How to Start a Career in Animation: Matt Price Shares Advice with SAIC

Creative careers rarely follow a straight line. For Emmy Award–winning writer Matt Price, the path to animated television included college improv, MTV game shows, and live-action comedy. This September, 150 attendees joined the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s (SAIC) virtual Warner Bros. Animation Career Talk to hear his story and get an inside look at the industry.

Hosted by Career and Professional Experience (CAPX), the event kicked off the department’s Career Talk series. Price, who grew up in Evanston, Illinois, wrote across all eight seasons of Regular Show and has worked on other animated series including Close Enough and Final Space. He now serves as story editor for Regular Show: The Lost Tapes.

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Reflecting on starting an improv troupe with friends in college, Price emphasized taking initiative. “You’ve got to create your own opportunities,” he said. That approach helped him build a career in television, where an initial seven-week job on Regular Show became seven years. He shared the following advice with attendees:

• Don’t be afraid to try a new path. Your career path does not need to be linear. Different experiences will guide you to develop your creative voice and find where you fit.
• Let your work show who you are. Use your work to show your unique perspective. Make things that reflect your interests so people can understand what you bring as a creative person.
• Lean into collaboration. Animation is a deeply collaborative art. A single episode can involve roughly 60 artists across many different roles.
• Put your most relevant work forward. Tailor your portfolio for every opportunity. Your submitted work should match the specific internship or role you are applying for.

Price also walked attendees through the animation process, explaining how writers, storyboard artists, voice actors, designers, and other collaborators transform an idea into a finished episode.

The conversation reflected CAPX’s commitment to helping students and alums explore the many possibilities of a creative career. Through individual career advising, professional development workshops, internship support, and opportunities to connect with industry professionals, CAPX helps the SAIC community prepare for life beyond the classroom.  
 

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