Creative Spark: Brenda Chapman

[@Gladzet]

You can absolutely tell how much heart is poured into Brave. The mother-daughter relationship is so real, I cry everytime I see it unfold. And it's so great to see, because usually you see father-son relationships , since, you know, film is kind of stingy when it comes to women. I love Brave so much!

[@matthewtuerffs6503]

2:12-2:17 Those are actually Chris Sanders’s storyboards and dialogue strips.

[@BeaFaubryOlivera]

hooked by the beautiful workspace, ended up tearing up because i identify - my personal relationship with my mom was definitely changed by Brave. Thank you for your very important work

[@TimothyHalleran]

These are so comforting and inspiring. Thank you so much guys.

[@absrenato]

It´s a shame KZbin only has like or unlike choices; I love Merida, Brave, the whole movie, and I love Brenda Chapman, and I knew very little about her, only fragments of information. In this video here, I would like a new option: love.

[@MoonyCookie]

That a nice house!!!! I want someday to live in a place like that, all peaceful and a beautiful view

[@Andreas2810]

This is so inspiring. Thank you very much for sharing.

[@zimk99]

merida is so perfect

[@mdevowish]

Such a great video! So real and clear! I love this collection of gems!

[@airajanetavas]

Brave is one of my favorite movie ive watched :) . very nice and inspiring :)

[@VernickRobinson]

Brenda Chapman (born November 1, 1962) is an American animator, screenwriter, storyboard artist, and director. In 1998, she became the first woman to direct an animated feature from a major studio, DreamWorks Animation's The Prince of Egypt. In 2012, she co-directed the Disney/Pixar film Brave with Mark Andrews and Steve Purcell, becoming the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Early life Chapman was born in Beason, Illinois as the youngest of five. She went to Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois, receiving her Associate of Arts degree. She then moved to California and studied animation at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). Career During her summer breaks, Chapman began her professional career working in syndicated television animation. In 1987, she graduated with a BFA in character animation, and was hired as a story trainee on The Little Mermaid (1989). Chapman then worked as a storyboard artist on The Rescuers Down Under (1990), Beauty and the Beast (1991) and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), where she worked closely with Roger Allers to define many of the key sequences and motifs used in the film. She later served as head of story, the first woman to do so in an animated feature film, for The Lion King (1994). Chapman joined DreamWorks Animation at its inception in the fall of 1994. Chapman was one of a team of three directors who worked on 1998's The Prince of Egypt, along with Steve Hickner and Simon Wells. She became the first female director for an animated feature by a major studio; three others had previously helmed independent efforts including Lotte Reiniger of The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926), Joy Batchelor of Animal Farm (1954), and Arna Selznick of The Care Bears Movie (1985). She also worked on Chicken Run, and several projects in development while at DreamWorks before leaving the studio on maternity leave. In May 2003, Chapman and Allers were announced to direct Tam Lin, an adaptation of the Scottish folk ballad, for Sony Pictures Animation. However, later that same year, Chapman moved to Pixar after being invited by her old colleague Joe Ranft, where she had a brief stint on Cars (2006) before developing The Bear and the Bow, which was re-titled Brave (2012). In April 2008, Chapman was announced as the director of the film, making her Pixar's first female director. In October 2010, however, she was replaced by Mark Andrews following creative disagreements between her and John Lasseter. There were rumors that she subsequently left Pixar, but she remained on staff until shortly after the film's release. By July 2012, Chapman worked as a consultant at Lucasfilm Animation, helping to resolve story problems on Strange Magic (2015). When asked whether she will return to Pixar, Chapman responded by saying she has no desire to go back there feeling that "[t]he atmosphere and the leadership doesn't fit well with me." In 2013, she returned to DreamWorks Animation, where she helped in developing Rumblewick that had a strong female protagonist and was described as "funny with magic and heart." Chapman then left DreamWorks shortly afterwards. As of 2016, she began developing projects for Chapman Lima Productions, with her husband Kevin Lima. In May 2016, it was reported that Chapman would make her live-action directorial debut with Come Away (2020), a fantasy drama that serves as a prequel to Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. In May 2018, it was reported that Angelina Jolie and David Oyelowo were portraying the parents of Alice and Peter, with both actors also serving as producers. Anna Chancellor and Clarke Peters joined the cast in August, with filming in London starting that same month. In February 2020, it was reported that Chapman was attached to write and direct a live-action hybrid film adaptation of Ghost Squad. In December of that year, Chapman stated she had "kind of stepped away" from the project, deciding instead to work on other projects with Lima. She also stated she was writing "a novel and thinking about turning it into an animated screenplay." Personal life Chapman is married to director Kevin Lima (A Goofy Movie, Tarzan, Enchanted), whom she met at California Institute of the Arts. They have a daughter, Emma Rose Lima, who was the inspiration for Mérida, Brave's young princess. They reside in Tamalpais Valley, California. Chapman claims Scottish ancestry. In 2014, Chapman urged Scots to back independence in the September referendum. Filmography Feature Films Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) - Inbetween Artist: Additional Animation The Little Mermaid (1989) - Storyboard Artist The Rescuers Down Under (1990) - Storyboard Artist Beauty and the Beast (1991) - Story Aladdin (1992) - Animator "Aladdin" (uncredited) The Lion King (1994) - Story Supervisor The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) - Story The Prince of Egypt (1998) - Miriam (singing voice) (uncredited) / Director / Performer "River Lullaby" (reprise) (uncredited) Fantasia 2000 (1999) - Original Concept: segments: "The Pines of Rome" The Road to El Dorado (2000) - Additional Storyboard Artist Chicken Run (2000) - Additional Story Artist Shrek (2001) - Storyboard Artist (uncredited) / Special Thanks Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) - Story Artist (uncredited) Lilo & Stitch (2002) - Additional Storyboard Artist (uncredited) Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003) - Story Artist (uncredited) / Special Thanks Cars (2006) - Storyboard Artist Ratatouille (2007) - Crew Member: Pixar Productions WALL-E (2008) - Senior Creative Team: Pixar Up (2009) - Dogs (voice), Senior Creative Team: Pixar Toy Story 3 (2010) - Senior Creative Team: Pixar The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010) - Special Thanks Brave (2012) - Director / Screenplay / Story by / Senior Creative Team: Pixar Ted (2012) - Storyboard Artist Back to the Jurassic (2012) - Storyboard Artist Strange Magic (2015) - Imp (voice) / Story Consultant Ted 2 (2015) - Storyboard Artist The Lion King (2019) - The Filmmakers Would Like To Thank Come Away (2020) - Director Television Heathcliff (1984) - Lip Sync Checker Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling (1985-1986) - Character Designer, 5 episodes Dennis the Menace (1986) - Lip Sync Checker, 65 episodes The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1987) - Animator, 76 episodes and Lip Sync Checker, 2 episodes Cartoon Sushi (1997) - Special Thanks, 1 episode

[@Eltoca21]

Beautiful and inspiring

[@yyg4632]

I wish she was kept as director. Her mother-daughter story was beautiful but it seemed to be siderailed by the bear story. I'm assuming it's because a male director took over. Pixar does have a very bad history with sexism.

[@angelabby2379]

Um actually i love the results. Its beautiful so the male director did amazing job.

[@yyg4632]

@@angelabby2379 damn you must have not watched the video

[@KOT-br3tk]

@@yyg4632 I don't think this video tells why she was fired but ok with your dum logic

[@juanchoresultay2704]

True, I think Chapman was way ahead of time about a mother/daughter dynamic. Domee Shi , Turning Red director and also the first pixar female director with sole credit, gave justice to that dynamic that Brenda wanted

[@juanchoresultay2704]

Yeah I felt bad that she was sidelined in directorial choices for brave but hey she got an oscar

[@leif1075]

Who wrote the music in this?

[@rarashcrochet]

What she said on the first 18sconds of the video was my dream, and yes it WAS, because reality strike me so hard

[@SarmanTony]

cool.

[@clairemorrisdobie9977]

Brenda is awesome! Shared on Twitter @ShortGuys (ABOSG)

[@jdac896]

💖💖💖

[@Ineddiblehulk]

Didn't she get moved off Brave?

[@hannahlong3333]

she left because of creative difference as the production came to an end I believe so she still by other recognition for it

[@paperchasindude6578]

@@hannahlong3333 true

[@helenasoldevilla8208]

Is that a Real Oscar???

[@Moret2002]

this movie is sucker