Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1475662
18 KEYFRAME T H E L O C A L ALEX ANDERSON- KENNEY ANIMATION ARTIST DREAMWORKS TV HUB TEAM WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN TAG-TAG? I got involved in TAG-TAG after about a year of gradually increasing my involvement in the Guild. I participated in few groups, regularly attended meetings, and joined the negotiations committee. When the Basic Agreement negotiations devolved this fall, it became clear we needed a rapid response. Out of the collective efforts of everyone who worked to prepare and rally The Animation Guild to support live action, TAG-TAG was formed. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? We're dedicated to strengthening the Guild and animation industry workers as a whole, and we're doing that by building a stronger, more organized community. There is a lot of work to be done to improve the animation industry, but so much of it is feasible when you work as a group. WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM BECOMING INVOLVED? TAG-TAG has taught me how to take more risks. It has forced me to step out of my comfort zone to do things that need to get done. It has also made me realize just how important it is to have people you can count on to do the big stuff—for the times when you can't do it alone, you have a team of people who can support you. WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO SEE TAG-TAG GO IN THE FUTURE? I want to continue building solidarity within our Union via TAG-TAG through ongoing communication and community events. I would love it if one day volunteering with TAG-TAG was seen as a quick way to make new friends in the Guild. We have a dedicated group of core members, but there's always room for more, and we'd love to have you! JESSICA VAILLANT MODEL DESIGNER, HAILEY'S ON IT! DISNEY TV WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN TAG-TAG? Like a lot of us, I've been interested in our Union's issues for years but only got involved around the time that the IATSE live-action local's issues were prominent in the media. I wanted a way to show my solidarity with those folks, and I stuck around because I realized it's just as important to work on the issues affecting our own animation community. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? We're reaching out to members and reminding them that they are the Union, and ultimately our successes and failures depend largely on their involvement. I know what it's like to be apathetic about the state of the industry, and it's a terrible feeling. I'd love it if we could help one another discuss our power in different ways. TAG-TAG also does the very important job of listening to what members' biggest beefs are with the way they work and their contracts. We're trying to have direct conversations with as many people as we can so we know what issues we should be fighting for! WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM BECOMING INVOLVED? When I first got involved, I was so worried that I wouldn't know enough about the many concerns people have to be able to discuss them intelligently. The nice thing about having 1-on-1 talks with members is that I get to hear about a vast range of experiences. Because of these convos, I know so much more about what challenges workers face in other positions, or at other studios. It feels great to be more plugged in. WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO SEE TAG-TAG GO IN THE FUTURE? My biggest wish for the short term is just to get more people involved. We've grown a lot, but we also need as many hands on deck as possible! TACTICAL ACTIVISM Last fall, when members of the IATSE live-action locals voted to authorize a strike, TAG's Executive Board initiated a mobilization campaign in response. The result: the birth of the TAG Tactical Action Group, otherwise known as TAG-TAG. This engaged, committed group includes more than 250 trained volunteer mobilizers committed to growing member engagement through Local 839's negotiations and beyond.