- Mark Dindal
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Mark L. Dindal Born 1960
Columbus, OhioResidence United States Alma mater CalArts Occupation Film director, effects animator Years active 1980-present Notable works The Emperor's New Groove
Cats Don't DanceMark L. Dindal (born in 1960 Columbus, Ohio) is an American effects animator and director, who created The Emperor's New Groove[1] as well as Cats Don't Dance. He worked in many Disney classic projects as an effects animator, and also led the special effects for several classic movies such as The Little Mermaid and The Rescuers Down Under.
Contents
Biography
Dindal studied his craft at CalArts, where he learned the art of animation. This led to the first step in his career, at Disney, in 1980. His first job at there was The Fox and the Hound, and after he made the animated effects for this movie, he went to work in The Black Cauldron, Mickey's Christmas Carol and The Great Mouse Detective, following a very similar animation style in all movies. This style consisted mainly in paint-similar backgrounds with delicated animation and complex character effects, and had a good reception at the time.
After these jobs, he made a brief pause in Disney career to work in other projects outside. He returned to the studio in 1987 and got his first head role as an animator for Disney's The Little Mermaid. Years later, he worked again as a head animator for the movie The Rescuers Down Under. He later directed the animated effects for the live-action 1991 film The Rocketeer, and got a job in the 1992 animated film Aladdin.
After a couple of years, Dindal got his first role as a movie director. In The Emperor's New Groove, he came up with the original idea and worked there as a director, initially expecting the movie to be a classic Disney musical feature called Kingdom of the Sun. However, this first idea didn't work at the production and Dindal, along with Chris Williams and David Reynolds, drastically changed the script to the gagful comedy movie that is seen today. During the six-year production, he started to work on the Turner (currently merged into Warner Bros.) animated musical production Cats Don't Dance, which was his actual debut as a director being released in 1997, three years before The Emperor's New Groove. In the movie, Dindal voiced a minor character debuting in this kind of role. Although the film didn't make public success, it won the Annie Award for Best Animated Film and Mark was then nominated for directing the movie.
Years later, Dindal went to work on Chicken Little, another Disney production, which needed a huge animation team. This team had, of course, Mark Dindal. He made the character animation in the first 3D animated movie he worked in. The movie was a great public success, and received some positive critics even through it was made for young public. There, Dindal even made cameo voice roles as two small characters. The movie was nominated to several Annies, however, Dindal wasn't nominated as a director. During the movie's production, Kronk's New Groove was produced by Disney as a direct-to-video feature, however, as Mark was working on Chicken Little, he didn't get a position in the staff. Later on, Dindal created The Emperor's New School.
In March 2006, Mark left Disney to pursue his own projects, expressing an interest in a film combining live action with animation.
Dindal is currently directing at DreamWorks Animation a 3D animated feature film titled Me and My Shadow, which will be a combination of computer and traditional animation techniques, and is scheduled for release in 2013.[2]
Filmography
Year Film Role 1981 The Fox and the Hound (uncredited) Effects animator 1983 Mickey's Christmas Carol Effects animator 1985 The Black Cauldron Special effects animator 1986 The Great Mouse Detective Effects animator 1987 Sport Goofy in Soccermania Effects animator The Brave Little Toaster Effects animator consultant Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night Special effects animator 1988 BraveStarr (1 episode) Special effects animator BraveStarr: The Legend Special effects animator Oliver & Company Effects animator 1989 The Little Mermaid Visual effects supervisor 1990 The Rescuers Down Under Head effects animator 1991 The Rocketeer Director: Nazi Invasion segment 1992 The Little Mermaid Effects consultant 1993 Happily Ever After Special Effects Animator 1997 Cats Don't Dance Director, Writer, Character Designer Storyboard Supervisor, voice of Max 2000 The Emperor's New Groove Director, Screenplay 2005 Chicken Little Director, Story, Character Designer, Additional voices 2006–2008 The Emperor's New School Creator 2013 Me and My Shadow[2] Director External links
References
- ^ Lanpher, Dorse A. (2010-10-19). Flyin' Chunks and Other Things to Duck: Memoirs of a Life Spent Doodling for Dollars. iUniverse. pp. 176–. ISBN 9781450260992. http://books.google.com/books?id=OjD1AZSuftcC&pg=PA176. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
- ^ a b "DreamWorks Animation Pioneers Groundbreaking Combination of CG and Hand-Drawn Animation Techniques in Me and My Shadow for March 2013" (Press release). DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. December 10, 2010. http://ir.dreamworksanimation.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=540734. Retrieved December 10, 2010.
2000s 2010s Me and My Shadow (2013)Categories:- American animators
- American film directors
- American screenwriters
- Animated film directors
- People from Columbus, Ohio
- Living people
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