Profile: Ila Abramson

An interview with an animation recruiter
by Jake Friedman
*Originally published in the January, 2007 issue of the aNYmator newsletter.

Artists aren’t the only hard-working creatives in the field of animation. Take Ila Abramson, who, for more than 10 years, has recruited animation artists and designers to help staff up projects around the country for various studios. Nearly four years ago she has been operating independently as the founder and reigning cheese of I Spy Recruiting. There she personally works hands-on with all her clients between New York and LA, and assisted in staffing Australia’s own Animal Logic studios [Happy Feet]. Abramson was nice enough to talk to me about her path, the industry, what she looks for in candidates, and her advice to starving artists.

JF: What’s your background?

And then I just got lucky and got a production management job working on Nightmare Before Christmas, and as soon as I saw that, I said, “Oh, this is what I want to do!” It just sort of came together. I loved the lifestyle and working with animators.

Then I got a job recruiting at PDI-Dreamworks. I hired all the animators and artists for Shrek and Antz. Then I feel in love, so I moved to New York and I worked at MTV Animation as director of recruiting, and then went to Nick Digital studios and was in charge of east/west coast facilities for recruiting, and then I went out on my own and started my own company.

JF: Why recruiting?

JF: Why build your own company?