Talks

Encanto

IAN GOODING (Production Designer) oversees a team of artists and technicians who are behind the look of the film—from each of the detailed environments to the roster of characters—utilizing extensive research to achieve designs that best serve the directors’ vision.

Gooding began his association with Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1990, when a student short film he had co-directed and produced, “The Housekeeper,” attracted the attention of the Studio’s head of effects. This led to a job offer as an effects animator on the Disney animated short “The Prince and the Pauper.”

Born in St. Andrew, Jamaica, Gooding was inspired by a childhood visit to Walt Disney World Resort, the behind-the-scenes animation shows featured on the television anthology series “The Wonderful World of Disney,” and the Star Wars films. He enrolled in CalArts in 1986 to pursue his dream of creating visual effects for the movies, completing a four-year program in motion graphics and character animation.

While still in school, Gooding worked for Sandcastle Software, which created graphics and effects for video games released by Electronic Arts. During this time, he also painted backgrounds for animated commercials produced by West Indigo and Renegade. His other credits as an effects supervisor include the animated television series “Family Dog.”

At Disney, Gooding worked in visual development and did background keys on such films as “Aladdin,” “The Lion King,” “Hercules,” “Mulan,” “Tarzan” and “Dinosaur.” He served as associate art director on “Treasure Planet,” before making his debut as art director on the 1995 theatrical Mickey Mouse short “Runaway Brain.” A decade later, he received his first feature film credit as art director on Disney’s “Chicken Little.” Gooding served as art director on “The Princess and the Frog” as well as the Oscar®-nominated features “Wreck-It Ralph” and “Moana.”

He resides in La Canada, Calif., where his interests include gardening, sculpting, pottery and watching movies.