The Animation Storytellers of Gaza

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Meet Haneen Koraz, Nour A-Jawad, and the animation storytellers of Gaza. The people of Gaza, the children, the men, the women, have inspiring stories to tell through what they create through their films, and what they create through the spaces and programs that they build.

You can support the children and the teachers through their Patreon page.

https://www.patreon.com/c/AnimationStories

You can also donate here:

https://gofund.me/5260e826

Animation Stories - Your support will help:

• Keep dreams alive: Sustain weekly animation workshops where children craft entire worlds frame by frame, breath by breath.

• Feed the imagination: Provide access to the simplest tools—paper, pencils, plasticine—that become portals to self-expression.

• Foster survival through expression: In a world trying to erase Palestinian voices, storytelling becomes resistance—and art, a lifeline.

• Build a safe space for the spirit: A makeshift studio in Gaza where children animate not only characters but their futures.

• Bridge worlds: By keeping Haneen, her team, and her students connected to an international community of artists, mentors, and believers, we’re creating powerful art and an unprecedented living archive.

This is not charity - this is a shared act of imagination, defiance, and love.

Conversations on Hollywood & Empire

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I hope these conversations will help the general public understand what we are coding in animated and blockbuster feature films. Additionally, I appeal to my colleagues in the industry to start asking the questions that I know you never ask. Please start engaging critically.

Encoding Empire on Black Liberation Media
https://www.youtube.com/live/Vev644NSDks?si=hazicUYPdimsrlz7

Encoding Empire Part 2 on iMWiL
https://youtu.be/cNN65kgDpwY?si=JAco3Hn_CmJOo2hH

Graduate Dissertation:
Encoding Empire: How Black Panther Manufactures Consent for Imperialism Among Oppressed Groups - Graduate Dissertation
https://www.academia.edu/143503421/Encoding_Empire_How_Black_Panther_Manufactures_Consent_for_Imperialism_Among_Oppressed_Groups

 
 

Donald Duck Does D.E.I. ft Samantha Youssef and Jared Ware (Saturdays with Renee)
https://www.youtube.com/live/Toak26j_Z-Q?si=1SIaMKJAfVFMytJZ

True Hollywood Stories on the Military Industrial Complex Featuring Samantha Youssef
https://www.youtube.com/live/XQM5s3ZEctc?si=3bk5L-0FYPPOHjis

 
 

Mtume Gant Within Our Gates
https://www.patreon.com/Tumes

Should We Believe the Superman Conversation?

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Because the film industry is largely responsible for the collective conditioning that prevents us from taking action. I see people wondering why no one is doing anything to stop the G-cide and I hope if we can be aware of the social conditioning, it can help wake us up.

I honestly don’t know what more to say anymore, but I will still try to do what I can and offer some insight that might help shift awareness.

This video came about because I saw how effective this film has been in co-opting people who are critical thinkers, and I was asked by a lot of people what my thoughts were - given my background.

I hope this will engage conversations, and spread awareness, so we can imagine a better future for all of us, and how we can create art and culture that is not complicit in imperialist agendas.

Please share and help educate! Comment below if you would like to see more on these topics or looking at other projects I can help break down.
If you’d like some sources to get you started on topics discussed, check out the literature and scholarship by: Stuart Hall, Roger Stahl, Tim Lenoir, Luke Caldwell, Tanner Mirrlees, James DerDerian, Aaron Franz , Edward Said, bel hooks, Kimberle Crenshaw, Noam Chomsky & Edward Herman, Robert McChesney

If you feel more people could benefit from this video, pick your social media poison and please share!:

Haneen Koraz, Nour A-Jawad, and Hand Crafted Animated Storytelling

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Have you heard about Haneen Koraz’s animation studio? You can see the beautiful work here: https://www.instagram.com/animator_haneen

Haneen Koraz is an award-winning animation director and mentor from Gaza. Despite the on going genocide in Palestine, she has created a space of light and creativity, working with children and young artists to create animated films to share their stories to the world.

She has been active in supporting hand crafted animation, and is at the forefront of this endeavour creating art divorced from industrialism. I really want to bring attention to this. For those of us in the animation industry, there are so many conversations about coming back to understanding the artistry behind hand crafted animation production before CG intervention. The work Haneen is doing is exactly that. She is holding onto an art form that Western animators are always lamenting the loss of. This is a genuine love of a craft that I believe has been dwindling in the spaces where animation is the most funded, yet least creative.

Her efforts not only preserve Palestinian voices but also inspire global conversations about resilience and the universal power of storytelling. The work she is doing is incredibly inspiring, and demonstrates how to realign ourselves as artists and storytellers, and not industry technicians.

I don’t want to speak too much for Hanaan, I’ll put forward a quote to share her own words. Please support her, and amplify her work:
https://www.patreon.com/c/AnimationStories/ and https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-haneen-koraz-empower-voices-through-art

“In the Presence of Imagination, I Forget the War

When a child chooses a story, my role as a director and trainer is to help shape it—to make it clearer, richer in detail, and closer to their soul. We don’t have boards to explain things, so we write on the walls. These walls witness the birth of small dreams growing amid the rubble.

In these moments, I find my happiness.

I forget the war.
I forget the bombings.
I forget everything that frightens and breaks me.
I forget the dark images the future paints in my mind.

In the animation workshops, I return to myself—to my passion, to my boundless imagination.

Despite everything, the children of Gaza still have the power to dream.

These children don’t just need aid—they need to be heard.
They need moments of joy, of hope, of life.
They need the chance to glimpse a better world, even if only through a sheet of paper, a pencil, and a story.”

- Haneen Koraz

Safina Filmmaker Project

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Samantha Youssef has been invited to host a webinar as part of the Safina Filmmaker Project on Saturday, January 25th. This workshop will offer a "behind the scenes" insight into the creative process of feature film character-driven animation and the artistic journey of bringing characters to life on the big screen. Samantha will share some insight into the unique work she does spanning across VFX and feature animation, from art direction to animation direction.

Click here for more info and other great workshops!

Food for Thought…on Being Artists in an Industry,

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Who are we as artists in animation? 

Do we do it for the love of humanity? For the pursuit of “Universal Human Truths” that we strive for in our storytelling?  What does that mean?

Or do we do this so that we can be awarded a credit by the animation industry? Do we do it to identify with a fan culture? Perhaps as a means of getting praise or followers from fellow fans?  Who is the audience representing the opinions you worry about?

For myself, being an artist in this medium was a pursuit of putting art out there that inspired and connected with the hearts of people…. As I was inspired by it when I was younger. Creating inspirational work that touches upon our humanity is what drove me and inspired me.

Today we are faced with a crisis of humanity. There is a genocide happening in Palestine, and the animation industry is directly associated with it.

As artists, we have a beautiful gift, that of imagination…. Which can allow us to empathize, its our job to understand deeper stories and ask questions about what motivates our characters… to imagine outside of systemic structures that have been set up to dehumanize and marginalize.  When we are silent, we need to ask ourselves, who is the audience of our silence?  Who benefits from it?  Are we artists exclusively for the opinions of an industrial complex, or are we artists because we want to connect our common humanity?

Just some food for thought….

Conversation with Brent & David at Agora

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Hello everyone!

Recently I was interviewed by industry leaders Brent George (former animation director at WB Games) and David Hubert (former animation supervisor at Dreamworks) on the Agora Community Site. We covered a lot of interesting topics about the technique, and conversations about the animation and film industry. (Thank you Brent and David for inviting me to share this conversation with you! )

The interview can be watched here.

 

Staying Creative & Inspired During Isolation

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2020 has been a challenging year for many artists. I hope you are all staying safe and doing well during this time. Some artists and creators are able to continue their practice from home. However for those that are missing live model drawing sessions at a studio, the exchange and energy of being around your peers, or just feeling lost and struggling with inspiration, it can be a challenging time to supplement those needs. For anyone that is feeling a creative slump as a result of the current times, I thought I'd share a few tips that help me. 

  • Online video streaming of live model sessions

  • Photo references to practice life drawing

  • When in doubt, work on technique!

  • Online art challenges

Online Video Streaming of Live Model Sessions

Many of us are missing our live model drawing sessions. There is no ideal replacement for drawing a model in a studio space, but there have been a lot of video resources on YouTube, Facebook, and other social media platforms. Croquis Cafe has been a long standing figure drawing resource on YouTube. As well, many art galleries and studios have been offering recorded sessions online, with costumed and nude model resources. Search for ones in your community, social media, or your browser.

Video sessions are a great option because you can observe the model moving between the poses, how they shift their weight, and how they settle into a pose.  This gives you a better sense of where they were coming from and what they are moving into, so you can bring that insight into your drawings. These are valuable observations that we benefit from in a live studio, so having a video resource is the next best thing!

Photo References to Practice Life Drawing

Another option for your life drawing practice is to use photos for reference. When drawing from photos, make sure you are not copying but analyzing! If you are working on improving your gesture drawing and pose analysis, this is essential to your approach.

There are many photo references that can be found. I have always enjoyed Live Model Books' collection for studio poses because they offer a 360 degree view of the pose. They are my favourite photography resource for model drawing. When you are analyzing and not just copying, having alternate views to really observe what is happening in the pose is a huge asset.

I know right now spending money for training can be difficult. Another great option is to search for dance photography. I love to use dance poses when I am teaching. They are dynamic and have beautiful lines, which is fantastic for developing your eye to understand beautiful posing.

When in Doubt, Work on Technique!

I am often working on production artwork, but am always looking for time to create my own work. Or perhaps update aspects of my portfolio. However sometimes when left to your own devices it can be challenging to come up with ideas of what you want to work on next. When I'm in a creative slump and can't find inspiration or an idea for a new piece or an illustration, I go back to working on something technical, either a drawing technique I need to work on, some lessons I needed to practice, some creature or palaeontology studies... Just the act of doing something and getting some artwork done, not only helps refine your technical abilities, but I find it gets me starting and finishing something, and that usually leads to me unblocking whatever is preventing me with coming up with an idea.

Online Art Challenges

These are fun little challenges on social media. They can connect you with other artists, and find joy in participating and appreciating the art of the online community. If you're feeling blocked or in a creative slump, they can give you an assignment to help get you going. I find that once in a while these are a fun pick me up and give me direction on what to work on if I feel stuck!

Disclaimer: I very much enjoy participating in these challenges but I urge caution when participating in fan artwork challenges with characters that are not your property. I have created fan art pieces myself, but with that said, value your abilities and skills. It's important to respect yourself and your work, these challenges should not be opportunities to create free artwork for third parties. Use your discretion but this is something to be mindful of should you elect to create fan artwork. You are offering a free shout out via your art, and your art has value!

Thank you to all of you that are staying home and helping reduce pressure on our healthcare systems. I also want to thank everyone who has been contributing to keeping people healthy, providing services to keep us going as best as possible, and those who are sharing and offering what they can to help keep spirits up!


I hope these tips can be helpful! I hope you are all doing well, staying safe, and keeping others safe!

Happy 10 Year Anniversary Studio Technique!

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happy_anniversary_studio_technique

🌟Happy 10 Year Anniversary Studio Technique! 🌟

It's been 10 years since I officially started a training studio for professional artists in the feature film, VFX, and video game industries, working with artists from Pixar, Disney, Sony, Dreamworks, ILM, Lucasfilm, EA, Ubisoft and many many other incredible studios.

To the studios out there - Thank you for choosing me to work with your talent and productions.

To the artists - thank you for working so passionately through my courses and workshops.

To the academies and colleges - thank you for integrating my book, Movement & Form, into your programs. 

Thank you everyone who has supported me along this journey! It has been an amazing time, working with studios across the world, meeting students at colleges on other sides of many oceans, and working with artists without borders through online workshops and courses! Not to mention publishing a book that has been circulated through more studios, schools and countries than I had ever imagined!

Here's to even more great things to come! Cheers! 🥂

- Samantha Youssef