Kristen Lester
About Kristen Lester
Kristen Lester serves as the Head of Story at Pixar Animation Studios, where she has worked since 2016. With a background in animation and extensive experience in story development, she has contributed to projects such as Pixar's 'Soul' and has held various roles in notable animation studios.
Work at Pixar Animation Studios
Kristen Lester currently serves as the Head of Story at Pixar Animation Studios, a position she has held since 2016. In this role, she leads story development and collaborates with teams to shape narratives for animated films. Prior to her current role, she worked as a Story Artist at Pixar from 2012 to 2016, where she contributed to various projects, including the feature film 'Soul'. Additionally, she briefly held the position of Director at Pixar in 2016 for five months.
Education and Expertise
Kristen Lester studied animation at Sheridan College from 2001 to 2005, where she achieved a degree in Animation. She also attended The University of Calgary from 1998 to 2000. Her expertise includes color scripting, which involves planning the color palette and lighting for animated scenes. Furthermore, she has a background in environment and prop design, enhancing visual storytelling in animation.
Previous Experience in Animation
Before her tenure at Pixar, Kristen Lester worked at several notable animation studios. She was a Storyboard Artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios for ten months in 2007-2008. She also worked at Imagi Animation Studios as a Visual Development artist from 2007 to 2009 and at Starz Animation as a Character Designer for two months in 2004-2005. Additionally, she served as a Background Painter on the series 'Symbionic Titan' at Cartoon Network from 2009 to 2010.
Background in Visual Development
Kristen Lester has a strong background in visual development, having worked in various capacities at animation studios. At Starz Animation, she was involved in Visual Development from 2005 to 2007, contributing to the design and aesthetic of animated projects. Her experience in this area complements her storytelling skills, allowing her to effectively integrate visual elements with narrative.