Disney animator John Pomeroy shared his experiences in the filmmaking industry and showcased his talents to a packed auditorium at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts on Tuesday, March 3.
Pomeroy is the third guest filmmaker that has come to Auburn as part of the Jay Sanders Film Series.
Pomeroy has worked on several notable films for companies like Walt Disney and Sullivan Bluth Studios. Some of his most well-known works include “Planes” (2009), “The Simpsons Movie” (2007), “All Dogs Go To Heaven” (1989) and “The Land Before Time” (1988).
Pomeroy, who celebrated 42 years in the filmmaking industry on Feb. 7, said he first became interested in animation when he was only 11 years old. What began as a love for sculpting and puppetry made a dramatic shift toward animation after a summer project to build a replica of Pinocchio led him to the book “The Art of Walt Disney.”
Pomeroy was hired at Disney in 1973, and a secretary showed him the stack of fan letters he had sent as a 13-year-old.
Pomeroy’s first job was animating a small part for the film “Winnie the Pooh and Tiger too” in 1974.
“I brought something to life that didn’t exist before, and that was powerful to me,” Pomeroy said. “I got addicted and I’ve been hooked ever since. I love to animate; it’s like no other.”
Pomeroy said he enjoys the process of pitching ideas for a new project. Although most ideas never come to fruition, many are kept in the archives and may be brought out later. The idea for a story about a snow queen was first pitched over 70 years ago in the early days of Disney, but it wasn’t until recently that it was picked up and turned into the feature film “Frozen.”
Pomeroy said although working on the character Milo from “Atlantis: The Lost Empire” was some of the most fun he had working on a feature project, he said he put the most love into “The Secret of NIMH.”
Several animation studios have shifted towards producing more 3D and CGI feature films, but Pomeroy said the more hand drawn 2D animation still has a strong foothold in the industry.
“There’s plenty of room and plenty of stories for both,” Pomeroy said. “The most important thing is whether it’s traditional or digital, the story is key.”
One of the most important steps to take in breaking into the industry is to simply not give up, according to Pomeroy. He said he submitted his portfolio to Disney three times — the first time being in 1966 when he was just 16 years old — before he was hired in 1973.
“My portfolio was a combination of graphic design,” Pomeroy said. “I wanted to impress them as much as I could and spread my base as wide as possible, so I wanted to show that I could draw. I could design, I can conceive of characters, and that I had a sense of humor. They’re looking for people who can entertain.”
Students were able to meet Pomeroy and ask questions after his presentation.
“Students who major in media studies usually are drawn to the stories that are told through film, television and music,” said Dr. Susan Brinson, host of the event and professor in the School of Communication and Journalism. “The more professionals we bring to campus, the deeper our students' understandings of the media, which makes for great classroom discussions.”
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