Marlon West

Marlon West is an effects animator who is Head of Effects Animation and Visual Effects Supervisor for Walt Disney Animation Studios. He has twice been nominated for Annie Awards, winning for his effects animation work on Moana in 2017.

Early life West became interested in film and animation as a child. He often made short films with an 8mm camera, casting neighborhood kids in his films. He was also interested in making stop-motion films in the style of Jason and the Argonauts. West graduated from University City High School in University City, Missouri in 1981. He then attended Columbia College Chicago where he got a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Filmmaking and a Bachelors of Arts degree in Creative Writing in 1985.

Career

Early career After West graduated from Columbia College Chicago, he began working at Hyperion Studios' now-defunct animation division. He worked on the company's final two feature films: Rover Dangerfield and Bebe's Kids. West is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and is on the Board of Governors, specifically the Animation branch.

Art In 2020 in the wake of the George Floyd murder, West was inspired to create a series of what he called "Ink Tributes" to civil rights heroes and victims of police brutality. He started out by posting his drawings on his social media pages and he has since created over 40 of these tributes. Some of his first tributes were to Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Vice President Kamala Harris. Year Contribution Zootopia 2 2025 Visual Effects Supervisor Iwaju 2024 Visual Effects Supervisor Encanto 2021 Head of Effects Animation Frozen II 2019 Head of Effects Animation Moana 2016 Head of Effects Animation The Story of Frozen: Making a Disney Animated Classic 2014 Self Credited Big Hero 6 2014 Departmental Leadership Frozen 2013 Effects Supervisor, Head Of Effects Animation Winnie the Pooh 2011 Visual Effects Supervisor The Princess and the Frog 2009 Effects Animation Supervisor Meet the Robinsons 2007 Digital Effects Artist Curious George 2006 Visual Effects Animator Chicken Little 2005 Effects Animator Home on the Range 2004 Visual Effects Supervisor Atlantis: The Lost Empire 2001 Visual Effects Supervisor The Emperor's New Groove 2000 Additional Visual Effects Animator Fantasia 2000 1999 Assistant Effects Supervisor (segments: Rhapsody in Blue) Tarzan 1999 Visual Effects Animator Mulan 1998 Additional Visual Effects Animator Hercules 1997 Visual Effects Animator The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1996 Visual Effects Animator Pocahontas 1995 Effects Animator The Lion King 1994 Effects Animator FernGully: The Last Rainforest 1992 Additional Effects Animator Bebe's Kids 1992 Additional Character Designer, Special Effects Animator Rover Dangerfield 1991 Special Effects Animator

TV series Stunt Double or Nothing (Nov 27, 1996) Season 1, Episode 38 - Special Effects

Hansel and Gretel/The Woodcutter's Wealthy Sister/Pedro and the Monster (1993) - Ink And Paint (segments: Pedro and the Monster)

Short films