Gary Trousdale is a California native and has been a member of the animated film industry since 1984, after studying at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts).
Starting in the industry at the Walt Disney Studios Animation FX department on The Black Cauldron as an FX assistant, he was told the job would be just a six month gig…
20 years later, Gary had worked in storyboard on Oliver and Company, Mickey’s The Prince and the Pauper, The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, various shorts for Roger Rabbit, and The Lion King.
His directing debut came on a project for EPCOT Center, in the form of a 4.5 minute pre-show for an attraction called “Cranium Command”. Soon after, he and his directing partner were assigned the Disney Animated Feature version of Beauty and the Beast, followed by The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Atlantis the Lost Empire.
In 2003, Gary moved to DreamWorks Animation where, after a brief stint storyboarding on Madagascar, he went on to solo direct The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper (that title just trips off the tongue, doesn’t it?), Shrek the Halls and Scared Shrekless (the latter two being holiday TV specials for ABC), and a 12 minute short featuring Rocky and Bullwinkle.
Gary and a small team of artists and technicians were then moved into the fledgling Theme Park department of DreamWorks, writing, designing and producing shows and media for Merlin Entertainment London, Motiongate Dubai, Universal Studios, and Comcast-Universal.
Gary continues to write and design stories for TV and feature animation, and is now adding books to his repertoire.
CREDITS
Storyboard
Oliver and Company 1988
The Little Mermaid 1989
Mickey’s The Prince and the Pauper 1990
The Rescuers Down Under 1990
The Lion King 1994
Mr. Peabody and Sherman 2014
Writing
Oliver and Company 1988
The Lion King 1994
Atlantis the Lost Empire 2001
Shrek the Halls 2007
Scared Shrekless 2010
The Pig Who Cried Werewolf 2011
Director
Cranium Command 1989
Beauty and the Beast 1991
The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1996
Atlantis the Lost Empire 2001
The Madagascar Penguins is a Christmas Caper - 2005
Shrek the Halls 2007
Scared Shrekless 2010
Thriller Night 2011
The Pig Who Cried Werewolf 2011
Rocky and Bullwinkle 2014
Theme Park Media
“The Shrek Adventure”, Merlin Entertainment, London
“Dreamhouse with Shrek and Santa” Nationwide
“Kung Fu Panda: Unstoppable Awesomeness” Motiongate, Dubai
“Kung Fu Panda: The Emperor’s Quest” Universal Studios, Hollywood
“The Power of I” Comcast/Universal
