Locksmith Animation Appoints New Chief Creative Officer

Mary Coleman has joined London-based Locksmith Animation as its new chief creative officer from Pixar Animation Studios, where she was head of creative development.

At Pixar, Coleman worked closely with the studio’s directors from original concept through final draft. She came to Pixar from San Francisco’s Magic Theatre, where she was the associate artistic director. Coleman will officially join Locksmith in July.

“Having someone of Mary Coleman’s professional stature come on board Locksmith as chief creative officer is a milestone in our company’s journey,” said Locksmith CEO Natalie Fischer. “Her keen eye for material and her strong relationships with filmmakers were top of mind as we searched for the perfect CCO. We feel honored for her to join Locksmith Animation as we bolster our development slate, widen our artistic vision and expand our appetite for success in the animation space.”

Coleman added: “Ultimately, what drew me most to Locksmith is that between Julie Lockhart’s two decades working with Aardman Animations and Natalie Fischer having helped launch and then worked with Illumination for a decade and my two decades at Pixar, the three of us have helped to build wildly successful studios. Locksmith’s vision is ambitious and its slate is already full of potential. I’m thrilled that they have asked me to help them deliver on their promise of creating compelling entertainment for families around the world.”

Julie Lockhart, Locksmith co-founder and president of production, commented: “Few individuals are equally adept at story development and filmmaker collaboration. Mary is a respected industry veteran, and we feel incredibly lucky for her to join our stellar team.”