Skydance Animation Becomes Premier Member of the Academy Software Foundation, Enhancing Open Source Efforts

Skydance Animation Joins Academy Software Foundation

In a significant move for the animation industry, Skydance Animation has recently joined the Academy Software Foundation (ASWF) as a premier member. This partnership is seen as a pivotal step towards enhancing the development and integration of open-source software within the media sector.

The announcement was made on August 8, 2025, by David Morin, the Executive Director of the ASWF. Morin expressed enthusiasm about Skydance’s involvement, noting, "We salute Skydance Animation's investment in the media business. In times of transformation, a strong open source community is essential to the evolution of technologies old and new. We are grateful to Skydance Animation for their support and look forward to their participation."

Skydance Animation, recognized for its commitment to innovative storytelling and high-quality animation, utilizes a variety of open-source tools that are governed by the Academy Software Foundation. These tools include OpenColorIO, OpenEXR, OpenImageIO, OpenTimelineIO, and Rez. The animation studio has established itself with a robust production pipeline across locations in Los Angeles, Madrid, Stamford, and London, producing films and series that resonate with audiences globally.

Among their notable features are releases such as Luck and Spellbound, with several highly anticipated projects on the horizon. These upcoming titles include Pookoo, directed by Nathan Greno, Ray Gunn, directed by Brad Bird, and an untitled project based on Jack and the Beanstalk, spearheaded by Rich Moore. Furthermore, Skydance Animation is also working on the imaginative television series WondLa, showcasing their versatility in both film and television formats.

In a statement, Greg Brentin, Executive Vice President of Technology at Skydance Animation, highlighted their commitment to the open-source community, stating, "Skydance Animation is proud to support the open source community and the innovative technologies that emerge from its spirit of collaboration. We’re inspired by the talented contributors within the Academy Software Foundation and look forward to bringing our own excitement, ingenuity, and expertise to the Foundation. Our industry thrives when we build together—and Skydance Animation is eager to contribute."

Joining the ASWF places Skydance Animation alongside an impressive roster of premier members that includes industry giants like Adobe, AMD, Amazon Web Services, Autodesk, DNEG, and DreamWorks, among others. These collaborations are crucial for fostering a cross-industry effort towards developing effective open-source solutions tailored for the broader media landscape.

The Academy Software Foundation aims to build and maintain a healthy open-source ecosystem, providing a collaborative platform for software developers engaged in the motion picture and media industry. With various membership tiers available, the Foundation opens its doors to new member companies that seek to engage in its mission.

To learn more about how to become a member of the Academy Software Foundation, interested parties can visit their official website at aswf.io/join.

In summary, Skydance Animation’s entry into the Academy Software Foundation marks a significant commitment to the future of open-source software in the animation sector. As the industry continues evolving, collaborations like these are essential for fostering innovation and developing state-of-the-art technologies relevant to film and media production.

The Academy Software Foundation, founded through a partnership between the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Linux Foundation, was established to support software developers in the motion picture and media industries in their quest for sharing resources and collaborating on technologies for visual creation, animation, sound, and more. They host various projects aimed at creating tools that enhance the creative and technical processes in filmmaking.

As the media landscape shifts dynamically, initiatives like the one taken by Skydance Animation reinforce the industry’s collective goal of embracing open-source solutions that benefit everyone involved in the creative process.