Meet Lorna Cook

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorna Cook.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Lorna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Originally I had wanted to become a commercial artist and attended Art Center College of Design in my twenties. That changed after having an epiphany while watching the Disney classic The Lady and The Tramp, (seriously) and I set a new course for a career as an animator.

Since that time, I have had a wonderful, long career working for major studios on world-class animated films: as animator on Walt Disney Pictures Beauty and the Beast, as well as The Lion King, additionally as a key storyboard artist on The Lion King and Mulan, I was at DreamWorks Animation at its inception and became co-head of story on The Prince of Egypt and co-director of Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. My fourteen years there flew by and I was fortunate to be a part of several great films, working with incredibly wonderful, talented people. After my time there, I continued working in a development and story capacity at several prominent studios.

Over the course of my career I have seen the animation industry change considerably and I’ve gravitated more towards developing animation projects with an eye to direct or co-direct again. My good friend and writer Tina Angermeier and I, have had one of our projects optioned at a well-known animation studio in the U.K. We’re staying optimistic yet realistic – you have to keep moving forward.

Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t think any career worth pursuing has ever had a perfectly smooth road. There are the personal struggles one goes through (fear of failure, esteem, self-doubt,etc.). Then there are the dynamics/struggles that come with creating artistic, commercial movies within a framework of a large studio. That was my experience for several decades in my career, which requires tremendous skill in several areas beyond talent. It’s a master course in communication, patience, appreciation and collaboration. It can be truly challenging with so many people working on one film.

Another personal challenge a few years ago was becoming a digital artist (as opposed to using paper and pencil) to do any storyboarding on a project. Every artist works differently and once I was able work with a program that I felt was intuitive, the benefits were tremendous, even though I miss putting pencil to paper.

Also, the nature of the movie business is mutable, to say the least. I have been replaced as a director, or a studio has folded unexpectedly. It happens…and it never feels good. However, the greatest gift you can give yourself is kindness, a restorative break, and the absolute inner truth that your world is not over. In fact, it can bring about an even better situation in the long run – trust me.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
As a freelance artist, I’m really the ‘CEO’ of myself. I’ve been putting all the knowledge from my studio animation career into personal projects I feel strongly about. It requires that I set my schedule, determine my hours and make time to meet with my writing partner; I also make time for studio meetings.

In general, I see this as a time of personal reinvention, which is an exciting, challenging and rewarding new path for me. I also understand that my personal friendships are an incredibly important part of my life. I value my friends and the time I can spend with them.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles and I love living here. I’m very grateful to live in a city that embraces diversity and the arts. It is also home to one of the greatest architectural masterpieces – The Griffith Park Observatory. The park itself is an incredible gift to the city. I love meeting up with my friends at any number of great restaurants or cafes, getting to ride my horse in nearby Burbank or being able get to the beach easily.

I live in Laurel Canyon and it’s a special place – not only because of its musical history but it’s a green belt area that is close to both Hollywood and the Valley. The sound of coyotes howling at night, being surrounded by mother nature…I feel very grateful making my way home after a day of fighting traffic.

Speaking of which, it does seem to be getting worse all the time. Aside from the traffic, we are in the throes of a growing homelessness crisis in Los Angeles that must be addressed with action and compassion by our local and state government.

I’ve remained here primarily for my career, family and friends and although I’ve traveled extensively and lived abroad for work…Los Angeles will always be ‘Home’.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]

Image Credit:
Jean Louis Husson; Arturo Castillo; Loretta Weeks; Kimmerly Curyl

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