Tom Bancroft

Tom Bancroft

Director, Animation Direction, Character Design, Author

Supervisor Character Animator / 28 yrs

Nashville, TN, United States

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Animator

The Ark and the Aardvark (2026)

2D Animator

Once Upon A Studio (2023)

Additional Animator

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course (2022)

Storyboard Artist

Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021)

Storyboard Artist

Bunyan and Babe (2017)

Artist

Barbie: Dreamtopia (2017)

Supervising Animator

Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection (2015)

Character Designer / Revisions / Character Design

Superbook (2011)

Storyboard Artist

VeggieTales: Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Noah's Umbrella (2009)

Concept Artist

VeggieTales: Abe and the Amazing Promise (2009)

Storyboard Artist

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie (2008)

Story Artist / Concept Artist

VeggieTales: Tomato Sawyer & Huckleberry Larry's Big River Rescue (2008)

Storyboard Artist

Shark Bait (2007)

Concept Artist

VeggieTales: Moe and the Big Exit (2007)

Animator

Shark Tale (2004)

Additional Animator

Shrek 2 (2004)

Concept Artist

VeggieTales: An Easter Carol (2004)

Additional Animator

Brother Bear (2003)

Storyboard Artist

Duck Dodgers (2003)

Animator

Codename: Kids Next Door (2002)

Character Designer

Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002)

Additional Storyboard Artist

Lions, Shepherds and Queens (Oh My!) (2002)

Additional Animator

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

Animator

Tarzan (1999)

Animator

How to Haunt a House (1999)

Supervising Animator

Mulan (1998)

Beauty and the Beast (1996) (1996)

Animator, Pocahontas

Pocahontas (1995)

Animator, Young Simba

The Lion King (1994)

Character Animator

Trail Mix-Up (1993)

Animator

Aladdin (1992)

Assistant Animator

The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

Assistant Animator

Roller Coaster Rabbit (1990)

While at Disney Feature Animation, for 11 years, Bancroft had the opportunity to contribute his talents to 10 animated feature films, five animated shorts, and numerous special projects and commercials. Among the classic films on which he worked are, “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” “Aladdin,” “Mulan” and “Brother Bear.” He was a character designer and director for Big Idea Productions, makers of “Veggietales”, was co-art director of "ABCMOUSE.com, and is author of “Creating Characters with Personality” and "Character Mentor".
Work History

  • Chief Executive Officer

    Pencilish Animation Studios

    December 2020 - Present
    Franklin, Tennessee, United States

    Pencilish Animation Studios is a virtual studio that will create original IP with the goal of creating a library of properties to create merchandising and licensing opportunities. www.pencilish.com

  • President

    Doug the Pug Productions

    November 2016 - October 2020
    Greater Nashville Area, TN

    We are creating an animated TV series, publishing and other merchandising opportunities around the internet celebrity Doug The Pug.

  • lead character designer

    CBN

    May 2015 - April 2016

  • Artist in Residence

    Lipscomb University

    September 2014 - April 2016

    Helping to create a new animation and interactive media program at Lipscomb University.

  • Independent Character designer/Director / Speaker/ Author

    Self Employed Illustrator and Art Director

    May 2011 - April 2016

    I am currently developing animation properties for multiple studios and clients as well as some of my own. I have been a guest artist speaker for EA Entertainment (video games), Fluik Studios (App Games), and multiple art schools including SCAD and Ringling. Additionally, my two instructional books on character design, "Creating Characters with Personality" (Watson Guptill) and "Character Mentor" (Focal Press) are the top books on the subject of character design and are used as textbooks at art schools all over the world.

  • Co- Art Director

    Age of Learning, Inc. / ABCmouse.com

    March 2009 - May 2011

    Work in our Nashville Funnypages Productions offices as well as the Age of Learning offices in Glendale providing art direction supervision to multiple illustration and Flash staff artists as well as illustrate 15+ children's books for the ABCmouse.com children's educational website.

  • Owner

    Funnypages Productions, LLC

    March 2003 - May 2011

  • Co-Director, co-art director

    Christian Broadcasting Network

    April 2006 - August 2007

    Co-Directing/Art Directing 3D animated pilot episode and series of Superbook. Currently in production in Beijing, China. This work was done through our company, Funnypages Productions.

  • Director

    Big Idea/3-2-1 Penguins(via Funnypages Productions

    2007 - 2007

  • Supervising Director/ Character design

    big idea

    March 2000 - May 2003

  • Supervising Character Animator

    Walt Disney Animation Studios

    February 1989 - March 2000

  • Supervising Animator

    Walt Disney Animation Studios

    1989 - 2000
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Education

  • Lettered, Character Animation

    CalArts

    1987 - 1988

  • CalArts

    1987 - 1988