UCSD - University of California - San Diego

01/16/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/16/2026 12:48

A Conversation with ‘Invincible’ Animation Producer and Alumna Marge Dean

Published Date

January 16, 2026

Article Content

What does it take to cultivate a multi-decade career in the animation field? For Marge Dean - a UC San Diego visual arts alumna who has spent over 30 years in the industry - it's a mixture of passion and perseverance. Her passion builds collaborative creative teams that experiment with new forms of storytelling, which is grounded in a tenacious commitment to uplifting unsung voices.

Dean will talk about her career path and projects she has lead as the featured speaker for the Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts Memorial Lecture, to be held from 2:30-5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31. The event - free and open to all - will also include a presentation of six artworks by Dean, part of a new conceptual art exhibition titled "The Sweepers."

As head of studio at Skybound Entertainment, Dean oversees the development and production of original animated content, including Prime Video's "Invincible," whose bold visual style has drawn audiences beyond traditional animation fans. Her career also includes supervising the Emmy-winning "Robot Chicken," leading the animation studio at Crunchyroll, and revitalizing studios at Warner Bros., Columbia-TriStar, and Mattel.

"The goal of the memorial lecture is to introduce our students to nationally recognized scholars and filmmakers who demonstrate a diverse range of excellence in the field," said Michael Trigilio, director of the Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts and faculty director of the Cinematic Arts and Film Studies Program. "We are thrilled to welcome Marge Dean as our featured speaker this year. At a time when roles in animation were narrowly defined, she helped shape what an animation producer could be - forging a career path that has led to extraordinary success."

As a sneak peek of what's to come in her talk, we caught up with Dean to learn more about her experience at UC San Diego and the creative and advocacy projects that drive her work.

What did you enjoy about your time as a visual arts student at UC San Diego?

Dean: When I started at UC San Diego, I only knew that I loved visual images and wanted to make them to have an impact on the culture around me. Studying art completely changed my life. I developed my perspective and refined my voice. The encouragement and expectations from the faculty - such as Eleanor and David Antin, Martha Rosler, Fred Lonidier and Manny Farber - and fellow grad students empowered me to believe I could actually make a difference in the world with my art.

What advice would you offer for students and new professionals interested in entering the field of animation?

Dean: Don't worry so much about whether you'll make it or how you'll "break in." Keep your focus on honing your craft, whatever it is. Draw, write, paint, film, edit, produce … whatever it is that you love and do well. Put your expectations aside so that you can see the actual path in front of you. Someone else's path is NOT your path. And remember, once you quit, then you're done. If you don't quit there's always a chance that you'll attain your goals.

Courtesy of Skybound Entertainment.

You are president of the Women in Animation organization. Why is this work important to you?

I grew up in a family of boys and was always aware of how I was treated differently than my brothers. As I became an adult, I developed a language to talk about what I was instinctively feeling about the lack of equity in resources and expectations in all aspects of life for people like me.

By nature, I'm a fixer and problem solver. When 70% of the students who study animation are female and they only get 20% of the creative jobs in the animation industry, there's something broken that I need to fix. You often hear that "all the stories have been told; there are no new stories." That's only true because a small percentage of humanity are being allowed to speak. There's an untapped wealth of experience and vision out there waiting to be realized and our entertainment and art would be so much better if more diverse voices were allowed on the stage.

You've supervised the production of numerous high-profile animation projects. Do you have one that you are most proud of?

Dean: I have several that I'm proud of and usually the front runner is the one that I'm currently working on. At this time, that's "Invincible" on Amazon Prime. The show is brilliant with intelligent and sophisticated writing, a stellar cast top lined by Steven Yuen, Sandra Oh and JK Simmons, and phenomenal traditional, hand-drawn 2D animation. I'm particularly proud of its role in the history of animation as the first hour-long animated series. We've proven that there's an adult audience for animation and that animation is truly a medium and not a genre. As Japanese animation has shown, you can tell any story in animation. It doesn't have to be for kids, and it doesn't have to be comedy.

Related content

Talking Cinema

Now in its fourth year, the annual Memorial Lecture has featured broad perspectives in cinematic arts.

  • In 2023, cultural theorist Scott Bukatman examined the film "Black Panther" and the work of Michael B. Jordan.
  • In 2024, director and producer Sara Dosa spoke about her film, "Fire of Love," nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards.
  • In 2025: writer and director Lisa Cholodenko shared insights about her character-driven films "High Art" and "The Kids Are All Right."

See more events hosted by the Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts.

A renaissance in cinematic arts

A cinematic renaissance is unfolding at UC San Diego, marked by a rapid expansion of opportunities to make, study and experience film across campus.

The Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts, housed within the School of Arts and Humanities, offers fellowship opportunities, equipment rentals, public film screenings and panels as well as a forthcoming 3,000-square-foot production studio. In addition, a new major has launched, Cinematic Arts and Film Studies, which blends theory and production of films. The program is offered through the Institute of Arts and Humanities.

Students across the university, whether studying cinematic arts formally or want to develop their skills outside the classroom, are invited to engage with the Media Teaching Lab - which houses a wide range of professional film equipment, studio spaces and editing suites for student use. And there are abundant social and educational opportunities through student organizations like Triton Television as well as film festivals led by or hosted at the university throughout the year.

Learn more and register for the free Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts Memorial Lecture.

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