Skydance, a diversified media company that creates event-level entertainment for global audiences, today announced the addition of key leadership executives to their growing animation studio.

“With this accomplished team in place Skydance is now well positioned to achieve our goal of producing a bold, original slate of both animated and family programming,” said Damaschke. “Holly, Kim, Jessie and Matt have the wealth of experience, knowledge and skills to lead our creative teams and bring together talented artists to build an animation studio that is a destination for top storytellers in the industry.”

As Head of Production for Animation, Holly Edwards will work closely with Bill Damaschke and the individual producers to oversee all aspects of production for the animation projects at the studio as well as help establish the plan for growth at the studio.  Edwards is a twenty-year veteran of feature films and television. She joined DreamWorks Animation in 2002, where she fostered the studio’s success in both production and executive roles by managing films across three intercontinental locations. Her production contributions include: co-producer, Trolls; unit producer, Penguins of Madagascar; associate producer, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted and Megamind. Prior to joining the DreamWorks Animation team, Edwards produced animation and live-action projects for television and the web at Curious Pictures West, Wild Brain and Colossal Pictures.

As Head of Talent Acquisition & Development for Skydance, Kim Mackey will be responsible for recruiting and talent development strategy across all divisions of the Company, and will report to President & COO, Jesse Sisgold. This includes helping to attract and retain top talent for the new animation division as well as managing the process across live-action feature film, television, and interactive divisions. Mackey is a twenty-two-year veteran of the animation industry and, most recently, was the Global Head of Recruiting for DreamWorks Animation. Prior to her role in recruiting, she contributed to the studio’s feature success in both production and executive roles for Prince of Egypt, Spirit, Shark Tale, and Flushed Away. As a studio executive, she managed resource needs across the entire studio’s production slate, including the studio’s biggest franchises Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar and How to Train Your Dragon.

As Director of Talent Acquisition & Development for Skydance, Jessie Carbonaro will be developing and maintaining relationships with talent throughout the animation, interactive and live-action communities. She will be managing the candidate experience to help attract top talent to the growing company.  Before joining Skydance, Carbonaro was part of DreamWorks Animation for nearly 13 years where she started her career in television as a producer and writer. She spent 10 years as a production supervisor working on projects such as Madagascar, Madagascar 2, Shrek the Third, Shrek Forever After, Megamind, The Croods, Puss in Boots and Home.

As Director of Finance Matthew Burke, is responsible for all financial activities of the division.  Collaborating with senior leadership, he will be focused on building the division into an elite player in animation production.  Prior to joining Skydance, Burke spent 14 years as finance lead on multiple animated features at DreamWorks Animation. His adept collaboration with the production teams as well as his strong financial strategies contributed to many successful films. Before DreamWorks, he spent over 10 years at Walt Disney Imagineering’s film division as Senior Production Accountant.

In 2017, Skydance formed an animation division to develop and produce a slate of high-end feature films and television series in partnership with Spain’s Ilion Animation Studios.  Skydance’s first three animated features are Luck, which comes to theaters on March 19, 2021, Split (working title) and Powerless (working title). Luck, directed by Alessandro Carloni and written by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger, is a comedy that pulls back the curtain on the millennia-old battle between the organizations of good luck and bad luck that secretly affects our daily lives. Split, directed by Vicky Jenson and written by Linda Woolverton, tells the story of Elian, a teenager who comes of age using her magical powers to defend her family when the opposing forces of light and darkness threaten to divide her kingdom. The recently announced Powerless (working title) will be directed by Nathan Greno.

About Skydance Media

Skydance is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create high quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The Company brings to life stories of immersive worlds across its feature film, television, and interactive platforms. Its feature films include Annihilation, LIFE, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Star Trek Beyond, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Terminator Genisys, World War Z, Star Trek Into Darkness, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Jack Reacher, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, and True Grit. Skydance’s next feature film to release is Mission: Impossible – Fallout on July 27, 2018. In 2017, Skydance formed an animation division to develop and produce a slate of high-end feature films and television series in partnership with Spain’s Ilion Animation Studios. Skydance Television launched in 2013. Its current slate includes Emmy-nominated Grace and Frankie on Netflix, Altered Carbon on Netflix, Jack Ryan on Amazon, Condor on AT&T Audience Network, and Dietland on AMC. Skydance Interactive launched in 2016 to create and publish original and IP-based virtual reality experiences and video games. Skydance Interactive recently debuted its first original title – Archangel, a story-driven VR shooter.

Contact

Dawn Lach
Skydance Media Public Relations
(424) 291-3483
dlach@skydance.com