Go forth and create.

HELLO, I'M JOEL

I travel the world gathering all the insights studio owners need but are too busy to grasp.

Then I make them actionable.
20
Years
Founder at Impossible Pictures
10
Years
Advisor to leading studios and prodcos
500+
Studios
40+ countries
1
Mission
Helping studios thrive

ABOUT

Decorative

EXPERIENCE

“What one thing most unleashed your studio's superpowers?”
People often marvel at what Impossible achieved and ask me this question. My answer is simple: mastery of the business side.

As a captain of the creative industry navigating turbulent waters for over three decades, I possess a rare perspective. From my founding Impossible Pictures to now leading FORTH as the pied piper of studio ownership, my journey is an unyielding commitment to help studios and production companies.

What fuels my fire? Empathy. I've lived the highs and lows of the entrepreneurial roller coaster. My 20 years at the helm of my studio weren't so much about building a body of work – or even building a business – they were about creating a legacy of influence.

So don’t mistake me for a detached consultant who has never run a studio. I've walked the walk. I've been my own audience. I’m the thought partner who intimately understands the trials and triumphs of studio ownership.

This empathy is what fuels the deep trust I build with owners as I travel the world to gather all the insights they need but are too busy to grasp. From big metropolises to remote corners of the globe, I've impacted over 500 studios in more than 40 countries. Each collaboration, each partnership, is a testament to how experience and insight can help creative companies outperform.

Today, I carry with me a resounding message of positivity and possibility that celebrates the ingenuity – and sheer guts – of studio founders everywhere.

EXPERTISE

I help studios become strong businesses so they can unleash their most brilliant creative work.
How I work:
  • I lead Forum where leaders of the world's top studios grow together.
  • I teach accelerator courses Jumpstart, Derail the Pitch, and 6to7.
  • I directly advise studios. See Tributes.
  • I am a frequent podcast guest as well as host of The Fabulist.
  • I host FUSE meetups and dinners.
  • I speak on stages.
  • I spearhead initiatives that are making our industry stronger.

EXPLORE

Popular appearances.

WEBINAR

How Small Studios Grow

Unsure where to start? Watch my webinar revealing real-world examples of studios overcoming ephemeralization a.k.a. "the race to the bottom."

WATCH NOW

TRIBUTES

Joel, you stand for something that not a lot of people in our industry could recognize without you being the first.
Amanda Russell
Co-Founder & CD at Cream Studio
Joel has that rare combination of experience, charisma, and a natural ability to explain complex ideas in a simple way. He’s kind of a unicorn.
Joey Korenman
Founder at School of Motion
The Jumpstart accelerator was an eye-opening experience. It was the compass we needed to find our own path and take Animagic to the next level.
David Calderon
Co-Founder and ECD at Animagic
Guys and gals, listen to Joel Pilger. We repositioned ourselves under his guidance and thinking. It has changed our success rate dramatically for the better.
PJ Richardson
ECD & Co-Founder at Laundry
Bottom line, our industry is stronger and better because of Joel Pilger.
Ricardo Roberts
Co-Founder and EP at BIEN