Meet Qamdhyn Hale of North Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Qamdhyn Hale.

Hi Qamdhyn, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was raised up in Northern California in the capital city of Sacramento. Back when I was 11, I was addicted to making comics, so much so that I had my own comic section in my local newspaper that was published every month. Making comics was the only way I could focus in class, it’s when I’m at my most confident too. I was indecisive with everything else and felt behind. As the years went by, I was certain that I wanted my career to be rooted in my storytelling somehow. Despite how early on I was making comics, I didn’t know I could go to college to make cartoons until it was almost time to graduate high school. After that realization, everything started to click at once. I learned how to use Photoshop, Adobe animate, and storyboarding that exact same year and immediately packed my bags and went to Azusa Pacific University to study animation under Tony Bancroft, while he was there at the time. In college, I created my own cartoon, titled “The Kajis” which caught the attention of my former boss, Bruce W. Smith. After I graduated, I had the privilege of working on his show “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder”. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for me next!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This road is anything but smooth. This road has unmarked potholes, lingering debris and gravel that always hits my windshield. However, there are parts of the road at provide a completely smooth ride with freshly hardened pavement that make the other stuff completely worth while.

When I was trying to break in and get my first gig, I had the delusion that if I worked just hard enough, I’d get it… eventually. I learned the hard way that some things were out of my control, no matter how much work I put in. When it came time to create my capstone project, I was known as the “ghost of the animation lab” because I was working there to the point where I basically haunted that place. I neglected my health and lost so much weight, all because I wanted to break in so bad. I thought that life would be smooth sailing afterwards, and that my work would pay me back tenfold.

There were countless times where I would second guess myself in my creative career choices. It would take me ages to answer questions I’d ask myself like “Will this help me land a gig? Am I actually passionate about this idea? What idea should I do next?” Being on the spectrum, I always paralyzed myself with uncertainty in my thoughts. I always felt my value would increase if I worked for a fancy studio.

When my time finally came to work at DisneyTVA, it was everything I dreamt of and more. My delusion told me this would last forever.

I used to imagine that the road in front of me was something that was already built and set out for me to follow, but eventually that road came to an end, and I now find myself with an assortment of bricks, building a Frankenstein road to my next destination. Freelance gigs here, indie projects there, not to mention squeezing out what time I have to work on my own projects.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a storyteller. Yes, I draw, but everything I create is made with the one purpose of telling a story of some kind. I’m a one man studio. Whether it’s animating, designing, painting, etc. It’s all performative for the entertainment of an audience. If I were answering this question at gunpoint though, I specialize in storyboarding.

I’m most proud of the fact that I have an engine that won’t stop running. I made it to one of my dream studios the same year I graduated, which is something I admittedly doubted, myself. I’m proud that I’m capable of proving even myself wrong. The one thing that sets me apart from others is something that’s both my strength and my weakness, which is my ability to fixate on something. I was born on the spectrum, and my neurodivergence allows me to hyper focus on anything I deem my priority until it’s completely finished. It’s very easy for me to sink into a ‘by any means necessary’ mentality. In the realm of a career like animation, it’s my superpower. In any other situation, it’s the reason I’m neglectful.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
One thing I see that’s consistent with most artists’ origin stories is that their loved ones did not support their choice. I didn’t have that issue. If anything, my family would’ve been livid if I didn’t pursue this. My mom and grandma have been my biggest cheerleaders, throughout this journey, so much so that they’ve dubbed themselves my prayer warriors. In fact, everyone in my family contributed something which led me to where I needed.

One of my first mentors in this industry was Tony Bancroft, my animation program director in college. I owe a lot of my early success to him. He made it a priority with me to understand what the industry demanded, even outside of the portfolio. He let me occupy his lunchtime whenever I had burning questions about careers and even let me use his office as a quiet space to interview for studio jobs when the library wouldn’t let me.

I also had the privilege to cross paths with Jorge Gutierrez, who’s basically animation’s luchador. He’s been one of my most influential mentors. He taught me to always stay true to myself and my voice no matter what. One thing he always urged me to understand is that any day you get to wake up and do what you love, whether it’s for a fancy studio or for yourself, is a privilege. He makes me eager to pass along his selfless mentorship to someone else who will need it one day.

For some reason, every lesson he’s taught me had a heathy blend of wisdom and absolute chaos. I owe my determination and ambition to him.

Bruce Smith is another mentor of mine who’s influenced me. He’s also the one who gave me my first shot in the animation industry when I was fresh out of college. Bruce was the type of mentor who taught me through his actions as opposed to words. Just by how he navigates his own career gives me enough inspiration to work 1000 lifetimes. I hope to pay the opportunity he gave me forward to someone else when it’s my turn to.

Along with Bruce would be the friends I met during my time on The Proud Family crew. I was introduced to a village of people I’m proud to call my friends. When I entered this crew, I was still doing a lot of growing up, and everyone was more than happy to be a beacon of mentorship not just for my art, but for my as a person. I’m both happy and mad that I met them, because they gave me unrealistic standards for coworkers that I don’t think will be met any time soon.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qlamchowder?igsh=MTh2d2ltdGZnZzJ0Zg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qam-hale-b367a2194?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app