Dean DeBlois

Dean DeBlois
Dean DeBlois
Born	June 7, 1970 Aylmer, Quebec
Occupation	Film Director, Film Producer, Screenwriter, Animator, Film Editor
Years active	1988 – present

Dean DeBlois (born June 7, 1970) is a Canadian film director, film producer, screenwriter, animator and editor. He is best known for co-writing and co-directing The Oscar-nominated animated films Lilo & Stitch (Walt Disney Feature Animation) and How to Train Your Dragon (Dreamworks Animation), and for directing the acclaimed Sigur Rós documentary/music film Heima.

Career

DeBlois began his career as an assistant animator and layout artist for Hinton Animation Studios/Lacewood Productions in Ottawa, Ontario, while simultaneously attending Sheridan College's three year Classical Animation program in Oakville, Ontario. From 1988 to 1990, DeBlois contributed to such productions as The Raccoons (TV series), The Teddy Bears' Picnic (TV special), and The Nutcracker Prince (feature animated film).

Upon graduation from Sheridan College in 1990, DeBlois was immediately hired by the famed Sullivan Bluth Studios in Dublin, Ireland. There, he worked as a layout artist, character designer, and storyboard assistant to Don Bluth on such feature animated films as A Troll in Central Park and Thumbelina.

In 1994, DeBlois left Dublin and headed to Los Angeles to begin work for Walt Disney Feature Animation as a storyboard artist, where he soon replaced his frequent collaborator, Chris Sanders, as Head of Story on Mulan. Shortly thereafter, they re-teamed to create the lush and whimsical Lilo & Stitch, heralded by critics as Disney's last great hand-drawn animated film.

Following its release in 2002, DeBlois sold several original live action feature film projects to write, direct, and produce, including an Irish ghost story (The Banshee and Finn Magee), a psychological thriller (The Lighthouse), and a family adventure series (Sightings), set-up at Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, and Universal Studios respectively. At present, all three projects remain in development.

2007 unveiled DeBlois' first foray into documentary filmmaking, with the acclaimed feature length music film, "Heima", chronicling the homecoming concert odyssey of Iceland's famed post-rock phenomenon, Sigur Rós.

In October of 2008, DeBlois returned to feature animation to co-write and co-direct DreamWorks Animation's then-troubled How to Train Your Dragon, once again re-teaming with Sanders. The duo re-envisioned the film's story and shepherded the production to its March, 2010 release, under the pressure of an unprecedented break-neck schedule. The resulting film earned DreamWorks Animation its highest critical acclaim to date and became the studio's top grossing film outside of the "Shrek" franchise.

During that same time, DeBlois also directed another feature-length music film for Sigur Rós front-man Jónsi, entitled Go Quiet, as well as a feature length concert film entitled Jónsi: Live at The Wiltern.

At present, DeBlois is writing, directing, and executive producing the highly anticipated sequel to How To Train Your Dragon, which he describes as "the epic second act of a much larger story."^[1]

Filmography

• How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) (screenplay, director, executive producer)
• Go Quiet (2010) (director, editor, camera operator)
• How to Train Your Dragon (2010) (screenplay adaptation, director)
• Stitch! (2008–2010) (characters)
• Heima (2007) (director, camera operator)
• Lilo & Stitch (2002) (co-writer, director)
• Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) (story artist)
• Mulan (1998) (co-head of story)
• A Troll in Central Park (1994) (layout artist)
• Thumbelina (1994) (layout artist)
• The Nutcracker Prince (1990) (assistant animator, layout artist)
• The Teddy Bears' Picnic (1989) (animator)
• The Raccoons (1989) (assistant animator)

Personal life

Born in Brockville, Ontario. Raised in Aylmer, Quebec, across the Ottawa River from Ottawa, Ontario. DeBlois is gay.^[2]

References

1. ^ Interview with Dean DeBlois - Empire Magazin. Retrieved on 04. Oktober 2011.
2. ^ Steele, Bruce C. (July 9, 2002). "Disney dude: Dean DeBlois, the out codirector of Lilo & Stitch, talks about making a cartoon supporting alternative families, including extraterrestrials who do drag.". The Advocate. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-88583438.html. Retrieved January 9, 2011. 

External links

• Dean DeBlois at the Internet Movie Database

Persondata
Name	Deblois, Dean
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	June 7, 1970
Place of birth	Aylmer, Québec
Date of death
Place of death