Women In Animation launches talent database to increase underrepresented talent

Women in Animation (WIA) has long advocated the need for more balanced representation in creative leadership roles within the animation industry and the establishment of WIA talent database it is the latest global effort by the organization to support the achievement of "50/50 by 2025". Currently with over 5.000 candidates in the animation industry, the WIA talent database is designed to be an ever-growing resource available to studios to balance the diversity of their hires for each ongoing production.

Under the leadership of WIA President Marge Dean and the combined attention of database creator Liz Luu, website developer Mickey Kyle and database manager Kate Menz, the WIA talent database was designed and built to bring together talents who cover the full range of roles in animated productions in an easily searchable collection of candidates to be considered for hiring by the international animation industry.

“While studios around the world have listened to our call for balance and are committed to supporting diversity, the reality is that most animation hires are influenced by word of mouth and proximity to the parts they take on. Increasing the visibility and accessibility of women will make it harder to deny our existence. In other words, the statement "I would like to hire women, but I don't know where to find them" will no longer be acceptable, "explains Dean.

The WIA talent database was designed to fill in the gaps left by other resume and credit list websites, as recommended by a committee of study recruiters, development executives and production management in the animation industry. The robust WIA system allows prospective employers to filter talent searches based on a variety of animation-specific hiring factors such as feature experience versus series, years of work in a particular animation role, knowledge of the CG pipeline and more.

"Candidates within the database independently report their credits and our database team verifies the information provided before it is made accessible for employer searches, which has proven invaluable to the integrity of a talent search. "explains Luu. Another unique feature of the system is the gallery view which can be used to compare candidate art styles side-by-side, "recreating the simultaneous portfolio review experience that best suits candidates with a visual development goals. production, "adds Luu.

Firms wishing to access the database for recruitment purposes or candidates wishing to join the database can visit womeninanimation.org or contact the WIA Talent Database team directly by emailing database@womeninanimation.org.