During a recent appearance on a popular animation podcast, retired Disney Animator Mark Henn shares that he might have stayed at the studio longer, “if the work had been more meaningful.”
What’s Happening:
- Legendary Disney Animator Mark Henn recently appeared on The Bancroft Brothers Animation Podcast where he and the titular brothers Tom and Tony (both former Disney Animators themselves) talk about his retirement from the company after 43 years, and his work creating classic characters like Jasmine, Young Simba, Mulan, Tiana and more.
- Henn retired last December, after starting his career at Disney in 1980 and remarkably, never working at another studio during his career. While not as high-profile as other Disney animators, Henn remained quiet and unassuming as he became deeply influential in defining a new style of Disney Animation, and supervising five female leads (Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Mulan, Tiana), more than any other person in the history of the studio.
- The podcast is a favorite of animation fans for this exact type of discussion, where a topic like leaving the Walt Disney Animation Studios can be approached with a candid view, as opposed to a more publicity-friendly corporate stance.
- That said, Henn remained diplomatic when he explained why he didn’t stay at the studio until his 45th or even 50th anniversary.
- Henn and the Bancrofts have a history at the studio, going back to the 80’s and 90s and the high-profile Disney Renaissance period. Though the Bancrofts have long since left the studio, Henn remained at Disney as one of their creative legacy animators, alongside 2D animation legends Eric Goldberg and Randy Haycock.
- When asked if he would have stayed until one of those milestone anniversaries, Henn replied: “If the work had been more meaningful, I think I would have stayed… It wasn’t what I signed up for. Some of it was interesting. Some of the stuff we were doing for the parks was kind of fun, but the other projects — I know the people that are running that [legacy] department are doing everything they can to keep 2d alive as long as they possibly can… it just wasn’t as fulfilling.”
- Another interesting note, Henn, who previously directed the short John Henry in 2000, felt “like I’ve had a sign on my back that said, ‘Don’t let this guy direct.’” He even pitched ideas that were made by Disney-affiliated studios instead.
- Henn explained, “I had pitched an idea about a true story based on a carrier pigeon in World War II… there was some interest, and then they finally passed on it. Several months later, the studio announced they’re doing Valiant, and I had a development person come racing down to my office to try to explain why these things happen. And then, in the early 2000s, I pitched the idea of having airplanes, and they got some interest, and then it was passed on saying it was too close to Cars.“
- Valiant ended up being produced by Vanguard Animation, which had a distribution deal with Disney, and Planes and its sequel, Planes: Fire and Rescue were later produced by Disneytoon Studios.
- Throughout the interview, the Bancrofts and Henn bring up more about 2D animation and the shift into computer animation, as well as the legacy of the artform at the studio. They also share more about their work together and name drop some colleagues, namely the aforementioned Eric Goldberg and Randy Haycock. According to the chat, once those two retire themselves, there will be nobody left in the Creative Legacy department at the studio who was present in the iconic Disney Renaissance period.
- That said, Henn said his Disney days aren’t quite finished just yet, saying he will return this spring to wrap up one final project. Henn explains, “The plan is I will be going back, as I left a project that I had started unfinished. I had started a little short film. I had a conversation with [Walt Disney Animation Studios president] Clark [Spencer], and he assured me to not put the pressure on myself to try to get it done by the end of the year.”
- You can listen to the podcast in full below.