Dreams Come True Behind the Scenes of Disney's Tangled

In Spring 2005, Miyuki Kanno, a Japanese student who had come to study at Cal State Fullerton because of the reputation of the animation program, sat in a video conference facing Disney legend, Glen Keane. Kanno was a big fan of Keane. She had grown up watching cartoons he animated. In 1989, Keane had designed and animated Ariel in The Little Mermaid, and in the following years, he worked on Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, and Tarzan. That Spring day, during the interactive broadcast, the Disney animator praised Kanno's student pencil test and encouraged her to pursue her dreams. About two years ago, Kanno became a Disney feature animator herself. Since, she has worked on The Princess and the Frog, and recently, on Tangled. In one of those great twists of fate, Kanno got to work under the supervision of her childhood inspiration, Glen Keane. In addition to Kanno, other Cal State Fullerton grads lent their talents in the production of Tangled, Disney's funny, lively, and touching retelling of Rapunzel. Animator Wayne Unten learned 3D at Fullerton when the 3D animation courses had just begun, and his work at Disney includes Meet the Robinson, Bolt (as supervising animator) and Tangled. Finally, LaTasha Tobias, who studied in both the Visual Arts and Theater departments served as lighting artist on Tangled. Congrats to our great artists! And if you haven't seen Tangled, hurry and do it!