Join Animation Families & Friends
on September 11, 2021
for an outdoor
Park Playdate
& School Supply Drive
CELEBRATING ANIMATION FAMILIES
In celebration of National Parents' Day on July 25th, we chatted with parents Mario and Laura D’Anna about life with daughters Rebecca (6) and Hazel (11). Mario is a director at Bento Box Entertainment. His work can be seen on Bob’s Burgers, Central Park, and The Great North.
Conversation: Mario on Fostering & Adopting while Working in Animation
I don't have to tell anyone here how consuming our jobs can be on our time and attention let alone add something completely unrelated to the pile that's a heavy job in itself. However, fostering to adopt was Laura's and my best hope for a child so we were determined to make it work. The hardest part about fostering and working in the Industry is managing a consistent schedule on the animation side of things while dealing with the radically unpredictable and regulation heavy side of the foster care system. It's a lot of plates to spin and sometimes a couple will fall but you just keep on spinning as best you can.
Conversation: Mario on Co-Parenting in the Face of COVID
I could never have done any of it without Laura. She is the force that makes our family function. Around 5 years ago our efforts paid off with the arrival of our beloved Rebecca. After her we got our new home and I transitioned from Storyboard Artist into Director where my free time became more and more sparse. Laura and I wanted another child but we took a break from fostering when we adopted Rebecca and our [fostering] license expired so [over the course of a year] we had to take training classes, attend meetings and fill out all the paperwork again to get it back. When we just finished everything we needed to get us reinstated......then came COVID! Since Late March of 2020 I've been directing in my modified walk-in closet and living on Zoom while being a Parent and all in the same location. But, with the bad there's always some good around the corner. During this time we had the arrival of our soon to be second daughter Hazel! We're currently in the process of adopting her but to Laura and myself she's already part of the family. Although we're currently stuck working from home it has given both Laura and myself the opportunity to know Hazel better and be there for both kids as much as possible. It's been an interesting ride balancing career and fostering but Laura and I are more than up for it.
CELEBRATING ANIMATION FAMILIES
For National Parents’ Day on July 25th, we chatted with moms Estrella and Kim Capin about life with daughter Ellie & doggo Lola. Estrella is an editor on Spongebob Squarepants, a 14 year veteran at Nickelodeon, and a proud union member of IATSE Local 700.
Conversation: Estrella on WFH
Our daughter was born at the end of Nov, 2019...Covid hit in March...making it possible to be home and spend tons more time with her than we ever dreamed possible. Being present for those first milestones is something we'll always appreciate. Working from home the last year and a half has been difficult and amazing. My wife is a graphic designer with a demanding, hands-on kind of job. And as an editor, I'm used to being all alone about 90% of the time, so I really miss the social aspect of being at work…[Nickelodeon] still feels like my happy place.
Conversation: Estrella on Family
Raising a girl in this world seems like the most important job I'll ever have. Making sure she's aware, while trying to protect her is a tricky task. Right now she's this sweet little sponge that hasn't experienced loss or tragedy. I feel extreme personal pressure to make sure she has all the necessary tools to navigate through life on her own someday. OK, she's only 19 months old, but these are already the thoughts in my head. Luckily, my wife is amazing in every aspect of parenting, and doing it together has only brought us closer. We can't forget our 11 year-old pup that has loved having us home, but still not sold on the toddler. Baby steps.
CELEBRATING ANIMATION FAMILIES
Conversation: Rochelle on Planning for Career & Family
When I was 10, I thought I had everything planned out for my future. I would marry my high school or college sweetheart, have kids by the age of 28 and be a stay at home mom writing and illustrating my own children's books for said kids (but LA rent won't allow that to happen!) However, since hitting my 30s I realize life doesn't always go according to plan.
My friends all made getting pregnant look so easy as they seemed to pop babies out whenever they tried (or even whenever they weren't trying for that matter.) [Patrick and I] passed all the tests and were told that in all likelihood we should be able to have a child naturally. But we were getting older, and I had lost track of the number of times I cried myself to sleep thinking of all the moments I would never have, the love I would never be able to give, the life I would never be able to live. These days 1 in 8 couples suffer from infertility and that number is only increasing. The more I researched and the more I continued this journey of love and science, I began to understand that those who have trouble trying to conceive need medical treatment just like any other medical condition out there. Fortunately my employer offers an awesome perk that helps cover the costs of IVF.*
Conversation: Rochelle on Becoming a Mom
I feel so fortunate that the treatment worked on the first attempt. After all the exams, the drugs, the shots, the acupuncture, the tears and feelings of loss, I am so appreciative to the doctors, technology, and science for allowing me to bring my beautiful daughter into the world. She makes me want to be a better person for her everyday. I had never realized that when a child is born, a mother is born, too. She is definitely more incredible than anything I could have ever planned or imagined as a child.
*While working in production, Rochelle was able to access IVF discounts through her employer’s corporate health plan. TAG members can explore IVF discounts through Kaiser (https://www.mpiphp.org/assets/files/yourbenefits/health/SPD_Active_2019.pdf) and Anthem - WINFertility (https://www.winfertility.com/anthem-special-offers/). To learn more about members' IVF experiences with the MPI Health Plan, contact the FAM Committee: animationisfamily@gmail.com.
