A native of Nashville, TN, Barry Cook began making films when he was just ten years old. Inspired and encouraged by artistic parents, his mother a quilt-maker, his father a painter; he began making his own films using the family’s super 8 camera. At age 12, he won top prizes in the local PBS-sponsored Young Filmmakers Festival with his horror genre send-ups, “The Vampire” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”.

In 1977, at the age of 18, Cook moved to California to pursue a career in motion pictures. He studied at Columbia College in Hollywood and spent his spare time helping fellow students edit their films. An internship at Hanna Barbera gave him his first job in the industry as an assistant animator.

In 1981, Barry joined Disney as an effects animator on the film, “Tron.” He went on to animate or supervise effects for such other Disney projects as “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Aladdin.” He made his feature film directing debut on the animated Disney film “Mulan” achieving a major goal in his lifelong desire to make movies. The feature received a total of nine Annie Awards including an award for Cook for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing. Among his other credits, he has directed two previous Disney shorts - the computer animated “Off His Rockers,” and “Trail Mix-UP,” a short cartoon starring Roger Rabbit. In January of 2008, Cook joined LAIKA entertainment in Portland, Oregon where he is currently developing the CG animated feature “Jack & Ben”.

Reception 6:00 p.m.
Lecture 6:30 p.m.
Watkins Theatre