Tissa David has long been the foremost woman animator on the East coast; her career spanning more than sixty years. Born in Transylvania, Ms. David escaped to Paris in 1950, where she worked for Producers Jean Image and Paul Grimault. In 1955 she moved to New York where she worked as Grim Natwick's assistant at UPA.

Her animation for John Hubley included commercials, shorts and a feature. COCKABOODY, EVERYBODY RIDES THE CAROUSEL, EGGS, DIG, and OF MEN AND DEMONS were some of the illustrious projects she animated for the noted animation director.

Tissa, along with Art Babbitt, Grim Natwick and Emery Hawkins, was one of the master animators of the feature film RAGGEDY ANN and ANDY, directed by Richard Williams in 1977. In 1978 she began work with R.O.Blechman, animating on his PBS specials SIMPLE GIFTS and A SOLDIER'S TALE.

Her animation for Michael Sporn Animation includes the entire half hour of THE MARZIPAN PIG. She did storyboard and animation for THE RED SHOES, storyboard and layout for IRA SLEEPS OVER, and animation for THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS. She has worked on many of Michael's other films as well.

Maxine Fisher has written many of the films produced by Michael Sporn Animation, Inc.

Her adaptations of the Hans Christian Andersen films animated by the studio have achieved special attention. The updated THE RED SHOES and THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL bring Andersen's social commentary to a modern audience. Her original take on the folk-tale, THE TALKING EGGS, brings a serious look at cultural values in the modern world as well as an exercise in updating folk tales as a modern form.

She adapted the children's books LYLE LYLE CROCODILE, THE STORY OF THE DANCING FROG and the novel ABEL'S ISLAND to award winning scripts for the animated films. She also helped guide the animated documentary, CHAMPAGNE, from start to completion. Her interview with the young girl, Champagne Saltes, served as the basis for the film.

Her original scripts, BYRON BLACKBEAR & THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD, and WHY WE NEED DOCTORS were the two films that inaugurated the studio in its initial work.

She's written over 20 original stories and songs for Sesame Street and original tales for episodes of BINGO AND MOLLY for The Learning Channel.

She holds a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from City University of New York and currently teaches writing at Queens College.

Jason McDonald has worked as a character designer, background painter and storyboard artist in the New York City animation community since 1991. He has collaborated with independent animator Michael Sporn on many projects, including CHAMPAGNE and WHITEWASH for HBO.

He has worked on numerous animated shows, such as DARIA for MTV, SHEEP IN THE BIG CITY for Cartoon Network, CLIFFORD'S PUPPY DAYS for Scholastic and STROKER AND HOOP for Adult Swim. He lives in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn with his wife, Dena, and their cat, Murphy.

Matthew Clinton has been an animator at Michael Sporn Animation since 2003. He has worked on most of the studio's recent films including HAPPY TO BE NAPPY, THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS, and GERTRUDE ON THE BEACH. He has also enjoyed animating several segments of BETWEEN THE LIONS.

Matthew graduated from CalArts with a BFA in Character Animation.

Paul Carrillo has been editing professionally since 2002, and currently resides in the downtown section of Brooklyn.

Christine O'Neill started work with MSA in the company's earliest days and has received credit on all of the films since 1987.

She initially did color rendering. She became the studio's specialist in cutting and pasting the watercolored/markered/pencilled artwork to acetate cels. Eventually, she and the artwork moved to computer.

Christine eventually rose to the position of running the office, controlling the books, and managing the studio. At times she still works in the rendering phase of the animation.

Adrian Urquidez has been working in NY animation since arriving here from the fabled land of Fresno, California, in 1993. Hired for his first professional animation job in '94 by Michael Sporn, Adrian has had the opportunity to work with him on many projects over the years.