One thing that's come more to light in recent months is an unnerving trend on YouTube, which so many young children use, of algorithm driven, bot-generated animation that features disturbing or inappropriate content. Is that something that is concerning to the animation community?
Méabh: YouTube is huge with children of all ages and yet has largely escaped the responsibilities of a broadcaster. This needs to change. Broadcast standards have evolved over decades and have given us standards and a level of safety that is especially important in the children's space. If you are taking an audience from that place, there are responsibilities that come with it.
Dee: I have heard of this, but I hadn't really thought of it as connected to the animation community. It is disturbing, and something that companies like YouTube should have an obligation to prevent and actively remove from their platform. Using algorithms to monitor content and hoping that that will do just isn't good enough.
Méabh, you've been involved with children's content since 2006. How have you seen it change within Ireland since then?
Méabh: The industry has developed and matured over the last 12 years. We supply content and animation internationally and do so at the top level of quality as our knowledge, experience and talent has grown over the last two decades. It was once a small space with a few small studios just trying to make fun stuff and now we are a seasoned sector, a world leader and an important employer in this country. The change has been quite dramatic.
Are there any changes you would both like to see in the near future?
Dee: We've got a great thing going in animation in Ireland right now. I'd love to see the industry continue to grow, and see smaller studios keep knocking it out of the park. In terms of the industry itself, I'd love to see more women in leading creative roles. In the actual animation, I'd love to see more girls, more racial diversity, and LGBT characters.
Méabh: From here, I would just love to see our talent nurtured and supported as much as possible. That's how we got here and it's important to keep up that level of home support and build on it. We are in an international space but the power to grow it and keep it is here at home.
I’d like to see a continued push for gender-equality in the film making industry as a whole. In VFX for example there is a definite shortage of women in high end tech-roles, and we need more women in direction and writing generally. Our young audiences also need to see more female characters on screen. I also would love to see more fun shows aimed at girls 8-12 that aren’t so attitudinal/teen-boyfriend-focussed. Those shows drive me crazy. Sometimes it feels like we do a great job of entertaining our preschool girls up to age 7-8 and then the industry stops providing that great selection of content for them.
Dee McDonnell (left) and Méabh Tammemägi
CinÉireann / May 2018 49