We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michelle Giraldo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michelle below.
Hi Michelle, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?
I firmly believe that no one knows their own path better than oneself. Only you truly know your motivations, your reasons, and the “why” behind every decision you make. Focusing too much on external criticism can distract you from your purpose and lead you away from the right direction.
People will always have opinions, especially because giving them is easy. For me, that’s why one key rule in any goal I set for myself is learning to distinguish between constructive and destructive criticism, and knowing how to ignore the latter.
Interestingly, I can speak about this from a very recent personal experience. Since childhood, I always wanted to play video games, but for different reasons, I never had the opportunity. Just four months ago, I decided to make it a reality and started playing retro video games. It has been amazing to see how many people connect through nostalgia, remember their childhood, and share that feeling from an adult perspective. During my live streams, I’ve found something truly valuable: people from all over the world who not only join me but also teach me, guide me, and play alongside me, as if we were kids again.
Of course, there are also negative comments or hateful criticism, even from people who get annoyed when I lose a game, haha. But if I had let those voices guide me, I would have missed out on the incredible community I’ve built through online gaming. That’s why I choose to focus on the positive, value what truly adds meaning to my experience, and allow that to outweigh everything else.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
For over eight years, I have developed my career as an animation artist and writer, with a primary focus on animated projects. I have worked as an artist and director on various projects and at different animation studios, experiences that provided me not only with technical skills but also with the confidence needed to pursue one of my most personal dreams: writing my own stories.
As a result of this creative process, I have created three illustrated books: My Little Piggy I, My Little Piggy: The Island of the Dragon, and The Devil’s Bedtime Stories, the latter being one of the projects closest to my heart. Recently, in collaboration with animation director Isaac Rubio, we completed the animated short film “In My Hands,” a project we had been working on for several years. Just a few days ago, it was awarded at the Los Angeles Animation Festival and has also received recognition at international festivals in New York and Russia. Seeing this work acknowledged has been deeply gratifying and reaffirmed the importance of trusting the creative process.
I am currently continuing my work in audiovisual productions, but my main focus and true passion lie in the stories I am writing. For more than two years, I have been working on my next book, which I am excited to share once it is published. This work addresses themes such as abandonment, depression, and fantasy, and explores the power of the mind, how it can become our greatest obstacle when fear takes control, but also our strongest ally when we learn to understand and transform it. It is an intimate story that delves into childhood and growing up in solitude, and precisely because of its personal nature, it has taught me to face criticism with greater strength, while protecting the essence of its message and valuing the sensitivity with which audiences may receive it.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Personally, I believe three qualities have been fundamental in my journey, especially because the path has not always been easy.
The first is adaptability. In the field I have focused on, the ability to change and adjust quickly is crucial, as both the world and the industry evolve at an incredible speed, with constant shifts and variations. I believe that in both nature and life, it is not the strongest or fiercest who survive; if that were the case, dinosaurs would still exist, but those who ultimately prevail are the ones with the greatest capacity to adapt and remain standing.
The second quality is tenacity. This trait has allowed me to overcome difficult challenges, both in my childhood and in my adult life. It has taught me to remain consistent even when results are not immediate, to sustain effort and motivation over the long term. I firmly believe that consistency is one of the most important keys to achieving any goal you set for yourself.
The third quality is the courage to make mistakes. This characteristic has enabled me to explore, take risks, and grow both professionally and personally, understanding that mistakes are not failures but a natural and essential part of learning and the creative process. As Miguel de Unamuno once said, “Those who do not contradict themselves have not thought deeply enough.”
I have learned that it is essential to be compassionate and flexible with ourselves, to offer encouragement and comfort when things do not go as planned, and, above all, to keep moving forward toward our goals. Each setback presents an opportunity to discover a better approach, a new idea, or a different path, always with our eyes on the final objective. This courage has taught me that growth means daring to try, accepting uncertainty, and trusting that every step, even those that seem misguided, brings us closer to our purpose.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I love this question because I have always dreamed of meeting people I deeply admire and learning from their creative vision. Guillermo del Toro is one of those references for me. I had the opportunity to see him in person at an ASIFA Hollywood event during the Los Angeles premiere of his film Pinocchio. It was incredible to witness how he communicates such passion for his work and how every project he creates is filled with his own humanity. Guillermo del Toro transforms his personal chaos into poetry. I love his work because I see so much of myself reflected in him and in his stories. One film that has always stayed with me is Pan’s Labyrinth, a story that felt deeply personal to me; its blend of fantasy, horror, and emotional depth impacted me profoundly and inspired me to tell stories with layered meaning, where the fantastical and the human come together.
On the other hand, Tim Burton has also been a major inspiration in my life. I clearly remember being very young when I watched Edward Scissorhands for the first time; its mix of melancholy, tenderness, and dark fantasy deeply affected me. Every small detail in his films, from the visual aesthetics to the music and the subtle gestures of his characters, continually reminds me that a creator’s imagination can completely transform the way we experience a story. It would be a dream come true to share my projects and receive feedback from creators as inspiring as they are.
Shifting a bit toward video games, I am a passionate fan of retro Nintendo games such as Super Mario World, Mario Kart, and Yoshi’s Island. It’s amazing how these worlds continue to spark joy and creativity years later. Collaborating with Nintendo or with streaming platforms would be a dream, as it would allow me to share experiences, learning, and creativity with other fans and players.
Additionally, I have maintained an active presence on social media for many years, which has allowed me to share my projects, connect with the community, and learn from other creators.
You can contact me via email or TikTok.
I am truly grateful to Bold Journey Magazine for having this space on such a wonderful website.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://iranimation1.wixsite.com/michellegiraldo
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miichellegiraldo7/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@michellegiral?lang=es
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