Wyatt s Miles

How did you pick your career? Did you know all along?

I would say that I have been led to my career. I ended up going into Animation because cartoons and movies were where I learned many of Life's Greatest lessons. So many people think that these things are for babies and children and I would agree, but babies and children are incredibly wise and the lessons that were being taught in so many of them are greater and more clear than most people realize. Disney movies like Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, Aladin, Brother Bear, The Princess and the Frog, just to name a few, have messages and lessons so pure and so beautiful! I also love music and these movies all have Incredible music full of Truth, Love, and power! Growing up in a family of eight children, my childhood was full of drama, violence, humor, creativity, confusion, cartoons, video games, comics, reading, sports, adventure, and on and on. It was both magical and horrific. My siblings and I used to make stop motion animated videos using our dad's handheld video camera. I suppose that was the very beginning of my foray into the world of animation. I am a lot of things actually and have lots of different skills and experience, but mostly I'm an animator and though it's generally a monotonous job, I really enjoy being a part of the animated world. - Wyatt s Miles

Did anyone ever oppose your career plans when you were young or push you in a direction you did not want to go?

Surprisingly no. I actually expected that my Father, who is a Chemical Engineer (Rocket Scientist), might try to dissuade me. He did not, but rather has helped me and supported me throughout my career in simple but meaningful ways. I think my Mother and Father were both a little surprised by my decision, and I suppose they could be more supportive in some ways, I have never really experienced any external opposition to the path that I have walked. I have experienced loads of rejection, indifference, and apathy. In reference to the saying, the Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease, I don't want grease, Yuck! I do want to keep rolling along the path and I'll get to where I'm going to, over time.

In layperson terms, what do you actually do at work?

I presently work as a Freelance Animator. That basically means that the contract between me and who I work for is pretty open and flexible. Here is the definition: A freelancer is an independent contractor who earns wages on a per-job or per-task basis, typically for short-term work. Benefits of freelancing include the freedom to work from home or from a non-traditional workspace, a flexible work schedule, and a better work/life balance. That is the perfect description of the freedom that I enjoy because of a commitment to honesty, efficient work, craft, friends, and my family. The kind of Animation that I do the most of these days is 3D Character Animation in Maya. I also sometime get to work on 2D Animated projects (hand drawn). The company I presently work for is WayForward, a video game company based in California, but I work with other people in various other locations throughout the US and even in other Countries. Although I work on a Freelance basis, I have been working exclusively for WayForward for almost five years now. I work with one of my best friends, who is usually my Animation Lead. This makes my job, that might otherwise be pretty monotonous, into a great learning experience and also a lot of fun.

What is the one piece of career advice you wish someone gave you when you were younger?

Do what you Love and Love what you Do. - womble dean

What is it like when your job gets tough?

Well, sometimes my work asks me to do something that I don't know how to do. That is tough, but what else can I do but try to learn how to do it? I always do my best and sometimes my best is enough and sometimes it's not, and that's OK. That's all I can do.

How did you start building your network?

I don't really waste much time trying to build networks in the ways that others do. I mostly just do my job as best I can. I believe that my work, my experience, and the real interpersonal relationships will speak for themselves. Basically, I just do my best to be me and that will count for more than anything.

What is the most useful piece of career advice you got as a student, and who gave it to you?

"Be humble and teachable and do your job with zeal" - My Best Friend

When you were a student, did you do anything outside of school to build skills or get knowledge that has helped your career?

Not that I can recall. This whole world is a school, so I've never been outside of the classroom. There is no place that I am aware of where something is not being taught. Everything I'm learning is helping me in Life and Career. They are one and the same to me.

What is the biggest challenge you had to overcome to get to where you are now professionally? How did you overcome it?

I would have to say the biggest challenge I've had to overcome was crippling Addiction. I did not overcome it, My Best Friend overcame it for me.

When did you get your first Big Break? How did you get it? How did it go?

OK, if we're talking career-wise, I would say that my first Big Break, was an incredible story that came to me when I was about 22 years old. Like I said, it just came to me, like through a portal from another dimension. I just wrote it down. It was unlike anything I had ever experience before in this life. It's still a work in progress and may be one of those things that only sees the light of day once I pass onto the next life.