Talent retention and embracing change was a key theme of this weekend’s Animation Dingle conference and festival, which for the first time in two years provided an in-person event for more than 700 attendees. Developed by Irish production company JAM Media and hosted in Dingle, County Kerry, industry professionals, students, and pitches from individuals around the world were taken on board for the two-day gathering.
Distinguished studio execs from Brown Bag Films, Triggerfish, and Boulder Media joined the event to encourage creatives to not be afraid of change, as adapting to the ever-evolving technologies of the past year has caused fear and resistance among some of the industry’s most experienced. Stuart Forrest of Triggerfish stated that it was crucial to have a balanced workforce between juniors and seniors in the studio, while Deirdre Barry of Screen Ireland’s National Talent Academy for Animation shared the importance of remote work to reach talent difficult to be brought into a studio setting.
The popular RTÉjr radio podcast Maddie & Triggs, supported by Screen Ireland and NCBI, is being adapted into an educational 2D-animated series with collaboration from Dublin-based Coláiste Dhúlaigh, IADT and other colleges, encouraging students to pack the story with creativity and authentically represent the characters.
This year’s Big Pitcher tournament was won by Fay Antar from IADT, who pitched a series concept about a podcaster group in rural Ireland who are united by their multicultural backgrounds. As reward, Antar will get a six-month paid internship from JAM Media and an opportunity to pitch at Cartoon Springboard’s 2023 edition in Madrid.
JAM Media, founded in 1995, is a renowned animation production company and one of the two companies that produces the popular television series, The Day Henry Met. Their success has made them a go-to company for producing quality content for kid audiences. Mark Cumberton, producer and COO of JAM Media, reminded creatives to always be in favor of progress and use the available tools to express their art with no fear of the unknown.
Brown Bag Films is another studio that has made a huge impact in the world of animation since its founding in 1994. Co-founder Darragh O’Connell spoke on the topic of fear of change, reassuring students that they will never be done learning and that the company is still endeavoring to figure out the increasingly prominent AI industry. He also mentioned that it was important to have people from every level back in the studio to rebuild the creative atmosphere, and that staff members will be asked to come in eight days a month for a five-month trial.
These are two companies full of experienced professionals who have successfully navigated the new challenges the animation industry has faced the past year and are investing into the future. The lesson learned at Animation Dingle conference is clear: only by embracing change can the digital age bring forth the most innovating animators of tomorrow.
