Animation studio DNEG hires DreamWorks alum Oropallo for training and outreach

VFX and animation studio DNEG has appointed former DreamWorks employee Kara Oropallo as its VP of training, outreach and artistic development.

Kara Oropallo

Based at DNEG Animation’s LA studio, Oropallo will design, plan and implement training programmes for the studio’s crew members around the world.

DNEG employs nearly 7,000 people in offices and studios across North America (LA, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai and Mumbai).

The appointment follows DNEG’s recent promotion of Tom Jacomb, who worked with Oropallo at DreamWorks, to president of DNEG Animation. The firm is also expanding its Vancouver studio, which has 100 new animation positions available.

Oropallo’s experience in the animation industry includes credits on animated features such as Trolls (2016), Rise of the Guardians (2012) and Monsters vs Aliens (2009).

More recently, she has lectured at the School of Arts, Technology & Emerging Communications at the University of Texas in Dallas, where she educated future animation professionals as an assistant professor of practice.

Oropallo has also conducted training programmes for various animation studios, including DreamWorks, Netflix, Skydance, Paramount, Reel FX and Mikros. In addition, she runs her own podcast, You’ll Think of Something.

DNEG Animation’s recent projects include Ron’s Gone Wrong, its first feature animation project with Locksmith Animation/20th Century Studios.

DNEG Animation’s production slate also includes Under the Boardwalk for Paramount Animation, animated short Mr Spam Gets a New Hat with director William Joyce, and four other yet-to-be-announced projects. DNEG Animation will also be partnering with Joyce for the development of the first feature-length animated adaptation of The Great Gatsby.

“We will look to Kara to implement the appropriate tools and best practices to help us not only create the most innovative and exciting animated content, but also to give our teams a framework to develop as creative individuals that contribute to our open, inclusive and development-oriented culture,” said Jacomb.