Art + Biz Day
Sept. 22, 2023
Presented by:
Art + Biz Day: BRIC @ TAC
Helping all creators find their career path
OIAF in partnership with BRIC Foundation presents Art + Biz Day: BRIC @ TAC at the National Arts Centre (NAC) 1 Elgin Street. With support from CMF, Nickelodeon, Studio Smokescreen, and Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada, Art + Biz Day includes a full morning of programming focused on breaking, reinventing, impacting, and changing the animation industry. Open to all TAC and Animapass passholders.
BRIC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit company dedicated to increasing representation in Entertainment, Gaming, Media and Tech. Founded in 2018 by Alison Mann, Nicole Hendrix, and Jill Gilbert, BRIC Foundation was created to change how entertainment companies approach and discuss hiring around diversity. By teaming up with Education, Government, Non-Profit, and Industry partners, BRIC is proud to be creating equitable pathways for future generations of diverse creators to tell their stories and make an impact on the world. More information can be found here: https://www.bricfoundation.org/donate
TAC Day 3 Schedule
National Arts Centre (NAC), 1 Elgin Street
8:30 am – 9:30 am Art + Biz Breakfast
9:30 am – 10:15 am Kris Wimberly on Reinventing your Career
10:30 am – 11:15 am Spotlight on ONLY YOU: An Animated Shorts Collection
11:30 am – 12:15 pm The Art of Pitching You
11:40 am – 12:30 pm Meet a Mentor Sessions
12:30 pm – 12:45 pm Animators’ Picnic shuttle pick up at Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Art + Biz Breakfast
Presented in partnership with CMF
Canada Room Foyer, NAC
Start your Friday at TAC over at the NAC with a Networking Breakfast presented by Canada Media Fund (CMF), with coffee service presented by Nickelodeon. Head into the weekend reconnecting with fellow TAC attendees and meet new ones.
9:30 am – 10:15 am
Kris Wimberly on Reinventing Your Career
Presented in partnership with Studio Smokescreen
Canada Room, NAC
The morning begins with an inspiring keynote presentation featuring Kris Wimberly, co-founder and Head of Creative for Studio Smokescreen, moderated by The BRIC Foundation’s Alison Mann. Join Kris and Alison as they discuss Kris’ unconventional career path which began with him as a custodian at Disneyland, and through determination and perseverance, he broke into the animation industry from an entry-level position to co-founding Studio Smokescreen.
10:30 am – 11:15 am
Spotlight on ONLY YOU: An Animated Shorts Collection
Presented in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada
Canada Room, NAC
The “Only You: An Animated Shorts Collection” is the result of the Max x WBD Access Animated Shorts Program, which launched in 2022 as a pipeline program to provide animators from underrepresented communities with a production budget, resources, and executive mentorship to develop and execute their original animated short films. Join filmmakers from the program for a panel reflecting on the process to get their films made and distributed and how this has changed their careers and artistic practice.
Moderated by Amanda Miller, Producer, PsyOp and Executive Producer, Max series “Only You: An Animated Shorts Collection”
Guest speakers:
Yellowbird (dirs. Tsvetelina Zdraveva, Jerred North, United States)
Burning Rubber (dir. Chris Fequiere, writ. Dara King, United States)
Kimotiwin: The Act Of Stealing (dirs. Caeleigh Lightning, Keara Lightning), United States)
11:30 am – 12:15 pm
The Art of Pitching You
Presented in partnership with BRIC Foundation
Canada Room, NAC
Speaker: Alison Mann (Co-Founder, BRIC Foundation & Talent Manager and President of Fourth Wall Animation at Fourth Wall Management)
Alison Mann will introduce the Meet a Mentor Sessions which will take place in Le Salon, where you can get real-time feedback from industry experts. While you wait for your turn, Alison will lead an invaluable talk about how to build a personal brand and navigate your personal career pathway in an impactful way.
11:40 – 12:30 pm
Meet a Mentor Sessions
Presented in partnership with BRIC Foundation
Venue: Le Salon, National Arts Centre (NAC)
Are you an emerging creator looking to forge connections at the OIAF? Sign up for Meet a Mentor Sessions at Art + Biz Day: BRIC @ TAC! Entry-level members of the animation industry can sign up for a 10-minute meeting with a studio representative. Priority access will be given to participants from underserved communities. These are meetings where participants can ask for demo reel reviews, pitching advice, gain portfolio feedback, and make new connections in the animation industry.
Please note that pre-registration for Meet a Mentor Sessions closed on Monday, September 18th at 12:00pm ET.
Participating Mentors:
Amanda Miller, Producer, PsyOp and Executive Producer (United States)
Curtis Lelash, Head of Film/TV, Supercell (United States)
Dave Padbury, Development Executive, Guru Studio, Canada
Emerald Wright-Collie, Director of Development, Sony Pictures Television Kids (United States)
Emma Gignac, Supervising Director Mercury Filmworks (Canada)
Jana Day, Animation Recruiter/Sourcer, Nickelodeon Animation Studios (United States)
Kris Pearn, Director, Sony Pictures Animation (Canada)
Kris Wimberly, President & Head of Creative, Studio Smokescreen (United States)
Marney Malabar, Consultant, Malabar Creative Consulting (Canada)
Melissa Lyn, Animation Supervisor, Mercury Filmworks (Canada)
Niki Williams, Sr. Manager, Production & Development, Nick Jr (United States)
Shamisa Schroeder, Senior Animator, Mercury Filmworks (Canada)