WonderCon@Home 2021: Animation Superstars Panel Recap

Meeting up virtually to discuss the animation industry’s continued evolution during the current pandemic, the Animation Superstars pane for WonderCon@Home featured a number of distinguished panelists including Stephanie Sheh (Director and actor for companies like GKIDS), Maki Terashima-Furuta (President of Production I.G.), Chrystin Garland (Animator/Illustrator), Daniel Dominquez (Producer at Netflix), and Brooke Keesling (Bento Box).

Moterated by David Derks, the vice president of ASIFA-Hollywood, the panel started out with introductions and quickly moved on to discussing the current state of the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic currently facing the world at large. Sheh spoke about the new troubles facing dub actors working from home, like slow Internet speeds and the neighbor’s lawn mower. Not everything is a negative though, as working from home has also made it easier to cast actors who might live in more remote locations around the country.

Daniel Dominiquez, who has worked on shows for Netflix and HBO Max, talked about how the pandemic has made animation a more viable medium perhaps than before. Now that live-action isn’t as easy to do, animation could be viewed more as a medium and less as a genre here in the US.

Continuing on the trend of discussing the potential for growth, Keesling, the head of animation talent development at Bento Box, shared that the studio has doubled in size since the pandemic began. She stated that now is the best time in the history of the medium for newcomers to find work, as animation is an art form that can be done anywhere and by anyone with the talent and drive. She also teased a new show that Bento Box is working on that’s geared more towards kids than their previous work.

Finally, the panel finished up by sharing some tips on how animators, voice actors, and writers can break into the industry. Simple things like maintaining an online presence (with an easily findable email address!) and networking by making genuine friends who also share passion for animation are great to do, but just because you haven’t been able to do that yet doesn’t mean you’re helpless. Sheh pointed out that’s it’s easier than ever to get started on your own by publishing work on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. And everyone on the panel agreed that asking for help is always an option — people who work in animation are generally bit nicer, perhaps, than your average industry employee!