Sony Pictures Animation (SPA) has appointed Alison Mann as the VP of creative/strategy, a newly created role at the studio. Mann joins from her former position at Illumination Entertainment as VP in talent, where she was responsible for industry outreach, artistic talent acquisition, and development. She will report directly to SPA president Kristine Belson.
In her new role, Mann will help in expanding SPA’s efforts to foster international talent and will also advise on a variety of films and series-based projects in development across the SPA brand, among other duties.
Commenting on this hiring, Belson said, “This is a new position at our studio that will collaborate with our creative executives to continue to expand and elevate animation boundaries. Alison shares SPA’s passion for telling meaningful stories and working with inspiring artists and creators from around the world.”
With experience of 17 years in the industry, Mann is a veteran, who has worked across TV, film and gaming at Nickelodeon/MTV, Paramount Pictures Animation, Zynga, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney Interactive and Illumination.In a Facebook post yesterday, she shared excitement for this new chapter in her professional life.
She mentioned in the post, “…I start at Sony Pictures Animation as their VP Creative/Strategy in Development. I can not be more excited to have the opportunity to work with such an amazing creative group.”
Besides Mann, the studio has also announced that it is promoting Katie Baron and Eric Tovell to the position of vice president. “Both Katie and Eric have been integral to the development of recent and upcoming projects at SPA and we are proud to have them as part of our leadership team,” Belson wrote in an internal memo.
Last month, director Rich Moore joined the ranks of SPA after spending the last decade at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Moore, who co-directed the Wreck-It Ralph franchise and Zootopia for Disney, cited the freedom Sony Animation gives its artists as a key factor in his decision.
Sony Animation won its first Academy Award for best animated feature this year with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The studio’s upcoming projects include The Angry Birds Movie 2, scheduled for release in the U.S. on 16 August; Wish Dragon directed by Chris Appelhans, which will debut in China on 26 July; and two 2020 releases: The Mitchells Vs. The Machines directed by Mike Rianda and Vivo by Kirk DeMicco.
