In times of great change such as today’s environment, community becomes more important than ever. Join our panelists: Julie Lockhart (Locksmith Animation), Debbie Crosscup (Passion Pictures) and Sarah Cox (Chief Director of Aardman) as they discuss the strategies and practical ways they build community, take care of their physical, artistic, and mental well-being, and thrive when the world and industry are unstable. They’ll also share how organizations, like WIA, can help cultivate community and provide critical resources.
JULIE LOCKHART is the Co-Founder and President of Production of Locksmith Animation. One of the film industry’s most experienced animation producers, her work has received three Academy Award©️ nominations including Best Animated Film in 2013 and 2015. Before co-founding Locksmith, she held leadership roles at Aardman Animation and was producer on many of that studio’s acclaimed animated shorts, commercials and ground-breaking television series, including the Rose D’Or winning Creature Comforts and the Emmy and BAFTA award winning Shaun the Sheep series. Whilst at Locksmith, she has been instrumental in building a brand new studio from scratch into the international high end animation feature film company it is today, as well as serving as Producer on Locksmith’s debut feature film Ron’s Gone Wrong, and Executive Producer on the company’s latest production, Richard Curtis’s That Christmas for Netflix.
Overseeing all aspects of creative development, executive producer DEBBIE CROSSCUP is driving PASSION Pictures’ continued expansion and growth in long-form animation. Debbie has also overseen the recent production and delivery of a yet to be announced pre-school series for a major streamer based on a beloved book. In developing original animated programming, Debbie is instrumental in discovering and nurturing new and emerging talent, ensuring the studio’s output reflects the core values of telling unique and original stories that have both a clear voice and vision. Debbie has been at the forefront of some of PASSION Pictures’ most successful and awarded commercial work, winning a Latin Grammy, multiple Annie Awards, Cannes Lions, and British Arrows among others.
SARAH COX is Chief Creative Director at Aardman and is responsible for the development slate across the company. She has brought a range of new projects to the Aardman roster that include the stop frame musical short Robin Robin and Aardman’s first CG series Lloyd of the Flies and also was Executive Producer of the Shaun the Sheep series Adventures of Mossy Bottom for Netflix and Epic Adventures of Morph for Sky. Her first stop motion short Don’t Let it All Unravel, made in conjunction with Aardman, has been screened at numerous festivals and winning the Grand Prix at Tricky Women in Vienna 2008. Her other independent shorts have been widely screened at International Festivals and include two British Animation Awards, a Silver Dove at Leipzig for Plain Pleasures in 2002 and Heavy Pockets was also BAFTA nominated in 2004.
The panel will be moderated by JULIE ANN CROMMETT. She has 15 years of experience in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, driving systemic change in media and tech. As founder/CEO of Collective Moxie, she revolutionises DEI strategies for organisations and artists. Formerly VP of Multicultural Audience Engagement at Disney, she advanced inclusivity in projects like Encanto, Soul, Black Panther and Coco.
An impressive line-up with some of the industry’s best women in animation, tackling uneasy subjects, sharing their expertise and providing valuable insights. An absolute not-to-be-missed experience during In Motion London!