Women in Animation: Anne Beal

NOTE: This post originally appeared on my Smudge Animation site on March 19th, 2013.

Anne Beal is an interesing case study.

Given that animation is primarily a visual medium, many of us enter into animation from the simliar background of the visual arts: drawing, painting, sculpting, or cinematography.* Anne followed a different path: music. As I'm sure all of you who have struggled to find the right musical score for your films can attest, this additional skillset provides her the ability to avoid a lot of the pitfalls the rest of us encounter as we try to explain our personal vision to musicians/composers and are forced to trust in their ability to interpret our personal vision. Nowhere is this more apparent than in her thesis film which I had the pleasure of watching at the 2012 Ottawa International Animation Festival. Having met online months earlier through ASIFA/Central, I sat at the table behind Anne and her friends from RISD during the Salon des Refusés program as "Balance and Swing" danced across the screen, seamlessly integrating a rich musicial score with lush visuals created using a mixture of ink, goauche, and watercolor.

I encourage everyone not only to view the films presented here and on her portfolio, but also to listen to the samples of her original compositions on her soundcloud account--notably "PINK_DPsound_dec15" or the longer "descending (architectural sound exploration using violin)"--and witness her interest in experimentation which extends past visual media into sound.

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Anne Beal

Q. What is your current job description?

A: Freelance animator, aspiring teacher, fiddle player

Q. How long have you worked in the animation industry?

A: I graduated last spring, so almost a year. I started animating at RISD – I had never made a film before. While I was in school I worked on various productions, live action and as an animation intern. Now I do freelance projects in Chicago including animation, painting, and playing the fiddle.

Q. What roles have you performed during your career in animation?

A: Sound designer. I love sound and I worked on some of my friends' films at RISD, helping with music and using my violin when needed, and making weird soundscapes for my classmates' films. In summer 2011 I had the privilege of being an animation intern for Dan Sousa, interning on his amazing film, "Feral."

Animation workstation at RISD

While at RISD, I worked as a Studio Teacher's Assistant in two classes, "Introductory Film" and "Sound Design for the Screen." In summer 2010, I worked on a live-action feature film as part of Kazoo Films. Our film was called "If I Had Wings to Fly," and we filmed it all across Western North Carolina, where half of us grew up. We spent a beautiful eight weeks shooting this loose narrative about a traveling banjo player in turn-of-the-century Appalachia. I was credited as "Production Supervisor," although I played many roles, including driver, cook, human relations manager, set dresser, props supervisor, square dancer, and fiddle player. The best thing about having a career in animation is that you get involved with projects that take you places you wouldn't expect. You get to work with lots of interesting people, and whatever role you perform on one project just adds to the skill set you bring to the next.

Q. Is there a book or film that you worked on that you are particularly proud of?

A: My degree project, "Balance and Swing." I had a whole year to make the film – that's a special thing about the animation department at RISD – and it felt amazing to make an entire animated film by myself. I hand-painted each frame in watercolors, gouache, and walnut ink, and shot the whole film on a light pad, two frames at a time. I arrived at this technique through pasting together a bunch of concepts I had seen from other filmmakers, and it worked well for what I wanted to do. I wanted to create this flowy environment where the color and sound merged and lots of events and emotions were suggested, but not made literal. I worked straight ahead, but the slowness of my technique allowed me time to think about what I wanted to do next. I made about 2,520 paintings for the film, which ended up being 3 minutes 21 seconds. I created about six complete sound tracks throughout the year, and experimented with many sound concepts. I play the fiddle so my violin was an integral element in my sound design, although I went through a brief period where I wanted only sound effects and percussive sounds and nothing "musical." When I had completed most of the picture, in late March, I decided it might be cool to bring my partner into the process, musically. He worked at the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School, so I was very fortunate in that they let us use their facilities after hours for four weekends. We recorded most of the final soundtrack in one of their magical recital halls, which had a grand piano. I set up my Zoom H4N field recorder in several locations throughout the room and we just played the film on loop on my laptop, and performed the soundtrack while watching it. I brought in a tiny tape recorder and put it underneath the piano which made a sweet distorted sound that I used for a few seconds of the film. I am grateful to have gotten into a few festivals – it's really affirming and thrilling to think of people you don't know actually watching your film!


BALANCE AND SWING from Anne Beal on Vimeo.

Q: How has your music influenced your filmmaking processes?

A: For me, sonic and visual perception are complimentary parts of the same process. I think learning to play the fiddle at a young age integrated music into the way I communicate visually, and so colors naturally have a sound to them. When I compose on the violin, I imagine the sounds in colors and shapes. I know some filmmakers start with the visuals and then do the sound. In my filmmaking process, I work with sound and visuals in tandem. If I'm working on an animated sequence and I'm not sure how to proceed, I'll take out my fiddle and start improvising. Or listen to the noises around me, for sounds I want to collect on my field recorder to put in my film. I like to make sound collages...I think making soundscapes that aren't even directly related to my film helps the ideas surface.

Q: How much time did you spend experimenting with watercolor, walnut ink and gouache before you found the correct visual style you were looking for?

RISD FAV (Film/Animation/Video Department)
Triennial Show, February 2012

A: At first I wanted to paint and draw on the surface of 16mm film. I wanted to use found footage as well as my own, playing around with a Bolex. I can't remember what changed my mind, but I started messing around with brush markers (Tombos) and thought I might play with layering tracing paper...I experimented with mediums for about a month before I chose painting as my method. It felt the most natural.

Q: What festivals has “Balance and Swing” been accepted to?

A: • Les Nuits Magiques (France)
• SENE (South Eastern New England) Film, Music and Arts Festival
• Black Maria Film Festival

Editor's Note: "Balance and Swing" was also screened at the 2012 Ottawa International Animation Festival as part of their Salon des Refusés program for exceptional films that did not get selected for the competition or the showcase screenings.

Editor's Note Update: After the initial publishing of this interview, "Balance and Swing" was screened at the 2013 Annecy Animation Festival in Annecy, France -- the largest animation festival in the world.

Q: Do you find submitting your film to festivals an important part of the academic thesis process?

A: Yes. I have submitted to several festivals. I got some rejecton letters, and they were temporarily crushing...but the festivals I have gotten into felt so gratifying. The more festivals I research and submit to, the more I realize that festivals have to put together a program...they might think your film is awesome, but they don't have a space for your particular film because it doesn't fit in with the others it would screen with. Rejections or not, getting organized and making myself submit to festivals has been enough of a learning experience to make it worth the trouble. It's like officially acknowledging my project and saying, Hey, I made this, I am responsible for getting this out into the world, and I would like for you to see it!

Q: Did you choose freelance work over a full-time position at an animation studio or is that just the way it turned out due to the nature of the economy and the animation business?

A: Going to film festivals, especially Ottawa, and attending the filmmaker panels has helped me to understand a little about what to expect as an independent animator. It's not easy. I'm at the beginning of my career and am learning as much as I can, including taking a web design course at SAIC so I can make my own website. In the short term I would like to continue to take on freelance projects, building my portfolio along with my skill set.

Q. How have opportunities changed for women pursuing a career in animation today as opposed to when you started your career?

A: I would say that the past five or ten years have made it easier to access information about independent animation. Now you can go online and find great animations – Vimeo has become a great vehicle for that – and it's easier to find out about film festivals. So that means more chances for your films to be seen, but also more filmmakers to be inspired by. As far as making animated films, developments in technology make it so much more feasible for an individual to make an animated film, on minimal equipment and a meager budget. Of course, I am not discounting the countless hours it takes to make many kinds of animated films, which also require money, if for nothing but food to sustain oneself...but I would say that one person can do a longer, more involved film much more easily now than they could even fifteen years ago.


Cut to the Chase from Anne Beal on Vimeo.

Q. What do you think is the biggest obstacle to women who want to pursue a career in animation?

A: Being nervous about the software and equipment. In general, at least in my experience, guys have more confidence about operating cameras and jumping into animation software. It's like they were "trained" earlier than we were – video games, Nintendo, X-box... "boy activities." At some point I threw away the notion that I was less competent than the guys around me, and just really worked hard to learn the equipment and programs.

Q. If your daughter said that she wanted to work in animation, what advice would you give her?

A: Grab a camera and start filming things. Home videos, experimental stuff, make-believe stories...just mess around, and get comfortable using a camera. Read stories, practice telling stories, and listen to people tell their stories. Watch movies, taking note of how they are structured. Keep a sketchbook. Get used to making art every day. Remember that animation is informed by everything you do, and it is easy to make it a solitary art form. So go dancing, go outside and look at your surroundings, take long walks, people-watch in restaurants, take a class in something you wouldn't normally do. Be aware of your own movements, and of what is moving around you. Take in as much information about your surroundings as you can - colors, smells, light, and especially people. Use that to make art.

Q. What is the most important thing that authority figures (parents/teachers/professors) can do to encourage girls who are considering a career in animation?

A: Encourage them to resist self-editing early in the process of making a film. Just "make" and don't let your inner judge block your progress. My animation professor at RISD, Amy Kravitz, helped instill that concept in me while I was working on my degree project and it was exactly what I needed to hear

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All photos and videos used in this interview are copyright Anne Beal and used with her permission.

* In the interest of full-disclosure, I didn't enter animation through the visual arts either but rather through a degree in English Writing.

Women in Animation 2013

NOTE: This post originally appeared on my Smudge Animation site on March 5th, 2013.

Well, it happened again. The other month, as I was working on interviewing three women who work in the animation industry for this year's blog entries, the woman who works at the convenience store across the street from my office struck up a conversation with me.

After a minute or so of idle chit-chat, she asked me what I do for a living. Upon hearing my response that I'm an animator, she got all excited and said that her high school-aged daughter watches tons of Japanese animation with one of her friends, draws a lot, and is interested in maybe studying animation in college. Since 2004, I've walked into that store several times a week to buy lunch or a soda or some munchies to make it through the day. Nina and I have exchanged pleasantries for just shy of nine years, but not once has she ever mentioned having a kid with an interest in animation--or any kid, for that matter.

"Women & Animation"
by Jayne Pilling

This is pretty much the story of my life. In the past, when I've committed to doing something, either resources will start falling into my lap and people with similar interests will cross my path--or doors will unceremoniously slam shut. This has long been my personal indicator that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, having had doors abruptly closed on other life goals.*

Case in point: "Women & Animation". I've been trying to branch out a little more, partially for my own edification and partially for making these blog posts more informative. It's mostly taken the form of research about the history of women who have worked in the field of animation and their contributions to the art form. However, obtaining a copy of Jayne Pilling's book has thus far eluded me. Copies are available on Amazon.com starting at $200 with shipping. Eh, it's an import from England published by the British Film Institute which was printed back in 1992. At the moment, it's a little more than I'm willing to spend on my research. But a quick search through the interlibrary loan yielded the welcome discovery that the Michigan State University Library had a copy in their archives. A ten-minute drive later and I had her book in my hands. The poor thing hadn't been checked out since 2004! Unfortunately, I had to apply for a library card and wait for it to come in the mail before I could take the book home and read it. But, as I sat there in the library and flipped through the pages, what a joy it was to discover that some of the animators contained within its pages were women who were professional acquaintances, good friends, or those whom I had met in passing at animation festivals. Serindipity. Or perhaps something more.

One thing worth mentioning is that 2013 was a very momentous year for women working in the field of animation. Jayne Pilling states in the introduction of her book on page 5:

"Animation is area [sic] in which women as artists and filmmakers have made a real impact over the last two decades, far greater, proportionately, than in live-action feature films."

We now have another milestone to add to the history of women in animation: this year, the first woman director won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Brenda Chapman, the first woman to [co-]direct one of Pixar's feature films, won the Academy Award for "Brave" (along with co-director Mark Andrews).

As was pointed out on Cartoon Brew's February 25, 2013 post:

"It took only twelve years of the Best Animated Feature award before the Academy recognized a film directed by a woman. By comparison, it took 82 years before the Academy awarded an Oscar to a live-action film directed by a woman."

and

"... I should point out that Vicky Jenson co-directed Shrek, which won the very first Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2001. Sadly, Jenson did not receive an Oscar because the award was given to the film’s producer in that first year."

With alternative methods of funding (like Kickstarter and Indiegogo) gaining acceptance, and the cost of production tools coming down, I have to wonder if we are that far off from seeing an Academy Award presented to a female director who creates a feature-length animated film--geared for a female audience--without a male co-director.

Getting back to my conversation with Nina: for once, I actually had advice at the ready for her daughter. I pointed her to my blog and told her about all the women animators that have graciously agreed to an interview--all of them interested in sharing their experiences, good and bad, to both the current and future generations of woman animators.

Starting next week, I'll be posting interviews with animator and musician Anne Beal, Calgary-based animator, instructor and lecturer Carol Beecher, and the 'Queen of indie animation' Signe Baumane. So while you're waiting, feel free to read my previous interviews and thoughts about Women in Animation. And if you're near the MSU library, check out Jayne Pilling's book.

March 2012
Women in Animation: 2012
Angie Hauch
Lynn Dana Wilton

March 2011
Women in Animation: 2011
Jessica Borutski
Jessica Bayliss
Ellen Besen
Eiko Tanaka and Women in Animation

March 2010
Women in Animation: 2010
Lynn Smith
Martine Chartrand
Madi Piller
Stephanie Maxwell


* As I approached graduation from College, I lost my chance to be a fighter pilot due to an astigmatism in my right eye, then a training accident cost me the opportunity to study the martial arts in Thailand shortly thereafter. After making one discrete inquiry on a computer graphics message board six months later, doors started flying open for me to become an animator. Three years after that, I graduated from R.I.T. near the top of my class with an M.F.A. in Computer Animation.

Animated Reviews: Annecy 2013

I'm pleased to present a guest post by animator and musician Anne Beal on her trip to the 2013 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Anne's RISD senior film "Balance and Swing" was accepted to the Annecy festival in the Graduation Films competition program. The following is Anne's report on her first (hopefully not last) Annecy Festival.

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I submitted my film to Annecy knowing my efforts would probably amount to a rejection letter in a few months. But, by that point, I had submitted to over 20 festivals and going through the steps – from online forms to post office trips – was automatic. And there was no submission fee: why not submit to the world's biggest and oldest animation festival, for free?

(l to r) Ainslie, Anne, and Will (1)

When I looked at the selection results in March 2013, I was stunned to see "Balance and Swing" on the list. My film would screen in the "Graduation Films" category among films I had seen at the Ottawa International Animated Film Festival the previous September, including my favorite graduation film from Ottawa, "I am Tom Moody," by Ainslie Henderson. (In fact, I met Ainslie at a screening and throughly enjoyed hanging out with him and his collaborator and fellow director, Will Anderson. Will's film won "best graduation film" at Annecy 2012.)

Though it's been six weeks since Annecy, I haven't fully processed everything. I saw over a hundred films, all of them meaningful to me in some way. So I'll let this post be brief, with a few insights on my experience at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2013.

First of all, I'm glad I brought my fiddle. She was my only companion in a foreign country, and knowing the universal language of music made up for my poor French speaking skills. I was fortunate enough to meet Nik Phelps through a mutual friend, and Nik welcomed me into the "Annecy Plus Band." Every year at Annecy, Nik puts together a group of musical animators to form a band that plays at the "Annecy Plus" screening as well as various Annecy parties. His wife, Nancy Phelps, puts together the Annecy Plus screening in collaboration with Bill Plympton. Annecy Plus is a venue for screening films that were not selected for the festival. You can find out more about it at this link to the Annecy Plus facebook page.

Playing at the Annecy Plus Screening (1)

Above is the Annecy Plus Band from left to right: Daniel Šuljić who runs the animation festival "Zagreb", Anne Beal, Nik Phelps, and Veljko Popovic who is an animator. Not pictured is Rolf who played percussion.

In the video below is the Annecy Plus Band, which includes a special appearance by Michaela Pavlatova (my favorite video ever!! :)


At Annecy I met interesting people who work in the animation industry who I may not have met anywhere else. Directors and sound designers from France, Croatia, Egypt and other places it might take me a lifetime to visit. I plan to keep in touch with them and the projects they're working on. Now I am extra motivated to keep making work and submitting to festivals, to get the chance to see these people again.

The vibrant festival atmosphere, especially the parties, introduced me to animators I connected with on a personal level and whose work I intend to follow. One such animator is Corrie Francis Parks. It was wonderful to meet her at the opening Pixar Party and to run into her throughout the week, a friendly face and native English-speaker. Both of us were operating “off the grid” with no international cell phone data and sparse internet access, so our meetings were always a pleasant surprise.

Florentine and Anne at the Pixar party (2)

Another animator I connected with instantly was Florentine Grelier, a Parisian animator whose film, "Pixel Joy", was selected for Annecy. Florentine and I found each other's work on Vimeo about a year ago. We began a correspondence, each of us writing messages using our French-English dictionaries and Google Translate. When we met in person at Annecy, we realized she barely spoke English and I barely spoke French, but we were able to communicate via gestures, pantomime, and drawing. She introduced me to some of her friends involved in the Parisian animation scene and by the end of our first "café" date, we had all forgotten any language barriers.

I met two animators whose work has influenced me greatly: Michaela Pavlatova and Georges Schwizgebel. Throughout my development as an artist, Michaela Pavlatova's work has encouraged me to embrace the sensual aspects of my work and feel comfortable letting them be present onscreen. Georges Schwizgebel's work inspires me to keep painting – not to be intimidated by the notion that painting is not a sustainable medium for animation. Seeing Schwizgebel's work, and observing his relatively prolific output, has helped me recognize the value in using my own propensity for painting as a vehicle for expression.

I saw many wonderful films at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. A few of my favorites include, but are certainly not limited to:

• "The Wound", by Anna Budanova
• "Futon", by Yoriko Mizushiri
• "Boles", by Spela Cadez
• "Mademoiselle Kiki et les Montparnos (Kiki of Montparnasse)", by Amélie Harrault
• "The Banquet of the Concubine", by Hefang Wei
• "Subconscious Password", by Chris Landreth

Annecy Picnic (1)

I went into the festival aware that there would be many conferences, exhibits, parties, and screenings, but I didn't realize the scope of activities that would be going on at Annecy. It was impossible to attend even half of the events I wanted to see. I did, however, see all five short film competitions. I didn't take advantage of the MIFA business conferences as much as I perhaps should have, but I certainly attended all the organized parties. And for someone who doesn't "party" very often, I had a great time! I enjoyed fasinating conversations with animators and animation-appreciators from across the globe.

My only regret was not bringing my sketchbook! I was trying to "pack light" since I would be bringing my fiddle to Annecy, so I took my regular sketchbook out of my suitcase and looked for a more portable sketchbook. When I didn't find one, I got distracted with some other preparations and so I FORGOT TO BRING A SKETCHBOOK TO ANNECY. Since writing and sketching out my ideas and the things around me is an integral part of how I process things...well, it was just silly of me. But maybe there was some good that came out of me not having my sketchbook. I simply experienced things without recording them. I had no inclination to write notes about the films I watched: there was no notebook in my lap to distract me from experiencing the films, and the festival, with all of my senses.

1. Photo copyright 2013, Brett W. Thompson.
2. Photo copyright 2013, Anne Beal