Glen Keane

Glen Keane

If you have seen a Disney film in the last 20 years, chances are you are a massive fan of Glen Keane’s work – even if you don’t know it.

Keane is best known for his roles as lead animator on such characters as Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Tarzan, Aladdin, John Silver from Treasure Planet and the Beast from Beauty and the Beast.

Glen came to speak at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne to launch Dreams Come True: an exhibition celebrating Disney’s 50 animated feature films.

In front of a packed audience of animation fans, students and professionals, Glen Keane shared the Michalangelo quote that keeps him inspired, even today:

Design, or as it is called by another name, drawing, is the root and fountainhead of all sculpture, architecture, painting and science. Let him who has attained this know that he possesses a great treasure.

And even in the age of the computer, Glen Keane is still a passionate believer that drawing is at the heart of even a CG movie like Tangled.

The computer makes you draw better. I think I’ve done as much drawing on Tangled as I have done on any of the other movies I’ve worked on.

When asked about what frustrates him as an artist, his response was typical of his support for up-and-coming animators:

The most frustrating thing for senior artists is meeting so many frustrated junior artists.

His generousity to young talent was really appreciated.

Glen hung around at the end of the keynote speech to meet young animators, pose for photos and sign books, posters and DVDs.

The Dreams Come True exhibition is open in Melbourne at ACMI from November 2010 until April 2011.