Rising Stars: Meet Lori Korngiebel of Pasadena, CA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lori Korngiebel.

Hi Lori, 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?
I’m a born-and-raised Southern Californian from Thousand Oaks and a proud USC grad — Fight On! I always knew I wanted to work in the film industry, which was funny because no one in my family had anything to do with it. I went to USC as a Creative Writing major thinking I’d be a writer, but my film classes completely changed my path. That’s where I fell in love with production, especially watching projects come together in editorial and post.

My first job out of school was at Castle Rock Entertainment, which I still describe as getting paid to go to grad school. It was an incredible place to learn and grow. The first Hollywood set I ever visited was “Ghosts of Mississippi,” where I watched Rob Reiner direct James Woods — a life affirming gift! What made Castle Rock truly special was the culture… it felt like a family, it was a family. Everyone was valued, no matter their role, and there was a real sense that we were all in it together. I learned that you can have fun, enjoy the process, and still be unbelievably productive. That balance, respect, teamwork, and loving the work, has stayed with me on every project since.

After Castle Rock was acquired by Warner Bros., I jumped into freelance work and landed on films like “Armageddon” and “The Insider.” Then I got a call about a job at Disney Feature Animation — my dream studio growing up! I worked on “Fantasia 2000,” “Atlantis: The Lost Empire” and “Lilo & Stitch.” just to name a few, learning from some true animation legends. I was even lucky enough to be the associate producer on the English-language version of the Oscar-winning “Spirited Away”. From there I had the opportunity to cross back into live action with “The Haunted Mansion,” where I was able to blend my animation background with live-action filmmaking.

When Disney downsized, I moved to DreamWorks Animation and worked on such films as “Over the Hedge,” “Madagascar” and “How to Train Your Dragon.” A few years later I reconnected with Don Hahn at Stone Circle Pictures for his award-winning documentary “Waking Sleeping Beauty,” which led to continued collaborations on Disneynature films “Oceans” and “African Cats,” as well as independent documentaries.

Then Disney live action came calling again. I was on the filmmaking teams of “John Carter,” “Dumbo,” “Maleficent” and “Cruella,” and most recently co-produced “Disenchanted,” “Haunted Mansion”, and the live-action “Lilo & Stitch.” Funny enough, the last two are remakes of movies I worked on earlier in my career, a pretty surreal full-circle moment.

In between studio films, I continue collaborating with Don on documentaries through Stone Circle Pictures. His projects include the Disney+ film “Howard” and PBS documentaries like “The Gamble House” and “The Freedom Writers: Stories from the Heart” which earned us two Emmy nominations and our first Emmy win.

Right now I’m producing Don’s newest documentary, “Huz: Drawn to Life,” about Ron Husband, Disney’s first Black animator, airing on PBS SoCal as part of Black History Month.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
A smooth road? I’m not sure that’s even a real thing. And honestly, I would not want one. The challenges are what shape you. Everyone faces setbacks, but how you respond to them is what defines you and your path forward. Especially in this industry, change is constant… companies merge, projects end, jobs disappear, strikes happen, productions move, relationships change. The key lesson for me has been not tying my self-worth to any one job, title, or person. That is something that is not easy to remember but always worth repeating.

My mom always told me I “could do anything if I put my mind to it” and I’ve carried that with me. So when things get tough, I focus on what I can control: myself, my attitude, my work ethic, and how I show up.

My favorite reset button is travel. I’ll get on a plane, often solo, and go somewhere new, anywhere in the world. Dropping myself somewhere new reminds me I’m capable, adaptable, and stronger than I think. I come back grounded in who I am outside of any title or credit and ready to jump into life again.

I try to always trust my gut and keep moving forward. If I don’t get the job I wanted or something I thought would last doesn’t, I don’t see it as failure… just direction. It wasn’t the right fit at the right time. And I’m genuinely okay with that.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a producer specializing in post-production, the phase where all the pieces come together to tell the story. It’s where I feel most at home. People may know me from the Disney films I’ve been part of, but what matters most to me is being involved in projects that entertain people, move them, and leave them smiling.

What I’m most proud of is that I’m living my dream. I wanted to be a storyteller. I wanted to make movies. I loved Disney and the magic of filmmaking.. and, somehow I built a career with all of that. It wasn’t easy. I took the road less traveled (thank you, Robert Frost), including attending six (yes, six!) junior colleges to get the classes I needed to transfer to USC, and I’ve never been afraid to take a step backward if it meant moving forward later. Perseverance, hard work, and a positive attitude made the difference.

As for what sets me apart, that’s always a hard one to answer about yourself. I definitely have bad days, we all do, but I try to learn from those bad days and wouldn’t trade this journey for anything. I can say this… I’m someone people can count on. I value honesty, loyalty, and reliability, and I try to show up that way every day, for my teams and in my personal life. I care deeply about the people I work with and the projects we’re making together. If you’re in the trenches with me, you’re not in there alone. Maybe that’s it… you can count on me and that matters.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
It’s funny, I don’t really think of myself as a risk-taker, but I’ve learned that some of the choices I make look pretty brave from the outside. Traveling solo to new countries, building a career in an industry with no guaranteed job security, those are real risks to a lot of people. To me, they’re part of what makes my life exciting.

I’m driven by curiosity, being challenged and telling stories. If you choose walking down the road less traveled, risk comes with it. So, for me, the question isn’t whether I’ve taken major risks, but what I’m willing to risk and why.

For me, it is clear… I won’t risk the people I love, the things I value most, or what brings real joy into my life. Every meaningful risk I’ve taken has been in pursuit of growth, purpose, adventure, love, joy and connection. That trade has always felt worth it to me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akaroja/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-korngiebel-9300431b/

Image Credits
B&W headshot – Nichole Banducci

Others:

B5169C2A-56BF-4C65-B8B9-EE0227E5D204.jpg – Melissa Trejo
IMG_2100 – Lori Korngiebel
IMG_2192 – Phillip Bartell
IMG_2471 – Lori Korngiebel
IMG_2888 – Lori Korngiebel
IMG_5125 – Peggy Chiodo
IMG_6191 – Caitlin Moneypenny-Johnston
IMG_7523 – Don Hahn
IMG_7612 – Don Hahn
P1020056 – Lori Korngiebel
P1020516 – Don Hahn