Animation Artwork Gift for Sir Paul
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Hello friends- What do you get when you cross The Beatles and Paul McCartney with classical Disney animation? Here is something I’d like to share, and I hope it is ok for me to do so on this forum.I was an animator for Walt Disney Feature Animation/ Florida from 1995, working on hand-drawn animated movies, until the studio was closed in 2003. I received screen credits on Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, Brother Bear and other pictures (you can find a full list on IDMb). The Beatles were the ones who inspired me to become an artist and musician in the first place; I can’t imagine what kind of a world this would be or how I would’ve ended up without them in it.
For years, I had been trying to think of an appropriate way to say thank you to Paul. And then one day I read an article where Paul talked about his love for Disney animation, especially the 1955 classic, Lady and the Tramp- and I had my answer. And so, working after hours late into the night at the Disney Studio, and during the production of Lilo and Stitch, I drafted this one-off piece especially for Sir Paul. It was drawn on 16-field animation bond, the same “dots and slots” paper we used for all of our movies. I added hidden Beatle visual references scattered throughout the heart-shaped composition. It has been stored in my own studio ever since, and I would love to present this to Paul someday, but as of yet, I haven’t been able to arrange a safe way to get it to him. As a one-of-a-kind piece of animation artwork, it is quite valuable- and my dream of all dreams is to deliver it in person to its rightful owner, along with my thanks. I am confident he will love it!
Maybe someone out there knows how I can get this to him- hopefully a specific contact at MPL, or elsewhere. I’d appreciate any help. Thank you all!
~Stephen Austin
Walt Disney Feature Animation/ Florida, 1995- 2003