Meet Sonia Lee of Castaic

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonia Lee.

Hi Sonia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started as simply a weird little girl who really liked to draw. Its how I spent most of my free time growing up, which is funny looking back because I wasn’t even very good at it. Nevertheless, after while it became a huge part of my identity. After an awkward stint in the sciences, I was accepted into the CalArts character animation program and spent four years there forming an artistic voice and vision for my career. I made seven student films while enrolled, each project teaching me more about what I wanted to do, as well as what I absolutely had no talents for (hello to the hip hop dance class I took during winter session one time). After graduation, I spent a summer interning as a storyboard artist at LAIKA. I learned a lot there, but the nearly five years of grinding for a career in mainstream animation took something from me that I was born with. Animation and art had become my job, and when something is your job, it becomes harder to love.
The intense industry instability paired with disconnection with the passion for art I always had as a child ultimately drove me away from seeking mainstream animation work. I am now focusing on rekindling my intrinsic drive for art via personal projects and indie productions. I am exited for the future of independent animation. I think its fair to say that big studios have been floundering in recent years, but the apatite for quality animation work remains extremely high. I intend to help satisfy it!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been particularly smooth sailing, but I don’t mean to complain, things can always be worse!
I think the biggest hurdle by far is one I have in common with many newer animation graduates; the very substantiated fear that there really is no place for me in the industry. When I was accepted into school, the industry was booming, there was work everywhere. During covid, people took more chances on animation and younger faces were given legs up. However, over time the tides turned. Studios contracted, massive layoffs became commonplace and par for the course. How can new grads even begin to compete when seniors who have been working for 10+ years are competing with us for the same handful of jobs? The hopelessness that permeated my graduating class at CalArts was so thick you could cut it with a butterknife.
The anxiety did serve one purpose however: it taught me that it is not worth it to only create work has I feel has mass appeal or marketing potential. When I began my professional art career, I lost much of my way trying to make work that would please everyone. Once realized this wouldn’t earn me any roses, I returned to making stuff that I liked, even if I knew it would be off-putting; what I have come to call “Crazy Girl Media”. I think if you’re going to go into art, go all the way and make work that really represents you. For me, creating work I had no connection with and didn’t believe in ended up being much the same as working a mainstream 9-5.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At this point in my life, its more accurate to think of me as a storyteller than anything specific. During my time at CalArts, I tried very hard to specialize in storyboarding, since this was the department that had the most of what I liked. I loved the decision making and puzzle solving that was required to find the perfect shot for each moment. It was also the position where I got the draw the most, and draw the most things. As a story artist, you get a taste of Every character, prop, and background in your project.
However, over time, it became obvious that however impractical it may be, I am happiest as a generalist. In my ideal world, I take my project through every stage of production, from concept to complete.
My student films are probably what I am most known for. Most are lighthearted and relatively family friendly, but my favorite work happens to be my most recent and off-putting films, one called CHISUM, following a black cowboy in a sundown town, and the other called IMBORED!!111, a one week film that ended up being kind of a slasher. I think I am at my best when I am making crazy stuff that will make some people uncomfortable. When IMBORED!!111 screened for the first time at CalArts, I remember a few people left the room because they couldn’t stand it. I was on cloud nine.
In addition to my affinity for “Crazy Girl Media”, I also am set apart in my dedication to uplifting Black and Indigenous POC. I bring a unique and deeply personal perspective on race based discrimination in our country, having grown up in the American south. I fell a lot of responsibility to tell stories that humanize these groups, even if it makes others uncomfortable. Additionally, I am very proud of the fact that all of my films feature all POC main casts! As I further my career, I hope to continue striving for a future where BIPOC are proportionately represented the arts and own their own stories.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Sure! In my creative process, so much starts in Pinterest. When I first come up with an something, I tend to organize my thoughts on it’s visual and emotional space on Pinterest long before I ever venture to render a painting or design. I love it for a lot of reasons, firstly being that its not particularly text heavy, or at least my algorithm isn’t. As a visual thinker, the feed really meets me where I’m at, unlike insta where there’s captions everywhere or TikTok, which leans heavily on their comment sections. My favorite thing about Pinterest though is that it doesn’t have to be used socially. I follow a small handful of friends, but other than that, its just me and whatever I’m into at the moment.
As far as art itself goes, I adore procreate! Its portable, versatile, and does everything you could ever want an art program to do! All of my background work for my films, as well as all of my illustration work, was done in procreate.
As far as life goes, my favorite feature is actually Time Limit! Its easy to let apps and feeds eat up a lot of our time, but there are few things as harmful to an artist as watching others live life through the glass and never joining in. I love TikTok as much as the next girl, and have lost hours to reddit threads on every conceivable subject. While enveloped in the screen, I can’t even feel the time passing. I appreciate the reminder that the world will not wait for me, that time and attention are my most valuable resources. The machine will ultimately give you nothing back! Put it down!!

Pricing:

• – storyboarding
• – art direction
• – short films/music videos
• – commissions

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sonialeearts.myportfolio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kizzlewickett/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonia-lee-132bb1251
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kizzlewickett1032?app=desktop