Thread by @michaelrianda

#TheMitchellsVsTheMachines was a big studio animated film made by 1st timers.

So when we pushed to make our main character queer, some people got VERY nervous.

But a badass LGBTQ+ artist- Lizzie Nichols wrote *this* letter that made me SOB + will stay with me forever.

🧵1/8

Lizzie(@raptorclaws) was the 1st person we talked to when ppl were asking: "Is Katie... gay?"

Me+co-director @Roweyourboatz are not- but loved the idea + didn't know if we *could* or should?

Lizzie said: "YES! Do it! Are you NUTS? This is a HUGE opportunity!"

Her RAD art:
2/8

We talked to Lizzie about how we could make Katie's character feel honestly queer.

Lizzie said "well my hair is blonde, my eyes are blue, and i like girls. It's just part of who i am.

Katie should be like that.

It should just feel *normal.* "
(3/8)

Lizzie emboldened us so we worked with her +ppl in the community + made Katie *actually* queer

A bunch of LGBTQ+ team members saw this too + said how meaningful it was to them.

Hearing all their heartfelt stories meant the job became making our friends proud.

4/8

When things got real+ we made Katie explicitly queer on screen- most at the studio were cool.

But some were VERY nervous. I asked Lizzie what she thought + she wrote her AMAZING letter + said:

"I'm really scared, but use my name anyway, because this is worth fighting for."

5/8

We sent it out along with other great letters from our wonderfully supportive LGBTQ+ crew and:

It *worked.*

Lizzie laid it out clearly: You can make progress right now...

OR you can disappoint me + my whole community and deny our humanity.

Make a choice.

6/8

No could say no to that.

Lizzie's letter is an amazing example of how to make change with an open heart+compassion+humanity.

She's an everyday hero who stuck her neck out to argue passionately for something she believed in.

It's the way change happens.

7/8

Her and the rest of our amazing LGBTQ+ team members cheered us on AND held us accountable.

She's 1 of many in the LGBTQ+ community who’s collective efforts made this WAY overdue representation possible.

Now no other studio can claim "you can't do that."

You can.

8/9

Lizzie said: "Maybe if- at 8 years old- I saw someone like me on screen... I would have felt less alone growing up."

Because of her... so many queer kids will see someone like them on screen and feel less alone.

Because she *was* the backbone.

Thanks Lizzie.

9/9

(Lizzie is @raptorclaws on twitter- she gave me her full permission to share all this.

I just want other people to see her the way i see her... as a goddamn hero.

She's lizzizzizzle on instagram and her KILLER work is here: lizzie-nichols.com

HIRE HER FOR EVERYTHING!

There were MANY more amazing LGBTQ+ team members that helped us A TON- everyone from Abbi Jacobson- the genius who played Katie- to ppl in every department.

Some wanted to remain anonymous+ i wanted to respect that but a HUGE THANKS to them too!

Thanks for reading.

Note: BIG thanks to everyone at Sony who did what no studio has ever done.

Like i said- everyone was great and wanted to do the right thing- but people did get nervous. (Including me!)

But after hearing people out- they and we made a deicision that I think we're all proud of.