Program 2015
Canadian-born Dean DeBlois is equally at home in the worlds of live-action and animation filmmaking. Having most recently written, directed, and executive produced the Golden Globe®-winning How to Train Your Dragon 2, Dean is currently writing and directing the third installment of the Academy Award®-nominated How to Train Your Dragon trilogy. Prior to collaborating on the original How to Train Your Dragon with Chris Sanders, the pair had written and directed Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Lilo & Stitch and served as co-heads of story Mulan. In 2007, Dean stepped behind the live-action camera to direct the indie critical darling Heima, which documents alternative/post-rock band Sigur Rós’ series of free, unannounced concerts performed in their home country of Iceland. He followed up the concert documentary with Go Quiet, a feature length music film for Sigur Rós front-man, Jónsi.
In addition, Dean has set up several live-action projects on which he is serving as writer, director, and producer. They include The Banshee and Finn Magee at The Walt Disney Studios, Sightings at Universal Studios, and The Lighthouse at Buena Vista.
Dean started his career at Hinton Animation Studios and worked as animator on the television series The Raccoons. He next joined Don Bluth’s Sullivan Bluth Studios in Ireland and worked as a layout artist on the animated features Thumbelina and A Troll in Central Park.