Diversity, Inclusion, and Representation in the Animation Sector: in the Studio and on Screen
Animation Skillnet are delighted to partner with Screen Skills Ireland, Animation Ireland and Women in Animation Ireland to present Diversity, Inclusion, and Representation in the Animation Sector: in the Studio and on Screen. This panel discussion is supported by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI).
Moderated by Moe Honan (CEO of Moetion Film and Chair of Animation Ireland), this free online panel event will examine diversity & inclusion within studios and representation on screen. Our panellists will discuss the best international models, the current situation in Ireland, as well as why representation matters.
The event will also feature a Q&A at the end, to allow participants to ask questions and share their thoughts on these important topics.
Panel guests:
- Ruth Barton, Trinity College Dublin
- Adaku Ezuedo, PhoenixRize
- Shannon George,Daily Madness/ Women in Animation
- Andrew Kavanagh, CEO, Kaveleer Films
- Stephen Kelly, MD, Ability Focus
- Deborah Williams, Executive Director, Creative Diversity Network
- Moe Honan, CEO, Moetion Films/ Chair of Animation Ireland (panel moderator)
Panellist bios:
Ruth Barton is Head of the School of Creative Arts and Associate Professor in Film Studies at Trinity College Dublin. She has written widely on Irish cinema. Her most recent monograph,Irish Cinema in the Twenty-First Century, was published in 2019 by Manchester University Press. She is Principal Investigator for a Creative Ireland project, ‘Ecologies of Cultural Production’, an investigation into career construction in the creative industries.
Adaku Ezuedo is passionate about creating platforms that value diversity, leverage difference and embrace multiple ways of thinking and working together. She is a Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, Trainer and Coach and has worked across functions in multinationals and public sector organisations before starting a transformation boutique consultancy called PhoenixRize Consulting. She has extensive experience in supporting companies, organisations and their leaders with strategies that improve organisational performance by creating inclusive workplaces that value the contributions of all employees.
Originally from the US, Shannon George has nearly 20 years’ experience in animation, having gotten her start onThe Simpsons.Shannon moved to Ireland in 2012 and joined Daily Madness full-time in 2019. Since joining Daily Madness, in addition to overseeing the Daily Madness development slate, Shannon has worked as Story Editor/Writer onOllie(RTEjr), writer onLove Monster(CBeebies), Co-Headwriter on Disney’sGigantosaurus(Series 2 and 3), and recently started as Creative Producer/ Show Runner on an upcoming preschool series for Disney, eOne and Triggerfish. Shannon wrote all the episodes for Daily Madness’ new series,Pins and Nettie, which she co-created with Lindsey Adams and she is the co-creator (with Kristina Yee) of Daily Madness’ latest series,Goat Girl,which was presented at Cartoon Forum in September.
Moe Honan is CEO of Galway based Moetion Films, which she founded in October 2013 and where she works as a Producer and Voice Director of animated feature films and TV series. Moetion Films develops and produces content for family audiences and won Producer of the Year 2016 at Cartoon Movie in Lyon. In 2018, Moe was appointed Industry Chair of Animation Ireland, a trade association which promotes the animation sector in Ireland, Europe and internationally. She is also elected to the Board of Animation in Europe in June 2019.
Andrew Kavanagh is an award-winning executive producer and creator. His concepts have been developed into shows such as ‘Garth & Bev’, ‘Wildernuts’ and ‘Kiva Can Do!’ His next show ‘Alva and the Oolies’ launches on SKY and RTE in February 2021. Andrew acts as development executive and has oversight for the studios slate of original properties. Most recently, he has been adapting ‘The Pomegranate Tree’ by Vanessa Altin as an animated feature film.
Stephen Kelly is an experienced Disability Employment Consultant and the Managing Director of Ability Focus – a leading provider of Disability Awareness training in Ireland. He has trained Government departments, public bodies, multinationals and SME’s in Disability Awareness. Stephen also advises organisations on matters relating to disability employment, bringing a contemporary approach to disability inclusion within the workplace. Stephen has a BA Degree in Law & Economics, an LL.B. postgraduate degree in Law and a postgraduate diploma in Public Relations. He is a certified trainer and has qualifications in Disability Awareness. The Ability Focus ‘Remote Disability Awareness Training Programme’ is the first of its kind in Ireland to receive professional body endorsement from the IITD for ‘excellence, best practice and innovation’ in the field of Learning & Development.
Since 2016, Deborah Williams has been the Executive Director of Creative Diversity Network, the membership body funding by the UK’s major broadcasters and production community. As well as sitting on panels and steering groups for many organisations, Deborah is known in her own right as an artist and provocateur, having won and been nominated for awards nationally and internationally. In 2019 she was awarded the Life Time Achievement Award from Inclusive Companies for her work in the area of diversity and culture. She is a Disabled Powerlister 2018 and 2019.
Date: Friday 11th December
Time: 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Registration: Please register via https://animationskillnet.ie/events/panel/
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