Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1378252
ON THE COVER Photograph of Bruce W. Smith by Tim Sullens. Illustration by Overton Loyd. L E T T E R EVERY AWARDS SEASON I HEAR THE SAME CRITICISM: ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY AWARDS ARE JUST A GROUP OF INSIDERS PATTING THEMSELVES ON THE BACK. AS IF IT'S SOMEHOW A SIN TO BE RECOGNIZED BY YOUR PEERS FOR A JOB WELL DONE. BUT WHO OTHER THAN YOUR COLLEAGUES WOULD APPRECIATE THE SKILL AND TALENT IT TAKES TO DELIVER GREAT WORK? I have to admit that I used to be one of those critics of such awards. Self-promotion never came easy for me, and I undervalued the work and skill it takes to make a career in art. But the sad truth is that if you don't call attention to your work and value yourself, most people won't notice. Especially with the fact that in animation you are just one talented member of a large talented team—and that team and the project they are working on is but one small piece of a huge animation industry that itself is one small corner of the entertainment industry behemoth. It can make you feel like a Who on a speck of dust. So I've come around to feeling that there is no higher honor than to be recognized by your peers. They know you. They know the long hours spent training and striving to get to the level it takes to contribute to a great show. They understand what it means when you say, "Hey, look what I made!" Happy awards season everyone! In Solidarity, Jeanette Moreno King | President The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839 NO SHAME IN SELF-LOVE