About me
Hello!
My name is Lauren Ashton, and I'm a writer and creative producer. The primary focus of my work is within the fields of animation, themed entertainment, and film and television
Experience
My childhood years were spent writing short stories and putting on plays for family and friends, and my high school years were spent writing films and short stories that went on to participate in national competitions. I attended the California Institute of the Arts from 2015-2019, where I earned my BFA in Theater. Prior to CalArts, I attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City from 2014-2015.
Upon graduating from CalArts, I was one of 16 artists selected to participate in the Walt Disney Imagineering CalArts Educational Initiative in 2019, a unique and competitive program where I worked closely with fellow artists to create a themed attraction. Our project was pitched to Disney executives on a weekly basis. The later part of my education was also spent writing my own graduating showcase scene (which landed me talent representation), an original play that premiered in the Hollywood Fringe Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland (after graduating), and a professional writing and research internship working under renowned animation historian, Jerry Beck, for Animation Scoop.
I am now the managing editor of Animation Scoop and regularly meet with filmmakers and creatives across the industry. I am also the Director of Creative Development at New York-based production company, Smoking Cat Films. Additionally, I write comedic short films for production companies Several Headed Beast and H2 Media- two of which are currently in post-production! Also, I worked as a staff writer at Spellbound Inc.: a YouTube Production Company based in Santa Clarita, CA. I was a member of the writer's room and worked closely with all departments to ensure successful shoot days.
Why I Write
All of my creative endeavors have required a strong work ethic, a thorough understanding of emotive storytelling/plot structure, and creative vision. I am a highly imaginative thinker with a lifelong passion for this stuff! Collaboration is my work and my greatest source of joy. My experience as a creative professional is defined by my ambition and my commitment to a consistent quality of work, but most of all, I strive to share, inspire, and communicate. My love of artistic innovation and entertainment stems from my belief that storytelling, despite our changing and at times frightening world, is something that we as human beings will always come back to, one way or another. Film, television, animation, theater, etc- it's real magic, and it's important.
I create and lead projects because I love it; to be able to develop ideas alongside others is my passion, and watching these ideas materialize into physical experiences is such a delight.