MAF Day 2 - In the Frame: Women in Animation

In The Frame: Women in Animation

Leeds Animation Workshop

A feminist animation studio based in Leeds, established in 1960s. The intention of building a studio is because they feel that no woman is speaking for herself as a human. The Leeds Animation Workshop's purpose is to call for a change and fight back for discrimination of gender instead victimising themselves. They make animated films discussing about current issues through a feminist perspective, while considering ways to ethically represent woman in animation. 

Ethel and Ernest

Not a gender biased animated film, in the sense that it portrays Ethel's role as the pillar in the family realistically. A lead female character that is just a normal working class woman, and not a princess. Ethel also appears as much as Ernest (her husband) in the film.

The film is set at a period of social change and the narrative is how they cope with this social changes. Ethel is vocal about her opinion when discussing political issues and make political banter with her husband; a representative figure of the early feminists.

The portrayal of Ethel is also not exaggerated. For instance, she still has a more conservative mindset while Ernest is more leftist and open-minded. Ernest still make sexist jokes about Ethel's meddlesome attitude towards political affairs.

Joanna Quinn: Girl's Night Out

An appreciation of middle-aged women in comedy animation. It is also a campaign to stand up for sexism in the workplace. I like the expressiveness of Joanna Quinn's animation. The realistic representation of film characters is a change that the speakers expect on the TV animation in the future.

Conclusion

This talk has taught me more about the essence of making short films. I think all the films above has left a strong impression on the issue of female representation in animated films to myself as an artist. As a woman, I myself try to avoid discussing feminism in public because it is a touchy conversation topic. I definitely have respect for these women who use the animation medium to tell people stories that can influence opinion and changes the world's perspective on feminism to the audience regardless of their gender. The talks has also changed my mind on the feminist philosophy because more often than not the undiscerning public had the wrong conception of feminism as a threat against men, while in reality it is just to challenge the discrimination against female in animated films.

When it comes to having a female protagonist in animation, the stumbling block is the dilemma between the popularity of content and audience demographic. For instance, the older generation have the presumption that girls don't buy toys and how some animations are made to commercialise toys. On the other hand, the younger audience have the preconception that preschool female character is bossy and dominant like Peppa Pig. It is definitely something that I did not think of, but I want to know more about. Maybe it is worth analysing in another post?