WIA Launches Talent Database to Increase Animation Studio Hiring Diversity

With a goal of ‘50/50 by 2025,’ Women in Animation reveals new human resource tool to support equity in animation industry hiring; searchable database features verified candidates for jobs in the international production community.

Women in Animation (WIA) has launched the WIA Talent Database, its latest initiative to support further balance and equity in creative leadership roles within the animation industry, and another important step towards the organization’s goal of achieving “50/50 by 2025.” The database currently features over 5,000 candidates; it’s designed to be an ever-growing resource available to assist studios in bringing diversity in hiring for every production moving forward.

Under the leadership of WIA president Marge Dean and combined focus of database creator Liz Luu, website developer Mickey Kyle, and database manager Kate Menz, the database was conceived and built to pool talent that covers the full range of roles on animated productions. It is an easily searchable collection of candidates to be considered for hiring by the international animation industry.

“While studios around the world have heard our call for balance and pledged to champion diversity, the reality is that most animation hires are influenced by word of mouth and proximity to the hiring parties,” explained Dean. “Increasing the visibility and accessibility of women will make it harder to deny our existence. In other words, the statement, ‘I’d love to hire women, but I don’t know where to find them’ will no longer be acceptable.”

The WIA Talent Database fills gaps left by other résumé and credit-listing websites as advised by a committee of studio recruiters, development executives, and production management across the animation industry. The robust system allows potential employers to filter talent searches based on several animation-specific hiring factors such as feature vs series experience, years of work in a particular animation role, CG pipeline knowledge, and more.

“Candidates within the database self-report their credits and our database team then verifies the information supplied before it is made accessible to employer searches, which has proven valuable to the integrity of a talent search,” noted Luu.

Another feature of the system is the gallery view which can be used to compare candidate art styles side by side. “Recreating the simultaneous portfolio review experience that best matches candidates with a production’s visual development goals,” added Luu.

Access to the database for both studios and candidates is available here.

Source: Women in Animation