Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michaela Hart. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Michaela, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

Thanks for asking me to share part of my professional experience with you. Producing animation is expected to be lined with unexpected problems left right center and from above and below. Every one stage of the MANY phases of animation production can be riddled with challenges. Most productions are constantly weighted down by hiccups, delays, and cost overages because of the length of time it takes to make cartoon productions and no show/studios/crew/execs are the same – just like in any entertainment content. But there is a reason why. Animation productions have usually a crew of 1–400 based all over the planet collaborating synergistically. Each phase of animation is composed of artists working all over the globe who have their own style but in this case, must 100% adapt to the particular ongoing look of the current project’s art look and ultimately 1 person’s 100% subjective vision of what it should look like. Overseen by a motley crew of very different execs who are purely giving each of their subjective opinions to the direction/approval/green light to hundreds of hours of collective labor. Animation art isn’t just another take to shoot fast, and so the roadblocks begin… This may make it sound like every project is climbing up the hill against the wind and storm the whole time, and yes, some are. But hopefully most aren’t. The people who work in animation are a unique formula of humankind and once you’re part of it, the energy of the collaboration is so worth it. It hasn’t always been the smoothest of highways, but creating cartoons since 1992 has been a lot of fun for me. I guess I was built for off-roading through life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hi – I’m glad you’re here. I offer global animation / VFX studio consulting services and support, drawing from thousands of hours of extensive international experience on multiple production levels, ranging from traditional, CG, hybrid animation, and VFX content.
I began my animation career in 1992 working as a PA and an artist in a small animation studio in Paris, France. As an “American in Paris”, I learned the broad art of making cartoons from the bottom to Creative Executive in Charge of Production for Dargaud / Marina Productions, ultimately overseeing all co-produced international animated productions for all of the major French television channels.

I returned to my native Los Angeles in the early 2000s, and since I have had diverse and unique studio experiences. Developing the inception of the Nickelodeon CG division and producing ambitious VFX for film and television and heading up Production for Universal Television & Animation, and Klasky Csupo’s award-winning commercial division. I co-founded a CG Animation Studio for MTV and founded and produced for the Los Angeles division French studio for Gaumont International Television / Netflix. I was the consulting Executive Producer for Film Roman’s Los Angeles / Mexico studio partnership and served as the VFX Line Producer for the largest-budget Indian film to date. Then consulting for Nickelodeon Animation Studios as their first-ever outside studio consultant based in Paris. I am the co-founder of RAFT Animation Studios. We are a collective of award-winning animation veterans focused on content short inspirational content. https://raftanimation.com

My core focus when collaborating with a studio and team is communication. We produce animation in real time together all over the world on multiple continents. Clear communication with attention to our cultural professional and personal preferences and principals is key to creating a great product together. https://www.trailblazerconsulting.org

My passion for storytelling & animation based on my vast experience has given me the ability to provide objective executive studio support maximizing production results and respecting the integrity of the creative production process as a whole.

I thrive on collaborating with different cultures and studios. I have worked all over the US, Europe, Asia, Canada, and Mexico. I have EU citizenship and speak fluent French.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

Feels much like the .com bubble. Not a broad-reaching solution to digital art. I think it will be redefined over time.

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

I’ve arrived to the fork in the road where the content I make and support has tangible value to the people it reaches.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.raftanimation.com https://www.trailblazerconsulting.org
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/michaelahartanimation/
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/VxwjjHOoS8I?si=FEfJfPwfpHQyZWKp https://bit.ly/RAFT_ChildrensHospitalPresentation_V2 https://bit.ly/ClubGaiaShortSizzle