Sharjah24: Animation artists and illustrators heard the fascinating origin story of one of the world's most sought-after character designers Sandro Cleuzo as part of a talk with him on the final day of the 2nd annual Sharjah Animation Conference (SAC) on Sunday.

During the hour-long freewheeling conversation titled From South of the Border to Disney and Beyond with well-known animation producer and entrepreneur Mounia Aram, the Brazilian drove home the spirit of ‘not giving up’ while narrating his story of travelling all the way to Ireland for his first ‘big gig’ from the back alleys of his hometown of Sao Paulo against all odds.

“I made the trip to work for a studio there using my own [little] savings and when I spoke very little English. They didn’t know I was coming and so when I knocked on their doors, they asked me to go back to my country and send my portfolio. Everytime I asked, they told me to come back the next day. This went on and on but I never gave up until the director saw my work and I was hired on the spot,” said the animation expert. 

“You have to be persistent. Don’t give up. Don’t just accept the first thing they say. Keep insisting, keep trying,” he added. 

Cleuzo then went on to share some captivating photos, drawings, and stories spanning his entire career using storyboards, inspiring attendees with his remarkable journey and achievements in animation. “I was a kid from Sao Paulo in Brazil where there were no studios back then. Nobody knew about animation there. My parents didn’t know about this profession. So how come a kid from a poor part of the city of Sao Paulo go on to work for Disney and all the big studios. If I look back today, I see how amazing, how big this journey was. And I want to use this story of mine to tell you all that if you work hard, you can get there too. It’s all about persistence and hard work for me,” said Cleuzo whose journey in the animation industry began in 1985 at the age of 15, when he started working in a small animation studio producing TV commercials.

After gaining valuable experience in commercial work, Cleuzo moved to Ireland to work with renowned director Don Bluth, known for directing films such as "An American Tail," "The Secret of Nimh," and "Anastasia." Sandro spent six years at Bluth's studio and worked on several features, including "Anastasia."

Cleuzo also briefly touched on the ‘changing times’ in the world of animation thanks to technology. “Things have changed quite a bit because today we do everything digitally. When I started, everything was analog. It was before the internet. We shot using film cameras. Today all animation is done digitally, but yes the approach remains the same. The approach to make the character alive, the approach to make it move, to give it a personality, hasn’t changed. Only you don’t use pen and paper anymore,” said Sandro.  

For Sudanese Alaa Magboul, the session was filled with invaluable life lessons. “It was absolutely inspiring to listen to his story in his own words. You don’t come face to face with such legends of the industry every day. My takeaway is to keep going, and I know results will follow,”  said the 39-year-old who formerly worked as a character designer at Cartoon Network Arabia.

“The opportunity to get him to do a quick sketch for me means everything. This will inspire and help me get better in what I do,”  said Syrian fashion designer Jana Shhadeh.

Over the years, Cleuzo also worked with Dreamworks, Duncan Studios, and as a freelancer for major studios. His remarkable talent and contribution to the animation industry were recognised when he won an Annie Award for his animation on Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns in 2018.

Today, Cleuzo continues to work as an animator and character designer for major studios, including Netflix Animation, Sony, Paramount, and DNEG.