Writer/Director Dean DeBlois, "How to Train Your Dragon," Visits

On March 11th, UGFTV Professor John Canemaker had the great pleasure to welcome Dean DeBlois, the brilliant writer/director of the billion dollar franchise/trilogy, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, as a guest in his Animation Action Analysis class.

Professor Canemaker first interviewed the multi-talented DeBlois in the late 1990s for “Paper Dreams,” his book on Disney storyboards. Back then, he was a key story artist on “MULAN,” and Canemaker wrote “DeBlois has ambitions to direct.” Boy, did he ever fulfill that bucket-list item!

AT NYU, Dean fascinated the students with candid anecdotes and behind-the scenes footage of the current DRAGON production: THE HIDDEN WORLD. His personal story inspired the audience of young filmmakers in classroom #854, a room with nostalgic memories for many NYU Animation alums.

Notable for its creaky floor boards, #854 is a magic space where many animation celebs have spoken and inspired students through the years, e.g. Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Marc Davis, Chuck Jones, Peter Lord, Nick Park, Marge Champion, Faith Hubley, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Ralph Bakshi, George Griffin, Andreas Deja, Joe Ranft, Jules Engel, Emily Hubley, Glen Keane, Andrew Stanton, Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha, Roy Disney, Signe Baumane, Bill Plympton, Pete Docter, Michael Sporn, among numerous others.