In 2005, I was hired as the Picture Editor to assist in launching a new Los Angeles-based animation studio called IMAGI. What began with a small team of five individuals working out of a damp basement in Encino eventually transformed into the production home for the first-ever animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles feature.With a budget of $30 million, the team expanded from a handful of artists to a bi-continental studio with a fully operational animation pipeline in Hong Kong. Over the next 18 months, I edited the film while simultaneously contributing to the development of the studio’s editorial infrastructure. This involved collaborating closely with a single assistant and navigating the challenges associated with managing a first-time feature production.Beyond shaping the film, I collaborated with Warner Bros. on the creation of early marketing materials, leading up to the film’s first public footage debut at San Diego Comic-Con in 2006. Working closely with Warner Bros. and the Weinstein Company, we guided the project through the post-production phase and into its release.On March 23, 2007, TMNT made its grand entrance at the top of the U.S. box office, ultimately grossing over $100 million worldwide. This remarkable success propelled IMAGI into a new phase of growth, demonstrating that character truly flourishes under pressure.