HAIR LOVE, one of the 2020 Oscar-nominated animated shorts, was made possible by the efforts of many animators, including Wendie Owens and Mike Owens of WOMO Studios in Minneapolis. Wendie and Mike will join us for a Q&A after the 7pm Animated Shorts showtime on Friday, January 31st.

Bio for Wendy

-As a Director, Producer, Editor, Sound Designer, and Animator, Wendie has been part of creative production and storytelling across multiple mediums for nearly 30 years.
For nearly a decade at the Science Museum of Minnesota, Wendie traveled the world, dangled from helicopters and explored ancient mythological caves and interviewed astronauts at NASA to capture images and sounds to help tell stories for hundreds of theater experiences and games in museums around the country. She worked closely with scientists, archaeologists, historians and tribal elders to film and create in-gallery documentaries for traveling exhibitions, and worked with the KAYSC (Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center) training and creating films with the youth staff.
Before her time at SMM, Wendie worked in animation as an Animation Director, Storyboard Artist, Media Designer and Production manager. Her creative and technical versatility led to work in television series, commercials, music videos, feature films and educational video games for Disney, Warner Brothers, MTV, H-Gun Labs, Cartoon Network, Mattel, and Hasbro.
Currently Wendie is in production on a short animated film, publishing a children’s book and continues to create content promoting science, culture and community.
Wendie and her partner Mike are currently forming WOMO STUDIO to continue developing and producing original content and providing animation production services.

Bio for Mike

-Born in the Appalachian mountains, schooled in Chicago, trained in the ancient arts of pencil and paper animation, Emmy winning animator MIKE OWENS has manifested a Hollywood career while maintaining a Midwest lifestyle.
As a Director, Character Designer, Storyboard Artist, Animator and Storyteller, Mike has spent more than 23 years creating character driven entertainment for screens of all sizes and for audiences of all ages
Mike is the Executive Producer and Co-Creator of the Amazon Original animated series DANGER & EGGS for which he and his Directing crew each won an Emmy for Outstanding Directing in an Animated Program.
While completing his degree in Film & Animation at Columbia College Chicago, Mike began his career as a lead animator on Animaniacs and continued mastering his craft bringing life to commercial cartoon icons including Lucky The Leprechaun and the Trix Rabbit. Mike’s unique midwestern animation career continued in Minneapolis MN as the Animation Director at Puny Entertainment, an independent media design studio creating character driven animated content for Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Disney and helped design, direct and animate on original content with influential creatives including Big Boi, Al Madrigal, Katie Crown and James Gunn.
Mike shares his skills locally and globally as a teacher and mentor, maintaining relationships with his students who are now successful animators, storytellers, studio owners and Academy Award winners.
Mike and his partner Wendie are currently forming WOMO STUDIO to continue developing and producing original content and providing animation production services.