Arna Selznick
Encyclopedia
Arna Selznick is a Canadian
Director and Artist, known for directing Nelvana
's 1985 animated film The Care Bears Movie
. She is one of only four women to have directed a full length animated feature. She owns and operates a studio called Dancingmonkeys with her husband/partner John van Bruggen
.
studio, participating in several efforts such as Rock & Rule
, Inspector Gadget
and Strawberry Shortcake and the Baby Without a Name
. There, she met future husband John van Bruggen
. She moved on to direct The Care Bears Movie
, released in 1985 by the Samuel Goldwyn Company
in the United States, and Astral Films
and Criterion Pictures Corporation in Canada. The film went on to win Canada's Golden Reel Award
for highest-grossing local production in 1985, at C$1.845 million. At the time of that film's release, she was only the third woman to direct an animated feature (after Lotte Reiniger
of 1927's The Adventures of Prince Achmed
, and Joy Batchelor
of 1954's Animal Farm
). Selznick was part of the layout unit on the next two Care Bears films, A New Generation
(1986) and Adventure in Wonderland
(1987), and was also a storyboard artist on Wonderland.
In 1986, Selznick launched the dancingmonkeys studio in Toronto, partnering with John van Bruggen. In 2005, she and van Bruggen created Coolman!, part of the FunPak series on Canada's YTV network. Selznick has also been among the crew of several other children's films and television series, among them Disney
's Return to Never Land
; the British animated feature The King's Beard; the Nicktoons sci-fi saga Skyland
; Treehouse TV
's Toot & Puddle; and many other Nelvana productions.
While the Houston Chronicle
' s Stephen Hunter gave a mixed response to the animation of The Care Bears Movie, he pointed out that director Selznick "has a nice feel for the dynamics of action animation; several of the set-pieces zing along nicely."
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Director and Artist, known for directing Nelvana
Nelvana
Nelvana Limited is a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971 known for its work in children's animation. It was named by founders Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s...
's 1985 animated film The Care Bears Movie
The Care Bears Movie
The Care Bears Movie is a 1985 Canadian animated film, the second feature production from the Toronto animation studio Nelvana. One of the first films based directly on a toy line, it introduced the Care Bears characters and their companions, the Care Bear Cousins. In the film, orphanage owners...
. She is one of only four women to have directed a full length animated feature. She owns and operates a studio called Dancingmonkeys with her husband/partner John van Bruggen
John van Bruggen
John van Bruggen, a Canadian animation writer and director, is the husband and creative partner of Arna Selznick, the director of 1985's The Care Bears Movie. He and Selznick were layout supervisors on its 1986 sequel. They are partners in the creative services company, dancingmonkeys.In 2004, John...
.
Career
Selznick began her career at Toronto's NelvanaNelvana
Nelvana Limited is a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971 known for its work in children's animation. It was named by founders Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s...
studio, participating in several efforts such as Rock & Rule
Rock & Rule
Rock & Rule is a 1983 Canadian animated film from the animation studio Nelvana. It was produced and directed by the company's founders, Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert, and Clive A. Smith. The film features the voices of Greg Salata, Susan Roman, and Don Francks, with Catherine O'Hara, Chris...
, Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget is an animated television series that revolves around the adventures of a clumsy, simple-witted cyborg detective named Inspector Gadget – a human being with various bionic gadgets built into his body. Gadget's arch-nemesis is Dr...
and Strawberry Shortcake and the Baby Without a Name
Strawberry Shortcake and the Baby Without a Name
Strawberry Shortcake and the Baby Without a Name is an animated television special from 1984, produced by Nelvana. This is the fifth to feature American Greetings character Strawberry Shortcake.-Synopsis:...
. There, she met future husband John van Bruggen
John van Bruggen
John van Bruggen, a Canadian animation writer and director, is the husband and creative partner of Arna Selznick, the director of 1985's The Care Bears Movie. He and Selznick were layout supervisors on its 1986 sequel. They are partners in the creative services company, dancingmonkeys.In 2004, John...
. She moved on to direct The Care Bears Movie
The Care Bears Movie
The Care Bears Movie is a 1985 Canadian animated film, the second feature production from the Toronto animation studio Nelvana. One of the first films based directly on a toy line, it introduced the Care Bears characters and their companions, the Care Bear Cousins. In the film, orphanage owners...
, released in 1985 by the Samuel Goldwyn Company
The Samuel Goldwyn Company
The Samuel Goldwyn Company was an independent film company founded by Samuel Goldwyn, Jr., the son of the famous Hollywood mogul, Samuel Goldwyn, in 1979.-Background:...
in the United States, and Astral Films
Astral Media
Astral Media Inc. is a Canadian media corporation. It is Canada's largest radio broadcaster with 83 radio stations in eight provinces, and is a major player in premium and specialty television in Canada, including The Movie Network, Super Écran, Family, Teletoon, Canal D, Canal Vie, VRAK.TV,...
and Criterion Pictures Corporation in Canada. The film went on to win Canada's Golden Reel Award
Golden Reel Award (Canada)
The Golden Reel Award is a Canadian film award, presented to the Canadian film with the biggest box office gross of the year. The Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association introduced this award in 1976 as part of the Canadian Film Awards until 1979...
for highest-grossing local production in 1985, at C$1.845 million. At the time of that film's release, she was only the third woman to direct an animated feature (after Lotte Reiniger
Lotte Reiniger
Charlotte "Lotte" Reiniger was a German silhouette animator and film director.- Early life :Lotte Reiniger was born in Berlin-Charlottenburg, German Empire, on June 2, 1899...
of 1927's The Adventures of Prince Achmed
The Adventures of Prince Achmed
The Adventures of Prince Achmed is a 1926 German animated fairytale film by Lotte Reiniger. It is the oldest surviving animated feature film; two earlier ones were made in Argentina by Quirino Cristiani, but they are considered lost...
, and Joy Batchelor
Joy Batchelor
Joy Batchelor was an English director, producer, writer, art director and animator. As a director, she primarily worked in television, directing series, including variety shows like The Jackson 5ive , and in animated films...
of 1954's Animal Farm
Animal Farm (1954 film)
Animal Farm is a 1954 British animated film by Halas and Batchelor, based on the book of the same name by George Orwell. It was the first British animated feature released worldwide, though Handling Ships was the first British animated feature ever made...
). Selznick was part of the layout unit on the next two Care Bears films, A New Generation
Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation
Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation is a 1986 children's animated film produced by LBS Communications, Inc. and Canadian animation studio Nelvana. The third animated feature from Nelvana, it was directed by Dale Schott, written by Peter Sauder and produced by Nelvana's three founders...
(1986) and Adventure in Wonderland
The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland
The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland is the third theatrically released film in the Care Bears animated franchise. It was released in the United States and Canada on August 7, 1987 by Cineplex Odeon Films, and is based on Lewis Carroll's Alice stories...
(1987), and was also a storyboard artist on Wonderland.
In 1986, Selznick launched the dancingmonkeys studio in Toronto, partnering with John van Bruggen. In 2005, she and van Bruggen created Coolman!, part of the FunPak series on Canada's YTV network. Selznick has also been among the crew of several other children's films and television series, among them Disney
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
's Return to Never Land
Return to Never Land
Return to Never Land is a 2002 American animated film produced by DisneyToon Studios in Sydney, Australia and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The film is a sequel to the 1953 film Peter Pan, based on J.M...
; the British animated feature The King's Beard; the Nicktoons sci-fi saga Skyland
Skyland
Skyland , is a CGI animated television series developed in France in partnership with Canada and Luxembourg for television channels, France 2, Teletoon, NickToons Network, ABC and CITV.A 60-minute, worldwide preview was aired on November 26, 2005 at multiple times during the day and the following day...
; Treehouse TV
Treehouse TV
Treehouse TV is a Canadian English language cable television specialty channel with programming targeted towards preschoolers that was launched on October 17, 1997. Its name comes from YTV's old children's programming block, The Treehouse...
's Toot & Puddle; and many other Nelvana productions.
While the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...