Veteran animator Lino DiSalvo has joined Paramount Animation as its new creative director. The announcement came from Adam Goodman, president of the Paramount Film Group, who oversees animation for the studio.
A 16 year veteran of Walt Disney Animation Studios, DiSalvo most recently served as head of animation on the Academy Award-winning and highest-grossing animated feature of all time, Frozen.
DiSalvo began his career at the Walt Disney Company as a character animator. Prior to Frozen, he served as supervising animator on Tangled and Bolt. His other film credits include animating on Meet the Robinsons and Chicken Little. With his new role, DiSalvo will be assisting Goodman and the Paramount Animation team in building a world-class feature animation studio.
“I couldn’t pass up this amazing opportunity to work with the absolute all-star team of artists at Paramount Animation. The possibilities for reinventing and reimagining CG feature animation are virtually endless, and I am excited to be at Paramount helping to forge that incredible, new future,” said DiSalvo.
Paramount Animation is currently in production on the original film Monster Trucks, a hybrid of live action and CGI animation directed by Chris Wedge (Ice Age, Epic). The film is set for release in May 2015.
Next up for the division is The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, from directors Paul Tibbitt (animation) and Mike Mitchell (live action), releasing in February of 2015.
It’s good that Paramount Animation Studios continues to come along in terms of staff assembly and development. Now, if they could get a deal for television animation, it’ll likely be co-distributed by CBS Television Studios. Paramount Animation Studios can continue to progress, in the meantime.
Looks like the Walt Disney Co lost another top talent (again!)
Kudos to Lino DiSalvo – who deserved to be moved up the corporate ladder @ Team Disney Burbank (your epic fail is Team Paramount Melrose’s gain!)