Média-Participations builds up animation production team with two hires

France-based entertainment group Média-Participations has appointed two experienced animation execs to its audiovisual production division.

Laurent Panissier

Laurent Panissier has joined as 3D animation general supervisor, having been a supervisor at French visual effects studio BUF, while Xavier Morelli has joined as 2D animation executive producer, after serving as a production manager at Ankama.

The hires follow the appointment of Lila Hannou as director of development and strategy at the beginning of September.

The Média-Participations group includes Ellipsanime Productions, Dargaud Media, Dupuis Edition & Audiovisuel and Ellipse Studio, with series including The Smurfs, The Fox Badger Family, Kid Lucky and Living with Dad.

Xavier Morelli

Its catalogue is distributed around the world by Mediatoon International Distribution.

“It was essential to strengthen and restructure the team to take on the challenges ahead of us. The fact that professionals such as Laurent and Xavier have joined us, after Lila, gives me great confidence in our ability to speed up the studio’s transformation, that we started several months ago, and complete the ambitious productions that we are planning for the coming years,” said Caroline Audebert, MD at Média-Participations.