Julia Pistor, VP Entertainment/Executive Producer, Playground Productions, Mattel

Julia PistorVeteran producer Julia Pistor began her career in 1995 when she joined Nickelodeon Movies as associate producer for HARRIET THE SPY. During her 11-year tenure at Nickelodeon, Pistor helped build a number of lucrative television and film franchises and successfully extended the Nickelodeon brand into a leading provider of family-friendly movies.

Pistor also oversaw the development, production and release of an impressive slate of live-action and animation features for the company. Released through Paramount Pictures, these included the 2006 hit NACHO LIBRE, starring Jack Black, the animated SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE, the RUGRATS franchise, Academy Award-nominated JIMMY NEUTRON, as well as the live-action CHARLOTTE’S WEB, LEMONY SNICKET’S SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS and THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES.

Following her tenure at Nickelodeon, Pistor founded an independent production and consulting company dedicated to creating and advising on all forms of content including television, feature films and interactive. In 2010, the company produced the CGI animated FIREBREATHER, Cartoon Network’s highest rated original television movie. She was the consultant for HiT Entertainment, where she took their pre-school properties such as THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE and BOB THE BUILDER, aged them up and launched them as theatrical live-action/CGI movies for the entire family.

Pistor has produced projects with Will.i.am’s company, Wizards and Robots. In this capacity, she developed, packaged, produced and created innovative content and distribution strategies for a slate of transmedia film, television and digital properties.

Currently, Pistor is leading the feature film initiative for Mattel’s Playground Productions, which encompasses extending existing brands as well as identifying, developing and producing new IP. She is producing MAX STEEL, Playground’s first live action feature. Upcoming projects include executive producing MASTER’S OF THE UNIVERSE and BARBIE for Sony and HOT WHEELS with Legendary.

Born in Africa, Pistor lived in India briefly but spent most of her childhood in London. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.