Continuing to expand its original programming unit, Renegade Animation has promoted Brittney Jorgensen to the newly created post of head of marketing and development. Jorgensen will work with creators, writers and animators in developing concepts for animated television series and features, and serve as the studio’s chief liaison with studios, broadcasters and streaming services. The independent animation studio currently has 12 animated series in development, targeting demographics from pre-school through teenagers.
Demand for quality, animated content is strong, according to Renegade animation creative director Darrell Van Citters. “With the growth in television and streaming production, now is the right time to focus attention on original programming,” he said.
Renegade EP Ashley Postlewaite cited Jorgensen’s “strong background in animation” as making her a strong choice to spearhead the company’s development effort.
Jorgensen, who joined Renegade in 2012 on the production side, also recently served as production manager on Being by Yourself, an animated short for the Imaginary Friend Society designed to help children with cancer cope with hospitalization. Previously, she was a production manager at Bento Box Entertainment. She also served in a production role at Disney Animation on TRON: Uprising.
Renegade Animation has longtime relationships with the top animation writers and artists in Hollywood, and is unique in having the resources to take shows from concept through delivery in-house. “We love to be involved from the very beginning,” she says. “Talent may come to us with a script, a storyboard, a show bible, or just the germ of an idea. We work with creators to develop ideas so that they conform to our style and fit market demand.”
Renegade Animation has produced several animated television series including Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, The Mr. Men Show, Captain Sturdy and Tom & Jerry, all for Cartoon Network, and has two Emmy Award nominations for the PBS/WNET show, Oh, Noah! The studio’s original web series Elmo Aardvark: Outer Space Detective won an Annie Award for Best Animated Series in an Electronic Medium. Its theatrical work includes the animated holiday feature Christmas is Here Again, which was recently adapted into a musical for the stage.
Civil rights groups call on major corporations to stick with DEI programs
A broad group of civil rights organizations called on the CEOs and board members of major companies Thursday to maintain their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that have come under attack online and in lawsuits.
An open letter signed by 19 organizations and directed at the leaders of Fortune 1000 companies said companies that abandon their DEI programs are shirking their fiduciary responsibility to employees, consumers and shareholders.
The civil rights groups included the NAACP, the National Organization for Women, the League of United Latin American Citizens, Asian Americans Advancing Justice and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
"Diversity, equity and inclusion programs, policies, and practices make business-sense and they're broadly popular among the public, consumers, and employees," their statement read. "But a small, well-funded, and extreme group of right-wing activists is attempting to pressure companies into abandoning their DEI programs."
Companies such as Ford, Lowes, John Deere, Molson Coors and Harley-Davidson recently announced they would pull back on their diversity, equity and inclusion policies after facing pressure from conservative activists who were emboldened by recent victories in the courtroom.
Many major corporations have been examining their diversity programs in the wake of a Supreme Court decision last year that declared race-based affirmative action programs in college admissions unconstitutional. Dozens of cases have been filed making similar arguments about employers. Critics of DEI programs say the initiatives provide benefits to people of one race or sexual orientation while excluding others.
In their letter, the civil rights organizations, which also included... Read More