Once upon a time…

Black and white photo of a large group of men and women in formal and casual clothing, posing outside a mid-century modern building with glass walls and a curved roof, with a lawn and small shrub in the foreground.
Black and white photo of three men, Zachary Schwartz, David Hilberman, and Stephen Bosustow. in a studio space discussing storyboards displayed on the wall.

It was 1941. A band of ambitious, talented artists working at Disney left and told their stories their way. They became a game changer for American animation, and in the process revolutionized independent filmmaking in Hollywood forever. This is the story of the people who started a movement, changed the landscape, and what happened to them.

A black and white photograph of Olga Lunick, a woman with long hair, wearing a strapless dress and a pearl necklace, posing in front of a wall with vertical siding. John Hubley is sitting on a chair in the background with a notepad.

Animation Mavericks: The Forgotten Story of UPA draws from a treasure trove of archival materials, exclusive interviews with animation experts, and original animated reenactments to create an electrifying snapshot of an indelible moment in American art history and of the iconoclasts who shaped it.

A drawing of a person with spiky hair, striped shirt, and plaid pants sitting on a wooden chair at a desk, writing on a paper in a room with picture frames on a wall and a window with curtains.
Animated scene from "Gerald McBoing-Boing" (1950), featuring a family relaxing at home, with a woman reading a book, a young boy on a scooter, and a man sitting in a chair reading a newspaper.
Drawing of two women in a room with patterned walls and a window. One woman is sitting at a table with a drink and pen, looking thoughtful, while the other woman is standing and pointing at a paper on the table, explaining or discussing something.

Meet the Team

  • Portrait of filmmaker Kevin Schreck, a young man with brown hair, wearing a dark suit and black shirt, standing outdoors with green plants and blurred background.

    Kevin Schreck

    DIRECTOR/WRITER/PRODUCER

    Kevin Schreck (Persistence of Vision, Antarctic Voyage, Enongo) is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose 15-year career spans genres, time periods, and continents. Animation Mavericks marks his return to uncovering lost stories of cinema history.

  • Rachel Gitlevich, a woman with short hair and a ponytail, wearing a dark brown top and a beaded necklace, stands among green leaves with sunlight shining through in a forest setting.

    Rachel Gitlevich

    ANIMATION DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

    Rachel is an award-winning director, animator, and designer with 15 years of professional experience in TV and independent animation. She obtained her master’s degree from Gobelins in Paris, France, to continue her animation career in Europe.

  • Tim Finn, a man with glasses, a beard, and a baseball shirt, outdoors with blooming trees in the background.

    Tim Finn

    EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

    Tim Finn has a 25-year history of researching and documenting animation and comics through various film projects, his work as a college educator, his G.I. Joe history book, and the community he’s built through his brick-and-mortar store, Hub Comics.

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