Aliki Theofilopoulos

Tell us a little about yourself and your career.

I began my career at Disney Feature Animation during the last traditional animation training program. From there I moved into the animation department working on such films as Hercules, Tarzan, and Treasure Planet. Just as 2D feature animation at that time was beginning to fizzle, I was offered a Storyboard Revisionist job at Nickelodeon and saw it as a great opportunity to shift paths as our industry was also shifting. I worked on a show called ChalkZone and created two Frederator shorts there: Yaki and Yumi and Girls on the GO!

I then came back to Disney, this time in the TV division as a Storyboard Artist and Writer on Phineas and Ferb. From there I became a director and then an Co-EP on Descendants: Wicked World, which was my first foray into CG. In 2016 I went to DreamWorks TV as a Supervising Producer on Netflix’s Harvey Girls Forever!, followed by executive producing on Apple TV’s Doug Unplugs and Netflix’s Dew Drop Diaries.

I have since made my return to Disney TV Animation, executive producing on Zombies: The Re-Animated Series, a super fun series based on the live-action Zombies franchise. We just released nine shorts on Disney+ and are looking forward to releasing a longer format series sometime next year.  In addition, I am currently under an overall with Disney which allows me to develop on some other exciting projects that keep me super inspired every day!  

What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?

You could probably tell from reading my little bio that I have seen quite a lot of changes in our industry: The fall of 2D feature animation, the rise of streaming, expanding new studios, diminishing new studios, gaining projects, losing projects … our industry is full of ups and downs. The highs can be so high and the lows can be just heartbreaking. I remember the day at Disney Features, when we were all pulled into a room and told that the studio would no longer be making traditionally animated films anymore, and that most of us would be laid off. I was in my 20s. It felt like a lifelong dream came crashing down around me. But what I learned then, and held onto as I ventured on, is that you can always create a new dream. 

For me at the time, it meant not abandoning what I loved (drawing and storytelling) and figuring out what that could mean for me now that this one doorway was shutting. I took a storyboard class and discovered that what I loved about animation most was the STORYTELLING part of it! I made a new start in TV as a Board Revisionist but through this new path became a storyteller. 

Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?

My mentors from the early days of my career still hold an important place in my mind and in my heart. For me the two most important would be John Ripa and Walt Stanchfield. I mentored with John Ripa on the movie Tarzan. He was so patient and kind and generous with his knowledge. I was so happy to work with him on Treasure Planet and continue absorbing everything he had time time to teach me. Walt Stanchfield is an icon of our industry. I still hear his voice in my head when I’m drawing. He really taught me about “feeling drawing” and storytelling drawings. His famed Gesture Drawing for Animation classes were the highlight of my month at that time … I will forever know how lucky I was to be a part of it. 

What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?

I feel very fortunate to have been a part of this industry for a little while now. I wish to keep doing what I love both in the capacity in which I have done so far (I LOVE developing and executive producing), but I also hope to run my own original series some day. I’m currently developing a project that I have deep deep love and passion for that I hope I get to share with the world. It’s very personal, fantastical, authentic, and FUN!

What does being in the Union mean to you?

To me it means protection and unity. We are better and strengthened by supporting one another while electing trustworthy people to help represent us. I’m grateful to be part of our union and so appreciate all the people that work so hard for the benefit of all its members. 

See more of Aliki’s art at her website.
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