Pasadena Convention Center
Buy Tickets

Erik Wiese (He/Him)

Director Storyboard Artist
Erik Wiese is an Annie Award-winning and Emmy-nominated director, writer, and story artist working in feature and television animation. Most recently, he directed the critically acclaimed Peanuts special Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical for Apple TV+, which became the platform’s #1 movie opening weekend. Prior to that, he served as Director and Executive Producer on Netflix’s Sonic Prime and directed Minions shorts and commercials at Illumination. Wiese began his career collaborating with Stephen Hillenburg on the SpongeBob SquarePants pilot, later working on the series as a storyboard artist and writer and serving as Head of Story on The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water. His additional film credits include Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and Shrek 5. He also co-created, directed, and executive produced Nickelodeon’s The Mighty B!, starring Amy Poehler. Erik attended CalArts and ArtCenter. He holds American, Colombian, and German citizenship. He’s dyslexic but bilingual, so it all works out.

PARTICIPANT SCHEDULE

Annie Award Legends: Crafting Excellence Then and Now

ASIFA-Hollywood | Aubry Mintz | Erik Wiese | Mary Blee | Sebastien Dussault

What does it take to create award-winning animation—and where can that career lead?

This panel features past Annie Award winners in craft categories such as character animation and storyboarding, exploring the work that earned them recognition and the career paths they’ve taken since. From breakthrough moments to industry shifts, you’ll gain insight into how top artists continue to grow and adapt.

Designed for LightBox Expo artists and aspiring professionals, this session highlights the creative decisions, storytelling skills, and dedication behind award-winning work, while offering practical advice you can apply to your own creative journey.

Skill Level: General Audience

HELLO THERE! INTERESTED IN LIGHTBOX EXPO?

Join our mailing list to get news, updates, upcoming events, and much more!