“SIGGRAPH 2017 Keynote Session: Fireside Chat with Floyd Norman” by Norman
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- SIGGRAPH 2017 Keynote Session: Fireside Chat with Floyd Norman
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Fireside Chat with Floyd Norman
First African-American Animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios
Don’t miss Disney legend Floyd Norman’s discussion of his life and career with Steve Waskul (StudioXperience) in an intimate interview setting.
Norman was hired as the first African-American animator at Walt Disney Studios in 1956 and was later hand-picked by Walt Disney himself to join the story team on “The Jungle Book” (1967). After Walt’s death, Norman left Disney to start his own company, Vignette Films, Inc., where he produced films on the subject of black history for high schools. He later returned to Disney to work on projects within the publishing department and, despite his 2000 retirement at 65, still holds a cubicle at its offices. In addition to his work with Disney, Norman has partnered with Hanna-Barbera Productions to animate the original Fat Albert TV special “Hey, Hey, Hey, It’s Fat Albert” and the opening title sequence for the TV series “Soul Train” and with Pixar on such films as “Toy Story 2” and “Monsters, Inc.”
“I’ve been fascinated by computer graphics since I purchased my first computer. I began attending SIGGRAPH when a kiosk was all Pixar could afford. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of working for this fine company and being a part of this amazing technology as it continues to mature. I’ve also enjoyed sharing insights I’ve garnered over the years in this fantastic industry. In recent years, I’ve spoken at several universities and even Apple. Creative imagination and technological innovation have always been a part of my life, and I’m delighted to share my enthusiasm with the fans at SIGGRAPH this year.” – Floyd Norman
