Brian Scott with Don Quixote aka “Donkey-Otey”

About the Director

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved movies. When I was five years old, my mother brought me to a late showing of ‘Good Morning Vietnam’. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. After that, she loved introducing me to the world of cinema by way of her favorite directors: Hitchcock, Rob Reiner, James Cameron, Zemeckis, Spielberg and of course the works of George Lucas and Walt Disney.

“I started drawing every day, and not long after I was writing stories and trying to teach myself special effects. I’d construct detailed miniature models and sets, and when my parents weren’t looking I’d blow them up with black powder. I love practical effects. But when I went to see Jurassic Park on my 11th birthday, that’s when I said: ‘This is what I am going to do with my life.‘ I dove deeper into learning the craft, shooting films, and eventually went to school to do it.  

“I attended Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, where I studied computer animation and film. There I met my future wife who was studying photography. We share a passion for movies, adventure, and chocolate. In 2005, we moved to LA where I got a job at Sony Pictures Animation. Now at Disney, we live in the valley with our two kids and our dogs, Buzz and Andy.  

“Growing up on the Gulf Coast and working as a land surveyor as a teenager gave me an appreciation for the natural environment and a mind-set for wildlife conservation. I look for projects and stories that feel meaningful, socially relevant and important. Stories have the power to shape the world around us, and movies remain the most powerful form of storytelling. For as long as I live and breathe, this is what I want to be doing.”

– Brian Scott