Steamroller Studios has hired Animation industry giant Aaron Gilman to serve as their new Chief Creative Officer. Gilman joins the Steamroller Team in April 2021. Steamroller has worked vigorously over the past six years to become the animation powerhouse it is today, and this striking addition is sure to progress the studio forward into thrilling, uncharted territories. Steamroller Studios’ CEO, Jalil Sadool, shared:
We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Aaron Gilman to our team as Chief Creative Officer of Steamroller Studios. Aaron is a giant in the VFX and Animation industry and has been both a friend of mine and of the Steamroller family for over a decade. His myriad achievements and vast experience will not only strengthen our foundation as leaders in Animation, but also allow our company to reach even greater heights. Aaron’s philosophy and drive are exactly what this industry needs to propel it into the future. We are beyond thrilled that Aaron chose Steamroller Studios to flex his skills and demonstrate his expertise and leadership.
Aaron Gilman’s impact on the animation industry has been unquestionably prolific. He began as an Animator for Meteor Studio in July 2001, quickly working his way up to Lead Animator, then Senior Animator, then Animation Director for the studio. During that time, he worked on projects including Dinosaur Planet and The Hobbit video game. He then went on to serve as a Senior Animator for Tippett Studio, contributing to projects such as Constantine and Hellboy. In July 2004, his career led him to serving as Animation Director for Ubisoft Montreal, and then Animation Director for EA Montreal.
Between July 2008 – November 2015, Aaron Gilman served three different roles at Weta Digital: Senior Animator, Sequence Supervisor, and Animation Supervisor. While at Weta Digital, he worked on projects including Avatar, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies, Godzilla, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Alvin & The Chipmunks 4.
In April 2016 Aaron Gilman began at Double Negative as an Animation Supervisor. He quickly rose to Animation Director and dually served as Head of Animation at DNEG Vancouver, his most recent role. While with Double Negative, he was the Animation Director for Pacific Rim 2: Uprising, Disney’s Togo, and Ghostbusters. Regarding joining Steamroller Studios, Gilman shared:
Steamroller has an amazingly talented team of artists, and they understand that the strength of a successful studio rests on the relationships they foster with their teammates and clients. What I love about Steamroller is that they prioritize many of the values I think companies tend to lose sight of as they grow. They understand that great ideas, agility and innovation are the principal currencies of the animation and VFX industries. I am so excited to be part of a company that believes in developing talent, training great leaders, and investing in creative and technological ventures that make them a fresh and highly competitive studio. I can’t wait to join a team that puts relationships with their artists and clients first, and understands that great storytelling is an extension of the strength of those relationships.
