Making movies wasn't really an immediate thought, where I was raised. I was going to be a lawyer, and I thought I would just draw. So, I was sketching all the time and I realized that I needed some outlet, and then I found animation.

I'm a control freak, so that's why I became a director.

Making movies wasn't really an immediate thought, where I was raised. I was going to be a lawyer, and I thought I would just draw. So, I was sketching all the time and I realized that I needed some outlet, and then I found animation.

I graduated from high school with the art award and I had made a ton of short films, but it was before DVDs with director commentary.

I love when you take bizarre, non-human things and somehow make them human or accessible. I think that's why I like the practical effects. You can look at a creature and still see vulnerability or the character behind the creature. To get character behind CG creatures, that's so few and far between.

Every time I sit down with him, I know why he is who he is, and that's really cool. It's a great feeling. It sucks because I'm so not an ass-kisser, but he's George Lucas.

It is a miracle that anything gets made. It's not for the faint of heart, at all. You could so easily get really depressed or really down about the whole thing, but you just don't.