Ep 99: Life of a Former Disney #LionKing #Mulan #BeautyAndtheBeast Animator | Davy Liu (Former Disney Animator & Founder, Kendu Films)

Davy Liu is a Chinese Forrest Gump.


He’s also a former Disney animator who’s worked on Beauty
and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, Mulan, Atlantis and Star
Wars, and is the founder of Kendu Films.


Fun Fact: General Shang in Mulan was drawn based off Davy!
There's an uncanny likeness between both fo them.


Now. Given Davy’s illustrious career, you would’ve thought that
he’s had a smooth career trajectory but that’s hardly the case.


He struggled while growing up in Taiwan, where everyone was
expected to score straight As but he just couldn’t. 


Instead, he had the gift of drawing straight lines. And being an
artist was not on the cards.


When he later moved to the US, he was placed in an all-black
school (everyone thought he was Bruce Lee!). 


While there, Poppy Kincaid, his 8th grade art teacher,
transformed his life. Telling him that “he could do it”.


He ended up going to art school (then dropping out when he
realised fine arts wasn’t for him), and had to apply 4 times to
get into Disney!!


Davy intended only to be in Disney for 3 months but that turned
into 5 years, and in this STIMY episode, Davy shares what it was
like working on some of the most iconic Disney animation films to
date, as well as what it takes to craft a great story.


We also talked about his faith, why he quit his cushy 6-figure
Disney job, the terrible period straight after quitting where he
lost everything (his marriage, finances etc.) and how he built
himself back up.


Davy’s story is one of passion and having the gumption and
determination to go after what you want.


And also the stark difference between Asia and the West.





Highlights:


2:34 Being “dead” in his mother’s womb for 10 days

5:03 Being dumber than Forrest Gump

6:37 Moving to an all-black school in Florida

8:22 How Poppy Kincaid, his 8th grade art teacher, changed
his life

13:17 Dropping out of fine arts

16:02 Seeing himself as an artist

17:21 Nearly drowning

21:58 Applying to Disney

23:22 Working at Disney

26:07 Disney animation films take 4 years to complete -
here’s why

29:53 Pushing boundaries v generating revenue

32:59 What makes a good story?

34:11 No one wanted to work on The Lion King!

35:27 Disney doesn’t teach you to draw cartoon characters; it
teaches you to make the best commercials

39:31 Working on Mulan

41:05 The backstory to Mushu the Dragon

42:20 How to make Asians more creative?

46:15 Entering a dark period after quitting Disney

49:16 Feeling that God had abandoned him

50:49 Vision behind Kendu Films

51:25 Power of telling stories from an animal’s perspective

55:28 What’s next?






P/S: There’s a special episode focused on Questions from STIMY
Audience Segment where Davy answers questions submitted by you!
The episode will be released this Wednesday.





Show notes: www.sothisismywhy.com/99  


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