Brenda Chapman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brenda Chapman
|
|
|---|---|
Chapman at JDIFF 2012
|
|
| Born | 1962/1963 (age 62–63) Beason, Illinois, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | California Institute of the Arts |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Employer |
|
|
Notable work
|
|
| Spouse(s) |
Kevin Lima
(m. 1982) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Brave (2012) |
Brenda Chapman is a famous American animator, writer, and director. She was born on February 27, 1963. In 1998, she became the first woman to direct a major animated movie from a big studio. This movie was The Prince of Egypt from DreamWorks Animation. Later, in 2012, she directed the Disney/Pixar film Brave. For Brave, she won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. This made her the first woman to win this important award.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Brenda Chapman grew up in Beason, Illinois. She was the youngest of five children. She first went to Lincoln College and earned an Associate of Arts degree. After that, she moved to California. There, she studied animation at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). This school is well-known for training animators.
A Career in Animation
Brenda Chapman started her career while still in college. She worked on TV animation during her summer breaks. In 1987, she finished her studies with a degree in character animation. Soon after, she was hired by Disney.
Early Disney Work
Chapman began as a story trainee for The Little Mermaid (1989). She then became a storyboard artist for other Disney classics. These included The Rescuers Down Under (1990) and Beauty and the Beast (1991). She helped create many important scenes in Beauty and the Beast.
In 1994, she became the head of story for The Lion King. This was a big step, as she was the first woman to hold this role for an animated feature film.
Directing at DreamWorks
In 1994, Brenda Chapman joined DreamWorks Animation when it was a new studio. She was one of three directors for The Prince of Egypt (1998). This film made her the first female director of a major animated movie. She also worked on Chicken Run and other projects at DreamWorks.
Moving to Pixar
In 2003, Chapman moved to Pixar Animation Studios. She worked briefly on Cars (2006). Then, she started developing a new film called The Bear and the Bow. This movie was later renamed Brave.
In 2008, it was announced that Chapman would direct Brave. This made her Pixar's first female director. She later shared the directing credit with Mark Andrews. In 2012, Brave won an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe. All these awards were for Best Animated Feature Film. This was a huge achievement for Brenda Chapman.
Recent Projects
After Brave, Chapman worked as a consultant for Lucasfilm Animation. She helped with story problems on the film Strange Magic (2015).
In 2013, she returned to DreamWorks Animation. There, she helped develop a project called Rumblewick. This story featured a strong female main character.
Since 2016, Brenda Chapman has been developing new projects. She works with her husband, Kevin Lima, at their company, Chapman Lima Productions. In 2020, her live-action movie Come Away was released. This fantasy film is a prequel to Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. It starred famous actors like Angelina Jolie and David Oyelowo.
Brenda Chapman has also been working on writing a novel. She is thinking about turning it into an animated screenplay.
Personal Life
Brenda Chapman is married to director Kevin Lima. He has directed movies like A Goofy Movie, Tarzan, and Enchanted. They met while studying at the California Institute of the Arts.
They have a daughter named Emma Rose Lima, who was born in 1999. Emma was the inspiration for Mérida, the brave princess in the movie Brave. Emma has also done voice acting for Disney movies. The family lives in Tamalpais Valley, California. Brenda Chapman has Scottish family roots.
Filmography
Feature Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Who Framed Roger Rabbit | In-between Artist | Additional Animation |
| 1988 | Oliver & Company | Animator | |
| 1989 | The Little Mermaid | Storyboard Artist | |
| 1990 | The Rescuers Down Under | Storyboard Artist | |
| 1991 | Beauty and the Beast | Storyboard Artist | |
| 1994 | The Lion King | Head of Story | |
| 1996 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Storyboard Artist | |
| 1998 | The Prince of Egypt | Director | Also sang for Miriam |
| 1999 | Fantasia 2000 | Original Concept | For "The Pines of Rome" segment |
| 2000 | The Road to El Dorado | Additional Storyboard Artist | |
| 2000 | Chicken Run | Additional Storyboard Artist | |
| 2001 | Shrek | Special Thanks | |
| 2003 | Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas | Special Thanks | |
| 2006 | Cars | Storyboard Artist | |
| 2007 | Ratatouille | Pixar Productions | |
| 2008 | WALL-E | Pixar Senior Creative Team | |
| 2009 | Up | Pixar Senior Creative Team | Also voiced "Dog" |
| 2010 | Toy Story 3 | Pixar Senior Creative Team | |
| 2011 | Cars 2 | Pixar Senior Creative Team | |
| 2012 | Brave | Director, Writer | Pixar Senior Creative Team |
| 2015 | Strange Magic | Story Consultant | Also voiced "Imp" |
| 2019 | The Lion King | Thanks | |
| 2020 | Come Away | Director |
Television Work
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Heathcliff | Lip Sync Checker (21 episodes) |
| 1985–1986 | Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling | Character Designer (5 episodes) |
| 1986 | Dennis the Menace | Lip Sync Checker (65 episodes) |
| 1986–1987 | The Real Ghostbusters | Animator (76 episodes), Lip Sync Checker (2 episodes) |
| 1997 | Cartoon Sushi | Special Thanks (1 episode) |
Awards and Recognition
Brenda Chapman has received many awards for her work in animation.
- She won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for Brave in 2012.
- She also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film for Brave.
- For The Lion King, she won an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Writing in a Feature Production.
- The Prince of Egypt won a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature.
- Brave also won a Saturn Award for Best Animated Film and an award from the Visual Effects Society.
See also
In Spanish: Brenda Chapman para niños
