Animating Queer Futures

Joanne Lockwood is joined by AJ Hannah, founder and creative director of FWDIO Studios, to talk about what it takes to build an indie animation studio committed to unapologetically queer, more representative storytelling. AJ shares why “a gayer and more colourful Disney” isn’t just a tagline, but a response to mainstream decisions that dilute or censor LGBTQ+ narratives and limit who gets to lead creative work.

They explore how authenticity is created not only through characters on screen, but through who writes, storyboards, directs, and voices them. AJ describes casting choices that match lived experience, the value of collaboration and cultural consultation, and the responsibility that comes with representing communities well.

The conversation also gets practical: the realities of funding animation through sponsorships and Kickstarter, paying artists fairly in an industry where unpaid work is common, and building a sustainable model without giving up creative control. Alongside the business and craft, AJ reflects on identity, safety, resilience, and the determination to keep making work in the face of political backlash and anti-DEI sentiment.