BILL DAMASCHKE
President - Warner Bros. Pictures Animation
Bill Damaschke is President of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, a division of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group. Damaschke is forging a new creative direction for feature animation at Warner Bros. Discovery that broadens cross-divisional opportunities throughout multiple platforms. With oversight encompassing all aspects of development and production for the feature animation division, Damaschke plans to deliver a dynamic slate of compelling animated movies for a global audience, including the originals Bad Fairies and The Lunar Chronicles in partnership with Locksmith Animation and the IP-based Meet the Flintstones and The Cat in the Hat .
A groundbreaking and widely respected animation leader, Damaschke got his start at DreamWorks, where he rose through the ranks from animation production assistant to ultimately lead the company as Chief Creative Officer. During his tenure, Damaschke spearheaded a string of successful franchise features, including the Oscar-nominated films Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon as well as the acclaimed blockbusters Madagascar and The Croods .
At DreamWorks, Damaschke also oversaw all of the live theatrical productions, including the award-winning Shrek The Musical .
Currently, Damaschke also produces theatrical stage productions through his independent production company StoryKey Entertainment, including The Prom , which was adapted by Ryan Murphy as a film, and director Alex Timber’s wildly successful and acclaimed stage adaptation of Moulin Rouge , which won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
Damaschke also served as a producer on Shark Tale , which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2004, and as an executive producer of Over the Hedge and Kung Fu Panda .