbringing from middle to high school. Being the new kid was challenging, and at the time I was more of an introvert, and so I found comfort in manga, anime and comic books that my older brothers would introduce me to.
That was the origin of my love for sequential art and visual storytelling. Through high school I was intent on becoming a comic book artist. However, when it came time for college applications, my parents were wary of sending me to art school and preferred I pursue a more established profession. This led to a compromise of sorts and I chose to major in architecture at Washington University in St. Louis.
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and education at Washington University, but I wasn’t fulfilled at the thought of a life as an architect. After relaying this to a good friend, recognizing my very public passion for anime, manga, and Japanese culture, he recommended I become an English teacher in Japan. After a little research, I applied for and was accepted to the Japan Exchange Teaching Program.
The August after graduation I took off to Japan where I spent 3 years as an English instructor at 2 rural high schools. Being immersed in the highly aesthetic Japanese culture changed me, and allowed me to understand my passion for visual storytelling much more deeply. After a screening of Masaaki Yuasa’s “Mindgame,” I made the decision to pursue animation as a career.
I returned to Tulsa after my 3rd year and applied to several animation programs. I packed up my car and then drove out to LA to make my animation dreams come true. However, I was actually rejected from all the programs, and when that happened prepared to leave LA. Luckily, a friend advised me to stay in LA and figure out another way to reach my dreams, and that’s what I did.
I enrolled in community college with the intention of finding an internship. I applied to several once I had enough credits, and again, was rejected from all of them! But a well-worded thank you card inspired the internship manager I’d corresponded with at Nickelodeon to reach out to me. On their advice I re-applied to the internship, and was accepted for the winter semester.
I cannot express how pivotal the internship was, and I learned so much about the ins and outs of the animation industry in those short months. The internship ended, and through a referral from one of the production assistants I took my first role as a production assistant on the Family Guy series. After cutting my teeth on the primetime series, I would return to Nickelodeon for the next several years.
I would leave Nickelodeon for Dreamworks TV Animation, before coming back to Nickelodeon, but now with an executive role on the Current Series and Development team. I remained there until this past summer.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There were several challenges along the way, beginning with my rejections from the animation programs I applied to at my arrival. I was disheartened that my efforts had fallen short on several accounts and I almost gave up and left Los Angeles altogether. It took encouragement from a friend for me to see there were multiple other ways to reach my goal of working in animation.
Later in my career, I reached a point where I was no longer interested in doing production work and feeling directionless. I found myself looking closely at my skills and passions, and my experience with inclusion and community actually made me stand out as a candidate for the Current Series executive position.
With the challenges I’ve faced, I’ve found that truly, honestly listening to my inner voice and knowing what inspires me has always led me to clarity.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a creative executive in current series and development, I was responsible for managing the shows on behalf of the core values of the brand. In development I worked with creators to actually craft stories and productions to meet those same values. The day-to-day of the work involves giving notes on scripts and the early stages of animation. I also worked with the creative and production leadership to keep the show in line with the overall brand goals (as laid out in the development stage). Perhaps the most important skill to have in this role is a strong understanding of compelling storytelling which I have been able to hone in my career.
My lived experience as a queer person of the global majority with experience living internationally gave me a unique set of values and range of understanding that influenced my notes and feedback. My commitment to inclusion and articulating those values in story are what I’m most known for. I’m proud that I’ve been able to lend that perspective and ensure young viewers are seeing stories that make them feel empowered.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I’ve spent the last few months building and launching my consulting business, in which I evaluate scripts, develop pitches and advise on creative projects. I’m excited to grow in this space and continue showing my commitment to inclusive values in storytelling. I’ve met so many people with wonderful ideas and I truly enjoy crafting stories with excited creators.
I’m also launching a podcast this winter titled The Creative Ways, featuring interviews individuals working in a variety of creative fields. In this time where so many creative fields are going through transitions, I thought this would be a great way to highlight the work and efforts of so many creative professionals, and hopefully facilitate unique opportunities in this changing landscape.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artofneil100/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-wade/