#305 Sivamathy Selvakumaran

January 6, 2019

Sivamathy is a talented, passionate filmmaker, with a particular interest in character-driven storytelling, cross-cultural experiences, and giving voices to marginalised identities. With expertise spanning the entire production process, she’s looking to make the jump into writing, directing and producing short/feature-length fiction and documentary films. She has also worked extensively in the third sector and education industries, most prominently as a disability rights activist and advocate, and as a digital marketing executive. So, this makes Sivamathy highly skilled in marketing and communications, charity work, and leadership.

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#246 **Jo Salmon**

JoAnne is an animator at LoveLove Films, an animation studio based in Bournemouth, and has worked on a range of content including original animated series, TV adverts and broadcast graphis

JoAnne was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, a genetic condition characterised by deformities of the ears, eyes, cheekbones and chin, which causes breathing problems and hearing difficulties. Never one to let anything get her down, Treacher Collins Syndrome has only spurred JoAnne on, and encouraged her to create beautiful and engaging animated content, including an animated documentary produced by Lovelove Films and commisioned by MoFilm about her journey titled Chin Up.

Throughout her childhood, JoAnne loved to draw herself as heroic characters to escape the insecurity and feeling of being different that came with her condition. However, JoAnne never drew her facial features any differently to fit the scene of a heroic warrior or mystical mermaid.

Chin Up follows JoAnne's story from being 1 in 50,000 babies born with Treacher Collins Syndrome to currently living her dreams as an animator at LoveLove Films. The documentary touches on poignant milestones that have impacted JoAnne and made her the strong and inspirational woman that she is today, highlighting on the female empowerment that is giving 2018 the great ‘Year of Women’ status. JoAnne’s story fits into a much larger story of women in today’s society and the way positive change is happening, and she touches on this with her unique outlook within Chin Up.

Chin Up was narrated, illustrated and animated by JoAnne, giving a true insight to growing up with a visible disability. JoAnne and the LoveLove Films animation team created the documentary with intricate 2D mixed media using childhood photos mixed in with beautiful and colourful illustrations and animation.

Chin Up went live as part of the MoFIlm Many Voices campaign on 23rd August 2018, with a feature in Campaign magazine which can be read here; https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/chin-up-uplifting-story-rebel-creatives/1490074

Since the success of Chin Up, and receiving touching messages from people with and parents of people with disabilities telling her how the documentary has moved them and helped them on their own journey of self acceptance. JoAnne is a central part of the LoveLove Films' team, and is now helping to develop diverse and inspiring content for children and adults alike.

Aside from producing Chin Up and other animated content, JoAnne also speaks at workshops, talks and panels, including two panels for Animated Women UK with women from Disney, Turner, Blue Zoo and Jellyfish.

JoAnne said of Chin Up: "I have learned that being different is not always about outside appearances, it can be on the inside too and everyone wants to feel accepted. I hope that people, no matter of age, gender, race or ability, will be inspired to know that they can be whatever they want to be."

You can watch Chin Up here: https://vimeo.com/286156799
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#246 Joanne Salmon

November 8, 2018

JoAnne is an animator at LoveLove Films, an animation studio based in Bournemouth, and has worked on a range of content including original animated series, TV adverts and broadcast graphis

JoAnne was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, a genetic condition characterised by deformities of the ears, eyes, cheekbones and chin, which causes breathing problems and hearing difficulties. Never one to let anything get her down, Treacher Collins Syndrome has only spurred JoAnne on, and encouraged her to create beautiful and engaging animated content, including an animated documentary produced by Lovelove Films and commisioned by MoFilm about her journey titled Chin Up.

Throughout her childhood, JoAnne loved to draw herself as heroic characters to escape the insecurity and feeling of being different that came with her condition. However, JoAnne never drew her facial features any differently to fit the scene of a heroic warrior or mystical mermaid.

Chin Up follows JoAnne's story from being 1 in 50,000 babies born with Treacher Collins Syndrome to currently living her dreams as an animator at LoveLove Films. The documentary touches on poignant milestones that have impacted JoAnne and made her the strong and inspirational woman that she is today, highlighting on the female empowerment that is giving 2018 the great ‘Year of Women’ status. JoAnne’s story fits into a much larger story of women in today’s society and the way positive change is happening, and she touches on this with her unique outlook within Chin Up.

Chin Up was narrated, illustrated and animated by JoAnne, giving a true insight to growing up with a visible disability. JoAnne and the LoveLove Films animation team created the documentary with intricate 2D mixed media using childhood photos mixed in with beautiful and colourful illustrations and animation.

Chin Up went live as part of the MoFIlm Many Voices campaign on 23rd August 2018, with a feature in Campaign magazine which can be read here; https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/chin-up-uplifting-story-rebel-creatives/1490074

Since the success of Chin Up, and receiving touching messages from people with and parents of people with disabilities telling her how the documentary has moved them and helped them on their own journey of self acceptance. JoAnne is a central part of the LoveLove Films' team, and is now helping to develop diverse and inspiring content for children and adults alike.

Aside from producing Chin Up and other animated content, JoAnne also speaks at workshops, talks and panels, including two panels for Animated Women UK with women from Disney, Turner, Blue Zoo and Jellyfish.

JoAnne said of Chin Up: "I have learned that being different is not always about outside appearances, it can be on the inside too and everyone wants to feel accepted. I hope that people, no matter of age, gender, race or ability, will be inspired to know that they can be whatever they want to be."

You can watch Chin Up here: https://vimeo.com/286156799

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#245 Georgina Hurcombe

November 7, 2018

Georgina founded Bournemouth based production company and animation studio LoveLove Films at just 25 in 2010. Her role as Producer/MD has seen her oversee a wide range of content, which has been featured on platforms such as Channel 4, Sky, ITV and BBC Films to name a few. She is a big advocate for female entrepreneurship and often leads panels and workshops for women and young people in digital, most recently with Disney, Turner and Animated Women UK. Georgina believes that diversity and inclusion is essential in running a successful organisation and for the ‘Year of the Woman’ this year she produced the MOFILM commissioned animated documentary ‘Chin Up’ about LoveLove Films animator JoAnne, who has Treacher Collins Syndrome.

LoveLove Films’ in-house creative team provide video and animation services to a varied client base in a range of formats from TV adverts to music videos, TV graphics and so much more. As well as this, Georgina’s passion for encouraging and nurturing creativity within the organisation and educating and inspiring young people has led to a transition towards the children’s TV landscape with LoveLove Films currently developing an array of animated shows for children including the United Nations collaboration Bottle Island, craft adventure series Pop Paper City, Sci-fi comedy with songs Ergle & Anne’s Unplanned Land Band, and short form preschool series Sprongles.

“Success for me is producing content we are really proud of, and if we can make a difference with some of the content we make, that’s even better."

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#244 Kez Coo

November 6, 2018

Kez is an extremely talented photographer & DOP whose worked across some of I-D’s most interesting content.

She loves portraiture that’s honest and currently she’s producing a body positive series called Considerate, alongside creating video content.

A highlight of her career so far is having shot for Stella McCartney and Vogue US.

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#126 Terez Koncz

July 11, 2018

Terez is juggling with a producer/co-founder position at a London based media production company called Stellar Circus and her independent film director career with many awards and success behind her back. Her latest short film 'The Letters' won the Grand Prize at Stage32's 3rd annual short film contest and she has been invited to Los Angeles for presenting her film for the Hollywood crowd. She has directed 5 short films already including Woman https://youtu.be/ZGyhqryffTw a short about basic incentives. At the moment she's writing the script for her first feature film while over seeing and managing production at her company for fashion and advertising projects.

Stellar Circus
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#55 Amanda Strickland

May 1, 2018

Meet today’s Badass Gal, Amanda Strickland a travel writer & filmmaker based in southern Mexico. She took these two passions and founded Loboluna Producciones, a production company dedicated to bringing good, bilingual writing and motion pictures to the digital world. She is also the editor of Mexico Tropical, a modern lifestyle travel agency for beach destinations in Mexico. So if you want to plan any trips you should check them out as they curate trips, make custom-made itineraries & organise group day trips.

Website: mexicotropical.travel
Insta: @lobolunaproducciones

#12 Athena Periclis

March 19, 2018

Graduate of English, film and TV at Nottingham, and now master’s student of branding and advertising. Athena is the co-founder of independent streetwear brand, Back to Back. With a focus on nostalgia, collaboration and purpose the brand's mission is to unite people, sustain the environment and keep the heritage of rave culture alive. The brand's ethos of 'More Dancing, Less Footprint' is backed up by their sustainable approach, using 100% organic cotton and a dedication to social and environmental responsibility. Athena has already collaborated with DJs such as JACKY, MOVEMENT & DETLEF & LATMUN and this Badass Gal has only begun!

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#11 Savanah Leaf

March 18, 2018

A sickeningly talented director, photographer, creative and bona fide OLYMPIAN. Her work has been published and/or screened in Afro Punk, Cannes Short Corner, Vimeo Staff Picks, London Short Film Festival, Dazed and Confused, Pixar Animation Studios, San Francisco Black Film Festival, One Point Four, The Mill, Vevo, A Colour Blue, Girls in Film (UK), Girls on Film X Gurls Talk - Women in Revolt, Shorts-on-Tap, Bae Watch-and-Learn, Vulture Hound, Havana Club, Havana Club, Brownswood Recordings, Okay Africa, Polydor Music, Universal Music Group, Adidas, TopSafe, MotionPoems and more.

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#8 Yasmin Curren

March 15, 2018

Gamer, developer, musician and YouTuber. Yas started her career as a junior developer at iris worldwide before heading off to study computer game arts and becoming one of Raspberry Pi's first creative technologists. This Badass Gal can code, edit, write and even sing. Passionate about story telling in the digital age, Yas has a vision to bring the world together using the power of technology.

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