From Interlochen to DreamWorks: How Anna Kotyza found her creative North Star
At 29, Kotyza is helping bring Shrek V to life at DreamWorks, powered by the creative grit and discipline first sparked as a young filmmaker at Arts Academy.
Anna Kotyza (IAC 12, IAA 13-14) is helping bring animated stories to life at DreamWorks. As a production coordinator for films like Shrek V, she translates creative vision into organized, executable reality. It’s a fast-paced, collaborative role that bridges art, technology, and logistics. And according to Kotyza, she’s never felt more at home.
The instincts that help her thrive—creative confidence, curiosity, and the drive to collaborate—took root long before her DreamWorks badge. They started in northern Michigan, in a quiet forest where she first felt seen as an artist. Kotyza sat down with us to share how the lessons she learned at Interlochen Arts Academy are paying off in the real world, from VR to startups and, finally, to one of the world’s most beloved film studios.
Collaboration, curiosity, and the adventure of constant growth
Kotyza grew up in New York and attended what she describes as “a wonderful high school.” But as her budding talents in filmmaking grew, she yearned for something more.
“I looked up ‘the best film camp in the U.S.,’” she says. “I went to Arts Camp and fell in love with Interlochen. So, starting from my junior year, I attended Arts Academy.”
That decision changed everything for her.
“It was the first time I felt validated as an artist,” she says. “If it weren't for the other students around me, I don’t think I would’ve pushed myself as hard. I saw what they were doing and it inspired me—I realized that if they could do it, I could.”
At Interlochen, Kotyza didn’t just explore film; she developed stamina, work ethic, and an appreciation for the craft’s rigor.
“I made a thesis film, which was a really formative part of my development,” she remembers. “Michael Mittelstaedt and Andrew Hiss pushed us to write the best stories we possibly could. We constantly got feedback on our scripts.”
Years later, working in animation, she sees the same rhythm.
“At DreamWorks, we get feedback all the time. We might have a couple hundred iterations of a scene before it gets published. Interlochen gave me the backbone to work hard, to always go for it, and not take no for an answer.”
She also developed courtesy and professionalism—values she carries with her daily.
“Michael always told us that we’re not firemen and we’re not police officers. We’re here to make films, and that’s a privilege. He taught us to say please and thank you, to approach everything with kindness. Courtesy is so integral in the film industry.”
Interlochen’s environment encouraged Kotyza to try everything, from sound to directing to producing.
“Michael always quoted that famous line from Elia Kazan: ‘A director has to know many things, and be curious about all of them.’ Interlochen gave me a great foundation to start being curious. We were given different roles to perform on set, and that helped me figure out what I liked and was good at.”
Surrounded by students from six other arts disciplines, Kotyza also learned how collaboration fuels creativity.
“I learned how to collaborate at Interlochen, and it helped me build a spirit of reaching out to other artists. When I went on to college, I was happy to ask anyone to make a music video or do a film project. The worst someone could say was no.”
Arts Academy was the first time I felt validated as an artist. If it weren't for the other students around me, I don’t think I would’ve pushed myself as hard. I saw what they were doing and it inspired me—I realized that if they could do it, I could.
Chasing the dream—and sharing it with others
Kotyza’s path after Interlochen was far from linear. She began at Emerson College, but soon realized something was missing.
“I slowly realized I wasn’t happy there. I was learning the same things I had already learned at Interlochen.”
She pivoted—first into business, then into Boston’s VR scene. She interned at multiple VR groups, studied abroad in Prague, transferred to NYU, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Virtual Reality, Business, and Film. While there, she helped launch NYU’s first VR Museum, Château d'Art Futur.
Her pursuit of both excellence and versatility continued outside the classroom. Kotyza co-founded tech startup Merciless Motors, raised $160K, won major pitching awards, and became a finalist in the U.S. Army’s xTechSearch competition. She accomplished all this while editing films commercially for more than a decade.
Kotyza’s ventures built up her skill set considerably: she’s now proficient in content creation, pitching, business development, and more. Over time, her sweet spot became obvious: she thrives in the space where project management meets animation.
“Animation spoke to me because it’s like a trifecta. It’s film, it’s art, and it’s innovation, like tech,” she says. “I can talk to a software engineer in the morning and a storyboard artist in the evening, and all parts of my brain are satisfied.”
Landing a job at DreamWorks took persistence and more than 50 applications. But eventually, she broke in. Today she serves as Digimatte & FX Coordinator, managing day-to-day schedules and helping shepherd the massive, multi-year process of creating an animated feature.
“It’s a marathon. These movies take three to five years,” she explains. “I get to work so close to the art. I’m not affecting it directly, but I’m helping mobilize it and making sure the process is as smooth and efficient as possible.”
Everything came full circle for Kotyza this fall, when she returned to the place where her dreams took root. As a featured guest artist at the Future of Cinema Film Festival, Kotyza shared her story with current Arts Academy students and encouraged them to chase their creative ambitions. Visiting campus reminded her of the peace and inspiration she’d found as a student there.
“I think there’s something about the serenity of the lake,” she muses. “The quiet helped all of us look inward.”
Today, Kotyza moves between worlds—storytelling and strategy, creativity and coordination, art and tech. She’s proof that there’s no single path through the film industry, and no single definition of a creative life. But if there’s a throughline, it’s this: Interlochen showed her she belonged in the arts.
“Interlochen gave me the foundation to be curious, to collaborate, and to believe I could do this,” she says.
And now, at DreamWorks, she’s helping her artists bring a story to life: one thoughtful, coordinated, beautifully organized step at a time.
