We were lucky to catch up with Amanda Adams recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amanda, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
I like to express myself as an artist through editing, animation, and character design, often using the name Spy Bacon for my work. Spy Bacon comes from a game my sister and I would talk about playing when we were kids. I’m pretty sure we never actually played it because how do you even play Spy Bacon?
It’s a bit nonsensical and silly and fun, and to me that’s what Spy Bacon represents—tapping into that childhood part of myself that just wants to play and find joy in using my imagination to come up with absurd ideas.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’ve always loved creating stories, and as a kid I’d often take sheets of paper, fold and staple them down the middle, and then I’d write and illustrate little books. And I loved making radio shows where my siblings and I would record ourselves on cassette tape. I had a bunch of dolls, and I would do voices for all of them. One of my favorites was a small brown teddy bear named Randall T. Bear. Nowadays, I like to feature Randall in my animated shorts since I feel like I know him so well. That bear has been wearing pink frilly panties and loving nickels since the ‘90s and I’m here for it.
I found my love for editing 20 years ago when I took a TV Production class in high school. My first video was a fake Geico commercial shot on VHS and edited on Final Cut Pro 4. I also created my first animated short around this time, using MS Paint and Windows Movie Maker.
I went to film school at University of North Carolina School of the Arts (go pickles!) where I studied editing and sound, and after graduation I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in post-production. Over the years I’ve worked as an editor and assistant editor on many live action projects, including TV shows, features, short films, web series, commercials, and even reality TV casting at one point. But I’ve always had a passion for animation in particular—all my favorite shows are animated—so eventually I set my sights on working in animation as well.
I started making animated shorts again, this time using Adobe Illustrator, After Effects, and Premiere. I also took character design courses at The Animation Academy in Burbank to refine my drawing skills. In 2020, I got my first opportunity to work as an animation editor on season 1 of The Freak Brothers (available on Tubi). Since then, I’ve also worked on animated web series Gear Squad vs. Dr. Boring, an animated pilot, and more recently, season 2 of Ten Year Old Tom (available on Max).
And I still have a lot of love for live action editing! Currently I’m editing a spooky comedic short film that’s sure to be a hoot.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Willingness to advocate for oneself.
No one knows the extent of your skill set or your goals better than you do, and you have to find a way to communicate that to people. I’ve dealt with that in making the challenging jump to editor from assistant editor. It can be frustrating to be underestimated, but the positive thing about that is you can really blow people away once you finally get an opportunity to show them what you can do.
2. Tenacity
Success isn’t a quick upward path, and setbacks along the way can be discouraging. But it’s vital to have a foundation of believing in yourself—to know deep down that you are worthy of achieving your goals, to know that even when the universe is dishing out roadblocks, everything will work out because you are bound and determined to make it happen. For me, I’m able to keep up that tenacity because of my mom, an incredibly strong woman whose love, support, and sacrifices have given me the courage to pursue my dreams.
3. Practicing self care
It’s easy to get completely wrapped up in work and furthering your career, but there needs to be balance to life. Over the years, I’ve learned the importance of prioritizing self care, particularly taking time to connect with loved ones—not just with family and friends but also myself. Even things like drinking enough water during the day shouldn’t fall by the wayside when things get busy. And don’t be eating sad sandwiches (that you eventually neglect after getting distracted) while sitting at your desk and working during your entire lunch break! No sad salads either.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Of course! There’s so much value in collaborating with others, as everyone brings a different perspective to the table, their own unique personal specialty that can really enhance the work overall. When I create my animated shorts, I do generally work alone but as I get into making more longer form content, I’d love to team up with a group of skilled artists who also like getting a little silly sometimes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.spy-bacon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spybacon/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-n-adams-21b0bb6a
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@spy_bacon
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3200606/
