Doug Sweetland
Encyclopedia
Douglas Sweetland is an American
animator/director, he grew up watching Disney films and classic Saturday morning cartoons. As a child, Doug drew cartoons for the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts
for several years. After graduating high school in 1992, Doug opted to attend California Institute of the Arts
(CalArts) and pursue his life-long love and passion for animation.
In 1994, he decided to leave school in his final year to join Pixar
. His first assignment was as an animator on Toy Story
. He continued as animator on A Bug's Life
and Toy Story 2
. He was nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Character Animation for Toy Story 2
.
Doug continued to build an incredible reputation as one of the best animators in the business. He was awarded back to back ANNIE awards for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Character Animation for Monsters, Inc.
and Finding Nemo
.
Doug took on the lead animator role for Bud Luckey
’s Oscar-nominated Boundin'
short and worked as an animator and storyboard artist on the Oscar-winning The Incredibles
. Sweetland followed this up by stepping into the supervising animator role on John Lasseter’s Cars
.
In 2007, Doug pitched a short film about a sympathetic magician who gets “dumped” by his rabbit. This eventually evolved to a more slapstick film (and a throwback to Warner Bros.
classic Looney Tunes
). Teddy Newton
was brought on board to design the characters; it emerged as Sweetland’s directorial debut. Presto
was very well received by audiences and critics alike when it preceded WALL-E
in theaters. It was honored in 2008 with an Academy Award nomination in the Best Animated Short Film category. It was included in the Animation Show of Shows
in 2008.
On September 24, 2010, it was reported that Sweetland had been hired by Sony Pictures Animation
to direct a computer-animated film The Familiars, set to release in 2014.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animator/director, he grew up watching Disney films and classic Saturday morning cartoons. As a child, Doug drew cartoons for the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts
Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is held each year in State College, Pennsylvania and on the campus of Pennsylvania State University. Penn State students commonly refer to the event as Arts Fest.-History:...
for several years. After graduating high school in 1992, Doug opted to attend California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
(CalArts) and pursue his life-long love and passion for animation.
In 1994, he decided to leave school in his final year to join Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
. His first assignment was as an animator on Toy Story
Toy Story
Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is Pixar's first feature film as well as the first ever feature film to be made entirely with CGI. The film was directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen...
. He continued as animator on A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life is a 1998 American computer animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on November 25, 1998. A Bug's Life was the second Disney·Pixar feature film after Toy Story, and the third American computer-animated film after Toy...
and Toy Story 2
Toy Story 2
Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer animated film directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon. It is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story, released by Walt Disney Pictures and the third film to be produced by Pixar...
. He was nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Character Animation for Toy Story 2
Toy Story 2
Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer animated film directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon. It is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story, released by Walt Disney Pictures and the third film to be produced by Pixar...
.
Doug continued to build an incredible reputation as one of the best animators in the business. He was awarded back to back ANNIE awards for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Character Animation for Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 American computer-animated film and the fourth feature-length film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It was directed by Pete Docter, co-directed by Lee Unkrich and David Silverman, and written by Jill Culton, Peter Docter, Ralph Eggleston, Dan Gerson, Jeff Pidgeon, Rhett...
and Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
.
Doug took on the lead animator role for Bud Luckey
Bud Luckey
William "Bud" Luckey is an American cartoonist, animator, singer, musician, composer and voice actor. He is best known for his work at Pixar as a character designer for Toy Story, Boundin, Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Cars, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille...
’s Oscar-nominated Boundin'
Boundin'
Boundin' is a 2003 Pixar short film, shown at the start of the film The Incredibles. The film was written, directed, narrated and featured the musical composition and performance of PIXAR animator Bud Luckey.-Plot:...
short and worked as an animator and storyboard artist on the Oscar-winning The Incredibles
The Incredibles
The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated action-comedy superhero film about a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, a former director and executive consultant of The Simpsons, and was produced by Pixar and distributed by...
. Sweetland followed this up by stepping into the supervising animator role on John Lasseter’s Cars
Cars (film)
Cars is a 2006 American animated family film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft. It is the seventh Disney·Pixar feature film, and Pixar's final, independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney...
.
In 2007, Doug pitched a short film about a sympathetic magician who gets “dumped” by his rabbit. This eventually evolved to a more slapstick film (and a throwback to Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
classic Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
). Teddy Newton
Teddy Newton
Teddy Newton is an artist at Pixar Animation Studios. He has worked as a storyboard artist for 2 Stupid Dogs, The Iron Giant, and Dexter's Laboratory....
was brought on board to design the characters; it emerged as Sweetland’s directorial debut. Presto
Presto (film)
Presto is a 2008 American Pixar computer-animated short film shown in theaters before their feature length film WALL-E. The short is about a magician trying to perform a show with his uncooperative rabbit and is a gag-filled homage to classic cartoons such as Tom and Jerry and Looney Tunes...
was very well received by audiences and critics alike when it preceded WALL-E
WALL-E
WALL-E, promoted with an interpunct as WALL•E, is a 2008 American computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and directed by Andrew Stanton. The story follows a robot named WALL-E, who is designed to clean up a waste-covered Earth far in the future...
in theaters. It was honored in 2008 with an Academy Award nomination in the Best Animated Short Film category. It was included in the Animation Show of Shows
Animation show of shows
The Animation Show of Shows is a traveling selection of the year's best animated short films, curated and presented by Acme Filmworks founder, Ron Diamond. It began in 1998 with the aim of showing the most original, funny, intelligent short animated films from all over the world and presenting them...
in 2008.
On September 24, 2010, it was reported that Sweetland had been hired by Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation is an American computer-animated film production company owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, founded in May 2002. It is working closely with Sony Pictures Imageworks, which takes care of the digital production...
to direct a computer-animated film The Familiars, set to release in 2014.
Filmography
- Toy StoryToy StoryToy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is Pixar's first feature film as well as the first ever feature film to be made entirely with CGI. The film was directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen...
(1995) (animator) - A Bug's LifeA Bug's LifeA Bug's Life is a 1998 American computer animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on November 25, 1998. A Bug's Life was the second Disney·Pixar feature film after Toy Story, and the third American computer-animated film after Toy...
(1998) (animator) - Toy Story 2Toy Story 2Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer animated film directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon. It is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story, released by Walt Disney Pictures and the third film to be produced by Pixar...
(1999) (animator) - Monsters, Inc.Monsters, Inc.Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 American computer-animated film and the fourth feature-length film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It was directed by Pete Docter, co-directed by Lee Unkrich and David Silverman, and written by Jill Culton, Peter Docter, Ralph Eggleston, Dan Gerson, Jeff Pidgeon, Rhett...
(2001) (directing animator) - Finding NemoFinding NemoFinding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
(2003) (animator) - Boundin'Boundin'Boundin' is a 2003 Pixar short film, shown at the start of the film The Incredibles. The film was written, directed, narrated and featured the musical composition and performance of PIXAR animator Bud Luckey.-Plot:...
(2003) (lead animator) - The IncrediblesThe IncrediblesThe Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated action-comedy superhero film about a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, a former director and executive consultant of The Simpsons, and was produced by Pixar and distributed by...
(2004) (animator, storyboard artist) - CarsCars (film)Cars is a 2006 American animated family film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft. It is the seventh Disney·Pixar feature film, and Pixar's final, independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney...
(2006) (supervising animator) - PrestoPresto (film)Presto is a 2008 American Pixar computer-animated short film shown in theaters before their feature length film WALL-E. The short is about a magician trying to perform a show with his uncooperative rabbit and is a gag-filled homage to classic cartoons such as Tom and Jerry and Looney Tunes...
(2008) (director, writer) - The Familiars (2014) (director)