Last week, Pixar graced the halls of SCAD. This company presentation shared information about internships with schools around the nation, by bringing along both an Animator and a Technical Director from Pixar Animation to share their experiences. An animator named Don Crum, who has worked at the company since 2004, shared ‘his path to Pixar’ – showing the audience all of the steps he took to land his dream job and secure his future, while achieving his dreams.
Photo curtosy of Kellie Hilton
He was originally hired from Disney and worked on films such as Mulan, Beauty & The Beast, Tarzan, and more. After the Orlando Disney animation branch closed, he found a job at Pixar and has worked on almost every feature film since his joining the company. Crum actually didn’t get the acceptance right off the bat – he got his fair share of rejection letters, even one from the Walt Disney Company itself.
“In my heart I was thinking, I’m not good enough. I’m just a kid from Michigan, I’m not good enough to be a Disney Animator. I wasn’t good enough – I got a rejection letter. I wanna share this because rejection letters are not the end of your dream or the end of your career. If you really want something, and you get a rejection letter, it just means you’re not ready for this job right now. But keep trying.”
He worked after the goal for two more years, drawing things and focusing on how the studio critiqued his portfolio – and when he applied again, he got in and became a Disney animator.
“If you set a goal, and you work for it – and you practice. That’s the key, you gotta work at it. It’s not enough to want it. If you do that, if you’re dedicated in self discipline, you can sort of direct your future and make your dreams kind of become real.”
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