Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network Announce Animation Scheme for Young Black Animators in the UK
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FLAMIN Animations 2021 selected artists (left to right) Ezra Myers, Zainab Sanyang and Mothy Muyobo. Photo by Sharon Kilgannon
FLAMIN (Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network) are delighted to let you know about a new application round for a programme of commissions for very early-career black-identifying artists* working in experimental animation.
This scheme forms part of Film London’s increased commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion. We are acknowledging the under-representation of black-identifying artists within the visual arts, and we are committed to changing that, through greater inclusivity in all our programmes. This is a small step in that direction.
Details of the new programme and nomination process and criteria are below. We are reaching out to commercial studios, community workshops, festival programmers, local youth centres, artists’ spaces and more to find artists who have followed non-traditional as well as traditional animation routes to making work including those who are self-taught, learned on the job or through formal education.
Our intention is to have a fast production turn around, and to have completed work to screen by Winter 2022.
To nominate, please send the name of the artist animator(s) you would like to put forward, with any contact information you have for them. If you would like to you could include one or two sentences on why you’ve nominated them, and any links to their previous work or online portfolios that you would like to recommend the assessors look at. We will then contact the nominee and ask them to complete the online application form.
*Artists and Creatives of African or Caribbean Descent Black African, Caribbean, Afro-Latinx and African-American heritage, including those of mixed-Black heritage who identify as such.
What we are looking for
This is an open brief and we are open to all forms of audio-visual experimentation. We welcome a broad range of animation, both in content and technique; it can be drawn, painted, computer generated, photo manipulated or a combination of several techniques.
We are looking for artists using software and equipment that is easy to access and allows work to be made safely. We want artists who are working creatively and imaginatively with the technology at their disposal, whether it is low tech or state of the art. It is the idea and their vision for the work that we are interested in, as well as those artist animators who would most benefit from the commission – artists who haven’t had an equivalent opportunity previously.
The Commission
- Aimed at just-starting-out or entry level black-identifying UK artists
- Short experimental animations, between 1 and 3 minutes in length
- £2,500 budget per film
- Fixed, short time span for delivery
- Work that will work well for online or public viewing contexts
- Work that can be shown on the Film London website (i.e. No copyright infringements)
- Artists who will benefit from Film London support and mentoring
Eligibility
- Artists need a UK address
- Artists must be 18-30 years old
- Artists should be black-identifying
- The programme is not for those who are currently students
- No formal education is necessary
- Open to people working in partnerships
Selection Process
- An open call for applications is advertised on the Film London website and via Film London newsletters, and nominations are invited from people in the art, film and animation sectors
- We will contact artists for more details and will select a short list before finalising the commissions
- Film London and external assessors will select four artist animators
Further Details
- Artists will retain all rights to their work, allowing Film London non-exclusive online screening rights, including via social media channels
- We will also support selected artists with mentoring and development opportunities
- Artists who apply/are nominated but are unsuccessful will join a pool who will be offered support in the form of peer group building, mentoring and advice, talks by guest artist animators and more to be confirmed
- The commissioned artists will be part of Film London’s alumni group and will be promoted through all our networks and channels
- We are working towards an online presentation of the work in Winter 2022, with potential for live screenings in 2023.