David G. Derrick Jr.
Birthplace: Farmington, Utah
David G. Derrick Jr. is a veteran storyboard artist at both DreamWorks Animation (from 2005 to 2013) and Walt Disney Animation Studios (starting in 2015 to the present), and then became a lead director for Disney. Derrick served as a storyboard artist for DreamWorks on Flushed Away (2006), Bee Movie (2007), How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Megamind (2010), and Rise of the Guardians (2012).
Derrick shifted to rival Disney Animation and continued as a storyboard artist on Moana (2016), The Lion King (2019), Raya and the Last Dragon (2021), Encanto (2021), and Strange World (2022). His two decades of work paid off when Disney Animation elevated him to director on the sequel, Moana 2 (2024), and he shared directing chores on the movie with Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller.
Personal Details
David G. Derrick Jr. was born and raised by his parents in Farmington, Utah. Derrick’s family heritage includes relatives from Samoa. Derrick attended the University of Utah with a major in Fine Art, and then studied animation at the California Institute of the Arts. Derrick lives with his family in Valencia, California.
Some Facts About David G. Derrick Jr.
Critter Fan: David G. Derrick Jr. has described himself as a birdwatcher an “overall animal guy.”
Faith: Derrick is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Author, Author: David G. Derrick Jr. is the author/illustrator of the books, Play With Your Food, African Diaries: Sketches & Observations, Animals Don’t So I Won’t, Sid the Squid and the Search For the Perfect Job, and also did the illustrated story, “Kadogo: The Next Big Thing” for the children’s book anthology, Scrambled Ink.
Artist: Derrick not only works as an artist in animation but also creates sculpture of wildlife in bronze.
