SAMANTHA MOORE

Samantha Moore is an independent animator based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. She studied English Literature and Fine Art at Exeter University, and she took a post-graduate diploma Fine Art Film at Central St Martins, London, but trained specifically in animation. She is currently studying for a PhD in Animated Documentary at Loughborough University.

She works out of her own studio making independent animated documentaries, and also undertakes work as a director on commissioned films. She works with different sized, but usually small, teams on different projects, usually remotely. Sam tries to work with freelancers in her region, and being involved in Animation Forum West Midlands is an important way for her to keep connected with others but she has worked internationally too.

She made Glasgow Kiss (1998) through the Channel 4/MOMI Animator in Residence scheme. Other commissions and funding include the Arts Council England/Channel 4 AnimateTV scheme, the Wellcome Trust, UK Film Council and Screen West Midlands, museums and galleries. Awards include a Special Mention at AnimaFest Zagreb, a Nature (journal) Award  for Scientific M at the Imagine Science Festival in New York and a British Animation Award nomination.

Sam represents herself, and doesn’t currently work on commercial projects, supporting her work through commissions and teaching.

STATE OF PLAY

Sam has had to be increasingly creative about where she sources funding, finding success from sources that aren’t explicitly for animation, but related to the themes of her work. When Sam started out, animation felt a very female-friendly industry to work in, with many high profile inspiring women animators as role models, but now she feels it is less so. Funding is more difficult to come by. Based in a rural area, social media and online networking are important to keeping her connected to others in the animation world. A way of networking nationally online would be helpful, pulling together information about opportunities and for animators to offer one another mutual support.

“Don’t imagine that you are going to get a job just sitting at a desk with a lightbox and your pencil. If you’ve got the passion and the energy to beat your own path then I think it can be a lot more interesting than just assuming that you are going to automatically jump into something. Think imaginatively and creatively around your plans, don’t hold any ideas too rigidly.”

“You might not think of something as animation funding but if you twist it and wiggle it, you can totally get the funding and do an animated project!”

Image: Samantha Moore, Eyeful of Sound (2010)