I’m sure you don’t need us to tell you, but we’re going to say it anyway, and we’re going to say it loudly…
IT’S PRIDE MONTH.
After a subdued 2020, we’ve got the feeling people are just about ready to party again.
Throughout June, we’ll pay tribute to the community within our community by posting PRIDE-related features, interviews, and generally just being quite excitable.
And what better way to start than to look back over some incredible pieces of work?
For last year’s Motion Awards Live, we decided to celebrate the 50th anniversary of World Pride in the United States. So, we created The Rainbow Award, a brand-new category to help spotlight the very best LGBTQIA+ content in Motion Design.
Our three finalists gave us a wonderful and diverse presentation of the Queer experience. The cross-section of projects was a fantastic reminder that PRIDE isn’t just about the party. It stems from a place of protest. Whether we are educating ourselves and others, increasing awareness, or making people laugh, there is always more work to do.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy doing it.
The inaugural Rainbow Award winner was I am Intersex, by Antimatter, an animated piece narrated by Pidgeon Pagonis, the artist and leading intersex activist from Chicago.
The short video advocates for the human rights of children born with natural differences in their sexual anatomy, or as the animation puts it, “bodies not showing the traits expected in a boy or girl.”
Carlos El Asmar, founder of The Motion Awards and Motionographer, said at the time: “This represents the power of Motion Design; its ability to visually narrate and provide a graphic explanation of a topic that is so hard for people to understand. This is the magic of what we do.”
And it is magic. Artists have the power to express themselves in a way that most people can only dream of. They have the power of persuasion at their fingertips, the ability to captivate attention and activate dormant imaginations. For those brave enough to not only tackle sensitive topics but transform them into something that can educate and inspire, they truly have the power to change the world.
“I’m so Queer I sh*t glitter.”
Told you they could grab your attention!
Nominated for a Rainbow Award in 2020 was the wonderfully colorful Queerer Than-Thou by Tales From Pussy Willow. Attacking timely subjects in a different way, writer/director Kate Jessop “uses comedy as a form of cultural commentary.” As a fellow Brit, I can truly relate to this.
It’s bold, surreal and tongue-in-cheek, but still manages to shine with authenticity, as anyone who’s crawled out of notorious performance-led London bars like the Glory or the Phoenix Artist Club in the early hours can attest. Some people feel the burning desire to be the most magnificent, the most flamboyant, and well, the Queerest of the Queer. And we kind of love them for it.
In our endless search for fulfillment, excitement, and balance, I’m sure we ask ourselves this next question over and over again.
Where can we find: sex, life, healing, sunlight, nature, magic, harmony, and spirit?
Now I know what you’re thinking, but alas, no, Santa has not come out (yet), and these are not the new names of his reindeer. (Although, I’m sure he’s as grateful as ever to slide up and down a chimney or two.).
They are, in fact, the meaning behind each color represented in one of the most globally recognizable symbols of PRIDE.
And so that brings me to our final nominee from the 2020 Motion Awards:
History of the Pride Flag by CNN Motion
In this slick and informative piece, we learned about the creator of the flag (Gilbert Baker), the meaning behind its colors, and why the rainbow was such an inspiring choice.
Explaining the reason for choosing the rainbow flag, Gilbert Baker said, “We needed something to express our joy, our beauty, our power. And the rainbow did that.”
We hope to bring you the Rainbow Award every year, celebrating the diversity of gender identity and sexuality within Motion Design and giving you a platform to express your joy, your beauty, your power.
Now, you may think we’re biased; there are many causes we could champion, after all. Our team at Motionographer is made up of wonderfully diverse and colorful characters, all of whom are either in the LGBTQIA+ community or are true allies.
So, in that sense, I guess we are biased. We believe that love is love, and if there’s ever a reason to take to the streets dressed as a giant peacock, singing dodgy pop songs, and drinking cheap liquor from the nearest 7-Eleven, we can’t think of a better one than love.
Happy PRIDE MONTH, everyone.
