MEET #2791 JULIA POTT

Illustrator & Animator • Brooklyn

Originally from the UK but now based in Brooklyn, WNW Member #2791 Julia Pott is an illustrator and animator extraordinaire. Her award-winning films have played at festivals all over the world, including Sundance, SXSW, AFI, and Annecy. A few of her clients include J. Crew, MTV, Oreo, Toyota, and Hermes. In 2012, Julia was named an ADC Young Gun, as well as one of The 25 New Faces of Independent Film by Filmmaker Magazine. In her free time, she wins more awards, like the 2013 YCN Professional Award. She also writes for Huffington Post. Julia shared some of her secrets to success with us, speaking about her parents' complete support and walks around the block.

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1. How long have you been freelancing?

I have been freelancing full time since I graduated from the Royal College of Art in July 2011. It was quite a strange sensation having my whole life ahead of me with no more land marks in the career world – no BA’s, no MA’s, just work forever.

2. Is there a time or place that you feel most creative/have the best ideas?

When I’m walking to work I find it easiest to come up with ideas. If I’m feeling stuck during the day I’ll walk around the block and it helps to clear the cobwebs. I THINK I’m the most creative when I’m on a plane, but when I land and go through my notebook I realise all my ideas were terrible.

3. What's your ideal Working:Not Working ratio?

I like to work flat out on a project 24/7 for weeks or months at a time and then take a week off to do nothing and spend way too much time at Pottery Barn.

4. Do your parents understand what you do?

My parents have always been hugely encouraging. They always told me that I should wake up every morning excited to go to work – even if that meant struggling for money for a while. They watch every animation and look at every drawing I do, and if they don’t understand it they’ll ask me to explain it. Not to gush too much but they’re literally the best.

5. What scene from a movie makes you laugh just thinking about it?

The scene in Mean Girls where a teary girl is talking about baking a cake out of rainbows and feelings and Damian yells from the back 'She doesn't even go here'. Every time. Sometimes when someone is giving their opinion on something when no one asked for it I quietly think in my head, 'she doesn't even go here'.

6. If you were stranded on a desert island, with your computer, what 3 websites would you take with you?

NPR.org – mainly for Radiolab. I love listening to talk radio when I’ve been working from home and I’m starting to go a bit nuts in my own company.

TED.com – another resource for soothing knowledgeable voices. Although I’ll be honest – I mainly watch the talks about Love and Aliens.

Is it cheating to say Youtube? If it is then http://www.itsnicethat.com.

7. What do you do when Not Working?

My heavy rotation non-working activities include – dancing (badly), karaoke (badly), eating Mexican food paired with margaritas (I’m good at this one), and watching whichever television show I am currently addicted to (The Sopranos). If I have a period of time off I love going on trips with friends – renting a cabin upstate or going away on an adventure.

8. Do you have a hidden talent?

I used to pull out my hair and eat it when I was 4 ... but that’s more of a worrying affliction than a talent. I was a classical pianist before I moved to New York, but I think almost all of that has fallen out of my head by now unfortunately.

9. Any tips or advice for fellow freelancers?

I personally work much better if I have a few projects on the go at once so wherever possible, say yes to every job you want to do even if you’re already working on something else at the same time.