Meet Gia Adaya of Glendale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gia Adaya.

Hi Gia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Entertainment has always been a prevailing presence in my everyday life. I think it’s crucial to every aspiring storyteller that you indulge in as many different stories and perspectives as possible, being especially adventurous when it comes to genres you might not find in your comfort zone. From my favorite animated film of all time, How to Train Your Dragon (2010); video games like Red Dead Redemption II, Pokémon, and Elden Ring; to comics like Absolute Batman and Witch Hat Atelier; I have always been excited to consume stories of the past and present, and I am eager for the stories of the future.

Although I love entertainment, I hadn’t always considered going past viewership and consumption to actually becoming a part of the teams that create these projects. Animation as a career didn’t feel like something I wanted to turn into a reality until my second year of college. I quickly came to realize it was the perfect union of things that I loved growing up. Storytelling, creativity, journalism, and community are only a fraction of what I admired about it, and I continue to find new reasons to brave through its rocky pathway even today. I graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a BFA in Entertainment Art and Animation with the initial goal of becoming a background painter for TV. My portfolio paved the way for opportunities with Disney Television Animation, Studio Smokescreen/Sanrio, and various indie projects. For a more in-depth perspective on my journey, you can also reference my VoyageLA interview from two years ago!

In the past year, I’ve drafted newfound goals for myself and have a clearer picture of how I want art to remain a presence in my life. I’m grateful for the adventures a full-time art career has given me, but I’ve fallen madly in love with the production and talent acquisition side of animation! Art still has a place in my heart, and a very large one—it’s just more fulfilling to allow it to exist as a more personal rather than professional part of me. I am able to enjoy what I create in a way I have not felt in a long time. I like to think that it shows through the illustration projects I’ve been able to accomplish on the side, and the many more things I have planned to come!

Despite what seemed to be a hopeful rebirth, the reality was that I was a little over a year past graduating college and growing a job application spreadsheet with an overwhelmingly red results column. Rejection was something I was getting used to by then, so I never stopped trying. I decided to take tuition free classes at Santiago Canyon College to feed my love for learning and expand my skill set with a certificate roadmap. In becoming eligible for internships again, I found myself back in conversation with the recruiters I’ve been keeping in touch with the past year. I landed a couple interviews, and the rest is history!

Currently, I am an incoming Feature Production Intern at DreamWorks. I want to thank the wonderful recruiting department and my new team for believing in my potential!

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?
No, but I’ve always firmly believed that the rougher the road, the greater the growth. I’ve had general struggles in my journey from lackluster educational quality, health, the crushing reality of the modern industry, and the conflicts that come with breaking away from family expectations and pursuing something only I understand.

One of my biggest challenges in recent months has also been making my unfortunately timed but necessary career switch, especially after dedicating years to being an artist professionally. It was a strange spot to be in. I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as going back to square one, but I definitely didn’t feel as established in my new areas of interest as my peers who had been pursuing it longer than I have. Did I deserve a chance at something in this? For the first time in a long time, nothing in the near future was clear. Involuntary stagnancy scared me.

Fortunately, internal struggles are something I can work hard to gain more control, acceptance, and motivation over—not only on my own, but with the help of those I hold dear around me. I’m always grateful for the people who help me keep going. With their support, I feel like I can brave through things even out of my control! I am especially grateful for those who are willing to take a chance on me and help me through my first steps in this new direction.

I think one of the greatest pieces of advice—one that I wish I had embodied years and years ago—came from a speaker event by my previous Production Associate and CSUF alum, Emily Lisac. She encouraged everyone to redefine what happiness meant for us in a way that didn’t involve our careers, especially in an industry so unpredictable. It was a huge punch in the face, in the best way! My happiness is now made up of the most simple, but attainable elements in life: good food, good company, and good rest. I can find these things present in my everyday life even when my professional goals are so far away, and I am more at peace because of it.

In the stillness of my career, I was also able to start volunteering more, pick up new hobbies, and look at life from a new but necessary perspective. It was scary, and I’m still intimidated by my future, but I’m braver and more motivated than ever.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My social media presence is probably most known for the custom One Piece trading cards I do as a freelance illustrator for AdakaiTCG. I love to draw for whichever fandoms I’m enjoying at the time, and currently that’s One Piece. I’ve been watching and reading for the past three years, and I’ve loved witnessing its influence skyrocket worldwide. My first card set of the crew was actually the project that sparked the conversation within myself of what exactly art I wanted to create moving forward. With the kindness of my growing community and the familiar but long lost happiness I felt after finishing the set, it was not a difficult choice to rewrite my goals.

I don’t think this is revolutionary, but I think the way I use color is pretty unique to me. I obviously gain a lot of inspiration from other artists I admire, and while my style is not always consistent, I feel like my art has always felt like my own and reflects who I am as an artist at that point of time. I’m most proud of my ability to add my own flair and personality to the things that I make. I can really tell the difference in my art when I’m having fun with it.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I was going to say exploring, which is true; I like adventuring my way through different cafés, comic shops, thrift stores, and popular foodie spots. But I think I’m at my happiest when I get to cozily stay home at the end of a long week and close off the night with a movie, show, or video game with my partner.

As previously mentioned, I also really love learning, especially other creative media. I’ve started crocheting and it’s been incredibly hard but rewarding. I enjoy having multiple artistic outlets. I think I’ll try jewelry making or ceramics next!

Lastly, I love getting to know people! It makes me happy to know that someone might’ve taken time out of their day to read or even just skim this article. If you’ve reached the end, I would love the chance to connect with you in person or virtually! My socials are listed and always open.

Keep creating, keep growing, keep going. Thank you!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ubecrumb/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-adaya-b5b7b32a5
• Other: https://voyagela.com/interview/meet-gia-adaya-of-brea/