Legendary Disney Animator Mark Henn Retired Because ‘The Work Wasn’t Fulfilling’
When legendary Disney animator Mark Henn retired from the Walt Disney Company last December, it marked the true end of an era.
Henn had worked at Walt Disney Animation for 43 years, helping to supervise the animation of five Disney Princesses (Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Mulan, and Tiana).
Henn started his career at Disney in 1980, working on films like The Great Mouse Detective and The Rescuers Down Under before turning his talents to The Little Mermaid.
During his storied career, Henn would help lead Disney animation through some of its biggest triumphs, affectionately named “Disney’s lady’s man” for his work designing princesses.
The Advent of CGI Animation
While Henn tried to make the jump to CGI animation for Meet the Robinsons, he eventually decided to stick with 2D work. This essentially put him on the sidelines as Disney exclusively put out CGI animated films.
“Well, it’s a CG world, and that’s a fact. That changed years ago. ‘Home on the Range’ was supposed to be the last [2d film]. Thankfully, we got to do ‘Princess and the Frog’ and ‘Winnie the Pooh’ after we had another management change,” Henn recalled.
“Since then, I think it’s just too difficult for the studio to justify essentially creating a second studio within this current studio in order to do 2D, which is what you had when we had ‘Princess and the Frog’ and ‘Winnie the Pooh.’ We essentially had literally two smaller studios under one roof, and I just think that that became too much of a financial risk. Right now, we’re barely able to house everybody that we have on staff. So, I mean, there’s all kinds of logistical things from where you’re going to put people to taking that risk.”
Why Henn Retired
While Henn adapted with time, eventually becoming a mentor to other animators and working on whatever 2D projects he could find, the work was just not fulfilling. If it had been, Henn may not have retired.
“If the work had been more meaningful, I think I would have stayed… It wasn’t what I signed up for. Some of it was interesting. Some of the stuff we were doing for the parks was kind of fun, but the other projects — I know the people that are running that [legacy] department are doing everything they can to keep 2D alive as long as they possibly can… it just wasn’t as fulfilling.”
Blacklisted?
Reflecting back on his career, Henn said he believed he was blacklisted after he directed 2000’s John Henry. In fact, he says he pitched two ideas that Disney would eventually make without him.
“I had pitched an idea about a true story based on a carrier pigeon in World War II… there was some interest, and then they finally passed on it. Several months later, the studio announced they’re doing ‘Valiant,’ and I had a development person come racing down to my office to try to explain why these things happen. And then, in the early 2000s, I pitched the idea of having airplanes, and they got some interest, and then it was passed on saying it was too close to ‘Cars.'”
Henn’s Disney Career Isn’t Over Yet
While Henn’s career may not have ended how he wanted, his work at Disney is not done yet.
“The plan is I will be going back, as I left a project that I had started unfinished. I had started a little short film. I had a conversation with [Walt Disney Animation Studios president] Clark [Spencer], and he assured me to not put the pressure on myself to try to get it done by the end of the year.”
Hopefully, Henn’s project will come to life, and the Disney legend will be able to go out on his own terms.
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