The creative executive served in various positions in animation and live-action, honing his skills at Corus Entertainment prior to joining the WildBrain family; he passed away on December 28 after a short illness.
WildBrain has shared the sad news that the company’s Director of Development, Animation, Todd Brian, passed away on December 28, 2022, at the age of 59, after a short illness.
The company stated that Brian was “hugely respected with great affection by all who knew him, particularly for his love of life and laughter as well as his outstanding creative talent. He will be greatly missed by his WildBrain family and the entertainment community of which he was such an integral part. As a development executive, Todd’s deep creative instincts, production experience and collaborative spirit saw him nurture a slate of standout WildBrain projects which serve to illustrate his career legacy.”
Stephanie Betts, Chief Content Officer from WildBrain, commented, “Todd was not just my colleague but one of my dearest friends, we shared so much through our 17-year friendship. He made everyone he met feel appreciated and seen. I’ll miss seeing his bright smile and hearing his playful laugh every day.”
Brian’s family added, “Todd was a very charismatic soul who would light up a room with his energy and humour. He was an avid runner, participating in many marathons as well as a passionate tennis player, belonging to a League in Toronto. He was a world traveler, visiting both coasts of Canada, Vancouver and Halifax, Greece, Spain, France, and Australia among many other locations, having friends in every place he visited.”
A graduate of Ryerson University’s Film Studies program and the Canadian Film Centre, Brian built his strong industry relationships while working in various senior creative positions in both animation and live-action productions. Before joining WildBrain, he worked at Corus Entertainment as a Production Executive/Corus Kids; Development Executive/Kids & Family at Toronto-based marblemedia; Senior Writer at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC); and had multiple credits as a Writer/Story Editor ranging from preschool to tween/family co-view programming.
Brian is survived by his mother Judy Jacobs (and husband Peter), brother Troy Brian (and wife Susan, as well as their children Chelsea, Megan, and Brock), and sister Tara Brian (and son Gavin).
His obituary, tributes, and celebration of life information can be found at Todd Brian Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information (aftercare.org). Donations to the ALS Society of Canada are appreciated in lieu of flowers.
Source: WildBrain
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
