Women In Animation

We love computer games. Hundreds of man-hours are wasted every day playing them. Our children no longer hold boring ol’ storybooks in their imaginations; they dream of virtual one-on-one warfare with grumpy space aliens or demons from the Pit. The gaming industry is BIGGER THAN MOVIES. And most of them require animation. How do we break off a piece of that pie?

To RSVP, please call the Hotline at (310) 535-3838 or email LAchapterrsvps@aol.com before Tuesday, July 15th. Non-members are asked for a $10.00 donation: members are free. We look forward to seeing you!

Please note this month we will NOT be holding pitch night due to some scheduling conflicts. However, we WILL be back for July. Our next meeting will be on July 31st with special guest Jill Gilbert, founder and President of One Plus Productions as well as creator of the One Plus Hub events. She is an outstanding pitching coach, and will present and discuss ways to perfect your pitching style. I’ll have more details later, but save the date for this very special night- it is not to be missed! Also, I just received word that the Animation Army is holding a special event on July 15th for their Writer’s Boot Camp. Check out their website for details: http://animationarmy.com/

~Jessica Kreig

Women in Children’s Media is a New York based association who are committed to creating and distributing thoughtful, entertaining media to children and young adults. Much like Women In Animation, WiCM builds connections, promotes professional development, and inspires their members to shape the future of children’s media.

Given our similar set of goals, WIA and WiCM are finding ways to collaborate our efforts. We’re starting by donating a one year membership to WIA for a fundraiser that they are hosting. We will also be listing a link to WiCM as an organization we support and they will be doing the same for us. We are extremely excited about this new relationship and look forward to seeing it grow and benefit all members of both organizations.

Livia Beasley, President of Women in Children’s Media, has this to say:

“Women in Animation is a frequent partner of ours. Recently, WIA was generous enough to support our efforts by donating a free membership as a prize to one lucky winner at a recent social event. And they have often been kind enough to inform their members about our events and invite our members to their events. We love working with these inspired women as we share a similar mission - creating amazing content for kids. Each WIA event is welcoming and intimate, their guest speakers are the cream of the crop, and as a frequent attendee, I constantly walk away having learned something exciting and met someone new. I’m definitely a member of their ‘fan club!’”

We encourage everyone to take a moment to stop by their website to see more about what this fabulous organization is all about!

On Saturday, May 24, 2008 Women in Animation proudly presents an exciting salon featuring the talented and delightful Virginia Davis, the first and foremost star of Walt Disney’s “Alice In Cartoonland” comedies.

The event will be at the Smokehouse Restaurant at 4420 Lakeside Drive, Burbank, 91505.  Schmoozing starts at 11:30 AM and the event starts at 12:00 noon.   The phone number is: (818) 845-3731.

A delicious luncheon will be served: you may chose either grilled chicken or salmon Caesar salad when you sign up. The luncheon includes soup, coffee, tea, iced tea and dessert. Be sure to RSVP on or before Tuesday, May 20th, to the Los Angeles chapter of Women in Animation at LAchapterrsvps@aol.com. The event will cost $25.00.

Animation historian Ray Pointer will screen several of the “Alice” comedies from his collection, and following the screening, Ray will interview Virginia about what it was like to work with Walt Disney at the start of his illustrious career.

Virginia Davis began working for Walt Disney’s Laugh-O-Gram Films in the summer of 1924. She was hired to act in a film called “Alice’s Wonderland,” which combined live action with animation. This film initiated a series known as the Alice Comedies, or “Alice in Cartoonland.”

Don’t miss this exciting event with one of the last living pioneers of animation.

More information about our Annual Meeting:

Women In Animation International, Inc. is proud to announce Walt Disney Studios as our 2008 Annual Meeting Host and Sponsor. A panel discussion on animation shorts will be presented.

WIA’S GOT SHORT SHORTS - A Walt Disney Studios Presentation

Panelists:

Carolyn Soper: VP Production, Walt Disney Animation
Studios - Short Program Overview
Stevie Wermers: Director, Goofy Shorts
Dorothy McKim: Producer, Disney Shorts Programs

Program Moderator:

Rita Street: Founder & President, Radar Cartoons LLC.; WIA Founder &
Current Executive Board Member, Women In Animation International.

Thursday, April 17, 2008
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Location:
Walt Disney Studios
500 So. Buena Vista
Burbank, CA 91521
Frank G Wells Building

Please RSVP at rsvp@womeninanimation.org NO LATER THAN April 15th. Pre-registration is required — we must have the full names of all attendees!

Entrance and parking is at the main gate on Buena Vista. Please be prepared to show your ID at the gate.

Bring a friend! WIA members are FREE.
Non-members are requested to pay a $10 donation at the door.

Schedule of the Event
7:00 - 7:30 Arrival/Sign-in/Hor’doeuvres
7:30 - 8:00 WIA Annual Meeting Presentation
8:00 - 9:00 Shorts Panel Presentation
9:00 - 9:30 Networking, Dessert, Raffles

This year’s event will be one you won’t want to miss!

Join us Thursday, February 7, 2008 for the first General Meeting of 2008:

You pitch your heart out to a studio creative executive who says: “We’ll get back to you.” You’ve been through enough therapy to deal with that, but two weeks later, he really DOES get back to you and says: “We like it and we’ll buy it!”

Now what?

Learn about the business side of animation writing from a panel of experienced and esteemed writers, producers, agents and attorneys. You’ll find out what will happen to your treasured creation once it’s sold.

Our guest speakers tentatively include: Craig Miller, Chairman, WGA’s Animation Writers Caucus; agent Annette Van Duren of the Annette Van Duren Agency; three-time Emmy Award-winning animation writer Jeffrey Scott and author/producer Catherine Winder.

Make sure to bring a pad of paper, a pen, a gazillion questions, a friend, but most of all bring your enthusiasm and support! We’ll supply the rest.

We’ll be convening at DreamWorks Animation Studios (1000 Flower Street, Glendale, California) on Thursday, February 7th. 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, February 5th. Non-members will be asked for a $10.00 donation; members are free. We look forward to seeing you!

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STORYBOARD PITCH NIGHT - Jessica Kreig

Happy New Year!

I hope everybody had a great holiday! Just to update everyone- due to some scheduling conflicts I had last year, I have moved pitch night from it’s normal time (every third Thursday of the month) to now being the LAST Thursday of every month.

January’s meeting will fall on Jan. 31st. Other info TBA in the coming week. Hope to see y’all there for our FIRST meeting of ‘08!!

In the meantime, check out this great panel that the Visual Effects Society has put together regarding the “Future of Character Animation.” All info is below- this looks like an event not to be missed!

Cheers,
Jessica Kreig

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The Future of Character Animation:
What Do New Technologies Mean To Artists?

This panel is designed to address the changes that advances in animation technologies are making to how animation is produced and what that means to animation artists. Performance capture techniques are here to stay, but it has also been repeatedly shown that more traditional means of bringing characters to life still have a major role to play in animation production.

What does all of this mean to the artists, performers, actors and technologists who must work together? How do studios, directors, producers, and supervisors decide which techniques will bring their vision to the screen? It is our hope that this panel will creatively enlighten us with discussions of real solutions and guidelines for the individuals who do and love animation.

Moderator:
Frank Gladstone, Gladstone Film, Inc.

Panelists (Schedule Permitting):
Ken Duncan, Duncan Studio (3D Key Frame Animation)
Don Hahn, Disney (2D Hand Drawn Animation)
Steve Chiodo, Chiodo Brothers (Stop Motion Animation)
Dave Barclay, Perform FX (Puppet Capture Technology)
Michelle Papandrew, Cartoon Network (Flash Animation)
Ken McDonald, Sony Pictures Imageworks, (Motion Capture)

Saturday, January 19th, 2008
11am - 1pm
Sony Pictures Imageworks
Ince Theater
9050 W Washington Bl
Culver City, CA

Visual Effects Society Members: Free
ASIFA Members, Students & Union Members: $10
All Others: $20

RSVP Required: Call VES at 818 981-786

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Careers in Entertainment Seminar at UCLA

Hello WIA Members,

My name is Amy Keating Rogers. I am a new member to Women in Animation
though I’ve been a woman in animation for almost 10 years now. I am a
writer and today I am writing to ask for your help for my son, Soren Rogers.

Soren is now 4 years old, but at 6 months he started having visible
seizures. These grew from a few seizures a week to hundreds a day. After
18 months of trying various drugs and 5 trips to the Dominican Republic for
stem cell treatments, Soren now only has 6 seizures a month. But all these
seizures have caused Soren severe developmental delay making him a 4 month
old in a 4 year old’s body. We have finally faced that Soren may never walk,
so it is time to convert our van into one that is wheelchair accessible.
However, this takes quite a bit of money. Which is why I am coming to you
all for help!

On Saturday, January 19th, there will be an art sale fundraiser for Soren at
Monkeyhouse Toys & Art Gallery. And I need art! Original art would be
great. But prints are awesome. Or photos. Or dolls. Or sculptures. Or
anything you think is cool.

If you want to donate art to Monkeyhouse to be sold for Soren, artists are
asked to submit work by January 14th. They can drop it off in the store
anytime before then, except December 31st - January 12th, when they will be
closed.

Or I would be happy to pick up your art from you! It’s service with a smile
and a whole lot of gratitude.

Monkeyhouse is at 1618 1/2 Silver Lake Bl., Los Angeles, CA, 90026 and their
number is 323-662-3437. To contact me, you can email me at
amykeatingrogers@pacbell.net or call me at 818-241-9513.

As I said, the opening for the show will be January 19th. The opening
reception will be from 4pm to 8pm. The artwork will remain up at
Monkeyhouse until February 3rd. It will also be put on their website
http://monkeyhousetoys.com for customers who won’t be able to attend in
person, so I will need digital versions of your art to post as well.

Currently, payment is cash or check to avoid fees. We are working on
setting up Paypal. But at the moment, there will be a 10% commission for
credit card sales just to cover the credit card machine/bank fees.

Another way to give to Soren is to go to The Talbert Family Foundation and
make a donation. Go to
http://www.talbertfamilyfoundation.org/pages/DonateNow.html
Say that the donation is for Soren Rogers and the money will go directly to
him. You can also read about our journey with Soren at
http://sorenrogers.blogspot.com

Whew! That’s a lot but I think that’s it. Thank you so much for your help
and support!

Amy Keating Rogers, Soren’s Mom

by Bret Wilson

Presenting the rebirth of the Women In Animation’s Writers Round Table! We meet the first Monday of every month from 7 - 9 PM at:

Join us on Monday, December 3rd, from 7 - 9 PM at The Animation Guild, as we welcome Emmy-Award winning guest speaker, Jeffrey Scott, writer of over 600 animated TV series including Muppet Babies, Spider-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more, as well as author of, “How to Write for Animation.”

The mission of the WIA Writers Round Table is to educate, motivate and support animation writers of all levels with script and character development, structure, dialogue, bible/presentation fundamentals, as well as, other essential skill sets by featuring professional animation writers as monthly guest speakers covering one of these subject matters each month. Make sure to bring a note pad, pen, gazillion questions, a fellow writer, but most of all bring your enthusiasm and support!

ATTENTION, WIA MEMBERS!

What do we really know about this Santa guy, anyway? We don’t know where he comes from; he wears a beard, and he’s supposed to fly down our chimneys and leave stuff in our living rooms. What kind of stuff?! People, this is not a jolly old elf—this is a threat to national security! We need to totally rethink our paradigm of holiday cheer!

Bearing this in mind, Women In Animation LA will celebrate the New Normal at its annual Christmas Party:

“Condition Red…And Green”

Join us at our undisclosed location (well…actually the Barsac Brasserie at 4212 Lankershim Boulevard)and indulge in an array of finger foods (which will have been cleared for wholesomeness), drinkables and the warm glow of relative safety (FYI: a small cavity search will be conducted at the door for your protection. Please leave metal objects at home).

The party will start on Thursday, December 13th, at 6:00 p.m., and will be a members-only event. Please RSVP early (to facilitate the background checks) by email to: lachapterrsvps@aol.com or call the Hotline at (310) 535-3838 by Tuesday, December 11th. Join our seasonal gathering or the terrorists win!

“There’s always something to learn,” as my animation professor says, and tonight at WIA’s General Meeting, this short film panel enlightened us with their experiences in the industry: in pitching their short films, creating and distributing them and also what’s it like to be on the receiving end of a pitch.Hosted on the beautiful lot of DreamWorks Studio, five guests from all areas of animation came to speak: Nick Confalone from Disney TV Animation, Peter Gal from Nickelodeon Studios, Eric Homan from Frederator Studios, Rusty Mills from MyToons.com and special guest animator Bob Kurtz of short film fame. They all discussed the recent resurgence of the short film and how studios and independent artists are handling this new trend. Because collectively the panelists are involved in everything from “Micro Pilots” for TV to Theatrical Shorts to festivals featuring experimental student work and even the chaos of the internet community’s raw films, we really got to see all the whole realm of possibilities for submitting and pitching short films.

Among the precious pitching advice given was, “Know your characters, Know your material,” which all the panelists agreed was key to presenting your ideas effectively. The panelists also spent time answering the audience’s questions about short films, which promoted discussion about the panelists’ short film successes and failures. We were also treated with a few hilarious screenings of upcoming short films and even a sneak peek at a work-in-progress short film.

Bob Kurtz ended his advice with some words of encouragement, and I leave them for you as well: “There’s great stuff that you can do out there, if you don’t limit your imagination.”