Article by Emmett Goodman. ASIFA-East’s last event of the year turned out to be a pretty optimistic one. We enjoyed ourselves in the company of Mario Menjivar, a former Disney animator of more than 15 years before returning home to New York City. From what was gathered, Mario appears to have lived an enviable dream of many New York animation students: to snag a position in the esteemed Walt Disney Animation Studios, despite not having gone to CalArts, and getting to work on Disney’s animated feature films. The evening began with Dave Levy introducing Mario, and then presenting a reel consisting of Mario’s feature animation work. This reel includes pencil tests from Tarzan (1999), Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), Treasure Planet (2002), and Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003). Some impressive stuff, this reel can be viewed on Mario’s website, along with countless drawings, both personal and commercial.
