My name is Derek Lee Thompson and since a young age, like so many artists, I knew that's what I wanted to do.  I drew and built things constantly.  I thought I wanted to be an children's book illustrator or a Comic artist so I went to the Art Institute of Boston. while there my friends said they were going to see the new Disney movie, The Lil Mermaid. I resisted seeing the "Princess movie" but once the film started i was captivated and became obsessed with the process.  Funny thing is that I didn't really know this was a job and yet I had bought a copy of the Illusion of Life a few years back. 

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    I poured through everything I could find and saw all the movies from then on. I got an internship at the only animation studio in Boston, Olive Jar.  I loved it there but soon realized how much I didn't know.  In one book the artists spoke about a school dedicated to animation....So I applied and got into CalArts. I went for one year and was hired by Warner Bros.  They brought me in as a trainee and taught me everything. life drawing, acting, improv, sculpting and film study. I was promoted to apprentice on Space jam and full journeyman on Quest for Camelot.

  While at WB, I had the pleasure of taking Richard William's animation Master class. This was through the training department at Feature. I will never regret having done that. Amazing.

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    I left to work on the young Moses team as an animator for Prince of Egypt and came back to WB for Iron Giant. I was given the sequence where Hogarth explains about death with the hunters and the deer.  Still one of the high lights of my career.

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  I continued working on other feature and TV projects and have been drawing for the past 30 years non stop and I still LOVE bringing life and feeling to every project.

I have had the opportunity to be a writer and board artist on Phineas and Ferb.  I was later made the assistant director.  I have developed shows for Disney and retake directing on the animation when it came back.  I was a timer for a while which was easy with my animation background.

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  About 10 years ago I transitioned into Boarding and have loved it ever since. My posing is informed by my animation training but I learned the art of shot continuity and camera angles. I love the input we have as story tellers.

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  I have been a supervising director on a development project, a timing director, and a retake director. I believe, at this point I have done most jobs in the creative pipeline.

 I was hired to Direct on Usagi Yojimbo Samurai Rabbit Chronicles after storyboarding a large fight sequence early in the production.

  Just as fulfilling as working on Iron Giant was the opportunity to co direct a short for the Boys Diabolical with My wife Crystal Chesney Thompson. We designed, Boarded ( Practically animated many of the sequences ourselves) It really is the one project that is Most Ours. We loved every minute of it. 

I am finishing up on a nice long run of almost 6 years at Disney TV animation on Phineas and Ferb. It has been an absolute joy to be back on that show.

  I was nominated for two Emmys for Phineas and Ferb and an Annie for Rocketeer.  I am being submitted for an Emmy for another project that has yet to be announced.  For me the awards are nice but it's the story telling and bringing characters to life that really drives me.  I feel like I learn something new on every new project and that just makes me stronger for the next. I have no problem with new tech or different pipe lines. I am finishing up on a nice long run of almost 6 years at Disney TV animation on Phineas and Ferb. I have worked on both 2D and 3D shows.  I look forward to what ever comes up next.