We recently connected with Shir Baron and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Shir, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
There are so many paths and methods to success. My own path isn’t the only way, but it’s the only one I am able to share about. For me, success came from just giving it a shot. I never thought I would study abroad, but when I learned about the amazing schools outside of my country, I decided to apply even though I thought I wouldn’t get in. I didn’t know how I would pay for school, so I sent out emails to so many different organizations and people seeking a solution, until some very special people that recognized my potential decided to help me financially. I didn’t think I would end up working at the big studios that created the films which inspired me to pursue a career in animation, but I applied. I worked hard to build the skills and portfolio as well as the personal connections that led me to where I am today. I truly believed the chances to reach where I am today were close to none, and if I would have just given up on trying, I would have never gotten to where I am today.
I believe that every struggle in life makes you stronger, and my fearless personality and drive to overcome the obstacles are a result of many struggles I had to face growing up. Giving it all I’ve got, and not giving up easily, eventually led me to the right places and to the opportunities that DID work out. The idea of “I have nothing to lose” put me in a headspace that allowed me to do whatever it takes to succeed.
Another big aspect to success is your friends. People often talk about “connections”, and while making connections is important, the ones that will truly help you along the way are your friends: the connections that are built over time and are based on true mutual caring for one another. People always say you need to be nice to everyone: they are right. You should work together and help each other reach success. While trying to constantly become better and push yourself towards new goals is great, I don’t believe you should compete with others. There is so much more value in mutual success and your own individual growth will naturally come from that as well.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Shir Baron, I am a Character Animator working on feature animated films at Dreamworks. Born and raised in Israel, which is a very small and warm country, I grew up not only with the best food, but also with strong family values. I think a lot of my personality and style as an artist come from the values I have as someone who came from such a unique place, both it’s good and bad.
My favorite things include food, spending time with family and friends, dogs (and more specifically my pup Summer) and traveling. In fact my short film “The Train to Qinling” which I’ve created in 2020, is based on an experience of mind backpacking across Asia.
As an Israeli, after high school I served as an officer in the Israeli Defense Forces, in the gender equality unit. More specifically, I took care of soldiers who were victims of rape, domestic violence and unintentional pregnancy. After my service I backpacked in Asia for three months and loved it so much that I decided to become a flight attendant for two years. While I knew I wanted to pursue animation as a career since high school, It was only after that that I moved to US to study animation.
All the experiences I’ve gained along the years, while seem unrelated to my career, ended up enriching my world of storytelling. Ultimately, the sidetracking is just part of “living”, and living life to the fullest is what inspires me to want to communicate things with the world. Animation is my tool to communicate with the world.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I have recently worked on the award winning film “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” This film had raging success and reached so many people around the world. Following its release I’ve received numerous messages from people about how it touched their hearts and how it came at a time when they needed it most. The feeling they were describing is how I used to feel when I watched animated films, and that feeling is what made me want to become an animator – I wanted to touch people’s hearts and inspire. It was the most rewarding and satisfying thing I could have wished for.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
When I first entered the industry after graduating from college, I quickly realized the dynamics at school are very different from the professional world. The Student-Professor dynamic is very different from the Animator-Supervisor dynamic. There is a level of professional distance American professors keep from their students, which is something I wasn’t used to from my own country. That led me to believe it was the dynamics that were expected in the industry too, but it is very much not the case. Supervisors are just like any other animator, with just a little more experience and responsibilities. The relationship is more of co-workers and less so of a boss-employee or professor-student relationship.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shirbaron.com/
- Instagram: @shirbaronart
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirbaron/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shirbaronart?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoCK6veYffzRwpVqmjwOnwQ
Image Credits
Puss in boots and Ruby Gillman’s poster are property of Dreamworks