Don Hahn

The sterotype is that producers are the money guys and that we drive huge BMW's, smoke big cigars and hang out in Beverly Hills restaurants with our celebrity friends. The truth is that its a job not unlike being a general manager of a football team. You need to pull the team together and give them everything they need to have a winning season. And just for the record, i drive a mini cooper, don't smoke anything and hang out at the Waffle House in Burbank.

It's actually not my real name...I changed it to Don Hahn...used to be Don Toadsucker.

In animation you have the luxury of time and the ability to revisit material again and again. With live action, you need to get the shots while the actor is there and the sun is shining. In animation the actor is always there and the sun is always shining.

Write all the time! Don't wait for the assignment from someone else...it ain't gonna come! Write every day and write about something that you know and that you are passionate about. When you write make yourself the hero of your stories and walk in his/her footsteps. And there's no right way to write! I have a friend who starts with the one scene that he wants to see in that movie...no outline, no treatment...he just says "i want to see these two characters have this discussion in this location and it's the most important thing about this story." Be passionate, write from the gut, don't wait for permission!!!!

I really think that the medium of animation is all about story and character and not about technique. I think, I know in fact that there is plenty of room for movies made with pixels, puppets or pencils as long as the story is great. Yes styles come and go, and for the past few years CG films have been in fashion...rightly so...but a good story told with 2D hand drawn animation, puppets or whatever is where it's at!

Thanks for the kudos! I work with some amazing people and they deserve the credit for sure! I grew up with Disney movies like 101 Dalmatians and Jungle Book. Such great movies and as a kid they seemed bigger than life. It's what made me fall in love with Disney!!

I would rather duck when 100 horses fly by.

My first producing gig was on Who Framed Roger Rabbit which was in 1988.

Waffle House is actually Don using his creative license...sadly there is none but i am seriously thinking about opening one up and you're all invited.

Bring it on pal...