Dan Lin Out At Netflix; AI Staff In At Disney; Jinko Gotoh To Lead WIA

Netflix’s latest layoffs have cost the company another executive with a strong animation track record in film chief Dan Lin. Meanwhile, after a year of job cuts, Disney has found $180 million to recruit employees from bankrupt Character.AI.

At WIA, formerly Women in Animation, Jinko Gotoh will succeed outgoing legend Marge Dean as president after a transformative 13-year tenure. We look at Dean’s impact and the work still ahead for the organization and its new leader.

On the filmmaking craft front, McKenna Harris explains why stopping production on Toy Story 5 for two weeks helped save its story, while Captain Shedeed creator Ramy El Gabry shares how his Egyptian studio built a handmade superhero series while training a new generation of stop-motion artists. We also have the winners of this year’s 24 Hours Animation Contest, a new trailer for Netflix’s In Waves, and conversations with the directors of Oscar-qualified shorts Because Today Is Saturday and Dog Alone.

Finally, we remember Aardman animator Loyd Price, whose legacy lives on in both the characters he brought to life and the artists he helped train.

Check out these stories and more at cartoonbrew.com.

1. 
   Netflix’s Animation Friendly Film Chief Dan Lin Ousted Amid Mass Layoffs

   'The Lego Movie' producer worked closely with Netflix’s animation team and pushed for wider theatrical windows for family films.
2. 
   After A Year Of Layoffs, Disney Finds $180 Million For Recruits From Bankrupt Character.AI

   Disney is recruiting most of Character.AI’s workforce, deepening its ties to the troubled chatbot startup after hiring its former CEO.
3. 
   Jinko Gotoh To Succeed Marge Dean As WIA President After Transformative 13-Year Run

   Dean leaves behind a global organization with nearly 18,000 members, while the Oscar-nominated Gotoh takes charge amid major industry upheaval.
4. 
   ‘It Wasn’t Good’: ‘Toy Story 5’ Director McKenna Harris On The Two-Week Shutdown That Helped Turned An ‘Okay’ Movie Into A ‘Great One’

   Harris explains why Pixar paused production to rethink Jessie’s motivation, shifting her focus from winning playtime to helping Bonnie find a human friend.
5. 
   Sheridan Students Take Two Of The Top Three Prizes At 2026 24 Hours Animation Contest

   Students had one day to turn Daniel Chong’s “Everyone Calm Down” prompt into animated shorts, with seven teams sharing over $107,000 in prizes.

6. 
   This Egyptian Studio Built A Handmade Superhero World With ‘Captain Shedeed,’ Leaning While Crafting

   Creator Ramy El Gabry discusses inventive puppet construction, training a new generation of animators, and the family bonds behind his series.
7. 
   First Love Meets Life-Changing Loss In Netflix’s ‘In Waves’ Trailer

   Adapted from AJ Dungo’s graphic memoir, Phuong Mai Nguyen’s feature debut explores first love, surfing, and grief in Southern California.
8. 
   Loyd Price, Aardman Animator Who Helped Lay The Foundation For Its Feature Animation Team, Dies

   From Gromit’s silent performances to the artists he trained and championed, Price helped shape the craft and culture of Aardman’s feature animation.
9. 
   2027 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Because Today Is Saturday’ Director Alice Guimarães

   A mother’s attempt to find time to write becomes a vivid exploration of invisible domestic labor, mental overload, and the need for creative freedom.
10. 
    2027 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Dog Alone’ Director Marta Reis Andrade

    An abandoned dog, a widowed grandfather, and a young woman returning home share a search for connection in this Portuguese portrait of loneliness and affection.