Birds-of-a-Feather (BOF) brought together women from around the world Tuesday morning at the Women in Animation Meet 'n Greet. The event served as an ideal location for women in the animation industry to network, share ideas, and learn from one another. Before the doors even opened, dozens of women arrived with excitement and anticipation at the opportunity to mingle with fellow women in a male-dominated field.

Women in Animation is a non-profit organization which was founded in 1993 by fifteen women who recognized the difficulty their gender was having getting jobs in the animation industry. A few months later, the group held their first official meeting at Disney Studios with the intent of "fostering the dignity, concerns and advancement of women who are involved with any and all aspects of the industry and art of animation." Today, Women In Animation is a global effort with chapters spreading across the US and Canada.

The SIGGRAPH conference BOF event provided an excellent opportunity for even more women to learn about and become involved with the organization. Upon arrival, each attendee was given a “survival kit” for the week containing snacks, gum, breath-mints, and a pen and paper (for taking notes and jotting down contact information throughout the day). Recruiter and long-time member Pamela Thompson welcomed the group by giving a brief history of the organization and its mission. She stressed over and over that the purpose of the group is to network, network, network. With hundreds of members currently working in computer animation, traditional animation, voice acting, production, and education, this goal can easily be met. Each chapter holds workshops, meetings, and panels on a regular basis to encourage networking.

President Stephanie Graziano and Vice-president Jan Nagel then raised the energy level in the group by having everyone rise out of their seats and mingle with groups from the same geographic location, sharing similar interests, or working in similar mediums. The noise level rose as women began circulating the room, sharing their background stories, and exchanging business cards. Prevalent among all the participants was outright excitement about being in the same room with so many other women passionate about their work. It was inspiring to be amidst the shuffle.

Over an hour later, the room settled for Graziano to share additional resources with the group. Fellow attendees spoke up with job opportunities, mentoring services, desires to start new chapters, and words of encouragement. Individuals with unique work experiences, various educational backgrounds, diverse interests, and varying goals had entered the room; now, three hours later, a united force of women ready to face the industry with confidence stepped out the door.

For more information about Women in Animation, Inc., visit their website at http://wia.animationblogspot.com.