Mike Mitchell is a 1988 graduate of Putnam City North High School who currently works as an animated film director in Hollywood.

The preparation Mitchell received as a Putnam City student combined with his unmatched creativity turned into acceptance at the prestigious California Institute of the Arts, where he studied filmmaking and animation.

Mitchell’s work in entertainment includes time as a director, actor, and animator. He has worked with respected directors Tim Burton and Spike Jonze. In his collaboration with DreamWorks Animation, Mitchell directed the movies Shrek Forever After and Trolls which together grossed over $1 billion.

Through his work on several films, Mitchell has collaborated with a host of Hollywood talent, including Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Eddie Murphy, and Antonio Banderas. He has also been a voice actor on several films including Monsters vs. Aliens and Puss in Boots. His work in television includes time on SpongeBob SquarePants and Trolls: The Beat Goes On! His current release is The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part.

Mitchell often cites his artistic beginnings in Putnam City as being essential to where he is today.