Amy Kravitz (March 6, 1956, Wilmington, Delaware) is an independent filmmaker and teacher specializing in

abstract animation Abstract may refer to: *"Abstract", a 2017 episode of the animated television series ''Adventure Time'' * ''Abstract'' (album), 1962 album by Joe Harriott * Abstract algebra, sets with specific operations acting on their elements * Abstract of ti ...

. She is currently a Professor in the Film Department at the

Rhode Island School of Design The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD , pronounced "Riz-D") is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase th ...

Work

As a young girl, Amy Kravitz began making and teaching animation in

Yvonne Andersen Yvonne Andersen (born September 7, 1932) is an American animated filmmaker, author, and teacher. She is most well known for co-creating the Yellow Ball Workshop with her husband, Dominic Falcone. The Yellow Ball Workshop was a school for both ...

's famed Yellow Ball Workshop. Amy went on to obtain a B.A. in Social Anthropology from

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

, and received an MFA in Experimental Animation from the

California Institute of the Arts The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a Private university, private art school in Santa Clarita, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for ...

. During her studies at CalArts, she was mentored unde
Sky David
and

Jules Engel Jules Engel (; March 11, 1909 – September 6, 2003) was an American filmmaker, painter, sculptor, graphic artist, set designer, animator, film director, and teacher of Hungarian origin. He was the founding director of the experimental anima ...

. She taught Animation at Harvard and the

School of the Museum of Fine Arts The School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University (Museum School, SMFA at Tufts, or SMFA; formerly the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) is a dedicated art school within Tufts University, a private research university in Massa ...

, Boston, before becoming a professor in the Film Department of the

where she has taught Experimental Animation since the 1980s, and from time-to-time has served as the department chair. Her film work includes ''River Lethe'' (1985), ''The Trap'' (1988), and ''Roost'' (1999). She states that her approach to filmmaking is "direct and visceral." Her films have been screened worldwide and have received numerous prizes and awards. Amy's out-of-the-ordinary work as a teacher has been highly praised by her students and others in her field. Her long classes involve week-to-week problems and questions that students explore as a means to reveal and understand their perception of the world, instead of merely imparting a collection of animation techniques. Her students develop highly personalized relationships to the medium that bring out their own individual talents and points of view. Many of Kravitz's students have gone on to successful careers in

traditional animation Traditional animation (or classical animation, cel animation, or hand-drawn animation) is an animation technique in which each frame is drawing, drawn by hand. The technique was the dominant form of animation of the 20th century, until there wa ...

computer animation Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating Film, moving images. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both still images and moving images, while computer animation refers to moving images. Virtu ...

, and

interactive art Interactive art is a form of art that involves the spectator in a way that allows the art to achieve its purpose. Some interactive art installations achieve this by letting the observer walk through, over or around them; others ask the artist ...

. In 2022, Kravitz was named the Honorary President of the

Ottawa International Animation Festival The Ottawa International Animation Festival is an annual animated film and media festival that takes place in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The OIAF was founded in 1975, with the first festival held from August 10 to 15 in 1976. Initially organized b ...

's return to an in-person festival after being virtual to previous two years.

Personal life

Amy lives and works in Providence, Rhode Island with her husband, Steven Subotnick. She has two daughters.

Filmography

''River Lethe'' (1985) ''The Trap'' (1988) ''Roost'' (1999)

References

External links

Amy Kravitz Vimeo page including complete films

Interview on Edge of Frame: http://www.edgeofframe.co.uk/amy-kravitz/
* RISD Faculty Page: https://www.risd.edu/academics/film-animation-video/faculty/amy-kravitz * The Great Women Animators: http://greatwomenanimators.com/amy-kravitz/ * Interview on Split Tooth Media: https://www.splittoothmedia.com/amy-kravitz/ * Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Film directors from Massachusetts American animated film directors Women animated film directors Rhode Island School of Design faculty Animation educators American abstract animators American women animators Harvard University alumni California Institute of the Arts alumni {{US-animator-stub