Make it great
We create animation-based design that speaks to grown-ups and kids alike. Our expert team includes graphic designers, animators, developers and sound makers, plus a production team focused on ushering your project from concept to completion. In helping our clients bring their vision to life, we’ve won hundreds of awards, but what we love best is a story well told. Let us tell yours!
Meet our players
We know that diversity, equity, and inclusion are what makes us better. “Design for Every Screen” isn’t just the Primal Screen motto; it is the foundation of everything we create. We want to create content and experiences to be enjoyed by people of all backgrounds. And the best way to reach these diverse audiences is to ensure that we represent, understand and empathize with who they are.
Doug Grimmett
Founder / CEO
Doug Grimmett
Founder / CEO
With more than thirty years’ experience in design for motion media, Doug has received over 200 national and international awards in advertising, design and broadcast. As the founder of Primal Screen, he has served as Creative Director on all Primal Screen projects. His deep experience emphasizes children’s entertainment brands including Nickelodeon, Disney, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang. He is an AIGA Fellow and teaches motion design at Georgia State University.
Jane Grimmett
Principal / CFO
Jane Grimmett
Principal / CFO
Before Primal Screen's founding, Jane was well-entrenched in the New York print design world, working as an art director for such esteemed firms as Bloomingdales, Lord & Taylor and M&Co. Today, she trusts others with the design, while we trust her with the money - which is to say, contracts, human resources, client outreach and so much more.
Stephen Mank
Principal, Composer, Sound Designer, Writer
Stephen Mank
Principal, Composer, Sound Designer, Writer
As a co-founder of Primal Screen, Stephen has composed music and created sound design for more than a thousand projects, including hundreds of award-winning pieces. In addition, he's written copy for networks, advertisers and journals. A graduate of Davidson College and founding president of ASIFA-Atlanta, he often lectures on design, animation and music/sound. Plus, he is a seasoned runner who once finished four half marathons and five full marathons in a single year.
Giulia Bundesmann
Chief Operating Officer
Giulia Bundesmann
Chief Operating Officer
At the helm of Primal Screen’s People Operations for more than 20 years, Giulia enjoys being part of the secret sauce stirred into our many on-screen successes. A transplant from Philadelphia and a graduate of the University of Maryland, she boasts career accomplishments in post-production management, studio management and corporate communications training, and a client base including presidential candidates and big-wigs in industry and broadcasting.
Ashley Davis
Head of Production
Ashley Davis
Head of Production
A graduate of Emory University's business school, Ashley began as a Disney intern. In the years that have followed, she has lent her production talents to the worlds of fine art publishing and indepent horror moviemaking. Most recently, Ashley oversaw all post-production for the neighboring studio, Magick Lantern. When not choreographing sprawling projects for us, she is herself a dancer as well as a hiker and runner.
Laura Green Berry
Senior Producer
Laura Green Berry
Senior Producer
With a degree in Communications and Media studies, Laura is well-versed in the branding universe. She brings that knowledge to bear on the projects she shepherds for our high level clients. As if her projects don't give her reason enough to run all over the place, Laura is an avid marathoner. What's more, her years of work with top-tier restaurateurs make her our resident connoisseur.
Kate Leo
Senior Producer
Kate Leo
Senior Producer
Before working at Primal Screen, Kate served as an award-winning creative producer at Cartoon Network. Her insatiable passion for storytelling has put her at the helm of a variety of projects, including integrated experiential campaigns, broadcast and digital media, web and app development, as well as live action and post production. A proud mama of three, Kate loves playing with her kids, baking, woodworking and brewing a much-needed cup of coffee (or seven).
Jennifer Katanyoutanant
Producer
Jennifer Katanyoutanant
Producer
Jen loves producing interactive projects that connect people in delightfully weird ways, specializing in AR/VR, games and experiences. She's passionate about emerging storytelling, regenerative agriculture, and traveling. In her past life, she was a freelance writer for orgs like NBC Asian America, USAID, Quartz and more.
Rob Shepps
Creative Director
Rob Shepps
Creative Director
For the last 15 years Rob has worked and played in the field of Broadcast Design. Formerly as Art Director and Production Designer on films and commercials in Los Angeles; and for the last several years as a Live Action Director and Creative Director at Primal Screen. He has won numerous awards for work with such clients as Nickelodeon, PBS Kids, Sprout, CNN and Spike to name a few.
Donald Emerson
Creative Director
Donald Emerson
Creative Director
Since 2000 Donald has built design and motion animation for a wide variety of clients, with a concentration in kids media. He received his B.F.A. in design from Georgia State University and has returned there to lecture. He often helms large, sweeping projects, and outside of his work at Primal Screen, Donald is an accomplished music video director. Plus, he is our best in-house resource for the "comics" aesthetic.
Shane McGee
Creative Director
Shane McGee
Creative Director
Shane has a BA in film and television from the The University of North Carolina and an MFA in computer animation from The Savannah College of Art and Design. He was formerly an adjunct professor at the Art Institute of Atlanta, and he has been a director with Primal Screen since 1999. He has won many awards for clients including Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, HGTV, Nickelodeon, PBS, and TCM.
Joe Kubesheski
Creative Director
Joe Kubesheski
Creative Director
Most of Primal Screen's award-winning, animation projects from the last decade have featured Joe's work. His BFA from SCAD is for Computer Art and Animation, but his considerable skills span character and background design, hand-drawn and Flash animation, and illustration. Joe has been very involved in the Atlanta chapter of the international animation society, ASIFA and served on the board for several years.
Kelcey Steele
Creative Director
Kelcey Steele
Creative Director
Kelcey is a design and 3D enthusiast who set her sights on SCAD during middle school. After graduating in 2008, she landed in Atlanta and has been working in the motion graphics industry since both as a freelancer and a full-time studio employee. And now she is a Creative Director at Primal Screen.
Fumi Yozawa
Executive Animation Director
Fumi Yozawa
Executive Animation Director
Fumi’s skills range from illustration and character design to 3D modeling and animation. She has served as animation director and lead designer on a variety of award-winning pieces at Primal Screen over the years for clients such as Disney Jr, Nickelodeon, and PBS Kids. She loves eating ice cream and bacon, but not together!
Rob “Vegas” Shetler
Senior Animation Director
Rob “Vegas” Shetler
Senior Animation Director
In his twelve years at Primal Screen, Vegas has worked on hundreds of projects, in every capacity of 3-D animation. His work stretches from child-like and endearing to weirdly off-center. Few people know his real name, but that's just because Vegas is such a good bet.
Patrice Needham
Animator / Compositor
Patrice Needham
Animator / Compositor
With degrees in fine art and animation from such esteemed schools as Parsons and Sheridan College, Patrice deftly tiptoes between commercial art and the stuff of galleries. Her experience is no less impressive, including stints with Scripps, Turner, and Christov FX in Los Angeles. She is known at Primal Screen for handling a wide-range of seemingly unrelated tasks and giving them luster. On top of that, she's eager to add, Patrice is the proud mother of a fantastic girl.
Stella Kim
Interactive Design Director
Stella Kim
Interactive Design Director
Stella graduated SCAD with a thorough mastery and fluidity of motion design. Prior to that, In Korea, she began her coursework in Broadcast and Advertising. When she's not making countless Primal Screen jobs sparkle, Stella indulges her many talents including photography, sketching and playing guitar and piano.
Akil Jules
Developer
Akil Jules
Developer
A programmer with degrees in Interactive Design and Game Development from SCAD, Akil specializes in creating charming experiences through games and interactivity. His resume includes projects in entertainment for both web and mobile for Hasbro, Activision and Cartoon Network. Growing up as an island kid, he also speaks three languages and likes to cook Caribbean food.
Jessica Weiss
Production Manager
Jessica Weiss
Production Manager
Jessica graduated with a BA in Film from University of Texas at Austin back when SXSW was a one-weekend music festival and wristbands cost only $40! Since then, she's worked for Turner Broadcasting, Todd-AO, and as a freelancer on a wide variety of productions. She loves all things organization and has a particularly deep knowledge of production workflow software like Shotgun.
Casandra Brewton-Johnson
Production Manager
Casandra Brewton-Johnson
Production Manager
With degrees in Civil Engineering and Supply Chain Management, Casandra took the scenic route to a career in animation. At Primal Screen, the SCAD grad manages many projects, large and small. She also serves as an officer for the animation association, ASIFA-South. In her downtime, she practices the art of baking — gooey chocolate cookies and red velvet cake are always on the menu
Brandon Bentley
Director of Infrastructure
Brandon Bentley
Director of Infrastructure
Having worked at Primal Screen in the early 2000s, Brandon went on to support research technology at the University of Nebraska, eventually coming back for all the fun. A graduate of Georgia Tech, he has been tinkering with computers and coding since the age of ten and has been excited about art and design for nearly as long. Brandon is in charge of the company's technology and databases but that's not all he does here, having a hand in video shoots, digital signage, editing, coding and other fun stuff.
Nick Fess
Animation Director
Nick Fess
Animation Director
With a BFA from SCAD, Nick is equally adept animating in 2D or 3D. He has a passion for all things character, animation, and, well, character animation. Nick has worked at Primal Screen since graduating, applying his talents to long form character driven projects.
Linsey Kim
Illustrator / Animator
Linsey Kim
Illustrator / Animator
A love of children’s book illustration brought Linsey to SCAD where she majored in 2D animation. Degree in hand she came straight to Primal Screen where she complements her animation skills with vivid concept illustration.
Jessica Zalzman
Developer
Jessica Zalzman
Developer
A gifted developer, Jessica came to Primal Screen directly from Georgia Tech. She has built curriculum-based interactive and games for PBS and Sesame Workshop among others. Outside of Primal Screen she has mentored youth, and particularly girls, in coding.
Haiting Fu
Animator
Haiting Fu
Animator
With an MFA from SCAD, Haiting is comfortable working in both 2D and 3D animation. She loves a variety of roles, from effects work, to character design and animation, to background illustration. She is also crazy about spicy food.
Dustin Newton
Graphic Designer
Dustin Newton
Graphic Designer
Always on the move, Dustin trekked his way out of the mountains of North Carolina to become a Graphic Designer at Primal Screen. Starting here as an intern, The Western Carolina University grad’s passion for design led him down the career path with Primal Screen. He’s a true Atlanta Braves fan, dedicated dog dad, and ever the mover, Dustin’s an avid car fanatic and is often seen cruising the streets on his skateboard!
Chez Johnson
Graphic Designer
Chez Johnson
Graphic Designer
A graduate of Georgia State University’s Graphic Design program, Chez has a knack for visual art, illustration and especially graphic design. While growing up, Chez’s affinity for visual and digital media (like animation, graphic novels and comics) led him to pursue a career in the creative field, eventually landing him at Primal Screen. Just like the authors of those visual stories that inspired him growing up, Chez wants to inspire others by using visual media to tell compelling stories.
Shannon Vinson
Brand & Culture Manager
Shannon Vinson
Brand & Culture Manager
Shannon has worked in communications and marketing for over 6 years with a focus on digital marketing at start-up businesses. Having obtained a Masters in Performance Studies from NYU and currently working on an MBA from GSU, she likes to exist where the left and right brains meet. When she's not promoting other people's incredible work, she loves working on passion projects whether it's in live performance or film production.
Dalton Wood
IT Infrastructure
Dalton Wood
IT Infrastructure
His passion for the tech world was awakened as a young Dalton banged on a keyboard to make Windows 98 do his bidding. At home, the Georgia State University grad also likes to bang on drums! When he’s not neck-deep in a Linux server and chilling with the cats (Lady & Pom), he loves to bike around town and whip up cocktails and food with friends.
Thy Vo
Animator
Thy Vo
Animator
Thy's spark for animated stories first started when it bridged a language barrier for her and her family. Now graduated with a BFA in Animation from SCAD-Atlanta, she enjoys all things 2D storytelling including character animation, effects, motion design, and storyboarding. She's directed 2 award winning short films that have worked the film circuit around the world and hopes to inspire the next generation of Asian-American film makers.
We work with Great Folks
- ABC
- Adult Swim
- Agency 808
- AIGA
- AMC
- Boomerang
- Cartoon Network
- Cartoonito
- CNN
- Crayola
- Curriculum Associates
- Discovery
- Disney
- Family Channel
- Go Noodle
- Hallmark Channel
- HBO Family
- HGTV
- Lumistella Company
- MODA
- NBC Universal
- Nickelodeon
- Ogilvy
- PBS
- PBS KIDS
- Perkins + Will
- Santa's Fantastical
- Scholastic
- Scout Elf Productions
- Sesame Workshop
- Spotify
- Sundance Institute
- SYFY
- TBS
- TNT
- TruTV
- Turner Classic Movies
- Ubisoft
- Universal Kids
- USA
- Useful School
- Warner Bros. Discovery
- WildBrain
Join us
We’re always interested in meeting talented individuals to join our team in freelance and full time capacities. Click below to submit your resume and portfolio.
Click to apply >>Internships
The Primal Screen Internship Program is currently suspended until further notice due to covid-19 restrictions. We hope to resume the program soon.