Inspirational

Well, hello, there! My name is Karen Ross, but please, call me Kay. I wanted to formally introduce myself: I am an actress, writer, producer, director, and all-around free spirit. I currently host a weekly event on Clubhouse called "The Victory Round" to help creatives build their confidence by celebrating their achievements, big or small. Among other many things, I love martial arts, instrumental film soundtracks, the Bard, tea time, and am deeply obsessed with trying new restaurants. I can’t w...

There has been a lot of negative news whirling around about the animation industry lately. Whether it’s about layoffs at Netflix or unreleased projects from Warner Bros. and HBO MAX or unmet box office expectations by even the likes of PIXAR, there seems to a ton of turbulence surrounding the world of animation. I have worked in the animation industry for over 20 years, and I have survived its ebbs and flows. Times like these are nothing new, and to be honest, we’ve survived times that have been...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! I've got my coffee in hand and your weekly dose of content coming in hot - grab your coffee of choice and let's dive right in. First up, we're checking out cinematographer and filmmaker Luc Forsyth's breakdown of the five most essential tools that every documentary filmmaker needs. The information isn't just helpful for documentarians, but for anyone who wants to make content and isn't sure where to invest early for the best product. Continuing the theme of docu...

As creatives, we can all probably remember the first person who took notice of the unique turn of our minds and chose to affirm it – whether that was a teacher, a parent, a friend, a sibling, or an early fan of our work. This person’s words might have given us exactly the encouragement we needed at exactly the right time. The truth is, it’s very easy for self-doubt, self-criticism, Imposter Syndrome, fear, and the inner forces of resistance to win the day. There’s a reason why there are about...

Whether it’s a knock on the greenroom door or a pre-show roll to opening credits, the “5 Until Showtime” shoutout always makes my heart flutter with anticipation. “5 Until Showtime” signals that “it’s happening,” you are happening, and the performance or project that you’ve been working on is now being launched into the world to live a life of its own. Taking anything from idea to implementation is a huge task, with working relationships being the fundamental building blocks to success. The be...

It’s a familiar story: you have the ingredients, a completed screenplay, comparable films, a target audience, a finance plan, a marketing strategy, a ‘wish list’ of talent, location ideas, bundles of enthusiasm... But there’s one vital missing component: funding. As a ‘balanced producer,’ you try to be patient. You wait for emails and calls, make pitches, submit to competitions, consider mentoring schemes and courses, and throw everything at it. But the months and years roll on, and still noth...

In the wild jungle that is the film industry, this is the motto that I try to live by: Make your film no matter what.  Two years ago, in 2020, I finished and released my first film, a 20-minute-long romantic comedy titled Titus & Mirabella. Great timing, I know. And I mean this both in a sarcastic and a not sarcastic way. It was great timing because my film was dealing with the topic of germophobia, so I think it resonated with a lot of people, given the fact that we were going through a pande...

“Why don’t we just make it ourselves?” This was the question posed to me in January 2021 by producer Michael Alfieri of Miantri Films regarding my script, The Throwback. The start of every new year gives us a newfound boldness and optimism. “I will lose fifty pounds.” “I will read 20 books per month.” “I will learn Tuvan throat singing.” That’s me. So when Mike posed that question, my response was an enthusiastic “YES!” Why not? Never mind that my annual new year’s optimism routinely vanishes by...

Don't ever give up... That's it... Blog done. Okay, so you want to know where that comes from... Well, I started writing my screenplay two years ago. It's called The Postcard, and it is based on the true story of my great grandparents. I have wanted to tell this story since my father told me all about it when I was 11 years old. I've written poems and songs about it, I've tried writing it as a novel over the years, but for some reason, I just could not keep it going and totally gave up....

Behind every animated film, there's a creator. These creators' contribution to this industry has shaped the industry in large ways. From their visual style, color combinations, the stories they tell, use of inclusive representation, and more, these artists have helped impact their own industry and audiences who love their work.  In this article, you will find nine animators who shaped the world of animation and a few lessons we can learn from their experiences. So let's get into it! Hayao...