Meet Our Team
Our core team boasts decades of experience in the entertainment industry. Specializing in filmmaking, animation, and post-production. We push creative boundaries to deliver high-quality, engaging stories.
Monte Young is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Studio Central and Five Peaks Animation. He has worked in entertainment for more than two decades, producing feature films such as ‘Hitters,’ ‘Gasp,’ and ‘The Wave.’ Monte is familiar with every aspect of filmmaking, guiding projects from concept and script through the intricate details of the post-production process.
More recently, Monte turned his focus to producing and directing animation, founding Five Peaks Animation in 2020 to create children’s educational television, including ‘EmergenSea,’ ‘Bookends,’ and ‘Inspector Specs.’ His ability to seamlessly transition between live-action and animation showcases his commitment to innovation, utilizing the latest technology to continuously advance the art and science of filmmaking and animation.
Prior to entering the entertainment industry, Monte worked as an attorney specializing in finance. This background provides him with a unique perspective, allowing him to navigate the complexities of the entertainment business with acumen and insight.
More recently, Monte turned his focus to producing and directing animation, founding Five Peaks Animation in 2020 to create children’s educational television, including ‘EmergenSea,’ ‘Bookends,’ and ‘Inspector Specs.’ His ability to seamlessly transition between live-action and animation showcases his commitment to innovation, utilizing the latest technology to continuously advance the art and science of filmmaking and animation.
Prior to entering the entertainment industry, Monte worked as an attorney specializing in finance. This background provides him with a unique perspective, allowing him to navigate the complexities of the entertainment business with acumen and insight.
Monte Young
Founder
Dean Lyon is a world-renowned visual effects creator and computer graphics innovator with 30+ years-experience. His career has included roles as Creative Director, VFX Supervisor, Animation Supervisor, and Producer, working in diverse areas as feature films, television, commercials, interactive TV, computer games, virtual reality, and stereoscopic 3D.
Dean has contributed to hundreds of international television commercials and over 50 feature films including ‘Armageddon’, ‘Independence Day’, ‘Air Force One’ and the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy.
In 2000, Dean journeyed to New Zealand and led the startup of Oktobor, a world-class award-winning creative and talent-centric visual effects and animation company that gained global recognition servicing ad agencies, film production companies, and studios.
Dean has been an active member of both SMPTE and SIGGRAPH since 1984. He was elected to the Visual Effects Society in recognition of his VFX Supervisor roles on “Without a Paddle,” “Spooked”, “Bogeyman” and the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
Dean has contributed to hundreds of international television commercials and over 50 feature films including ‘Armageddon’, ‘Independence Day’, ‘Air Force One’ and the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy.
In 2000, Dean journeyed to New Zealand and led the startup of Oktobor, a world-class award-winning creative and talent-centric visual effects and animation company that gained global recognition servicing ad agencies, film production companies, and studios.
Dean has been an active member of both SMPTE and SIGGRAPH since 1984. He was elected to the Visual Effects Society in recognition of his VFX Supervisor roles on “Without a Paddle,” “Spooked”, “Bogeyman” and the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
Dean Lyon
Visual Effects Supervisor
Haley Celusniak is the lead animator at Five Peaks Animation. As a lead animator, she creates and directs the art style for shows such as Inspector Specs: Zoo Detective and Legends of the Oneida.
She is a computer animation graduate from the Ringling College of Art and Design. Having worked on a variety of films and TV shows, she has had several years of experience working in the animation industry.
She also enjoys creating her own short films, which have screened in film festivals, including the Austin Film Festival.
She is a computer animation graduate from the Ringling College of Art and Design. Having worked on a variety of films and TV shows, she has had several years of experience working in the animation industry.
She also enjoys creating her own short films, which have screened in film festivals, including the Austin Film Festival.
Haley Celusniak
Lead Animator
Robert Dehn is a respected post-production studio executive, known for his pivotal role in generating over $4.56 billion in box office revenue throughout his distinguished 15-year career in the film and television industry.
His journey in sound began with studying music theory and performance in Rochester, New York, under the mentorship of Rob Goodling, now at the Hochstein School of Music. He earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Recording Arts and Entertainment Business from Full Sail University in Florida before relocating to Los Angeles.
Within nine months, he was promoted to Studio Manager at Sonic Magic Studios, a 10,000 sqft facility in Culver City, CA, following his success with the feature film “The Informers,” his first project in this role. Under his leadership, the studio dramatically changed the landscape of post-production, completing 76 movies in his first year, a record previously unmatched by any studio, which had never exceeded 28 films annually. Sonic Magic Studios later merged with the 48,000 sqft Wildfire Studios in Beverly Hills, which he managed until 2018, when the studio was sold and subsequently closed.
Throughout his career, Dehn has contributed to a variety of notable projects, including feature films like “Moonlight,” “Get Out,” and “Hell or High Water,” and television shows such as “Vital Signs,” “Better Things,” and “Scream TV.” His work has earned significant industry recognition, including two Academy Award nominations, an Academy Award win, multiple Emmy Awards, and a Golden Reel Award.
Today, Dehn is distinguished for his commitment to delivering high-quality work within schedule and budget constraints, and for his talent in crafting immersive and compelling soundscapes that enhance storytelling.
His journey in sound began with studying music theory and performance in Rochester, New York, under the mentorship of Rob Goodling, now at the Hochstein School of Music. He earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Recording Arts and Entertainment Business from Full Sail University in Florida before relocating to Los Angeles.
Within nine months, he was promoted to Studio Manager at Sonic Magic Studios, a 10,000 sqft facility in Culver City, CA, following his success with the feature film “The Informers,” his first project in this role. Under his leadership, the studio dramatically changed the landscape of post-production, completing 76 movies in his first year, a record previously unmatched by any studio, which had never exceeded 28 films annually. Sonic Magic Studios later merged with the 48,000 sqft Wildfire Studios in Beverly Hills, which he managed until 2018, when the studio was sold and subsequently closed.
Throughout his career, Dehn has contributed to a variety of notable projects, including feature films like “Moonlight,” “Get Out,” and “Hell or High Water,” and television shows such as “Vital Signs,” “Better Things,” and “Scream TV.” His work has earned significant industry recognition, including two Academy Award nominations, an Academy Award win, multiple Emmy Awards, and a Golden Reel Award.
Today, Dehn is distinguished for his commitment to delivering high-quality work within schedule and budget constraints, and for his talent in crafting immersive and compelling soundscapes that enhance storytelling.
Robert Dehn
Sound Design