Out With the Old

... And In with the Different.

Sony Pictures Entertainment today announced that Oscar® nominee Kristine Belson has been named President, Sony Pictures Animation (SPA). In her new role, Belson will lead the development and production of original material as well as current and future franchises, focusing on creating an environment that nurtures animators and artists. She will report to Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.

Belson joins Sony Pictures Animation after spending nearly a decade at DreamWorks Animation, where, most recently, she executive produced How to Train Your Dragon and produced The Croods, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature. She joined DreamWorks Animation in 2005 as Head of Development, where she oversaw the development and acquisition of all feature film projects for the company. ...

Ms. Belson has ten years of feature experience behind her, so maybe she can brings some fresh thinking to Sony Pictures Animation.

Or maybe not.

Animation execs seem to orbit around the same kinds of jobs at the same inds of large cartoon studios. Some of them are pretty good, others not so much. We'll see which side of the divide on which Kristine Belson lands. I have absolutely no pre-conceived opinions since I know her not at all. Cetainly The Croods had its production hiccups, but it was a hit at the end of the production process. And in this day and age, that counts for something.