We’re delighted to continue to look at the creative stories of the brilliant women that make Revenant run, all whilst sharing their very own curated movie watchlists that uplift remarkable women, too.
Everyone, meet our fantastic Senior Production Coordinator Maggie McCabe. With experience at Axis Studios, Wild Child Animation, and MOVE Summit before joining us at Revenant, Maggie is a icon of the Scottish animation scene. But how did she find herself in this role? And what, or who, inspired her along the way? Read on to discover more.
Do you have a piece of a film, an art piece, a TV show, a song that struck a chord with you, or amazed you, when you were younger, showing you the possibilities of art?
Quite a basic answer, but I remember being around 4 years old and putting my Lion King VHS tape on over and over. My mum loves animation as an artform so I remember her explaining the concept to me and I was amazed.
And what went on to shape your approach to your creative role now?
I fell down a rabbit hole many years ago reading biographies of women in the animation industry, such as Mary Blair and Joy Batchelor. It made me realise how far we’ve come and why our voices are important, no matter what role we are in. I try to approach my current role with the idea that we are all a team and each voice matters.
If you could have worked on one piece of art throughout history, collaborating with the creative team on it, what would it be?
I would give anything to have worked with the Weta team on the Lord of The Rings sets and props!
You’ve curated a Top 10 Female Composers for Film & TV for us. Could you speak to some of your choices at all?
I’ve selected films where you truly feel that the director cares about their medium, whether through her work in the animation pipeline or working closely with the creative team from start to finish.
Lastly, though there has been progress in many areas for women in this industry, we are still living in very tumultuous times, and there are barriers for many women in creative and leadership roles. If you could give one piece of advice to women wanting to do what you do, what would it be?
You’re better than you think you are, so don’t wait until you’re “perfect” to apply for those jobs or push for what you deserve, cause men with half your talent sure don’t.
Inspired by reading biographies of women in the animation industry, discover Maggie’s “Top Animated Films Created by Women” here!