On Friday, Sept. 25, the Character Animation Program’s Friday Night Talks series welcomed legendary animator James Baxter to the Bijou Theater for a packed event. Students filled the room to watch the acclaimed artist bring a character to life in real time.
In preparation for his visit, Baxter asked students to submit three-second dialogue clips. During the talk, he selected one to animate live, setting up his laptop and Cintiq drawing tablet on stage and walking the audience through each step of his process. The demonstration offered students a rare, close-up look at the craft of one of animation’s most influential figures.
The British-born Baxter began his career at Walt Disney Animation Studios, where he animated beloved characters including Belle in Beauty and the Beast and Rafiki in The Lion King. He later joined DreamWorks, contributing to The Prince of Egypt and Shrek 2, before founding his own studio and working on films such as Enchanted and Kung Fu Panda. Most recently, he has brought his talents to Netflix Animation.
In 2018, Baxter received the Winsor McCay Award, one of the highest animation honors, at the Annie Awards from ASIFA-Hollywood. The award recognizes lifetime or career contributions to the art of animation across disciplines including producing, directing, animating, design, writing, technical work, and professional teaching.
Watch Baxter’s animation from the Friday Night Talk series below:
