On Animation The Director’s Perspective VOLUME 1 On Animation The Director’s Perspective VOLUME 1 Editor Ron Diamond Interviewers Bill Kroyer and Tom Sito Associate Editors James Brusuelas and Tom Knott Associate Editors: James Brusuelas and Tom Knott Cover design by Alan Bodner (bodnerart.com) CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group 6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300 Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742 © 2020 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business No claim to original U.S. Government works Printed on acid-free paper International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-138-06653-3 (Paperback) 978-1-138-06707-3 (Hardback) This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. 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CCC is a not-for-profit organization that provides licenses and registration for a variety of users. For organizations that have been granted a photocopy license by the CCC, a separate system of payment has been arranged. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Sito, Tom, 1956- interviewer. | Kroyer, Bill, interviewer. | Diamond, Ron, editor. Title: On animation : the director's perspective / Ron Diamond. Description: Boca Raton, FL : CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 2019- Identifiers: LCCN 2017014453| ISBN 9781138067073 (v. 1 : hardback : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781138066533 (v. 1 : pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781138066564 (v. 2) | ISBN 1138066567 (v. 2) Subjects: LCSH: Animation (Cinematography) | Animators--Interviews. Classification: LCC TR897.5 .O5 2019 | DDC 777/.7--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017014453 Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at http://www.taylorandfrancis.com and the CRC Press Web site at http://www.crcpress.com For Lisa, Sara, and Anna v CONTENTS Foreword by Bonnie Arnold ix 6 Nick Park 161 Acknowledgments xi 7 Tomm Moore 191 Editors xiii Introduction xv 8 Chris Wedge 227 1 John Musker 1 9 Roger Allers 255 2 Ron Clements 41 10 Chris Buck 293 3 John Lasseter 69 11 Tim Johnson 317 4 Andrew Stanton 93 12 Bill Plympton 347 5 Brenda Chapman 123 Index 371 vii FOREWORD My love affair with animation started around 1962 not with a movie in a theater, but with an album on a record player. It was a 78 RPM of “Cinderella,” with songs and story. I carried it around our house on a small portable turntable and listened to “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,” “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” the entire soundtrack really, ad nauseam. Such is the magic of animated films. The great ones (and there are so many great ones) become so powerfully ingrained in our cul- ture that a little girl can fall hopelessly in love with animation just by listening to the music. I’m sure that, on more than one occasion, my parents were tempted to break that scratchy record, but instead they let my love affair deepen. I am forever grateful they were so tolerant because, improbably enough, 30 years later animation would become my career … and my passion. In 1992, I began work as the producer of Toy Story. At the time, I had only worked in live action and had just come off ofDances with Wolves and The Addams Family. Live action and animation are very different expressions of the film art form (I describe it as the difference between a sprint and a marathon), but at the center of both is the director. And now, as I start development on my eighth animated feature, I think about the creative team that will collaborate on that film, and I am excited to meet the person who will be the director. The directors featured in this collection of interviews are masters of the art. Each has a different way of working and brings something entirely unique to the mix. Each has a specialty, whether it is traditional animation, computer animation, or stop-motion. Using imagery, words, and music, they have taken audiences on imaginative journeys to amazing worlds inhabited by unforgettable characters, and created some of the most beloved family entertainment of all time. We and our children, and even our children’s children, have watched and re-watched these outstanding pieces of storytelling. I consider myself very fortunate to know them all and have worked with most. We’ve been through it all together; the hard work, the long hours, the good days and bad days, the redo, the notes, and ultimately the anxiety-inducing opening weekend. ix Thanks to this book, you’ll get to know them as well. Bill Kroyer and Tom Sito have spent several years asking questions about how these animation directors got started, how their life experiences influenced their work, what is their process, how do they maintain their vision and still collaborate with their team, what are their biggest challenges, and what brings them joy. I know that after you spend some time with these incredible individuals, you will have a greater appreciation for the role of the animation director in conjuring up the extraordinary magic of an animated film. Bonnie Arnold Producer DreamWorks Animation x FOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Coming up with the idea for this book was the easy part; making it happen took the combined efforts and enthusiasm of many people over many years. For starters, if it weren’t for Ed Catmull, former President of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, this book would have not have been possible. When I reached out to Ed and told him about the idea, he immediately expressed interest and gave the book his blessing. This opened the doors to meet with the directors who were currently working at Disney, and allowed us to license many critical images, since so many of the directors in the book at one time or another worked at what many referred to as “Disney’s.” From the beginning to the end, the next most essential person was my friend of over 30 years, animation and VR producer, recruiter, and former director of the Ottawa International Animation Festival, Tom Knott. Tom oversaw the lion’s share of the image selection, clearances, and communication with the directors and the studios. Without Tom’s significant support and diligent work, this book would not exist. I’d like to thank Bill Kroyer and Tom Sito for their tireless devotion in researching and interviewing the directors, and for welcoming me as I’d chime in with questions of my own during the interviews. And for their participation, candor, and honesty in sharing their expe- riences and expertise and giving us a glimpse into their inner worlds, the directors themselves (in the order they appear in the book): John Musker, Ron Clements, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Brenda Chapman, Nick Park, Tomm Moore, Chris Wedge, Roger Allers, Chris Buck, Tim Johnson, Bill Plympton, Brad Bird, Henry Selick, Don Bluth, Pete Docter, Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois, Vicky Jenson, Rob Minkoff, Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Carlos Saldanha, and Kevin Lima. Special thanks to our tireless editors James Brusuelas, Jon Hofferman, and Carol Frank, to Bonnie Arnold for a fantastic Foreword, and to Alan Bodner for beautiful cover designs. Early in the process, we were supported greatly by Dan Sarto, co-founder and COO of AWN, Inc., editors Bill Desowitz and Rick DeMott, and interim coordinator Aria Stewart. Sincere thanks to all of the studio contacts who facilitated the interviews and the clearance of images: Chris Wiggum, Margaret Adamic, Maxine Raley, Gregory Coleman, Wendy Lefkon, Heather Feng-Yanu, Michelle Moretta, Victoria Manley, Marguerite Enright, Leigh Anna MacFadden, Christine Freeman, Debby Coleman, Kiera McAuliffe, Alex Ambrose, Mary Walsh, Fox Carney, Michael Buckhoff, Dave Bossert, Victoria Thornbery, Jerry Rees, Jessica Roberts, Katie Smith, Julia Reeves, Shelley Gorelik, Melanie Bartlett, Casie Nguyen, xi Andy Bandit, Lucy Manos, Brook Worley, Laura Baltzer, Patrick Skelly, Jerry Schmitz, Richard Hamilton, David Hail, Beverly Moyer, Michael Garcia, Chase Schultz, Daniel Chun, David Hall, Cathleen Girdner, Kim Kline, Lillian Ritchie, Justin Melillo, Waiolo Shannon, Robbin Kelley, Shanna Robalino, Noreen Ong, Gary Goldman, Kip Goldman, Gabrielle Ruffle, Angie Last, Deborah Rouse, Heather Koopmans, Megan Bradford, Rosemary Colliver, Jenniphur Ryan, Mark Shapiro, Yael Gabbay, Owen Miller, Lorne Mitchell, Julie Heath, Jacklyn Pomales, Margarita Diaz, Andy Jeyes, Roni Lubliner, and Desiree Meade. A massive thanks to the Acme Filmworks studio crew and the interns for their dedication and support: George Khair, Misty Myers, Diane Schlactus, Masha Evans, Kaitlyn Cavanagh, Josephine Moss, Tara Beyhm, Kelsey Peterson, Hae-Joon Lee, Amy Lee, Christian Kemabia, Helen Shi, Kerin Amit, Nolan Nissle, Dhanesh Jameson, and Molly Tomecek.