Women In Animation

by Joanie Rich

Notice anything new on the site? We’re hoping you did! Over the past week, we’ve received a number of member blogs and posted the links in the new Blog Roll link list. But, just in case you haven’t noticed the Blog Roll link list on the sidebar to your right, and you’re wanting to know more about the new links, consider this post your handy guide!

The Blog Roll

• A Rigger’s Delight - Evelyn Cover
  - Her first post says it all, “dedicated to the Wonderful World of Rigging.” Evelyn is a 3D character rigger with a lot to say about the subject: from her own projects to the tips and gems she’s found in her fellow artists work.
• Chara Campanella
  -This writer/producer has a lot to show - including a new 2D feature which she is heavily involved in called “Time Piglets.” I highly suggest surfing to the feature’s website after you’ve checked out the rest of her site - her Bio page is a fun read too.
• Shannon Muir’s Take on the Animation World
  - Come here if you’re looking for an insightful look into the Industry with colorful anecdotes and reviews of the latest events going on in Hollywood. Watch for her new book on Writing & Producing Animation, which is coming out soon.
• Animated by Sharvonique - Sharvonique Fortune
  - Not only is she the artist behind our WIA Ad Banner, but she’s got a blog with lots of news, including the latest conferences. Be sure to read about her adventures at KidScreen Summit 2007, especially if you’re interested in pitching shows.
• Catherine’s Sketchbook - Catherine Saturn
  - Who doesn’t love swapping sketchbooks? Check out Catherine’s latest sketches - from character doodles and caricatures to figure drawing - there’s lots of eye candy here, including some fun photos which speak for themselves.
• Sarah’s Sketchbook - Sarah Saturn
  - Like Catherine - she’s a proud member of the WIA Chicago chapter and also features her personal sketches and designs in her blog. Check out her funny spider encounter and her awesome full color Angel/Demon designs for starters.
• Couldn’t be a Super Hero - So now I Animate! - Joanie Rich
  - Shameless plug alert! Yours truly is now on the Blog Roll as well. So who is Joanie, you ask? Well should click over and take a look. Fresh out of animation school, I’m eagerly awaiting my first job in the industry - so come join me in my journey.

Wanna get listed too? It’s easy! Just email me, Joanie, (joaniegecko@gmail.com) with your name and the URL of your blog (or regular website address if you don’t have a blog). I’m looking forward to hearing from the rest of you soon!

This was designed by Sharvonique Fortune and gets randomly splashed across other people’s blogs. When someone clicks on the ad, it brings them straight to us, generating hit after hit.

How could it possibly get any better than that, you ask. Well, if we can get enough members with Animation Blogspot accounts, then the banner ads on the WIA blog with only advertise WIA members.

That’s right. Free banner ads for you. Just something to consider.

Members News:

Also in the works is a “Members News” section. An example of “Members News” would be this post from Pamela Thompson who is renting her house.

When we get this section of the site up and running, we will give you all the information you need to know about submitting news.

More On Thank Yous:

While we’re dolling out the gratitude, we have another big thank you for Thy Than who designed our masthead and to the folks at AWN for their continued technical and all around support.

We’d also like to invite anyone and everyone to get involved with the WIA blog. Just drop me an email at chara.campanella@gmail.com with your thoughts, ideas and skills and we’ll find a way to use them. Like I said, we have big plans for this baby blog and the more members we can get involved, the more spectacular it will be.

Storyboard Pitch Night
Thursday, May 17th at 7:00 PM

Last month we had a nice, relaxing break from pitch night. I hope you all had a chance to take a look at the optional assignments I emailed out in April. If you’ve been working on one of them, or just doin’ your own thang, bring it in to our next Pitch Night May 17th with special guest, the ever fabulous Llyn Hunter!

Llyn just started back on the second season of “Ying Yang Yo”. She most recently finished a stint on the second season of the tv show “Curious George”. She has over a decade of experience as a board artist, so if you’ve got questions, she’ll be happy to help.
Pitch List so far is open!!!
Sign up with me if you’d like to pitch a board-
E-mail me at jesskreig@gmail.com to RSVP today.

Storyboard Pitch Night
meets Thursday, May 17th
7 pm to 10 pm at
Animation Guild
4729 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood 91602
$5 for non-members, FREE to WIA members.
~Jessica Kreig

The Voice Acting Group
Friday, May 18th at 7:00 PM

The Women in Animation Voice Acting Group will be starting Friday, May 18, at 7:00 p.m.. We’ll be meeting on the third Friday of the month at RBC Studio, 5723 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA, between Gower and Vine. The meeting will last for three hours. We’ll do warm-ups, a little improv, and booth time. One meeting will be $15 for non-members, and $10 for members. More details will be provided soon. The group will be moderated by Wendell Washer. People may bring copy, our Women in Animation Writers’ Group is invited to supply copy, and copy will be available to use. RSVP to Wendell Washer at wendell@wendellwasher.com.

Women In Animation LA’s next General Meeting:
“Hearing Voices: Your Career as a Voice Actor”
Thursday, June 28 at 6:30 PM

You know animation’s not just about the pictures. Somebody’s got to supply a voice for that capering squirrel from the Bronx, or that cryptoid from the Planet Xircon. If you want to be that vocal acrobat, come to Women In Animation LA’s next General Meeting:
“Hearing Voices: Your Career as a Voice Actor.”

On Thursday, June 28, we’ll present a panel (moderated by Wendell Washer, leader of our newly revived Voice Acting Group) with five accomplished professionals in the voice acting business: MJ Lallo, Charlie Adler, Susan Blu, Ginny McSwain, and Pat Fraley. We’ll have a table or two to sell and give away books, DVDs, flyers, etc. to provide further information on a career in vocal acting.

Join us at Dreamworks (1000 Flower Street, Glendale, California) on Thursday, June 28th, 2007. Schmoozing and networking begins at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting proper starts at 7:00. Food and soft drinks will be available.

To RSVP, please call the Hotline at (310) 535-3838 or email LAchapterrsvps@aol.com before Tuesday, June 26th. Non-members are asked for a $10.00 donation: members are free. We look forward to seeing you!

by Rochelle Perry

Stephanie Graziano coordinated this special event commemorating the many generations of Hanna-Barbera cartoons. The panelists included Jerry Eisenberg, designer and artist; Susan Blu, voice actor and voice director; Dennis Venezelos, artist/art director; Jayne Demente, gender educator who at one time was a secretary at Hanna-Barbera and later created their production library; and Iraj Paran, art director and graphic artist.

To kick off the discussion, it started with how working at Hanna-Barbera impacted their careers. The panelists agreed with Jayne: “[Working there] imparted a strong work ethic and a sense of teamwork.” Truly, Hanna and Barbera put their whole hearts into their projects, generating a work ethic that their workers adopted.

They also encouraged creative freedom, whether it be with the simple design of the characters, the pioneering techniques involved, the humorous stories, or the charm in the acting. Susan recalls the freedom to suggest a voice she thought would suit a character. Mentoring and promoting growth within the studio was common. After applying for a summer job, Iraj went on to becoming an artist, along with many other talented individuals. And from all the art produced, Jayne went on to creating “one of best production libraries in the world.”

With passion driving the production, the studio soon evolved as a powerhouse for children’s entertainment, trudging along to what we call the “cartoon baby boom.” They were producing so many shows at once that the demand for artists grew; thus, they outsourced their animation overseas, the first of its day.

But even with the help overseas, eighty hours a week was still normal in-house. Stephanie remembers looking forward to the layoffs. And despite rumors that the studio was a sweatshop, Dennis comment, the crew still spared time for fun, playing pranks on each other after hours. “It was a very lighthearted place, very much like a family.”

Work hard, play hard. That was a motto by which Hanna-Barbera lived. Never has this motto been more prevalent than in the Hanna-Barbera days, one by which every studio should live, and one which earned them their success. Both men had a lot of heart and passion, which has reflected in the hearts of their employees. With this backing them up they have created some of the most memorable animated cartoons to date.

by Shannon Muir

2006 saw the passing of Joe Barbera, half of the animation legacy of Hanna-Barbera, without whom many great women - and men - might not have gotten their breaks in the biz. With the great assistance of Sander Schwartz and Warner Bros. Animation (who now own Hanna-Barbera), Women in Animation honored that legacy at Warner Bros. Animation in Sherman Oaks while taking care of a little bit of business.

As a nonprofit corporation, WIA is required to elect a board of officers, all of whom came into office with an overwhelming majority. The same could be said of the two ballot measures embracing the international growth of WIA as well as removing the longstanding two-sponsor requirement for membership, according to Administrator Mary Ellen Thomas.

A wide selection of finger foods and cheesecakes, with beverages ranging from coffee to tea to water, came courtesy of Frederator Studios in New York. WIA founder Rita Street “channeled” (in now-former President Jan Nagel’s terms) a message from Fred Seibert, owner of Frederator and last President of Hanna-Barbera. He spoke of being part of a legacy to live inside people for a lifetime to come.

A detailed account of the Hanna-Barbera panel event will follow in a separate blog post.

It was an evening of fun and, for some, memories as WIA members were regaled with stories of passion and pranks and life at Hanna-Barbera. Special thanks to our panelists: Jayne Demente, Jerry Eisenberg, Susan Blu and Dennis Venezelos, Iraj Paran.

Also a special thanks to Warner Bros. Animation and Frederator Studios for their invaluable help and support.

Keep checking in. A more detailed report will be posted soon.

The new Women In Animation blog-based website will be up and running soon. Keep checking your in-box for tips on how to make this site work for you!