More than tracing: The women behind Disney animation | BFI video essay

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Disney's first feature film, was a marvel of artistic skill and technological innovation.
While the story of Disney's core animators - the "Nine Old Men" - is well known, the meticulous work of hundreds of women - including trailblazers like art director Hazel Sewell, ink and paint master Mary Tebb and Mary Weiser, who took it upon herself to open and operate the world's first in-house animation studio paint lab - is less celebrated.
In this video essay Queline Meadows (‪@kikikrazed‬) champions the achievements of the women who, through artistic skill and technical innovation, helped form the foundations of Disney animation.
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[@framemygaze]

I adored this video essay! So well researched, written and edited! Made this a super engaging watch. The editing was so smooth and pretty. Such impressive editing techniques! The structural and cultural undervaluing of women animators is an important topic. I'm glad the BFI commissioned @kikikrazed to make this!

[@teddyfurstman1997]

Fascinating stuff about The Woman who helps made Disney's Animated films

[@petergivenbless900]

This reminds me of the indispensable contributions that female "computers" made to the Apollo Lunar Mission, as depicted in the film 'Hidden Figures'. While it's great to see such belated recognition, I can also see parallels with how the small armies of hardworking digital artists behind effects heavy blockbusters today are often exploited and overlooked.

[@Afterthoughts]

This was awesome!!! Kiki's editing is always top-notch.

[@amt253]

Important research, great storytelling techniques, and splendid effects the whole way through here. I like how you emphasized the changing names of the departments (so inky!), how you cut out and slid Sewell into her new department (like she’s a drawing on a cel being placed on a new background), and re-animating the script from that magazine piece toward the end. At every step, you made an implicit argument for video essay as a form of animation. But my favorite moment was the most old-fashioned - a bit of argument through juxtaposition- where you say that the women were expected to quit when they got married, and you left a slight pause as Prince Charming horned in for the kiss… and so we see how the ideology on and off screen are the same. Women expected to wait around for a man to shuttle them off to domesticity.

[@OutOfCharacters]

really excellent work, I didn't know anything about this group that was crucial for early cel animation. I was incredibly impressed by how much you and your assistant were able to find, and the edits were really clean as well. really good job kikikrazed!

[@johnmcchrystal2203]

Creative, innovative and brilliant woman have been ‘inked’ out of history in all fields of human development and advancement. Your essay was another example of this male domination and obfuscation of history. Thanks for posting✌🏻

[@vikingsmb]

i've noticed on present day cartoons that the screen jumps slightly, but on walt disney era ones it doesnt

[@paganpulpit]

So are we just gonna ignore that the animation building has a little morgue inside?

[@aaryhanasingh]

very interesting! glad to know and learn more about the history of women always being under appreciated.

[@nmckeown74]

Impressive story!

[@patriciaoreilly8907]

Disney ❤was every childhood dream 😊worldwide respected from all ages 😊artistic contribution from men & woman wow what a talent 😊

[@renatashp]

inspiring! excellent job! ❤

[@patriciaoreilly8907]

Disney under Walt Disney was absolutely magical 😊 as a child loved 'Snow White ' film all cartoons 😊 i adored Disney Productions beautiful 😊after Walt passed & Disney under the Walt grandson its now turned into a strange cult which i Boycott Disney. Very sad what went so wrong? Wonderful artist & films . I still watch old Disney films every detail is mind blowing & colours 😊 thank you Walt & all his team . You were simple the best ❤RIP

[@sacmaps]

Can @kikikrazed or anyone else tell me what the '60s-looking film used in this video essay is? It can be seen throughout; the part that has a tour around the Ink & Paint Dept ("secret formulas and everything!" 07:51), but doesn't appear to be credited in the list of films/video used. Looks like a good watch, so was hoping someone might know!

[@kikikrazed]

It is credited, but it's tricky - it's The Reluctant Dragon, a half-animated/half-live action film about the making of an animated short, also called The Reluctant Dragon. It's confusing I know!

[@sacmaps]

@@kikikrazed Thank you so much, I'll have to have a lookie! Excellent video essay, thank you for your hard work.

[@crentovibe7474]

Wow that's great hats of to the womens 🎉🎉

[@CocaKolaaaa]

I’m first but WOW I LEARNED STUFF

[@UpTheMags74]

90 years of Disney 10 years of Dismal