Visible In Visuals: New podcast series launched
Skwigly are enormously proud to present the first podcast from Visible In Visuals, a new organisation pushing to make the animation and visual effects industries more inclusive.
Following on from animator Tanya Scott‘s Skwigly piece Inclusion & Diversity in UK Animation Workforce: A Response, and subsequent online discussions including the recent panel Inclusion In Animation organised by ScreenSkills, UWE and the Cardiff Animation Festival, Visible In Visuals has been developed by Tanya and Hodan Abdi as an online platform pushing to make the animation and VFX industries more diverse and inclusive through honest, open conversation.
We are committed to making the people behind the visuals more visible. Animation and VFX is often portrayed as a very open, diverse and inclusive sector. And while it is full of very friendly, fun people, it has yet to be as inclusive and welcoming as it needs to be.
Studies and surveys into the industries have found we are lacking representation within senior creative levels and, naturally, this impacts the content we make. So much of what we create influences young minds, and we take that responsibility very seriously. That is why we believe it is important to keep pushing for more diversity within the workplace and to encourage people from all walks of life to pursue a career in animation. We want all young people can see this as a career choice where their talent and passion will be welcomed and flourish.
Moderated by Hodan Abdi, the first Visible In Visuals panel Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: A People of Colour Perspective features:
Bimpe Alliu
Bimpe Alliu is a Concept Artist and Illustrator from London, currently working as a Junior Concept Artist at Industrial Light & Magic. Bimpe is passionate about continuing the important discussions surrounding diversity in the visual effects and has participated in panels for Animated Women UK, Access: VFX and events including Manchester Animation Festival.
Rizwan Rafiq
Rizwan is a 2D Animator from East London. He has previously worked on Mr Bean: The Animated Series, and is currently working in Manchester on the children’s show, Daisy & Ollie.
Mohamed Orekan
Coming up to his seventh year in the industry, Mohamed Orekan is a 2D animator/Motion Graphics artist who has worked on a multitude of productions.
These include animation on a TED-Ed, children’s TV like Little Princess, adverts for household names like Vanish, Royal Mail and Whiskers, a UNICEF campaign and most recently working on a brand new series for Cbeebies – JoJo and GranGran – notable for being the first from the broadcaster to focus on a black family, prioritising an authentic look into St. Lucian culture.
Tanya Scott
Tanya is an animation art director, illustrator and aspiring children’s author based in South East London. She has been working in animation since graduating in 2010 and has worked on a wide variety of projects- from TV series to games and commercials. She is currently working on a graphic novel and short film.
Each panel will be released simultaneously as videos via the Visible In Visuals YouTube channel (watch above) as well as in podcast format. Stream Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: A People of Colour Perspective below or direct download here.