2026 Animation Celebration

The Animation Celebration is a playful symposium in its 3rd year.  Guest speakers from industry join faculty of practice and study in a thoughtful conversation on the art, business and science of animation.  Events include lectures, panels, an exhibition of student work and an evening screening (with commentary) on selected animated shorts (the Cartoon Cavalcade).  Food and refreshments provided.

SCHEDULE 

Tuesday, March 24

• 11:00 am - Exhibition of Student Work Opens (ongoing throughout the day)
• 12:30 pm - Opening Remarks and Pizza Lunch 
• 1:00 - 2:00 pm - A Craft Conversation with Mike Jones on Real-World Inspiration and Process
• 2:00 - 5:00 pm - Cartoon Cavalcade - a screening of selected animated shorts with commentary by faculty and friends of RTF
• 5:00 - 6:30 pm - A Conversation on the Animation Industry and Creative Trusts with Mike Jones and Kelly Younger - Mike and Kelly will talk about the current state of the animation industry, breaking into writing for animation, and working in the Pixar Brain Trust, the Disney Animation Story Trust, and Skydance Animation Story Trust.
• 7:00 pm - Screening of Student Choice Animated Feature
   

Wednesday, March 25

• 2:00 - 5:00 pm - Crafting Your Origin Story for Meetings and Pitches, a workshop by Kelly Younger 

About our speakers:

Mike Jones is a writer and director at Pixar Animation Studios. He co-wrote Pixar’s Academy Award©-winning feature film “Soul” (2020), as well as “Luca” (2021) and “Elio” (2025). Jones wrote, directed, and executive produced Pixar’s original series “Dream Productions” (2024), inspired by the world of “Inside Out.” He has also served on the brain trusts of many Pixar films including “Finding Dory,” “Incredibles 2,” and the Academy Award©-winning features “Inside Out,” “Coco,” and “Toy Story 4.” As the series director, Jones oversaw all creative aspects of “Dream Productions” while also directing the series finale. In his capacity as the studio’s senior story and creative artist, Jones also works with other directors to develop their story in its early stages. After early development, Jones continues to work with the production departments as needed by writing sequences, consulting on storyboards, and advising on editorial assemblies. Before joining Pixar, Jones was a working screenwriter for 20 years. He also served on the editorial staffs of Filmmaker Magazine, Indiewire, and Variety. Jones grew up in San Antonio, Texas. He resides in Northern California.
 

Kelly Younger is a screenwriter, TV writer, story consultant, and Emmy-nominated producer. He is currently a writer on The Muppet Show (prod. Seth Rogen) and a Skydance Animation feature based on Jack and the Beanstalk for directors Rich Moore (Zootopia) and Jim Reardon (Wall-E). Recent work includes Candy Cane Lane, starring Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross, Muppets Haunted Mansion, Muppets Now, and Kermit’s commencement address (or, Kermencement) to the University of Maryland. He served three years as member of the Disney Animation Story Trust and participant in the Pixar Brain Trust. He is also a professor at Loyola Marymount University where he teaches writing workshops and seminars in storytelling, and he has a PhD in Fairy Tales. Yeah, that’s a real thing.

SPACE IS LIMITED! 

PLEASE RSVP to secure your spot in any/all sessions.