Animation Career Path of India Barnardo: From Animator to Director | EP. 101 Animation Podcast

In this episode of the iAnimate Animation Podcast, Director and Animator India Barnardo shares her animation career path, from iAnimate student to working on Spider-Verse and directing Cat & Moth. Episode 101 of the iAnimate Animation Podcast features a captivating conversation with India Barnardo, an accomplished Director and Animator whose animation career path exemplifies the journey from passionate student to industry-leading creative. India walks us through her beginnings as an iAnimate student, where she sharpened her skills through online animation workshops, to her extensive industry experience at top-tier studios like Sony Imageworks, Netflix, and now Disney. Her story highlights how to start a career in animation and grow through freelance animator experiences, studio work, and collaborative projects. A focal point of the episode is her transition from animator to director, culminating in the making of her original independent short film, Cat & Moth. India dives into the realities of creating an animated short film—from managing a diverse international team to navigating the festival circuit, and what she learned about leadership, collaboration, and production. Her insight into independent animation production and how to guide creative animation teams offers rare, actionable advice for aspiring indie animation filmmakers. India also reflects on the importance of diversity in the animation industry, her experience as a female animation director, and how her background as a UK animator shaped her creative vision. Whether you're an aspiring animator, a student learning animation online, or looking to understand career progression in animation, this episode delivers inspiring animation career insights and real-world advice. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction to India Barnardo 00:39 – Career Beginnings & Animation Education 02:25 – Freelance Work and Early Studio Experience 03:26 – Moving to Vancouver and Joining Braun 04:43 – Pandemic Projects & Game Animation 05:58 – Contributing to Spider-Verse 06:31 – Joining Walt Disney Animation Studios 08:23 – Startup Studio Culture at Disney 09:29 – Inspiration Behind Cat and Moth 11:47 – Learning Leadership on a Short Film 15:25 – Encouraging Diverse Talent & Experimentation 16:30 – Developing the Story and Visual Style 19:07 – Integrating 2D and CG Animation 22:34 – Challenges with Character Design & Rigging 27:22 – Film Festival Circuit & Release Strategy 32:20 – Discovering the Joy of Directing 33:57 – Lessons Learned: Delegation & Funding 37:04 – Learning from Big Studios & Applying It Independently 42:21 – Influential Mentors and Feedback Style 44:13 – Shifting from Shot Ownership to Story Service 49:29 – Life at Disney: Direct Access to Directors 53:11 – Comparing Quotas and Production Schedules 54:17 – Animation Preferences: Hands, Mechanics, Lip Sync 56:33 – India’s Workflow & Creative Process 59:56 – Overcoming Workflow Challenges 01:01:40 – Final Lessons & Advice for Animators 01:04:48 – Outro & Closing Thoughts 🔗 Explore More: 🌟 India’s Website: indiabarnardo.com 💼 India on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/indiabarnardo 👩‍🎓 India’s iAnimate Workshop: https://ianimate.net/workshops/featur... 🎓 Start your animation journey with iAnimate: Official Site: https://ianimate.net/ Workshops: https://ianimate.net/workshops 👉 If you enjoyed this episode, hit Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an inspiring animation journey! 👍 Like the video to support the channel and help more artists find this content. 💬 What did you think of India Barnardo’s animation career path and her transition into directing? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments—we'd love to hear from you! #animationcareerpath #indieanimationfilmmaker #womeninanimation #creatinganimatedfilms #ianimatestudentsuccess #iAnimateAnimationPodcast #animatorinterview #animationcareer #2danimation #3danimation #cganimation #characteranimation #behindthescenes