ABOUT STUDIO NOVELLA
Studio Novella is a creative studio specializing in bespoke animation and film. Blending fine art, narrative craft, and editorial storytelling, the studio develops projects that honor cultural legacies while imagining new visual worlds.
Stephanie Gumpel is a writer/director and filmmaker blending cinema, fine art, and editorial storytelling.
As founder of Studio Novella, she creates animation and film exploring cultural memory, identity, and belonging.
A first-generation American of Korean and Lebanese descent, Stephanie began her career at the Oscar-winning studio ShadowMachine, contributing to BoJack Horseman and developing feature films. Her work has been recognized by the LA Times, the Loeb Awards, and the Silver Telly Awards.
Her current project, STILL HERE, is an animated film in collaboration with Indigenous Enterprise, integrating Native American dance and oral tradition. It recently premiered as part of a live performance at The Joyce Theater in New York.
Maya Puyat is a lead animator at Studio Novella. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), she established herself as a professional animator even before completing her studies, earning recognition for her high standards of craft and excellence in storytelling. Her work blends technical precision with a deep commitment to narrative clarity and emotional resonance.
John Holsinger is a background designer at Studio Novella. An accomplished painter and former instructor at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, he brings a distinctive visual approach rooted in fine art and a deep understanding of composition.
Amy Lee Ketchum is a guest animator at Studio Novella and seasoned stop-motion and 2D animator and a professor of animation. Known for her collaborative spirit, she brings together brilliant artists and projects with a focus on inventive and expressive storytelling.