Women in Animation Launches Global Toon Talent Database
Women in Animation has launched WIA Talent Database, currently featuring more than 5,000 women, trans and non-binary candidates in the animation industry looking for work in the booming global toon biz. It’s another big step for the WIA in its 50/50 by 2025 goal.
The WIA Talent Database is designed to be an ever-growing resource for studios seeking to balance the diversity of their productions.
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“While studios around the world have heard our call for balance and pledged to champion diversity, the reality is that most animation hires are influenced by word of mouth and proximity to the hiring parties. Increasing the visibility and accessibility of women will make it harder to deny our existence. In other words, the statement, ‘I’d love to hire women, but I don’t know where to find them’ will no longer be acceptable,” notes WIA president Marge Dean.
Under the leadership of Dean and combined focus of database creator Liz Luu, website developer Mickey Kyle and database manager Kate Menz, the WIA Talent Database was conceived and built to pool talent that covers the full range of roles on animated productions in an easily searchable collection of candidates to be considered for hiring by the international animation industry.
The WIA Database allows potential employers to filter searches based on a number of animation-specific factors including series vs. feature experience, years of work in a particular role, CG pipeline knowledge and more. The system also boasts a unique gallery view, which can be used to compare candidate art styles side by side, “recreating the simultaneous portfolio review experience that best matches candidates with a production’s visual development goals,” says Luu.
To access the database, visit the WIA website at womeninanimation.org or reach out to the WIA Talent Database team directly by emailing database@womeninanimation.org.
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