New Partnership
Animation Mentor is excited to announce a brand new partnership with Women in Animation, an organization that is committed to promoting women in the animation industry and diversifying the stories that appear on screen. With WIA, we hope to further opportunities for women in the Animation Mentor community and beyond, and are so excited to connect our students with this wonderful organization.
WIA at SIGGRAPH 2019
In the words of Animation Mentor CEO, Bobby Beck:
“Animation Mentor is honored to be partnering with Women in Animation to bring our two great communities together. We share so many of the same values, and the talent of our global student base reminds us how important it is to have diverse storytellers in our industry. Because WIA has so many great resources, and such a worthy mission, we see this partnership as an opportunity for our amazing students to connect and grow in different ways, adding to the solid foundation they receive from us. Any chance to bring artists together to imagine and create, we’re all in!”
Scholarship Details
As part of this new partnership, Animation Mentor and Women in Animation are sharing a few exciting scholarship opportunities. Animation Mentor is delighted to offer a 20% discount for one Character Animation Course to two students per term. To qualify, new Animation Mentor applicants must hold a current WIA membership (student memberships are available) and share that info in their Animation Mentor application.
In addition, female-identifying students enrolled in Introduction to Acting, Advanced Acting, or Feature Animation Acting & Polish will now qualify for Women in Animation’s Annual Animation Scholarship of $1,500 (USD). 2019 Scholarship Applications close October 14th. WIA Animation Scholarship applicants will also be entered to win a 6-week Animation Mentor workshop of their choosing.
Read on to hear from Women in Animation’s President, Margaret Dean, and to familiarize yourself with the great work WIA is doing.
An Interview with Margaret Dean
WIA President Margaret Dean accepts award.
WIA President Margaret Dean accepts award.
Animation Mentor: We’re so excited to be partnering with an incredible organization that is working to improve the animation industry by encouraging diverse voices and supporting gender equality, efforts that Animation Mentor stands behind. What aspect of this partnership is WIA most excited by?
Marge Dean, President of WIA: WIA is excited to work with Animation Mentor to bring their vast experience with teaching and supporting new talent to an even broader audience. Animation Mentor, is the premium mentoring program with years of success in training a new source of talent that can expand WIA’s own mentoring program.
Animation Mentor, is the premium mentoring program with years of success in training a new source of talent that can expand WIA’s own mentoring program.
AM: Why is education integral to progress within the industry?
MD: The animation industry thrives on new developing talent. Unique voices are born but the means to get them heard in learned. It is only through education that raw talent will be expressed and made available to the industry and to the world.
Jinko Gotoh, WIA’s Vice President, speaking at an event.
AM: What is the problem WIA is trying to solve and how can everyone contribute to the solution?
MD: More than 70% of students in animation programs are women and yet women have less than 25% of the creative jobs. WIA is committed to fixing this problem and reaching 50-50 by 2025. The public can contribute to the solution by becoming a member of WIA, encouraging female students to go for jobs, supporting women who are in the workforce and promoting the idea of the value of a diverse workforce.
More than 70% of students in animation programs are women and yet women have less than 25% of the creative jobs. WIA is committed to fixing this problem and reaching 50-50 by 2025.
AM: Can you talk about some positive changes that are happening? What rewarding outcomes has WIA seen so far?
MD: The biggest event that demonstrates that things are changing was at the WIA World Summit at Annecy this year. Our last panel was 8 women who are the heads of the major animation studios in Hollywood. This has never happened before. Additionally, all the women who participated publicly pledged their commitment to 50-50 by 2025.
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