At MAF I got the chance to watch a film about Floyd Norman's life, a famous Disney animator. It was both funny and heartwarming at the same time, and most of all really enjoyable.
It really highlighted what black artists had to endure in times of stigma, even though disney itself DIDNT discriminate, they only cared about pure talent which is what Floyd had, outside the workplace though was a different story.
Norman took up many roles in disney such as an animator, writer, layout and storyboard artist. However at 65 he was asked to retire, thus sparking a massive campaign by Floyd about Disneys agist system. Being made 'retired' was devastating for Norman because he loved studio life, he even came in to work still with his retired badge.
This film exposed that not only did Floyd have such life in his artwork but in himself. That need to keep working but also and the life he emitted as a comical aura around him.
Still standing after redundancies
I also liked how much of Normans past life before working for disney was exposed. Now he served time in the forces, from which Norman made the quote about working for disney 'I can draw cartoons all day and no ones trying to kill me'
He commented how in the 'creative hub' that was Disney, how they had their desks together opposite so they can work and bounce ideas off each other.
He expressed the element of animation that; 'Your not looking at pretty pictures , looking at film.'
Floyd possess a passion on black American history, and even made his own film highlighting it, where he was up close and personal filming people in a riot.
He also played a massive part in Hannah Barbara.
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