Skip to content

Film industry vet buys B.C. animation house

Yeti Farm best known for its work on Hotel Transylvania: The Series 
rick_mischel_-_artists_animation_studio
Rick Mischel is purchasing Kelowna-based Yeti Farm Creative Animation Studio

Kelowna's Yeti Farm Creative Animation Studio is under new ownership.

It has been purchased by veteran animation producer and studio executive Rick Mischel and will be renamed "Artist Animation Studio."

The business will remain in Kelowna. Yeti Farm was best known for its work on Hotel Transylvania: The Series and Pete the Cat.

Mischel, a Sony and Technicolor producer and executive, will be CEO of the venture which will offer full-scale animation services.

“Artists Animation Studio reflects my mission to deliver a full suite of animation services, driven by artists who are committed to creative excellence and client satisfaction," says Mischel.

"Todd and Ashley have built a top-tier animation studio, which provides us with a solid platform to further expand our service capabilities. I look forward to working together with Todd, Dan and Rachel, all of whose work I have admired over the years, as well as the amazing creative talent based in Kelowna and British Columbia as we continue to grow the studio’s roster and range of projects globally.”

Yeti Farm co-founder Todd Ramsay will lead the animation team, Dan Christman has been appointed supervising producer and Rachel Bepple has been named as producer. Ashley Ramsay, also a co-founder of Yeti Farm, will be leaving the business.

“Todd and I are proud of the prestigious projects we and our creative team have developed and produced since we launched our studio in 2007. While I’ve made the difficult decision at this time to move on to new endeavours, I’m confident that with Rick’s leadership and trusted reputation and Yeti’s creative legacy, the new Artists Animation Studio will be an industry force,” said Ashley Ramsay.

Mischel has 30 years of experience in the animation industry, acting as executive producer on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Hotel Transylvania: The Series at Sony Pictures Animation since 2014.

Financial details of the transaction were not released.