Pixar creator Dan Scanlan headed to the ‘incredibly important’ Michigan Youth Arts Festival
The Pixar Universe is one of the most dynamic and most talk about among pop culture and creator Dan Scanlon will be the “Artist-In-Residence for the 52nd annual Michigan Youth Arts Festival to be held on Western Michigan University’s campus May 8-10.
“Well, all I’ll say is that we’re just glad people still think about the movies and that the movies resonate with people for years and they want to spend the time looking deep into the films. It’s such an honor to us that the movies stay with people that long,” Scanlon said of all the attention in the Internet during an interview with The Kalamazoo Gazette.
Scanlon directed the Monsters Inc. prequel Monsters University and attended the Michigan Youth Arts Festival in the early 1990s. The festival is a showcase, celebration and educational opportunity for high school arts students across the state.
Scanlon reportedly attended it twice, at ages 16 and 18, and found the exposure “incredibly important.” It helped convince him he was meant to be in the animated film industry.
“We were around all these poets and dancers and people who made beautiful art and we were making these goofy cartoons,” Scanlon recalled. “I think I probably felt a little bit like the black sheep at first until we showed my film at the opening ceremony. I couldn’t believe hearing people laugh at it and like it and hearing all these students, these great poets and dancers, laughing at this film. It really made me realize, ‘Wow, we do belong here. Film is an art form and that it can communicate with people and make them have an experience.”
Scanlon joined Pixar in 2001 and has witnessed the rise in technology and animation, but points to storytelling as the key.
“You still have to tell a story. You still have to make something that connects with people. In some ways, it’s a little harder. It’s almost a given it will look nice, so what’s it going to say?” he said.
