Image credit: @Disney
Storytelling and technology take center stage in this episode of SIGGRAPH Spotlight as Valerie Bernard, SIGGRAPH 2026 Production Sessions Chair, welcomes the creative leadership behind “Zootopia 2” for an exclusive behind-the-scenes conversation. Joined by Director Byron Howard, Head of Animation Kira Lehtomaki, and VFX Supervisor Marlon West from Walt Disney Animation Studios, this episode explores how the team expanded the vibrant world first introduced in “Zootopia” while evolving its characters, craft, and production pipeline for a new era of animation.
©Disney
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About Our Guests
Byron Howard is the Academy Award®-winning director of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto” (with Jared Bush) and “Zootopia” (with Rich Moore). Howard also directed Disney Animation’s worldwide hit feature “Tangled” with Nathan Greno, and the duo teamed up again for the short film “Tangled Ever After.” Most recently, he was Animation Director for Disney Animation’s “Moana 2.”
As a child, Howard’s favorite Disney Animation films included “Robin Hood,” “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty.” He was also inspired by artists like Chuck Jones, Ronald Searle and Bill Watterson, and he would fill reams of computer paper with characters of his own creation. His love of art and animation continued through high school and college.
Howard earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at The Evergreen State College in Washington, where he pursued his interest in filmmaking by studying cinematography, art and literature. By 1991, he was part of the Disney family, hosting the animation tour at what was then Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando. In 1994, Howard officially joined Disney Animation in Florida as an inbetweener and clean-up artist on “Pocahontas.” He quickly went on to become an animator on “Mulan” and a supervising animator on “Lilo & Stitch” and “Brother Bear,” as well as doing character design on both of those films.
Howard later relocated to California where he continued his study of cinematography and drawing as a story artist and character designer at Disney Animation before becoming a director in 2006. Disney Animation’s Oscar®-nominated feature “Bolt” marked Howard’s debut as a feature film director (alongside Chris Williams). Howard also designed some of the characters in that film.
Howard loves the collaborative medium of animation because it combines art, cinematography, writing, design, acting and music with a family of supportive and talented artists and crew. Team members inspire each other to achieve something greater than they could alone.
In addition to his lifelong passion for animation and a career spanning the last 20+ years, Howard’s interests include art, music, theater, travel and a deep love for animals.
Kira Lehtomaki, Head of Animation, joined Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2007 as an animation trainee in the talent development program. She’s contributed to a host of Disney Animation titles, including Academy Award® winners “Zootopia,” “Paperman” and “Frozen,” plus “Bolt,” “Tangled,” “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice,” “Tangled Ever After” and “Wreck-It Ralph,” as well as “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and Oscar® winner “Encanto,” on which she was head of animation. Previously, Lehtomaki served as a junior animator on “Alvin & the Chipmunks” at Rhythm & Hues.
At age three, Lehtomaki saw Disney Animation’s “Sleeping Beauty” for the first time; she was mesmerized by the sequence of Briar Rose in the forest. By age five, she knew she wanted to be a “drawer” for Disney. In addition to completing Animation Mentor’s online character animation program, she attended the University of Washington, majoring in computer science, and took part in the Disneyland Resort College Program.
Marlon West, Visual Effects Supervisor, oversees the entire image production pipeline, alongside Greg Smith, from early visualization of story ideas through delivery of final imagery. He previously held the same position on “Iwájú” – a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pan-African comic book entertainment company Kugali, streaming now on Disney+.
West has been with Disney Animation since 1993 when he came aboard as a trainee effects animator. His credits include “The Lion King,” “Pocahontas” and “Chicken Little” as effects animator; “Tarzan” as visual effects animator; “Fantasia/2000” as assistant effects supervisor; “Atlantis: The Lost Empire” and “Winnie the Pooh” as visual effects supervisor; the short “How to Hook Up Your Home Theater” as effects supervisor; and “The Princess and the Frog” as effects animation supervisor. He served alongside Dale Mayeda as effects supervisor for the Oscar®-winning feature film “Frozen,” as well as the hit sequel “Frozen 2” – the highest-grossing animated features of all time.
West was 7 years old when he checked out a book with a picture of stop-motion animation pioneer Ray Harryhausen and set his sights on a job where he could bring his toys to work. He studied film and writing at Columbia College Chicago, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
