The Creative Methods I learned at the Best Animation Studio | We Bare Bears Daniel Chong

TL;DR

Daniel Chong’s core creative method is to combine repeated iteration with candid feedback, humility, and openness to change. At Pixar, directors joined Brain Trust sessions to critique developing movies, while Chong’s own process began with sketchbooks and helped turn three doodled bears into We Bare Bears. His experiences show how character dynamics, personal ideas, and creative community strengthen a project. Read on for practical lessons from his animation career.

Transcript

The thing, especially at Pixar, is they reiterate over and over and over again, you're going to need other people's input to understand if something makes sense and resonates. You really have to come at it in a way that you're like open to knowing that you don't have all the answers. You might have to change things or rethink things. There are alwa... Read More

Key Insights

• Collaboration is crucial in animation; input from others helps ensure that creative works resonate and make sense to a broader audience.
• The Brain Trust at Pixar is instrumental in refining movies, as it involves directors providing critical feedback to enhance the storytelling process.
• Humility and openness to change are vital for success in creative fields, as they allow for iteration and improvement of ideas.
• Daniel Chong's journey from doodling bears to creating 'We Bare Bears' highlights the importance of developing and pitching unique character dynamics.
• Choosing the right team members is essential for project success, as aligning with the project's vision and culture enhances collaboration.
• Handling constraints and limitations is a valuable skill in storytelling, allowing creators to adapt and expand ideas effectively.
• The success of 'We Bare Bears' in international markets, such as China, underscores the global appeal and cultural impact of animation.
• Animation allows for more imaginative storytelling, enabling creators to explore surreal and unconventional narratives.

Questions & Answers

Q: What creative methods did Daniel Chong learn at Pixar?

Chong learned to iterate repeatedly and seek other people’s input to test whether an idea makes sense and resonates. He says creators must accept that they do not have all the answers and may need to change or rethink their work.

Q: What is the Brain Trust at Pixar?

The Brain Trust is a group of directors brought together to give feedback on a developing movie. Chong describes it as a creative community that investigates, critiques, and helps guide the filmmaking process.

Q: Why does Daniel Chong consider humility essential to creative work?

Humility helps an artist accept that an idea probably will not be right on the first attempt. Chong says reducing ego makes it easier to receive feedback, revise the work, lead teams, collaborate with others, and handle the business side.

Q: How did Daniel Chong begin his animation career?

Chong worked as a story artist, turning scripts into drawings so filmmakers could see stories visually. His first movie was Bolt at Disney Feature Animation, and he later worked on Minions movies, a Cars movie, and Inside Out.

Q: What made Daniel Chong’s portfolio stand out?

Alongside his storyboards, Chong included small comic-strip books that he had written, copied, and clipped together. The person who interviewed and hired him said those books made him seem different and fresh.

Q: How did We Bare Bears originate?

Chong doodled three bears while drawing with his girlfriend’s niece and was encouraged when the drawings made her laugh. He turned the idea into online comic strips and later developed it into We Bare Bears when he decided to create his own show.

Q: What helped Daniel Chong sell We Bare Bears?

His pitch clearly presented the characters, their activities, and the dynamics of their relationship. The bears’ stack created a visible top-middle-bottom hierarchy, which helped Chong imagine them as brothers and demonstrate that the concept could support many stories.

Q: What is Daniel Chong’s personal creative process?

Chong draws ideas out by taking a sketchbook to a coffee shop and filling it with drawings. He also revisits things he loved as a child to understand why they appealed to him and how those influences helped shape who he became.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Daniel Chong emphasizes the importance of collaboration and feedback in animation, sharing his experiences at Pixar and other studios. He highlights humility and openness to change as key traits for creative success.

• Chong discusses the creation and development of 'We Bare Bears,' detailing how unique character dynamics were pivotal in pitching and selling the show. He underscores the significance of choosing the right team members.

• The global success of 'We Bare Bears,' particularly in China, showcases the cultural impact and appeal of animation. Chong reflects on the imaginative potential of animation and his aspirations for future projects.