Get Animated

Aaron Horvath is an animator, a screenwriter, and a storyboard artist. He codirected The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which opens in theaters on April 1. TFK Kid Reporter Vicky Sun spoke with Horvath about his job.

What made you want to direct?

I was an artist as a kid. I just drew all the time. It was the only thing that I consistently did through my childhood and my teenage years. When I was graduating high school, I needed a job. I heard you could get a job making cartoons, and I thought that was really cool. As I started working in the various parts of animation production, it became clear that if you really want your vision, if you really want to do what you want to do, then you have to be a director.

What skills do directors need?

People skills are the most important. It’s not the easiest thing for somebody who grew up drawing cartoons. The instinct for a lot of artists is to do everything yourself. But when you’re making a movie, you have to rely on a lot of people. [Horvath codirected The Super Mario Galaxy Movie with Michael Jelenic.]

What does a typical day look like for you as a director?

It’s a lot of meetings with the various departments that make the film: all of the artists who are doing storyboards, the animators who are animating the scenes, the team that’s doing the lighting. Then meetings with the producers where we’re trying to get things approved. If I’m lucky, I get a little bit of time to draw.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about your job?

You don’t need to be able to draw to be an animated movie director. If you have great ideas and great taste and you’re good with people, it’s completely possible.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

One is making the thing—in this case, an animated movie. Just the process of making it is enjoyable, working with all these different world-class artists. But also, when the project is finished, because it takes so long, once it’s finally done, it’s a really satisfying moment.

What advice do you have for future directors?

Follow your heart. Tell the stories that are true to you. Be original, and be thoughtful, and be determined.