The Business
'Zootopia' directors on finding their story, late in the game
Production was well under way on Disney's Zootopia when directors Rich Moore and Byron Howard concluded the film needed a major do-over. Breaking the news to animators was not easy. But the move paid off, and Zootopia is now Oscar-nominated for best animated feature.
By Kim Masters • • 28m ListenZootopia directors and Oscar nominees Byron Howard and Rich Moore are part of the self-described “old guard” of animation. They both started in the field more than 25 years ago, back when everything was still drawn by hand. Howard and Moore tell us about the transition to computer animation, and the real-world events that made them want to address topics like subtle bias in a kids movie, even if that meant making major changes after years of development.
Photo: (L-R) Byron Howard and Rich Moore
