Following the advice from alumni and the tutors, I have been attending more networking events in the hope of building up a network here in London and online as a creative. I have been doing this by attending events like Festivus, She drew that and festivals like Cardiff Animation Festival. Attending these events and getting to speak to a wide range of people has truly been so helpful and valuable.
I feel like I have gained a better understanding for how the industry currently is and gotten valuable advice from more senior women who have worked in the industry for a long time regarding how to scope out good working environments, dealing with potential problems that might arise and how to deal with working in a male dominated industry. Things are slowly changing and wider opportunities are being opened to more people. However, many of them had similar experiences which they wanted to share to those who are newer to the industry in the hopes we would be able avoid them. I found this level of honesty and empathy to be truly humbling.
Cardiff Animation Festival
At the end of April, we attended CAF as a group as Hannah and Eleanora’s LIAF film was being screened and they offered me a place to stay whilst we were there. I had never visited Cardiff before and hadn’t been to a film festival since 2019 so was really interested in the types of events they would host. I also knew this would be a great chance to network with people and perhaps get the word out about our film and the CSM MACA showcase.
On the first day of the festival, it was the industry day so we were able to attend lots of interesting talks ranging from; how to get funding in animation to where people got their start. I found these interesting as I have been thinking more about how to apply for funding for make my own films after graduating. One event that we went to that was really good was a ‘speed dating’ event hosted by screen skills where we would get 10 minutes to speak to a group of industry professionals about whatever we wanted regarding animation and the industry. We really found this helpful as we were able to talk and show parts of our film and get feedback from people as well as ask general questions about specific areas of the industry. There were people from the BBC and BFI in attendance as well as solo film makers would I admired. Their feedback was all super helpful and we found some level of reassurance when people said that the film was looking good and that they were interested in seeing the final product.
in the evening we were able to see Hannah and Elenora’s film in the Slice of Life showcase, it was great to be there in person and show my support for both of them. It was a really strong show filled with so many amazing films and animated documentaries. I really enjoyed myself.
On day 2 we attended the brunch q and a and got hear from a variety of creators of films being shown at the festival, it gave us an interesting insight into their practices and inspirations. We attended more showcases and then in the afternoon got to see a talk we were all excited for! The cuphead talk, I had played the game when it came out years ago and was a big fan (enough through it was far too difficult for me) and so many people were interested in how the concept was created and the work that went into creating a hand drawn 2d game. One of the animators and character designs was hosting the talk and sharing her experiences. To top it all off, Joanna Quinn hosted the q and an after. This was really a highlight of the festival for me as I was able to talk to both Tina and Joanna after and share my work with them.
We were lucky to attend some great short film shortcuts but also see some amazing feature films as well. I was excited to see both Kensuke’s Kingdom and Robot Dream prior to going to the festival and neither disappointed, we laughed and cried and were just amazed by the stunning storyteller and animation in both films. the q and a after Kensuke’s Kingdom was really insightful as the filmmakers explained their 11 year process of getting the film made and some of the struggles along the way. It was created at Lupus Studios, which is a studio near me which I have been following the work of since I moved to London so it was great to chat to some of people who worked on the film.
Overall attending Cardiff Animation Festival was amazing and I think we learned so much as a group, got to make new friends and get valuable insight from people who have been in the animation industry for a long time. I know we all want to attend again next year and hopefully show our finished film as well!