Fawn Veerasunthorn

Prasansook "Fawn" Veerasunthorn[1][2] (Thai: ประสานสุข วีระสุนทร (ฝน)) is a Thai film director, animator and storyboard artist. She worked on the Disney Animation films Frozen (2013), Moana and Zootopia (both 2016) as a storyboard artist, as head of story on Raya and the Last Dragon (2021), and is set to make her directorial debut with the 2023 film Wish.

Fawn Veerasunthorn
Born
Prasansook Veerasunthorn

Chonburi Province, Thailand
Occupations
  • Film director
  • animator
  • storyboard artist
Years active2006–present
EmployerWalt Disney Animation Studios (2011–present)
Children1

Early life and education

Veerasunthorn was born in Chonburi Province, Thailand. As a child, she was inspired by the film Dumbo, especially by a scene designed by Mary Blair.[1] She later attended Triam Udom Suksa School in Bangkok.[3] While studying medicine at Mahidol University, she assembled a portfolio to send to Paitoon Ratanasiritrawoot, another Triam Udom Suksa graduate and animator then working at Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida, who advised her to drop out of Mahidol and move to the United States to study fine arts at the Columbus College of Art and Design on a student visa.[4][5]

Career

After graduating in 2004,[6] Veerasunthorn worked at studios such as 6 Point Harness, Warner Bros. Animation, Nickelodeon Animation Studios and Illumination, the latter where she worked as a story artist on the films The Lorax (2012) and Despicable Me 2 (2013). In 2011, Veerasunthorn began working on the story department at Walt Disney Animation Studios, starting with the film Frozen (2013), which would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2013.[1] She subsequently worked as a story artist for other Disney films, including Moana (2016), Zootopia (2016), and Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018). Veerasunthorn was later promoted to head of Disney's animation department[1] and served as head of story on Raya and the Last Dragon in 2021.

On September 9, 2022, during the 2022 D23 Expo Presentation, Disney Animation announced their next film as Wish, with Chris Buck and Veerasunthorn attached as directors.[7] Veerasunthorn was recognized by the Government of Thailand as the first Thai artist to direct a Disney animated film.[8]

Personal life

Veerasunthorn currently lives in Burbank, California with her husband, daughter and two cats.[5]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Notes
2010 Banana Short film, story artist
Home Makeover
Orientation Day
2011 Hop Storyboard artist
2012 The Lorax Additional story artist
Hydee and the Hytops Direct-to-video film, storyboard artist
2013 Despicable Me 2 Story artist
Frozen Storyboard artist
2016 Moana Story artist, visual development artist
Zootopia Story artist
2018 Ralph Breaks the Internet
2021 Raya and the Last Dragon Head of story
2023 Wish Director, story writer

Television
Year Title Notes
2007 El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera Key animator, 6 episodes
2007–2008 Kappa Mikey Animator, 25 episodes
2010 Los Tres Trabajadores: Boss man Television film, animator
Pink Panther and Pals Storyboard artist, 16 episodes
2011–2012 The Looney Tunes Show Storyboard artist
2012 Robot and Monster Storyboard artist, one episode

References
  1. Holt, Nathalia (2019). The Queens of Animation: The Untold Story of the Women Who Transformed the World of Disney and Made Cinematic History. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316439169.
  2. Zahed, Ramin (March 20, 2020). "Animag's 2020 Rising Stars of Animation". Animation Magazine. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  3. Ruiz, Todd (May 14, 2014). "From Chonburi to the red carpet, Academy Award winner chased her dream". Coconuts. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  4. Norapoompipat, Apipar (March 25, 2017). "Big draw in Hollywood". Bangkok Post. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  5. ACMI. "Storyboarding at Disney Animation with Fawn Veerasunthorn". Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  6. "Notable alumni: Fawn Veerasunthorn (Animation, 2004)". ccad.edu. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  7. Valentine, Rebekah; Kim, Matt (September 10, 2022). "Disney's 2023 Animated Film Is Called Wish". IGN. Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  8. "Fawn Veerasunthorn praised for being Disney's 1st Thai animation film director". Pattaya Mail. September 19, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
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