Benjamin Gluck
Benjamin Gluck | |
---|---|
Born | Benjamin Gluck Missouri, U.S. |
Alma mater | California Institute of the Arts |
Occupation(s) | Animator, film director, screenwriter. |
Years active | 1996–present |
Known for | Peanuts 9 Disney Animation Studios Alpha and Omega |
Ben Gluck is an American animator, screenwriter, and film director. Gluck was a director and head of story at Disney Animation studios[1]
Beginnings[edit]
Benjamin Gluck was born in Missouri. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Character Animation from the esteemed California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) and was awarded a full-tuition merit scholarship from Walt Disney Feature Animation studios. His student short film Man's Best Friend was awarded the Walter Lantz First Prize Award.[2] That film premiered worldwide in heavy rotation on MTV's network,[3] and received many top awards in the United States and International film circuits and toured worldwide and theatrically in Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Animation Festival.
Career[edit]
Gluck started his professional career at DreamWorks Animation as the studio's very first story trainee, on The Prince of Egypt.
After graduating with a BFA in character animation, he was recruited by Walt Disney Feature Animation where he worked for over a decade as a story artist on the Disney films Dinosaur, The Emperor's New Groove, and Home on the Range. He was the first head of story at Disney-Television on the film Bambi 2, and he directed Brother Bear 2, Disney's second sequel to have a higher rating on Rotten Tomatoes than its predecessor.[4]
After Disney, Gluck was recruited by Academy Award nominated director Shane Acker, for head of story, on the Tim Burton produced adult animated, 9 for Focus Features. In this role, Gluck shaped the characters and supervised the story animatic. Gluck was a segment storyboard artist on the critically acclaimed animated feature film adaptation of Kahlil Gibran's, The Prophet. Gluck was also hired by George Lucas as a creative consultant on the film Strange Magic.
Gluck co-directed, along with Anthony Bell the small budget film Alpha and Omega, which was followed by eight sequels creating the franchise of the same name, and Lionsgate studios' highest-grossing original CGI franchise to date.
Gluck was the head of story on two Peanuts specials: Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne, the first new Peanuts holiday special since 2011, and the 47th overall, and on the 49th original Peanuts streaming holiday special Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love. Both specials are in collaboration with Apple TV +, and the family of Charles Schultz.
Awards and recognition[edit]
- Walter Lantz Honorary Student Academy Award:[3] best short animated film "Man's Best Friend."
- Annie Award for Best Home Entertainment Production: Bambi 2 at the 34th Annie Awards.
- Annie Award for Best Screenplay: Brother Bear 2 at the 35th Annie Awards.
Filmography[edit]
Year | Title | Credits | Awards |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love | head of story | Humanitas Award nomination
Emmy Award nomination |
2021 | Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne | head of story | |
2015 | Strange Magic (film) | creative consultant | |
2015 | Madea's Tough Love | creative consultant | |
2014 | Kahlil Gibran's, The Prophet | storyboard artist | Winner: The Visionary Award |
2013 | Battle of the Planets | development | |
2010 | Yogi Bear | storyboard artist | |
2010 | Alpha and Omega | co-director | |
2009 | 9 | head of story | VES Award Nominee: Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture |
2006 | Brother Bear 2 | director | Winner: Annie Award: Best Screenplay |
2006 | Bambi II | head of story | Winner: Annie Award for Best Home Entertainment Production |
2004 | Home on the Range | storyboard artist | |
2003 | Piglet's Big Movie | storyboard artist | |
2001 | The Emperor's New Groove | storyboard artist | |
2000 | Dinosaur | storyboard artist | |
2000 | Clerks (TV) Season 1/Episode 2: Wherein Dante and Randle are Locked in the Freezer | storyboard artist | |
2000 | Rugrats (TV) Season 8/Episode 3: Don't Poop On My Parade | storyboard artist | Winner: Daytime Emmy Award |
1998 | The Prince of Egypt | story trainee | |
1996 | MTV's Cartoon Sushi forth episode: Man's Best Friend |
creator/animator | Winner: Walter and Gracie Lantz “Woody Award” |
Television[edit]
- Man's Best Friend (TV) (1996)
- Rugrats (TV) (2000)
- Clerks (TV) (2001)
- Madea's Tough Love (2015)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
5.Apple TV+ New Peanuts Holiday Specials