EXCLUSIVE: Sausage Party and Addams Family animated feature filmmaker Conrad Vernon has opened the doors to the animation production company, Straight Up Creative with producer and development executive Danielle Sterling.
Under the shingle, the group will develop and produce a slate of original content focused on animation aimed at a global audience, not just for kids, and with an edgy take.
To spearhead development, Vernon and Sterling have hired producer Lauren Ito as Head of Development, and Jeremy Ross as Chief Operating Officer.
Straight Up Creative is currently developing an animated feature at Netflix Animation with John Stamos producing and written by Ali Adler (Supergirl, The New Normal) and Zoë Worth (Thelma, Shut Up and Drive).
“At Straight Up Creative, we are departing from the misconception of animation as solely a children’s genre and see animation as a versatile medium capable of expanding the ability to tell any story, in any genre, for any audience,” Vernon and Sterling tell us.
“We’re drawn to edgy material that offers a fresh perspective. While animation is often associated with comedy, we’re intrigued by its potential to explore genres like romantic comedy or horror. We’re also, equally enthusiastic about undertaking projects independently or in collaboration with studios,” the duo add.
Vernon has served as a director, actor, and producer on several animated projects, including the films Shrek 2, Monsters vs. Aliens, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Sausage Party, The Addams Family and Addams Family 2, the last three of which he also served as a producer.
Sterling launched her career at MGM Studios before moving on to become the SVP of Davis Entertainment. During her tenure, she contributed to projects such as First Daughter, I, Robot, and Flight of the Phoenix. Transitioning to 3QU Media, an independent animation studio, Sterling served as Producer and Head of Development producing four films released on Netflix: Charming, Gnome Alone, Fearless, and Dog Gone Trouble. In 2019, she co-produced The Addams Family and produced the sequel for the MGM franchise.
Ito has been involved in the development, on-set, and post-production stages of over 30 films spanning various genres. Her notable credits include Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, Netflix’s The Babysitter, as well as television series such as Snapchat’s Commanders, Funny or Die’s Brockmire, and Blumhouse’s 12 Deadly Days.
Ross, along with Sterling, co-founded 3QU Media, specializing in animated film financing and production. Their releases include Gnome Alone, Charming, Fearless, and Dog Gone Trouble. Additionally, Ross served as an EP on the Oscar-winning animated short film If Anything Happens I Love You. Over his career, he has facilitated over $150M in debt financing for independent productions.