For this episode, I sat down with Justine Bannister — someone I’ve often described as the quiet connector of the animation world. A generous industry matchmaker, strategist, and long-time advocate for creative collaboration, Justine has spent decades helping projects and people find each other.

We talk about:

✨ Finding Your Way (Without a Master Plan)

Justine didn’t set out to work in animation. From European studies to journalism, distribution, Disney, and eventually launching her own consultancy — her path reflects what so many creative careers really look like: unexpected turns, curiosity, and timing.

🌍 Global Perspective

From the UK to France, Argentina to international markets, Justine shares how working across cultures shaped her understanding of storytelling, partnerships, and how this industry actually functions behind the scenes.

🤝 The Art of Connecting People

Some people instinctively see how projects and personalities align. Justine explains how decades of experience sharpened that instinct — and why relationships remain the real currency of animation.

🎬 Distribution, Development & the Bigger Picture

We dig into how projects move from idea to screen, what creators often underestimate about markets like Annecy or MIP, and why preparation and positioning matter just as much as passion.

💛 Creating Safe Spaces in a Noisy Industry

Justine reflects on why spaces like The Toon Room matter right now — places where conversations are honest, not performative, and where barriers to entry are lower than they’ve traditionally been.

This episode is a reminder that animation careers don’t follow straight lines — and that sometimes the most powerful role in the room isn’t the loudest one, but the one quietly connecting the dots.

🎧 Listen now — and if you want to join these conversations live, with animators and storytellers from around the world, come hang out with us inside The Toon Room:

👉 thetoonroom.com