We were lucky to catch up with Beau Sheil recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Beau thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

I entered the entertainment industry during a period marked by unpredictability, mass-layoffs, and the rise of AI technology in the field. Many industry professionals in animation specifically have been struggling for quite a while. Talented artists who have years of experiences under their belt have been vocal in the treatment of creatives by the studio complex, and especially how animated shows have taken a hit, with several shows being cancelled and turned into tax write-offs. Entering the field, fresh out of school with little “professional” experience, it was a struggle to stay afloat to say the least.

Around this time, my family had taken a tremendous financial hit. Between this and the state of the studios, I found myself treading water in the workforce: I would bounce between shifts working as kitchen staff, to picking up whatever storyboard and illustration commissions to keep myself desperately tethered to the title “art professional.”

I’ve since grappled with the idea of being an “artist,” and specifically the value of my work outside of what is considered the standard of “professional art.” I’ve since tried to look at my work differently, both my commissioned work and personal work, as well as the process of making art itself. That my work, even the art I make that doesn’t generate me a paycheck, still holds value.

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.

I am a storyboard artist and cartoonist from the southern region of the state of Georgia. I’ve always drawn, and getting my first Wacom drawing tablet in middle school marked the period where I began considering art as a professional career choice. To me growing up, I was heavily influenced by a lot of creators that I would see on online platforms and spaces. To me, it formed a bridge between the cartoons I would see on TV and the cartoons I would draw. It solidified the idea in my head that cartoons could be made by anyone. I attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts after high school to study filmmaking, and since then have worked as a freelance storyboard artist on a variety of different projects.

When storyboarding for clients, I want my work to reflect as closely to their initial idea as possible. Adding that first visual component can really push the project in the right direction when done right, and I find some of the clients who I work with begin to get a much clearer idea of what they want out of their writing once that piece is added. There’s so much that can be emphasized in a scene by something as simple as playing around with the perspective.

The best moments on the job come from the work I produce completely expanding the initial project. A while back, I was on a project to produce album art for a band for their first LP. What started as a conversation for what to put on the album art spiraled into influencing the overall story of the album and the themes that ran throughout it.These moments usually come from reflection: when creators have an opportunity to discuss their project in detail like that with another, it gives them the opportunity to understand what they themselves want to see coming from the project, and more importantly, understand what should and should not be included with what they are trying to say.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I think the main goal for me has always been to create interesting stories. My more immediate goals and aspirations have shifted in the past few years due to changes in circumstances and by extent priorities. It can be hard to maintain that sense of burning ambition I may have had before entering the workforce, but I find that genuine enjoyment and love for the craft has kept me in check from straying too far from art.

I want to create my own stories one day that will influence the artist who come after me, much like the cartoons from artists before me have shaped my sense of storytelling and what animation can be.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Many artists get into their respective industries through the sheer love of the craft. Professional artists pivot from creating something out of enjoyment as a hobby, to creating something for money and career. This can be difficult for a lot of people to deal with, and for a lot of people this ends up almost extinguishing the original passion they had for the craft in the first place. This can be really disheartening, and I think a lot of industry artists have had to grapple with these feelings of viewing their art as a job.

I found trying to balance “fun” art with “work” art can help, but it also helps to reflect back on the pieces that excited you about the medium in the first place.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beau_sheil/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beau-sheil/