Conversations with Elizabeth Dee Edwards

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Dee Edwards.

Hi Elizabeth Dee, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Not sure where to begin, but here goes! I’m originally from North Carolina, though I spent my summers in Ohio with extended family. The only real accent I picked up was saying “pop” instead of soda, which always seems to throw people. Growing up, I was convinced I was going to be the female Indiana Jones. My dad would take us arrowhead hunting (I never found any, sadly), and I spent hours exploring, imagining I’d found the doorway to Narnia or that mermaids were about to invite me to the bottom of the ocean. It never quite happened but hey, never say never.
I studied Classical Civilizations at the University of Cincinnati, where I spent a lot of time in Blegen Library reading ancient texts and daydreaming about future adventures. But like many students, I hit financial limitations and realized I might not end up the next Indiana Jones after all. I moved back home, broke and disheartened, unsure what was next for me. Then, one day while sitting on my mom’s couch, I saw a commercial: “Do you play video games? Why not make them?” It was for the School of Communication Arts, through a program affiliated with NC State. A few of my high school friends were still in Raleigh, so I packed up and moved. While studying game design there, a teacher introduced me to CG animation. It was a new and growing field at the time, and given how much I loved animation, they recommended I look into character rigging. (Ironically, that role and all the coding I learned is now just a button in Maya) I got my degree, but job opportunities in animation were pretty limited in North Carolina.
Then came a stroke of luck. A recruiter from Nickelodeon came to speak at our school. After her talk, she met with ten of us to give feedback on resumes. I was the last one on her list, and when I sat down, she looked exhausted, so I joked, “Long day, huh? Why don’t we go get a pop?” We ended up chatting about goals and dreams, and she mentioned there was a post-production opening at Nickelodeon and I could be a good fit if I updated my resume. I had no idea what post-production even was, but come on, it was Nickelodeon!
I followed her advice, sent off the resume, and soon got a call. After several phone interviews (pre-Zoom era!), I was offered the job but only if I could start in two weeks. I said yes before thinking of the logistics to get from North Carolina to California. However, my mom helped me pack everything into my car, and off we drove across the country. I didn’t know anyone on the West Coast, but I had a job at Nickelodeon. Over the next ten years, I worked my way up from Post Production Assistant to Post Production Supervisor. The hours were long, but I loved being part of the final step in the creative process. Eventually, I needed to move back home to North Carolina for personal reasons. A couple of years later, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power was announced by DreamWorks. I grew up watching and loving the original so I had to see if I had a shot to work on it. I reached out to a former coworker who was the head of Post at DreamWorks now and was lucky enough to join the team. After several years at DreamWorks, I got an opportunity to transition from children’s to adult animation at Netflix. It was something I’d always wanted, to work on content that wasn’t restricted by the boundaries of kids’ TV. The projects were gritty, fast-paced, and an absolute joy to be part of.
Most recently, I’ve stepped into a new role as a Studio Manager at an audio post house I’d worked with before. It’s been a shift, but a rewarding one as I am learning new skills and seeing a different side of the animation process.
My dad always said: “If you’re at a job where you’re no longer learning, it’s time to find something new to learn”. And in post-production, there’s always something new to learn.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Had you asked me this ten years ago, I would’ve said it wasn’t a smooth road not by a long shot. But looking back now, I realize how lucky I’ve been. Yes, luck got my foot in the door, but it was hard work and persistence that kept me going through those extra long days. In the entertainment industry, if you don’t have passion for what you do, you won’t last. Some days, you don’t eat until dinner. Some days, you’re handed ten priorities but only have time to complete four of them and you have to make tough judgement calls to keep things moving.The hardest part for me wasn’t the workload, though it was being so far from home. I’d grown up surrounded by family, where a bad day could end with a beer and a laugh with someone who knew me. Moving to L.A. was a shock. I’d always been someone who could strike up a conversation in a grocery store, but in L.A., that usually got me what I now call the “L.A. stare” — the ‘I don’t know you, get lost’ look. It was isolating, and there were definitely moments I thought about quitting my job and moving back to North Carolina.
What kept me going were the people I worked with and the shows I was lucky enough to be part of. And, come on it was my dream! For the first time in my life, I had to turn to coworkers for friendship, for support, for a sense of home. I was incredibly fortunate to meet some of the best people who I am still lucky enough to call my friends. The kind who helped pick me up when I was down and reminded me why I started this journey in the first place.
Someone once told me that work is like school: you show up eight hours a day, five days a week, whether you like it or not. Staying focused, dealing with people you don’t click with, that’s part of the deal. You have to do it, get the project finished and share the credit. But if you’re lucky, you’ll find the ones who really get you, who are in the trenches alongside you. Those are the friendships that last. Corny? Maybe, but it’s true. My friends have sustained me more than anything else and why I was able to get through my struggles.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
While I’m currently working as a Studio Manager, my heart and most of my career has been in Post Production. In one form or another, I’ve been part of the post team for nearly two decades. Post Production is often overlooked, even though we’re the final step in the process. Anyone in the industry has heard (or said) the infamous line: “We’ll fix it in Post!” That’s us. We take all the moving parts: animation, sound, timing, delivery specs, legal compliance and actually bring it all together to meet the deadline. And trust me, those deadlines don’t move.
Being a Post Production Supervisor is where I excel. You have to think three steps ahead at all times and if you’re not looking at least three days out, you’re already behind. I’ve even coined a nickname for people who work in post: “The Poppins.” Like Mary Poppins, we are going to float in towards the end of the process and as we get to learn what is needed, we will pull out from our never ending bag of tricks, the tools to fix whatever obstacle has popped up in the moment. Just a spoon full of sugar to help get the show out the door, looking, sounding and feeling as amazing as how the show runners have envision it. The details matter. From tracking deliveries across time zones and countries to troubleshooting last-minute edits, there’s a strong sense of delight in being the last set of eyes before a show goes live.
What sets me apart is my ability to rally a team to meet what often feels like impossible turnarounds without compromising quality. Collaboration, calm under pressure, and a sense of humor go a long way. Even after all these years, I still approach each show the way I did my first: with excitement. Each show is different with different challenges and different hurdles but also different connections, jokes and fun! Staying grounded, staying grateful, and staying focused that’s what’s kept me going, and what I hope continues to define my work going forward.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Just one? Hmmm…that’s tough. I don’t think there’s a single childhood moment that stands out as THE favorite. It’s more like a collection of moments that altogether, remind me of what growing up felt like.
Jumping on the trampoline until I couldn’t feel my legs. Pretending to be mermaids and making whirlpools in the pool or wearing my Little Mermaid windbreaker like it was the only piece of clothing I owned. My sister driving us around in the go-kart on tracks my Dad made out in the woods. Waking up early to catch Saturday morning cartoons and gaming with my sister. The feeling of accomplishment when I finally beat Super Mario Brothers 3 all the way through. Making ridiculous home videos on the family camcorder, which, much to my chagrin, still exist on VHS. My Grandma watching Disney movies with me like it was the best movie in the world while eating treats from a Tupperware box of Oreos that were always a little stale for some reason.
It’s all a blur now, but every one of those memories is something I carry with me. If you asked me on any given day which was my favorite, the answer might change but any one of those would be a good place to start.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwarem/?hl=en
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-edwards-699b32109/
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3013275/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1