Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544997
SUMMER 2026 7 E D I T O R ' S N O T E Freelance writer and author KAREN BRINER ("Breaking Bread") grew up in Cape Town, South Africa where her garden was home to wild chameleons. Her most recent novel is Starry, Starry Heist. EVAN HENERSON ("Working the Room") is a lifestyle and entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. His work has appeared in L.A. Parent, TV Guide, Orange Coast Magazine, and the Los Angeles Daily News where he was a features writer and critic for nine years. ROMA MURPHY ("Flipping the Script") 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. DAN SCHIER ("A Visit To Remember") is a Character Designer, Animation Lead, and Story Artist, and a 27-year TAG member. He shares his creative life with his artist wife, two children, and a bustling household of animals. SINCE ENTERING THE TAG WORLD TO WORK ON KEYFRAME, I'VE HEARD THE WORDS "ANIMATION FAMILY" COUNTLESS TIMES. WORKING WITH TAG MEMBERS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS—FROM SOLIDARITY EVENTS TO INTERVIEWS FOR THIS MAGAZINE—I'VE LEARNED THAT THIS PHRASE IS NOT MERELY A PLATITUDE DISGUISED AS UNITY. TAG members really do like each other. They care about one another in a genuine way. In a piece by Character Designer and Story Artist Dan Schier, a group from TAG visit the legendary, 92-year-old Willie Ito to learn about his career (p.14). It conveys a kind of reverence that can also be found in the story of Character Designer Dave Creek's tragic passing and how his family and a fellow TAG member keep his legacy alive (p.38). Then there is our feature article on inspirations, where four TAG members take the time to reflect on how Guild kin have shaped their lives and careers (p.26). This ethos of making connections seems to be ingrained in our members and can be found both on and off the job. Dreaming of a way for hearing impaired audiences to experience animation more fully, Hyrum Osmond led the way for Disney to reimagine three iconic songs in American Sign Language (p.10), while Patrick O'Connor turned a sourdough breadmaking pastime into a means for fostering community (p.12). Perhaps it's the collaborative nature of animation that helps create family-like relationships. On the new show Stranger Things: Tales from '85, bonds were built as the team crafted the series atop a shared love of the iconic franchise (p.20). And on Regular Show: The Lost Tapes, the creators saw more than just an opportunity to revive a beloved series—they also saw the chance to rekindle old relationships by reuniting as many members of the original crew as possible (p.16). TAG is like any family. There are squabbles. There are ups and downs. But the throughline I've witnessed are relationships anchored in mutual respect, loyalty, and support. Kim Fay editor@tag839.org WE ARE FAMILY CONTRIBUTORS