Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1542912
SPRING 2026 7 E D I T O R ' S N O T E GAME TIME ROMA MURPHY ("Game Changer") is a comedy writer living in Los Angeles and missing her hometown of New York. She is a proud member of TAG and has worked across studios like Disney and DreamWorks. In her free time she likes to cook and have long conversations with her cat. Freelance writer and author KAREN BRINER ("Strings Attached") grew up in Cape Town, South Africa where her garden was home to wild chameleons. Her most recent novel is Starry, Starry Heist. RAY KOSARIN ("A Gracious Warrior") is an Animator, Timing Director, and Director and/or Supervising Director of a half- dozen TV series. He also teaches college courses in animation production and history. The odds seem to be stacked against us right now. Budgets are being cut, fewer shows are being staffed, AI threatens to displace human artists. The list goes on. But what if we focused on how animation workers use the lessons learned in sports to navigate through these tough losses? Discipline, teamwork, respect, leadership, and handling failure are just a few of the foundational lessons in sports. They are also important principles of a union. Showing up day after day whether organizing or at collective actions leads to real gains. Workers garner power by standing together just like teams win games when they work together. And all teams lose games every now again, just as not all negotiation proposals or organizing campaigns succeed. But progress is built through learning, and setbacks can strengthen future efforts. So what can we do to strengthen our team now? Along with staying involved in Guild activities, get to know one another better. One way to do this is in the pages of this magazine. In this issue you can learn about how Reem Ali Adeeb's artwork reflects her culture and home (p.9) and how Asia Vigil Ellington volunteers her time at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater (p.10). Also, get to know your new Executive Board members (p.14), and find out how Christine Smith Ishimine stood up for her craft (p.34) to leave a lasting impact on her fellow animation workers. It's in discovering shared interests and goals that we can forge stronger community bonds. The more we learn from one another, the more we can come together and win. Alexandra Drosu editor@tag839.org THIS ISSUE'S COVER STORY FEATURES GOAT, AN ANIMATED FILM ABOUT A GAME CALLED ROARBALL (VERY SIMILAR TO BASKETBALL) AND A GOAT WHO WANTS TO PROVE THAT HE CAN PLAY PROFESSIONALLY THOUGH THE ODDS ARE STACKED AGAINST HIM (P.18). THIS IDEA GOT ME THINKING ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ANIMATION INDUSTRY. CONTRIBUTORS