Kickstart Spotlight: Harinam Virdee
This month we’re shining the Kickstart Spotlight on one of our Lead Storyboard Artists here - Harinam Virdee!
Tell us a bit about yourself, Harinam.
I'm a Metro Vancouver kid! I grew up in the suburbs of the Lower Mainland and never left. I went to Capilano University to study 2D animation. I also have a cat named Basanti, she is so small and so sweet and so dramatic.
Can you think of a particular moment when you realized you wanted to be an Artist?
I can remember the first time that I realized that art was something I could do as a profession--I was 16 and was introduced to the process of animation by a friend and that's when everything clicked into place. Before that I had always loved drawing and making little comics but I never thought that I could pursue it as a career. Once I learned about the animation industry and its various departments I finally had a clear goal to strive for and worked really hard to get myself there! I enrolled myself in a summer life drawing class and started doing as much drawing as I possibly could, even working with a couple other friends to create our own curriculum in my (very basic) high-school art class which helped us get our portfolios ready for applying to animation schools. Somehow we all pulled it off and the rest is history!
How many years have you been working in this industry?
I started working in September of 2012 as a storyboard revisionist, and I've been in storyboards ever since then. I worked very briefly in BG layout and I learned so much from that experience--namely to be curious and receptive to feedback from departments that come after yours in the pipeline!
What is your most memorable non-animation job? Did you take any good habits from it that you still use today?
I spent a lot of time as a teenager helping my mom manage a Preschool/Daycare as an office assistant and it taught me a lot of things that I didn't ever expect would be beneficial to me as an artist! I got a lot of practice in writing correspondence in a very clear and concise way, and found ways to adapt the way that I communicated with others based on their personalities and needs. A childcare centre is also a great place to be humbled by kids who will not hesitate to give you some real brutal feedback! I learned a surprising amount about child psychology and how they perceive the world, something which I really try to be mindful of as animation is primarily geared to a young audience.
You’re stuck on a desert island with a laptop and a USB stick containing the entirety of one cartoon - what show is it?
Probably a generic answer but it would be Avatar: The Last Airbender. That show has everything and brings me such comfort and nostalgic joy.
If you could give one piece of advice on how to get through a hard day, what would that be?
Get up from your chair. Go outside. Enter the forest, never to be seen again. Seriously though, I will step away from my computer and go for a walk or head into the garden and just lose myself in the miniscule world of nature (I do set a timer though otherwise I WILL enter the forest never to be seen again). I find so much peace in observing the routines of plants, insects, animals...it just reminds me that I exist in a world that putters along as best as it can in the face of incredible challenges. My best advice is to find anything that just feels rejuvenating to you, something you can do without feeling any kind of pressure to complete, whether it's a walk or playing music or playing with a pet or meditating.
What is the highlight of your career so far?
I felt so honoured to work on Deepa and Anoop at Kickstart. It's so rare for me to see a show that reflects my own childhood experiences in a way that is so full of love and joy, and even rarer that I get to work on making it happen! It is a show that I wish I had when I was a young girl and I am so thankful that little Indian kids now get to grow up and see themselves represented on screen.
What continues to motivate your work, or has that changed over the years?
My motivations have definitely evolved over time! As a young animation grad I think everyone can relate to wanting to work on productions that are big and recognizable, fast-paced and action-heavy. Over the years though I have found that I will gravitate less towards the product itself but more towards the studio and team that is working on it. I feel like I've grown to have a more wholesome approach to my work and it motivates me to find opportunities to learn and continue to grow as an artist and person, no matter the production.
What’s your idea of a perfect Sunday?
My perfect Sunday is just a long day of work in the garden! Growing food and ornamental plants has been a part of my life since I was a baby and I find such peace and joy in it. But...if it's raining or it's no longer growing season, my ideal Sunday is just hanging out with my cat and playing a good game while wrapped in a cozy blanket.
What are you trying to improve in your work?
I would love to get more into experimenting with colour and plein-air painting! Colour is something I have always found to be very intimidating and I would love to explore it more.
What have you enjoyed lately that inspired you to create - podcast, tv, movie, music?
I really enjoy pretty much any animated Star Wars series, most recently Star Wars Rebels. The worldbuilding is so intricate and they have always had such interesting alien and creature designs, it's something that I will catch myself doodling a lot!
What piece of advice do you wish you had been given when you first started working in this industry?
Learn when to say no. I have personally overstretched myself in ways that ended up being detrimental to my health, and as a result I really advocate for being aware of artists' mental and physical well-being, as well as being proactive to avoid injuries and burnout. Take care of yourselves and stretch your wrists!!!