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Dive deeper into the creative process of filmmaking. Explore the inspirations and challenges faced during production, and gain a richer understanding of some of the films selected for this year's festival.
These candid conversations not only shed light on the artistry and technical expertise that go into filmmaking but also provide a glimpse into the personal stories and motivations that drive these talented creators.
Lisa Kenney’s award-winning short film Mum’s Spaghetti offers a charming story of true friendship and kindness in a hugely enjoyable 11 minute package but the experiences that led to the film are anything but heartwarming.
In this conversation, Lisa shares how her love for animation started, what inspired the story of Mum’s Spaghetti and provides some insights into the production of the film.
Mum’s Spaghetti won the Student Film award at SPARK ANIMATION 2024.
Image Credit: Mum’s Spaghetti © 2023 The National Film and Television School. All Rights Reserved.
SPEAKER
Lisa Kenney
Director // Independent
(Spare Pants Box, Mum's Spaghetti)
Born storyteller, proud northerner and self-confessed stop motion nerd, Lisa Kenney is an animation director with something to say. With comedy at the core of her practice, she strives to tell authentic, grounded and gritty stories with integrity and wit – pushing the boundaries of what animation can be in a bid to represent characters that might not have gotten a look in otherwise.
In true stop motion style, Lisa taught herself to animate on her mum’s kitchen table in Blackpool, before enjoying life as a freelancer where she worked on music videos, social media campaigns and ads. From there, she went on to study Directing Animation at The National Film and Television School under a scholarship from BAFTA, securing mentorship from Andy Symanowski of Aardman and Peppa Pig director, Mark Baker along the way. Now, fresh out of film school with the accolade of ‘Most Promising Student’ and armed with a host of new ideas, Lisa is ready and excited to make more of the work she loves.
MODERATOR
Marina Antunes
President // Spark CG Society
Marina has been writing and discussing film for over 15 years, first on a personal blog, followed by a decade-long tenure on the now retired Row Three. In 2008, she joined the writing staff at Quiet Earth, becoming Editor-In-Chief in 2014, a role she still holds. Over the years, she has also produced and hosted a number of podcasts including Before the Dawn, a long-running podcast on the Twilight franchise, Girls on Pop, a podcast on film and popular entertainment from women’s perspective and After the Credits, bi-monthly film podcast with nearly 300 episodes.
Marina is a member of ACM and ACM SIGGRAPH, the Online Film Critics Society, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, and the Visual Effects Society. She is the President of Spark CG Society and the Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH chapter. She has also served on juries for several film festivals including DOXA, St. Louis International Film Festival, and the Whistler Film Festival. She joined the Spark CG Society in 2014.
Dive deeper into the creative process of filmmaking. Explore the inspirations and challenges faced during production, and gain a richer understanding of some of the films selected for this year's festival.
These candid conversations not only shed light on the artistry and technical expertise that go into filmmaking but also provide a glimpse into the personal stories and motivations that drive these talented creators.
Lisa Kenney’s award-winning short film Mum’s Spaghetti offers a charming story of true friendship and kindness in a hugely enjoyable 11 minute package but the experiences that led to the film are anything but heartwarming.
In this conversation, Lisa shares how her love for animation started, what inspired the story of Mum’s Spaghetti and provides some insights into the production of the film.
Mum’s Spaghetti won the Student Film award at SPARK ANIMATION 2024.
Image Credit: Mum’s Spaghetti © 2023 The National Film and Television School. All Rights Reserved.
SPEAKER
Lisa Kenney
Director // Independent
(Spare Pants Box, Mum's Spaghetti)
Born storyteller, proud northerner and self-confessed stop motion nerd, Lisa Kenney is an animation director with something to say. With comedy at the core of her practice, she strives to tell authentic, grounded and gritty stories with integrity and wit – pushing the boundaries of what animation can be in a bid to represent characters that might not have gotten a look in otherwise.
In true stop motion style, Lisa taught herself to animate on her mum’s kitchen table in Blackpool, before enjoying life as a freelancer where she worked on music videos, social media campaigns and ads. From there, she went on to study Directing Animation at The National Film and Television School under a scholarship from BAFTA, securing mentorship from Andy Symanowski of Aardman and Peppa Pig director, Mark Baker along the way. Now, fresh out of film school with the accolade of ‘Most Promising Student’ and armed with a host of new ideas, Lisa is ready and excited to make more of the work she loves.
MODERATOR
Marina Antunes
President // Spark CG Society
Marina has been writing and discussing film for over 15 years, first on a personal blog, followed by a decade-long tenure on the now retired Row Three. In 2008, she joined the writing staff at Quiet Earth, becoming Editor-In-Chief in 2014, a role she still holds. Over the years, she has also produced and hosted a number of podcasts including Before the Dawn, a long-running podcast on the Twilight franchise, Girls on Pop, a podcast on film and popular entertainment from women’s perspective and After the Credits, bi-monthly film podcast with nearly 300 episodes.
Marina is a member of ACM and ACM SIGGRAPH, the Online Film Critics Society, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, and the Visual Effects Society. She is the President of Spark CG Society and the Vancouver ACM SIGGRAPH chapter. She has also served on juries for several film festivals including DOXA, St. Louis International Film Festival, and the Whistler Film Festival. She joined the Spark CG Society in 2014.
