Carmel Animator Launches Local Studio After Hollywood Setbacks

Meridian Gray Culpepper's journey from Indiana to Pixar and Skydance led her to create Herringbone Animation in her hometown.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 4:13pm

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Growing up in Carmel, Indiana, Meridian Gray Culpepper dreamed of becoming an animator for a major Hollywood studio. After landing internships at Pixar and a job at Skydance Media, the 29-year-old experienced layoffs during the streaming bubble burst in 2023. Returning to Carmel, Culpepper launched her own animation studio, Herringbone Animation, to create quality content in a less cutthroat environment and provide opportunities for the next generation of creatives closer to home.

Why it matters

Culpepper's story highlights the challenges young animators face in breaking into the highly competitive Hollywood industry, as well as the potential for creating thriving animation hubs outside of traditional entertainment centers. Her decision to start Herringbone Animation in Carmel reflects a growing trend of creatives seeking to build careers in their local communities rather than solely pursuing opportunities in major coastal cities.

The details

After graduating from Indiana University, Culpepper moved to Los Angeles and landed internships at Pixar and a job at Skydance Media working on projects like the Apple TV series 'WondLa'. However, when the streaming industry experienced a bubble burst in 2023, Culpepper found herself laid off and back in Carmel. Inspired by her time teaching animation to students with autism, Culpepper launched Herringbone Animation in 2024 to produce quality animated content in a more supportive environment. The studio is currently working on an animated thriller film called 'Planet Jane' and developing an anthology series to give independent filmmakers a chance to direct their own episodes.

  • Culpepper graduated from Indiana University in winter 2019.
  • She landed a remote internship at Pixar in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Culpepper started working at Skydance Media in Los Angeles in 2022.
  • She was laid off from Skydance in 2023 during the streaming industry bubble burst.
  • Culpepper launched Herringbone Animation in Carmel in 2024.

The players

Meridian Gray Culpepper

A 29-year-old animator from Carmel, Indiana who dreamed of working for a major Hollywood studio before launching her own animation company, Herringbone Animation, in her hometown.

Pixar Animation Studios

An American animation studio and subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company known for producing critically acclaimed animated films and television shows.

Skydance Media

An American media company that produces films, television series, and interactive media, including the Apple TV series 'WondLa' that Culpepper worked on.

The Independence Academy

A school in Carmel, Indiana where Culpepper taught animation to students with autism, inspiring her to start her own studio focused on creating a supportive environment for animators.

Herringbone Animation

An animation studio founded by Meridian Gray Culpepper in Carmel, Indiana to produce quality animated content in a less cutthroat environment and provide opportunities for the next generation of creatives.

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What they’re saying

“I find it very serendipitous that I really thought my career was going to be climbing the ladder, working for a big studio in Los Angeles, and now I'm here, back in my hometown – I thought I would never come back – doing animation.”

— Meridian Gray Culpepper, Animator and Founder, Herringbone Animation

“I went into 2020 thinking it was going to be my year. I went to LA and toured Walt Disney Animation and Cartoon Network. I was networking, and then literally everything shut down a week later.”

— Meridian Gray Culpepper, Animator and Founder, Herringbone Animation

“I asked myself, 'Why doesn't the (animation) industry do the same?' So, it was around that time that I started my own studio.”

— Meridian Gray Culpepper, Animator and Founder, Herringbone Animation

What’s next

Culpepper will pitch Herringbone Animation's anthology series project at the Toronto Arts and Animation Festival this month as she seeks investors to help bring the project to life.

The takeaway

Culpepper's journey from Indiana to Hollywood and back again highlights the challenges young animators face in breaking into the competitive entertainment industry, as well as the potential for creating thriving animation hubs outside of traditional coastal centers. Her decision to launch Herringbone Animation in her hometown of Carmel reflects a growing trend of creatives seeking to build careers in their local communities.