The Lion King Legacy: A Conversation with Mark Henn – Episode 1

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Welcome to Talking Movies. This week we begin episode one of ‘The Lion King Legacy: A Conversation with Mark Henn’, one of the most prolific and respected animators in the industry and a leading figure within hand-drawn animation at Disney since 1980.

I’m quite a big fan of yours, you know, looking at your filmography. I grew up with Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast was the first film that I went to a it was just so powerful, just so beautiful, and just spoke to me. My mother reminds me that I cried with The Ugly Duckling, and from that point I think animation has always just had such a special place for me, so it’s such an honor to meet you.

I am a huge fan of Mark Henn’s work. Growing up, Disney animated films were a big part of my childhood. The first film that truly captivated me was “Beauty and the Beast,” which I saw at the theater with my mother. I remember being in awe of the beautiful animation and the captivating storytelling. Mark Henn’s name may not be familiar to many, but his work is iconic. He has been a Disney animator since 1980, working on films such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” and “The Little Mermaid.”

Oh, you’re welcome.

I know that Cinderella and The Reluctant Dragon were two big inspirational films for you, but what was the moment you knew you wanted to pursue a career in animation?

Around that time, I believe I was around seven or eight years old. In Disney’s “Reluctant Dragon,” there’s a scene where Robert Benchley hides in the animator’s office and peeks over Ward Kimball’s shoulder as he draws Goofy. Suddenly, Ward asks, “Do you want to see it move now?” He then puts one drawing on a stack and starts flipping through them rapidly. I was utterly captivated by this magical moment. It left me with an unshakable desire to become a Disney animator myself.

Were you one of those students that would create little animated drawings in his notepad and then flip through it or anything like that?

I remember as a child, scribbling simple animations at the bottom of my math textbooks, using my pencil to depict cars running and crashing into walls. This was the extent of my animation experience before college. The reality is, I hadn’t truly delved into the art of animation until then. Fortunately, I had a friend with a Super 8 camera who graciously allowed me to create my animations, and together we brought them to life using his equipment. Alas, looking back, those early attempts were embarrassingly rudimentary.

You’ve got to start somewhere. Were there any specific challenges you faced in breaking into the industry?

During my second year in college, I began applying directly to the animation studio. Despite being rejected three times, I remained persistent. A friend of mine suggested I look into CalArts, the California Institute of the Arts, which at the time, and still does, offers a Disney animation program. I revised my previously rejected portfolio and submitted it to CalArts. To my surprise, I was accepted. Instead of entering through the studio’s main entrance, I managed to get in through an alternate route.

In the early to mid-1970s, CalArts was established as a training program. When I joined in the late 70s, it was just four years old. During my fourth year at CalArts, which aimed to discover and nurture new talent for the studio, many of the original nine Disney artists had either passed away or retired. The studio sought fresh artistic perspectives to carry on their legacy. Since all my instructors at CalArts were former Disney animators, we received a curriculum that provided an insight into the animation industry from the Disney perspective.

And 43 years later, you find yourself in maybe a similar situation where you-

Today, after more than four decades have passed, I find myself at the opposite end of the artistic journey, reflecting on the past and collaborating with emerging young artists.

One of your most famous characters is young Simba. You know, what’s the process for capturing the essence of a character through animation?

To begin with, it’s essential to get acquainted with the story and each character’s role. In this film, Simba stood out as a significant figure. I initiated my exploration by thoroughly understanding the plot since these stories often evolve. However, the character of Simba was already well-defined by the time I joined the project, and I was drawn to his backstory.

I find the creative process behind animating a character like Simba from “The Lion King” utterly fascinating. It all starts with the base storyline that he will one day rule over his animal kingdom as king, a journey filled with pride and self-discovery. As a child, I could relate to this concept of growing up and finding my place in the world. And when I heard Jonathan Taylor Thomas’s soothing voice bringing Simba to life, it added an extra layer of warmth and authenticity to the character.

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2024-07-18 15:43