Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1532153
If you ever run into a group of people at a mall dressed as elves, or as princes picnicking in a park, it's quite possible you might find Aimee Steinberger at the helm. The Storyboard Artist and Director, who currently directs on Bento Box's The Great North, indulges in another creative passion—designing elaborate costumes and putting together unique experiences for friends. Steinberger's penchant for hosting themed parties developed after she got into costuming as a hobby. She calls it a form of fan art. "Beautiful costume work is inspiring to me," she says." This fascination led to her creating costumes from shows that she loved, learning to sew by trial and error. Steinberger says it's fun to create an escape for people, a way for them to step into an alternate reality. Last year she organized an experience that involved renting an 18th-century ship, the HMS Surprise in San Diego, and inviting friends to accompany her in pirate gear. They hired a photographer, and after taking pictures onboard, they continued partying at a nautical- themed bar. She says that like many of her animation colleagues, she's an introvert, so it's not easy for her to step out publicly in eye-catching attire, DRESSED TO ESCAPE PLAYING DRESS-UP IS SERIOUS BUSINESS FOR DIRECTOR AND STORYBOARD ARTIST AIMEE STEINBERGER. this page: Posing in the Huntington Gardens, Steinberger displays the Regency gown she created for Pasadena's Jane Austen ball; opposite page: Baking cakes and throwing themed events like a pirate party aboard the HMS Surprise (center) give Steinberger an outlet for unfettered creativity. A F T E R H O U R S 10 KEYFRAME