Animator Mike Greaney on attending Annecy International

Animation by Mike Greaney. 

Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Market, held in the town of Annecy in France, brings together animation specialists from across the world and hosts the premier industry market, Marché International du Film d' Animation (MIFA). Major players in the industry attend, including recruiters, talent, producers, distributors, sellers, TV channels and software creators.  

This is the must-attend event of the year for the animation industry and applications are now open for support from VicScreen to be part of a delegation, which will attend the festival from 21 – 27 June this year.  

Going to an international festival can be daunting, so we spoke to writer, director, animator and cartoonist Mike Greaney, to share his experience and tips from attending last year. 

Tell us about your experience in the film industry. 

I’ve been working in the film industry in Melbourne for the last 15 years. I started my career making music videos, short films and commercials, doing stuff for folks as diverse as Green Day, Neil Young and Sesame Street. 

I then switched to long form 2D adult animation, working on projects like Adult Swim’s Yolo: Silver Destiny (2023) with Victorian animation studio Princess Bento. I also created the Screen Australia and VicScreen funded, AACTA-award-nominated, web-series The Future of Everything (2022) with Victorian independent production studio LateNite, as well as the ongoing comic project Cosmic Dirtbag, which has millions of views, likes, comments and shares across social media.  

I’ve got projects currently in development with a bunch of very cool people in the States, including 20th Television Animation and Bento Box.  

When did you first go to Annecy? 

I first attended Annecy alllll the way back in 2011. My grad film — a sloppy stop motion sitcom called Aww Jeez — was in the student competition. As a fresh-faced animation graduate, I had no idea what MIFA was, what networking looked like, or even what I was supposed to do at a conference! So I spent Annecy 2011 trying to meet my animation heroes (the only people I get star struck over are animators in their 60s apparently). 

Why Annecy? 

Unfortunately, there aren’t many local broadcasters that make adult animation — a devastating gap in the market honestly — so if you are trying to make an animated feature or telly series, you need to find partners that are further afield. The dope thing about Annecy is that it’s a meeting point for broadcasters, studios and creators from all over the planet (there’s something about a fairytale village on a gorgeous lake in the height of summer that people find appealing). 

L to R: Cartoonist Evie Hilliar, Mike Greaney and LateNite Creative Producer Nicholas Colla 

What approach should creatives take if they want to go to Annecy? 

Go to everything the festival offers: panels, screenings, picnics, meetings. Take an interest in everyone you meet. There’s so much knowledge in town during the festival, which means you can get amazing insights by having casual chats. What are UK broadcasters looking for right now? How is Donald Trump affecting what kind of cartoons are being commissioned in the States? Ask questions that aren’t just “can you hire me?”. You might come away with information you never would have known otherwise. 

L to R: American animators Raymond S. Persi and David Silverman of The Simpson's fame with Mike Greaney and LateNite Creative Producer Nicholas Colla. 

What’s the best approach to networking? 

There’s networking happening everywhere at Annecy. Sure, you can email people pre-festival, book a sit down and introduce yourself. But Annecy hosts social gatherings after hours every year, and often the best connections happen here.  

I have a rule for all general meetings I take, which is that I’m there to build rapport person-to-person. The aim should be to make a connection, so do not pitch a project unless you are asked to. If there’s going to be business done, it will come down the line. 

Mike Greaney at U.K. studio Fourth Wall Animation’s dinner. 

Any final thoughts? 

Annecy is just about the most fun you can have while working. I am going to try and go every year. My trip last year has already led to opportunities I never would have expected. 

I had a quiet Friday when I was there, so I went out on a paddle boat on the lake with a bunch of cool folks I met at the fest. It’s a great way to cement the connections you’ve made throughout the festival and reflect on your time there.  

We’re all at Annecy for work, but it’s also important to take part in the fun. You might meet Matt Groening in a line for ice cream or even have a conversation with a Fox executive at a picnic.  

So, make friends and talk toons – don’t be a door-to-door comic book salesman. 

L to R: Writer Millie Holten, Cartoonist Evie Hilliar, LateNite Creative Producer Nicholas Colla and Mike Greaney. 

VicScreen supports Victorian screen creators to travel to key international festivals with their project, providing opportunities to build global connections. Applications are now open for international festival travel support. Click here to apply now.