Flintern Spotlight: Nicole Shoutz
By Lydia Picotte, Creative Writing Intern – Flint Group
Things Nicole Shoutz loves about animation:
1. The beginning of a project when she gets to storyboard, design characters, and build worlds.
2. The end of a project when she can be proud of the work she’s done and gets to see the final product.
Things Nicole Shoutz does not love about animation:
1. The technical work between the beginning and the end.
As she puts it, “I’m an animator who doesn’t like to animate.”
It was hard not to raise my eyebrows when Flint’s Client Success Intern first told me her background wasn’t in marketing. Equipped with a calm demeanor and collaborative energy, she fits in easily with the other account managers who have mostly business experience. But the ease with which she’s settled into her new role is less shocking when you realize that it’s not random. Rather, Shoutz’s job at Flint is part of a strategically timed career pivot that has expanded her idea of what creative work can look like.
Originally from Waconia, Minnesota, Shoutz first came to Fargo-Moorhead four years ago to attend Minnesota State University Moorhead She graduated this May with uncertainty about her future as an animator. As much as she loves the industry, she didn’t want to limit herself. She set out to see how else she could create.
“It sounds corny but I’m truly interested in everything,” says Shoutz. Consequently, finding opportunities wasn’t hard – choosing one was another story.
To anyone who knows Shoutz, it’s not a surprising situation. Her incredible curiosity is instantly notable. At Flint, she pays close attention to project details and is always the first to ask a question.
Her love for learning is even more evident when she talks about her hobbies – her favorite activity is language learning. She’s fluent in English, French, Spanish and Italian; knows pieces of German and Russian and is currently teaching herself Japanese.
Additionally, her “lessons” are untraditional and just as all-encompassing as multilanguage learning itself. Shoutz learns by consuming media. She listens to music, watches shows and plays video games as part of her process.
“There was a point where I could explain the whole plot of Zelda in Japanese but didn’t know how to introduce myself,” says Shoutz. “I don’t want to sit and read a textbook. I won’t learn if it’s not through activities that I’d be doing anyways.”
So yes, “interested in everything” is a good way to put it.
While her job hunt was fueled by curiosity, she also continued to circle back to her favorite aspects of animation – ideation and big picture coordination. Together, the two pieces made account management seem like a perfect fit.
“As project managers, we connect with everyone,” Shoutz says. “It’s not uncommon for us to send a message to every team and ask different things. Since we need to know exactly what we’re asking of people, we get to have a better understanding of what everyone does.”
Her day-to-day includes talking to clients, assigning tasks, outlining budgets and timelines and preparing for potential crises. In keeping with her background in entertainment, her favorite work at Flint has been coordinating entertainment schedules for Shooting Star and Four Bears Casinos.
She’s still interested in the entertainment industry and loves the idea of ultimately exploring other positions at a studio or agency. For now, her Flinternship has allowed her to continue with her favorite parts of animation. She coordinates creative projects and watches them come to life every day. In the same vein, it’s given her the space to learn more about a new industry and every position within Flint. Through her new role, Shoutz has undeniably been able to achieve what she set out to – a little bit of everything.
