Ash Brannon is an American writer, director, visual artist, animator, and producer. He was a story artist and directing animator on Toy Story and co-director of Toy Story 2. He also directed and co-wrote the Sony Pictures Animation film Surf's Up. He also served as co-executive producer, story co-creator and writer on the Netflix animated series Arcane.
Career Brannon studied visual arts at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville, Florida and went on to attend CalArts in its Character Animation program. He was accepted as a summer trainee at Walt Disney Animation Studios where he worked as an animation inbetweener on Disney's 1989 film The Little Mermaid. From 1990 to 1992, Brannon worked at Warner Bros. Animation as a story artist and animator for such projects as Nike's Hare Jordan Super Bowl ad in 1992.
In 1993 Brannon joined Pixar Animation Studios as a story artist on the studio's first two animated feature films Toy Story and A Bug's Life, as well as animation director on the former, before moving on to direct and help develop the storyline for Toy Story 2. Initially planned as a direct-to-video feature, the film was expanded in scope to become a theatrical feature. Brannon won an Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production and Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production. He was nominated for an Oscar in 2007 on Surf's Up.
Brannon joined Riot Games in 2016 to help craft the storyline for its animated series Arcane. Additionally he served as a co-executive producer and writer on Season One. Brannon, along with the show's creative team, won an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program.
Most recently Brannon co-created the NFT animated series Stoner Cats. The six-episode series centers on an elderly woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and her five sentient housecats who must take care of her as she declines. The series was produced with partners Mila Kunis and Lisa Sterbakov of Orchard Farm Productions, and features a voice cast including Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Jane Fonda, Seth MacFarlane, and Chris Rock.
Filmography Films Year Film Director Writer Animator Story Artist Other Voice Role Notes 1989 The Little Mermaid Animation Trainee 1990 The Rescuers Down Under Special Thanks 1995 Toy Story 1998A Bug's Life 1999Toy Story 2 New Character Designs 2006Over the Hedge Open Season Special Thanks 2007Surf's Up Filmmaker #1 2016Rock Dog Ian 2022Hotel Transylvania: Transformania 2024 10 Lives
Television Year Film Director Writer Storyboard artist Notes 1993 2 Stupid Dogs Episode: "Red" 2021–23 Stoner Cats 7 episodes 2021 Arcane 9 episodes; Netflix series
Video games Year Title Notes 1995 Toy Story: The Video Game Pixar: Animator 1996 Toy Story: Animated Storybook Disco Godfather (as "Ashley Brannon") 1999 Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue Special Thanks Toy Story 2 Activity Center
Accolades Award Date of ceremony Category Film Result Ref(s) Academy Awards February 24, 2008 Best Animated Feature Surf's Up Annie Awards November 11, 2000 Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production Toy Story 2 Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production Toy Story 2 February 8, 2008 Best Animated Feature Surf's Up Outstanding Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production Surf's Up Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production Surf's Up Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards January 24, 2000 Best Animated Film Toy Story 2 Golden Rooster Awards September 16, 2017 Best Animated Feature Rock Dog Hugo Awards September 1–5, 2022 Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form Arcane My Nick Awards September 4, 2008 Movie of the Year Surf's Up Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards September 3–4, 2022 Outstanding Animated Program Arcane Saturn Awards June 24, 2008 Best Animated Feature Surf's Up Shanghai International Film Festival June 16, 2016 Best Animated Feature Film Rock Dog
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