Looking Back on a Summer at Disney: Part 1

Hi friends. For those loyal few who followed me as Casey Neal, I'm going by my first-and-middle name these days. My grandma called me "Casey Robin," and so I am. With a new name, I thought I should have a new blog.

To start, I need to backtrack to summer 2010. I spent that summer in the dream factory: Walt Disney Animation Studios. One of fourteen Summer Associates, I studied, drew, painted, and grew. The first four weeks of the program were spent in mentor-led excercises.

First came story excercises with mentor Michael LaBash: A Simple Character Expressing Emotions (shown below: Eager, Puzzled, Defeated, Irritated, Content.) Based on a design by Michael LaBash.

All work is the property of Walt Disney Animation Studios, 2010.

More story excercises: Waiting at a Bus Stop

Next came character design with mentor, Bill Schwab. He asked me to choose a story. I chose The Nutcracker. Then he asked me to reset it against a wildly different backdrop. I chose Bollywood. I would pay so much money to see a Bollywood Nutcracker!

Around Week 3, we Disney Associates were starting to get antsy because - gasp! - we were supposed to start a group short Week 4 and we had no clue what it should be about. As the only Story person, I was first up to bat. I was terrified.

But that's another post.

And now, the legal bit: Materials produced at the Talent Development Summer Associate Program at Disney Animation 2010. Property of Walt Disney Animation Studios (“WDAS”). No use or reproduction without the priorwritten permission of WDAS. © Disney. All rights reserved.