“WE KNOW THAT WE’RE GOOD”

WOMEN IN ANIMATION AND VFX

We’re at what we might call a threshold; a point where there’s been some notable shifts in the animation and visual effects industries in terms of women entering and working in these creative spaces.

Of this journey into the animation realm, Asa Lucander, a director at Aardman Animations, makes the point that, “Everyone’s journey is so different. It doesn’t really matter if you take sidesteps or change the path, as long as you carry on.” Maybe Lucander has immediately got to the heart of the matter; namely, a need for persistence. It’s an idea that underscores all of the conversations that weave together here.

Let’s start, then, by getting a handle on some of the challenges and big-picture issues at stake.

OVERCOMING HURDLES

Asa Lucander’s career in the animation industry began in London before her move to work at Aardman. “When I started as a director,” she recalls, “there were only three female directors in comparison to quite a number of male directors. But it was great to see the progression of more