Faces of DePauw

Diving In

Four months after graduating from DePauw, Meghan Shearer ’13 took a giant risk and moved across the country to Los Angeles. “It was really a matter of no contacts, no prospects, and just diving in,” she recalls. “Sometimes I look back and still can't believe I did that. I would be too afraid to do something like that now.”

But Shearer was more prepared than she may have realized. Having just finished a double major in English writing and film studies, she already had a firm grasp on many of the essential skills needed to gain a footing in the film industry.

“I specifically remember Chris White’s playwriting and screenwriting seminar,” says Shearer. “She was so supportive, and I learned so much about story and about how to write. I’ve been able to take those skills and apply them in a very real and direct way. I think about it all the time. I owe my entire career to that.”

On top of her classwork, Shearer picked up a wealth of practical, on-the-job experience. She spent a semester with the New York Arts Program, through which she landed internships with Saturday Night Live, followed by a summer internship at the Late Show with David Letterman. She also attended the Sundance Film Festival as part of a winter term course and helped create video content through her involvement with ITAP.

“When I first moved out here, that was always the thing people were surprised about. They were like, ‘Whoa, you did all that? You got those internships?’ Yeah, I did. But I wouldn't have been able to if DePauw wasn't so adamant about giving students those opportunities.”

After spending her first few years in Los Angeles working for a new media startup, Shearer made the jump to DreamWorks Animation, where she has since contributed to several projects, including Boss Baby 2 and Kung Fu Panda 4. More recently, she served as a production supervisor for The Wild Robot – a film nominated for more Academy Awards than any other DreamWorks film in its 30-year history.

“The Wild Robot was the best experience I've ever had in my entire life. Everyone cared so deeply about the end product, and it’s been so rewarding to be recognized for that. It shows that we’re capable of making not only an entertaining movie, but also a work of art.”

As Shearer reflects on the risks she’s taken and the career she’s built, one of the keys has been the authenticity she brings to her work.

“Anyone can learn the hard skills. It's really the soft skills and what you're bringing as yourself that’s important. Most of the advice people get when they want to get into this industry is to be super cutthroat and do whatever it takes. That's not the advice I would give at all. Keep your head down, do your work, be a good person, and people will recognize that. You’ll stand out more than you might think.”