In accordance with their mission, Spire recently hired a number of women to fill key positions at the company. Despite sincere (and insincere) efforts on the part of animation studios to be more inclusive and to combat discrimination in the workplace, women still often feel disadvantaged and less appreciated than their male counterparts. As the industry organization Women in Animation notes, although more than 60% of animation and art school students are women, only 20% of the creative jobs are held by women.
While few would argue that opportunities for women in animation have grown in recent years, there are still significant disparities in male/female representation. Perhaps most significantly, this reinvention has involved hiring more women in leadership roles, and striving to build a truly inclusive culture. “At Spire, we’re committed to building a strong, passionate team that is eager to reinvent how animated feature films are made, told, and distributed,” Lewis, who serves as the company’s chief creative officer, said at the time. Not that they hadn’t accomplished things and enjoyed their time at their prior places of employment (Pixar and Prana Studios, respectively), but, with backing from CAA and venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates, they felt the time was right for a new beginning.
Gunsagar decided to found Spire Animation Studios in 2020, they were determined to do things differently.
When award-winning producer Brad Lewis ( How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Ratatouille, Finding Nemo) and industry entrepreneur P.J.