Not One Right Way
How do people get jobs in animation, film, gaming? Marve Aguiñaga and Melissa Manuel sit down with people across all these worlds to find out who they are, how they "got in" and who they know. Turns out the entertainment industry can be pretty small and there's not one right way to do it!
David Olson (Epic Games)
Marve and Melissa welcome Partner Operations Release Manager David Olson!
We discuss David's many many jobs before working in games. From gas attendant, to Indian restaurant waiter, barista, and more! David shares his early love of games from his mother to how his many jobs helped prepare him for his current role. He also shares all about the importance of networking and all about his current role as a member of PORM at Epic!
Cover Art by Les H. follow them on Instagram @xlehx
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Mabelin Calcano (Ghee Happy, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous)
Marve and Melissa welcome Producer Mabelin L Calcano (@humanmabs)!
We discuss Mabs' journey from the Dominican Republic to the US and her love of all things music and visual art. She shares how she got her first internship at DreamWorks, to working at Netflix, and more.
Connect with Mabs on LinkedIn!
Cover Art by Les H. follow them on Instagram @xlehx
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for...
Ellie Guzman (TMNT, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, Archibald’s Next Big Thing is Here!)
Marve and Melissa welcome writer Ellie Guzman (@elliemariaguzman)!
We discuss Ellie's journey from being an ER nurse to becoming a PA at DreamWorks, how her blog helped her writing career, the importance of taking a leap of faith, burnout, representation in animation, and more!
Find all of Ellie's amazing work on her website https://ellieguzman.com/! Her blog Lady Pieces, her book Rags to Rags, and more!
Cover Art by Les H. follow them on Instagram @xlehx
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes...
Joseph Knox (Uncharted 4, Call of Duty: Vanguard, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria)
Marve and Melissa welcome Senior Ploducer Joseph Knox!
We discuss Knox's winding road to game development and the many hats he's worn along the way. We also talk about what it takes to work outside the US, the importance of honesty, and more!
Cover Art by Les H. follow them on Instagram @xlehx
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd like to be a guest on the show!
Jakejames Lugo (Writer, Editor, Journalist, Content Creator)
Marve and Melissa welcome Media Personality Jakejames Lugo(@jakejameslugo)!
We discuss Jakejames' initial dreams of being a game dev, to realizing writing about games was more his passion. We also talk about the importance and complexities of reviews in media, writing game guides, and more!
Cover Art by Les H. follow them on Instagram @xlehx
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd like...
Patrick Lin (Win or Lose, Elio, Bao, Up, Ratatouille, & More!)
Marve and Melissa welcome Director of Photography at Pixar Animation Studios, Patrick Lin!
We discuss Patrick's early start in stop-motion animation working on James and the Giant Peach, to helping work on the cinematics for theme park rides. Then we learn how he got his first job as a layout artist at Pixar in 1997 on A Bug's Life. Patrick then gives an amazing explanation on the importance and artistry of what Layout Artists do! #JusticeForLayout
Cover Art by Les H. follow them on Instagram @xlehx
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay...
Kal Athannassov (Jentry Chau vs The Underworld, Carol and the End of the World)
Marve and Melissa welcome Character Designer & Art Director Kal Athannassov (@dr_kal_drungus)!
We discuss how Kal's student thesis film from Ringling The Wishgranter opened so many doors for work, becoming an AD at Baobab Studios, to working at Netflix during the pandemic, and the development work he did for Jentry! Along with lots of fun Kit and Chang creation lore, major spoiler warning if you haven't watch Jentry Chau yet!
Cover Art by Les H. follow them on Instagram @xlehx
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Monisha Selvaraj (V for Virat, Call of Duty: Vanguard, Modern Warfare III)
Marve and Melissa welcome Associate Producer Monisha Selvaraj (@monishaselva)!
We discuss finding going to school in India, learning not really wanting to be an animator, but rather production work is real, the importance of empathy in all roles, experiencing a layoff and learning to get back in touch with your health, and becoming an Insta Influencer to cope with it all!
Connect with Monisha on her Instagram or LinkedIn!
Cover Art by Les H. follow them on Instagram @xlehx
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on...
Miguel Baltazar (Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny, Inside Job, Boss Baby: Back in Business)
Marve and Melissa welcome Storyboard Artist Miguel Baltazar(@miguelbaltazar_art)!
We discuss what it means to be a storyboard artist, the importance of emotion in storytelling, how our teachers inspire us, and once again the value of luck, timing, and preparation.
Check out Miguel's work on his site or his YouTube!
Cover Art by Les H. follow them on Instagram @xlehx
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for...
Nicole Pacheco (Toei Animation, DTVA Development)
Marve and Melissa welcome Production Assistant Nicole Pacheco!
We discuss going to Florida State University for Film School, finding out you don't need to know how to draw to work in animation, what it takes to work in animation development, and how to pitch your show to executives from someone who has heard many, many pitches!
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd like to...
Quyen-Vi Nguyen (Call of Duty: Vanguard & Modern Warfare III, Gameheads)
Marve and Melissa welcome Associate Producer Quyen-Vi Nguyen (@thelittlebirdemperor)!
We discuss the trauma of being a first gen college student and the burnout that comes with it, what VFX and Lighting really means in video games, the amazing organization that is Gameheads, and to remember to fail fast, fail better.
Play Quyen-Vi's amazing game here! Check out all the other Gameheads games here and support/join them anytime!
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us...
Sing Khamnouane (Tangled, Book of Life, Scoob!, The Monkey King)
Marve and Melissa welcome Assistant Professor of Practice (Previous Character Modeling Supervisor) Sing Khamnouane!
We discuss how Sing got his start as a Disney trainee working on Tangled (he made the satchel and the flower), tells the amazing/heartbreaking story of watching the last 2D film be made at Disney Animation, help Jorge Gutierrez make his first film a reality, and lots of wisdom on how to find your path. Get some extra credit and learn all about 3D modeling!
Connect with Sing on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sing-khamnouane-3429127/!
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Chelsea Holt (The Casagrandes, DC Superhero Girls, Teen Titans Go!)
Marve and Melissa welcome Chelsea Holt (@choltsea)!
We discuss Chelsea's time as a Nicktern, to how that led to her time at Warner Bros Animation, what does a Storyboard Revisionist do, and even more about assets.
Check out her work at https://chelseaholt.com/ or connect on https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-holt-3b94aa116/
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd like...
Paige Coblentz (Blue Eyed Samurai, Bojack Horseman, Tuca & Bertie)
Marve and Melissa welcome Paige Coblentz (@rampaigeee12), Production Manager at Netflix Animation!
We discuss the important pillars of being prepared, connections, and luck. As well as archery, Paige's time at the Rhode Island School of Design, moving to LA, and so so much more. Please listen to gain all the amazing wisdom Paige has to share!
Check out Paige's work here: https://www.paigecoblentz.com/
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail...
Jake Weinstein (Animator, Storyboarder, Sticker Artist)
Marve and Melissa welcome Jake Weinstein (@jakeinaflannel)
We discuss how to apply to cons, making your senior thesis film, having a pet raccoon, and the importance of stickers for networking!
Check out all of Jake's amazing work https://www.jakeweinstein.org/!
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd like to be a guest on the show!
Sean Aitchison (Jellybox COO/Production Supervisor)
Marve and Melissa welcome Jellybox COO/Production Supervisor and Writer Sean Aitchison (@sean8urson.bsky.social!)
We discuss how the famous Yaoi animation guild boyfriends came to be, how the animation industry is kind of falling apart, how Sonic is a shōnen protagonist, and more!
Check out Jellybox's amazing work at https://www.jellybox.studio/ or @Jellybox_Studio
Want to listen to more Sean? Check out his own podcasts: @sonicpod.bsky.social & @Attractioneers.bsky.social
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come o...
Josh Loera (Freelance Artist, AnimSchool)
Marve and Melissa welcome 3D Modeler Josh Loera (@joshloera.art)! We discuss switching careers from engineering to going back to art, working on your craft, and the importance of representation in animation!
Check out Josh's work on https://www.joshloera.com/ !
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd like to be a guest on the show!
Lila Schmitz (Dropout, Job of Songs, That Animal Rescue Show)
Marve and Melissa welcome Lila Schmitz (@lilaschmitz__)! The Legal and Operations Assistant for Dropout as well as a director, producer, writer, grip, and more. We discuss the need for grips so we can see in the dark, becoming a carpenter to find our path, falling in love with everyone, and staying curious!
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd like to be a guest on the show!<...
Jonathan Cheung (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Lovestruck)
Marve and Melissa welcome Jonathan Cheung (@accidentalprogress)! Listen to learn about his journey from San Jose State (hi Shrunken Head Men), through mobile games and Otome, to Call of Duty and as we all tear up finding meaning making art and problem solving for others. Then we talk about anime for a bit - go dubs!
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod for the amazing glossary!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd...
Valeria Guénette Espinal (Maya and the Three, Barbie Dream Besties)
Marve and Melissa welcome Valeria Guénette Espinal (@guenettita)!
We discuss how not to become a neuroscientist, greek mythology, and how to optimize your demo reel.
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd like to be a guest on the show!
Ella Cesari (Mystery Shack Podcast, Pretzel Theater Co, Slam Poet)
Marve and Melissa welcome Ella Cesari (@drawnwithoutref on Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, BlueSky) !
We discuss finding your passion early, making art while in a pandemic, and how to combat loneliness through that art. But also Disney Channel Original films and The Matrix!
Find Ella's many amazing projects here!
Pretzel Theater Co https://ellacesari.weebly.com/ A Phantom of the Paradise 50th anniversary zine, that can be found at potpzine.carrd.co https://www.instagram.com/pretzeltheaterco Her two podcasts @mysteryshackpod and @matrixqueerpod on the socialsHere's a direct link to Slam Poet https://www.youtube.com...Joey Filipiak (Borderlands 3, Guardians of the Galaxy: We're Back, Mortal Kombat 11)
Marve and Melissa welcome Joey Filipiak!
We discuss the best of part of horror movies, how to properly name files, and the importance of flexibility as an animator.
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd like to be a guest on the show!
Rin Bhorntus (WWE 2K24, Barbie Doll Adventures)
Marve and Melissa chat with Rin Bhorntus (@amarindra on Instagram) an animator living in LA who has an unconventional path into the field and a love for wrestling, her dog Lana, and an MTV ad that started it all. Rin currently works at Mindshow supervising the animation for animated shows such as Barbie Dream Besties, Barbie Doll Adventures, Monster High music videos, and more!
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or...
Alex Grauke (Call of Duty: Vanguard, Modern Warfare III, Warzone)
Marve and Melissa welcome Producer Alex Grauke (@BeardedTakes)! We discuss the unconventional journey from HR to production, how being nerdy helps us figure out our true path in life, and the struggle of dealing with layoffs. Follow his new Instagram for terrible takes and check out his LinkedIn to hire him asap!
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd like to be a guest on the show!<...
Christie Bednarz (Dropout, Thor: Love & Thunder, Barbie Dream Besties)
Marve and Melissa welcome Editor Chritie Bednarz (@christieann24)! We discuss how she found her love for editing and figured out how to join the union as an editor, Mai Tais, and childhood sketch comedy.
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments! Or if you'd like to be a guest on the show!
Welcome to Not One Right Way!
Get to know the hosts and what is to come on the podcast!
Follow us on Instagram @Not1WayPod to stay up to date on when episodes come out. Or on Tumblr @not1rightway-pod!
Email us at notonerightwaypod@gmail.com for any questions or comments!