ROY CONLI

My first project was 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'. I co-produced that.

When I was a kid, I loved history because history to me was a big story.

When you're telling a story, the best stories, every character has an arc. Every one. And that arc is usually about finding yourself, or about at least finding something about yourself that you didn't know.

I love hand-drawn animation, but I have to say I have fallen in love with CG animation. What you can do in terms of visuals is pretty stunning, and I think if I did go back and do a hand-drawn animation, I would want to make sure that, from a stylistic standpoint, it would be as beautiful as 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' at least!

I think that one of the things you have to do to become a storyteller is spend a lot of time reading stories.

I have worked with several art directors and production designers who are just magnificent. Dave Getz, Paul Felix, Ian Gooding... just amazing artists, and I would say, if I had anything to do with it, I just pick good artists!

That's what's great about animation: It's collegial, and it's all about collaboration. Any good animated film is good for animation.

Our biggest challenge is always story. The story is the ultimate thing you try to tackle.

I remember telling the 'Tangled' crew about grimace moments: how when you watch a movie that you worked on and you think, 'Ah, I wish we could have done that scene better,' or, 'I wish that we'd had the time or the money to fix that particular story problem.'

You have to fall in love with the production, and then there's a certain mind-set that you develop where it does stay fresh in your mind.

What I love about 'Big Hero 6', with Baymax himself - this sentient creature who's actually a learning robot - with each experience, this naive and gullible creature becomes more aware of issues.

I love hand-drawn animation, but I have to say I have fallen in love with CG animation. What you can do in terms of visuals is pretty stunning, and I think if I did go back and do a hand-drawn animation, I would want to make sure that, from a stylistic standpoint, it would be as beautiful as 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' at least!

I remember telling the 'Tangled' crew about grimace moments: how when you watch a movie that you worked on and you think, 'Ah, I wish we could have done that scene better,' or, 'I wish that we'd had the time or the money to fix that particular story problem.'

I have worked with several art directors and production designers who are just magnificent. Dave Getz, Paul Felix, Ian Gooding... just amazing artists, and I would say, if I had anything to do with it, I just pick good artists!

When you're telling a story, the best stories, every character has an arc. Every one. And that arc is usually about finding yourself, or about at least finding something about yourself that you didn't know.

Our biggest challenge is always story. The story is the ultimate thing you try to tackle.

I think sequels are fine if there's a story, so I think when there is a property that is worthy of a sequel, it could very well happen!

My first project was 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'. I co-produced that.

You have to fall in love with the production, and then there's a certain mind-set that you develop where it does stay fresh in your mind.

The mind is the greatest weapon in the world.

I think that one of the things you have to do to become a storyteller is spend a lot of time reading stories.

Every generation has a different ways of telling a story. We had a great run in the early '90s, into the mid-'90s, and we became a little more executive-driven as we got into the 2000s.

When I was a kid, I loved history because history to me was a big story.

We are Disney, in a sense. When you've been there for 20 years, there's a certain heart and soul to one of those films, and you inhabit that to a certain degree. So if it feels true to you, then your audience will hopefully go for it.

I honestly thought that 'Tangled' was going to be my Disney legacy.

I so love the animation process. Interesting, everything that I do in animation, the kind of crafting and skills of storytelling, totally work within the structure of the Disney nature films. In a weird way, I like to think that animation is like painting, and Disney nature is like sculpting. Animation you start with a blank canvas and you paint. With Disney nature, you start with a big block of imagery and you hone it down into your final story. Somewhere you end up with something kind of pretty to watch.

I come from theater, originally, and I've worked in many theaters where you make no money, whatsoever. If you got 3,000 people to see your production, it was great. So, I'm always about the work and I always want to strive for making the best story possible. I don't get hung up on trying to compare myself.

That's what's great about animation: It's collegial, and it's all about collaboration. Any good animated film is good for animation.