Round Two of Women in Animation Vancouver’s Animation Career EXCELerator Program (ACE) will have their short film Pivot premiere at Spark Animation Festival, starting October 28 and streaming throughout the festival.
Growing up isn’t easy, and it’s no exception for 12-year-old Ashley, whose well-meaning Mom has her own ideas about who Ashley should be. Finding herself in an impossible situation, Ashley must decide whether to wear a gaudy dress she hates or find the courage to stand up for herself and fight the inner monster that is holding her back. Pivot is a defining moment in Ashley’s quest to be herself at the risk of disappointing the person she loves the most, her Mom.
The filmmaking team will also be presenting a panel as part of the D&I Summit, a series of presentations focused on diversity and inclusion: Advancing Women in Key Creative Roles, A Focused Discussion. The case study features ACE 2 participants as they discuss the program, Director Ana Gusson, art director Cindey Chiang, animation director Erica Miles, composer Eva Pekárová, screenwriter Robyn Campbell and producer Tini Wider. (Live Oct. 29 at noon PT, free to view.)
ACE Executive Producers Rose-Ann Tisserand and Tracey Mack will also outline plans for ACE 3, which expands nationally across Canada with the generous support of Netflix Canada. ACE 3 opens for applications on October 29, 2021.
There will also be a Meet the Filmmakers discussion titled Women Behind the Scenes: Meet the Pivot Team with Big Bad Boo Studios and Oznoz Co-Founder & President, Shabnam Rezaei. (Available to watch online now.)
WIA Vancouver’s ACE Program is supported by current sponsors including Creative BC, Telefilm, Toon Boom, Atomic Cartoons, Autodesk Foundation, Canadian Media Producers Association – BC Producer’s Branch, Spark CG Society, Boughton Law, National Film Board, Flying Kraken Creative Studios, Urban Safari Entertainment, Koko Productions and Sound Studios, Lindsay Productions, The Research House Clearance Services, Producer Essentials and Pender PR.
Watch Pivot online now as part of the Spark Animation Festival. Ticketed access available here.
