AfroAninmation: Reimagine Diversity 2022

WHAT’S NEW

Who to Expect at
AfroAnimation 2022

PREMIER SPONSORS

EXHIBITORS

Community Partners

ABOUT

AfroAnimation is proud to once again host a 2-Day Free Virtual Summit on April 27th and 28th, 2022 following the success of 2021’s inaugural event. AfroAnimation brings together the world’s most accomplished industry professionals to meet virtually and network with movie insiders and professionals including studios executives, recruiters, software companies and more. AfroAnimation continues to  increase the diversity pipeline, discuss important subject matters that move the community forward and enable all stakeholders to connect, learn, gain insights and more.

Our Accomplishments in 2021

4889

ATTENDEES

9.3

ATTENDEE
SCORE

6:12 HOURS

AVERAGE
TIME SPENT

3055

Network
Meetings

Source: Hopin Platform 2022

Benefits of Attending AfroAnimation

Virtual meetings, real-time chat and networking with movie studio and television network recruiters actively seeking to hire diverse talent at AfroAnimation 2022.

Grow your industry contacts 20x faster with animation producers, storyboard artist, writers  from small studios and large studios from North America, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and Brazil.

Be first to screen new animation film trailers from major Hollywood and Canadian movie studios before the general public in the virtual screening rooms.

Get new insights and learn best industry practices from award-winners, executives who can greenlight projects and up-and-coming artist.

Learn how to jumpstart your animation career with free resources, workshops from organizations and mentors committed to diversifying the animation industry.

opening Tuesday, March 29, 2022th

$5k Short Film Award 2022 to be Announced.

RegistER NOW FOR FREE

Submit a film

Win $5k for the best Short Animation Film of 2022

The AfroAnimation Short Animation Film Award is the top award of original storytellers by a black animator and global audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives.

Closed

Award Ceremony is
Thursday, April 28th at 6 pm EST

Keith White

Founder And Co-Chair

Rio Cyrus

Co-Chair And Head Of Programming

Kwame Nyong'o

Professor of Animation Savannah College of Art and Design

Rosa Falu

Head Of Short Film Awards

Shawn Martinbrough

DC Comics, Marvel, Author of How To Draw Noir Comics: The Art And Technique Of Visual Storytelling

Bruce Smith

Show Creator and Executive Producer, Disney Television Animation

Samantha Brown

Senior Recruiter, Marvel Animation Studios

Jinko Gotoh

Vice-President, Women In Animation

Jan Hirota

Producer, Disney Television Animation

Camille Eden

VP, Recruiting and Talent Development, Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Chris Leahy

Director of Global Talent Acquisition at Sony Pictures Animation

Ashleigh Crystal Hairston

Co-Executive Producer and Story Editor, Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Nea Anna Simone

CEO, Bespoke Media Marketing, CEO Of Melanated Studios & CEO Of NFT Atlanta-Con

Morenike Dosu

Director - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Business Partner at DreamWorks Animation

Keith Kellogg

Animation Director, Lucasfilm Animation

KyLee Evans

Writer, Disney Television Animation

Latifa Ouaou

EVP, Movies and Global Franchise, Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Chris Copeland

Director at DreamWorks Animation

Shea Richburg

CEO, Futurewise Media & Consulting Group

Joe Hughes

Sr. Talent Development Specialist Warner Bros. Animation & Cartoon Network Studios

Carl Reed

President, Lion Forge

Justin Copeland

Director at DreamWorks Animation

Adrian Driscoll

Founder, Driscoll Entertainment

Eastwood Wong

Art Director, Disney Television Animation

Luis Gadea

Character Designer & 2D Animator

Steph C.

Illustrator & Visual Development Artist

Awuradwoa Afful

Visual Development Artist & Illustrator

Trevor Pryce

President NERU PROJECTS / WARNER

Marques Hardin

Co-founder @Artgence & Artgence3D

Nompi Vilakazi

Managing Director at Buthano Pictures

Fred Seibert

President and Founder, FredFilms

Gregory Little

SVP, Content, Mainframe Studios

Lori Beck

Senior Recruiter, ILM

Allison Parker

Manager, Talent Acquisition, Pixar

Erika Becerra

Recruitment and Outreach, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Lex Randleman

Director, Artistic Recruitment at Disney Television Animation

Rob Richardson

CEO of Disrupt Art

Robert Frederick

CEO, Sirqul & Technical Adviser for clixTv.com

Layron Dejarnette

Character Designer, Disney Television Animation

Charles Jones

Editor, Disney Television Animation

Tanya Green

Head of Preschool at Mainframe Studios

Kelley Gardner

VP, Current Series Animation, Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Paige Johnstone

Production Department Manager, Pixar

Dana Vasquez-Eberthardt

Executive, Production and Development , Marvel Studios

Chekwube Okonkwo

Art Director, Magic Carpet Studios

Ziki Nelson

Creator, Iwaju for Walt Disney Animation Studios / Managing Director, Kugali Media

Marlon West

VFX Supervisor, Iwájú, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Andre Fenley

Supervising Sound Editor, Skywalker Sound

Alberto Martinez Arce

Senior Character Animator, Industrial Light and Magic

Karessa Bowens

Experience Designer for ILMxLAB

Alex Spotswood

Producer, Lucasfilm Animation

Andre Kirk

Art Director, Lucasfilm Animation

Paul Zinnes

Digital Assets Director, Lucasfilm Animation

Justin Bruce Lee

Associate Storyboard Artist, Lucasfilm Animation

Sterling Sheehy

Senior Storyboard Artist, Lucasfilm Animation

Joel Aron

Director of Cinematography, Lighting and FX, Lucasfilm Animation

April Rhee

VFX Compositor at Industrial Light and Magic

Shabrayia Cleaver

Associate Production Executive, DreamWorks Animation

Terrance Daye

Poet, Filmmaker, Director of Pritty: The Animation

Keith Miller

award-winning educator, Executive Producer and Author, Pritty: The Animation

Liz Cook Mowe

Senior Director of Film, Kickstarter

Harold Hayes

Co- Founder and creative director at SunnyBoy Entertainment

Adrian Bobb

VFX Artist/Director, Exocentric Productions

Dashawn Mahone

Supervising Director, Jessica’s Big Little World, Cartoon Network and HBO-Max

Shawnelle Gibbs

Lead Writer, Cartoon Network

Shawnee´ Gibbs

Lead Writer, Cartoon Network Studios

Sonya Carey

Founder and curriclum Designer of The Animation Lounge

Fred Noland

Visual Storyteller

Alexis Jackson

Manager, Talent Acquisition, DreamWorks Animation

Connie Nartonis Thompson

Producer, Cinesite

Tendayi Nyeke

Development Executive at Triggerfish Animation

Ryan S. Smith

Manager, Global Diversity Recruitment And Programs - Lucasfilm

Stevi Carter

Director Of Development Production, Animated Film, Netflix

Victor Dandridge

Writer, Publisher Graphic Designer, Educator

Trent Correy

Director at Disney Feature Animation

Dr. Lisa M. Coleman,

Senior Vice President for Global Inclusion and Strategic Innovation, New York University

John Kambites

Feature Producer, Netflix Animation

Divya Gupta

President | CEO, G.R.I.D.S. Consulting

Vanessa Sinden

Producer, Triggerfish Animation Studios

Philip Solomon

Voice of Craig, Craig of the Creek, Cartoon Network

Breana Williams

Production Coordinator, Disney Television Animation

Keith White

Founder And Co-Chair

Rio Cyrus

Co-Chair And Head Of Programming

Laurie Meiring

Chief Marketing Officer

Trevonne Gooding-Barrow

Event Producer

Rosa Falu

Head Of Short Film Awards

Kay Barnes

Head Of Recruiting Partnerships

Nikiiyah Gest

Head Of University Outreach

Tania Malan

Head Of Payments

Jochy Garcia

Videographer

More Speaker Announcements Coming Soon

Webinar and
Streaming Platforms

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About Founders and Co-Chairs

Panel topics and Speakers will be announced.

Hi, I am Keith White

I attended Howard University and have been a media and tech entrepreneur for over 20+ years, working in a number of countries.
While traveling in Africa, I met many creative people who expressed an interest in connecting with their American counterpart. In 2020, the George Floyd incident occurred, corporate America advocated  for change - focused on increased diversity, equity and inclusion in its talent pipeline. It made perfect sense to create AfroAnimation.

Hi, I am Rio Cyrus

Rio Cyrus is an entertainment marketing & distribution veteran whose 20+ year career successful global senior positions within 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Company, NBC Television, Quibi and more. Rio's love for animation has seen her work on campaigns for Pixar movies, in addition to television properties Family Guy, Archer, The Simpsons. She is an innovative, digitally savvy executive who is proud to lend her talents to expanding diversity, access and exposure to the animation industry for underrepresented groups.

Upload Resume for Studio
Interviews at Afroanimation 2.0

Resume and Portfolio Submission
for Movie Studio Interviews

Submit your CV and portfolio

Have it reviewed for consideration

One-on-One interviews
with recruiters

Portfolio review feedback

Real-time networking

Get an Animation job

Writers
VR Creators
Animators
VoiceOver
closed

CV Submission closes Thursday,
April 21th at 11:59 pm EST

Submit your cv