Dean DeBlois
- Writer
- Art Department
- Animation Department
Dean DeBlois is a Canadian writer, director, and producer known best
for having co-written and co-directed Disney's
Lilo & Stitch (2002) and
Dreamworks'
Dragons (2010),
both Oscar nominated. While working as an assistant animator and layout
artist for Hinton Animation Studios in Ottawa, Ontario, DeBlois
simultaneously attended Sheridan College's three year Classical
Animation program. Upon graduation in 1990, DeBlois was immediately
hired by Don Bluth Studios in Dublin, Ireland. There, he cut his teeth
as a layout artist, character designer, and storyboard assistant to
Don Bluth on such films as
Poucelina (1994) and
Le lutin magique (1994)."
In 1994, DeBlois left Ireland to work for Walt Disney Feature Animation
as a storyboard artist, where he soon replaced his frequent
collaborator, Chris Sanders,
as Head of Story on Mulan (1998)." Shortly
thereafter, they re-re-teamed to create the lush and whimsical
Lilo & Stitch (2002), heralded by
critics as Disney's last great hand-drawn film. Following its release
in 2002, DeBlois sold several original live action feature projects to
write, direct, and produce, including "The Banshee and Finn Magee,"
"The Lighthouse," and "Sightings," set-up at Walt Disney Pictures,
Touchstone, and Universal Studios respectively. At present, all three
remain in development. 2007 unveiled DeBlois' first foray into
documentary filmmaking, with the acclaimed feature length music film,
Sigur Rós: Heima (2007), chronicling the homecoming
concert odyssey of Iceland's famed post-rock phenomenon, Sigur Rós. In
October of 2008, DeBlois returned to feature animation to co-write and
co-direct Dreamworks then-troubled
Dragons (2010),
once again re-teaming with
Chris Sanders. The two
re-envisioned the story from scratch, leading the production to its
March 26, 2010 release, at break-neck speed. The resulting film earned
Dreamworks Animation its highest critical acclaim to date and became
the studio's top grossing film outside of the "Shrek" franchise. During
this same time, DeBlois also directed another feature-length music film
for Sigur Rós front-man Jónsi, entitled
Go Quiet (2010), as well as a
feature length concert film entitled "Jónsi: Live at The Wiltern." At
present, DeBlois is writing, directing, and executive producing the
highly anticipated sequel to
Dragons (2010),
"which he describes as "the epic second act of a much larger story".
