Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Yuh Nelson is a Korean American
director, storyboard artist, and comedienne. She is best known for directing Kung Fu Panda 2 (first directing). Yuh is the first woman to solely direct an animated feature from a major Hollywood studio. She won an Annie Award
for Best Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production for directing the opening for Kung Fu Panda
.
in 1972 and immigrated to the United States
with her parents and 2 sisters when she was 4. Yuh spent her childhood in Lakewood, California
, where she enjoyed watching martial arts
movies, playing with cars, and drawing. "I have been drawing since age 3 and making movies in my head for almost as long. In fact, drawing for me was a way to express those films when I had no other means of doing so," said Yuh. As a young girl, she would sit at the kitchen table for hours and watch her mother draw, copying her every stroke. As a kid, she would fancy stories with her sisters and was learning to draw to get down those stories. Yuh traces the lineage of her career to those formative family experiences.
Yuh received a BFA in Illustration from California State University, Long Beach
. Prior to joining DreamWorks
, Nelson worked at HBO Animation, developing various projects and short series. She has worked as director, story artist and character designer for HBO’s animated series “Spawn”.
DreamWorks
' Jeffrey Katzenberg
approached Yuh about directing Kung Fu Panda 2, the 2011 sequel to the 2008 Kung Fu Panda
movie. She hadn't expressed interest in directing the animated movie, but the movie's producers felt that she was the right choice in continuing Master Po's story. The film proved a major critical and international box office success with a worldwide gross of $637.6 million as of Aug 30, 2011, making it the highest-grossing film ever directed by a woman.
Korean American
Korean Americans are Americans of Korean descent, mostly from South Korea, with a small minority from North Korea...
director, storyboard artist, and comedienne. She is best known for directing Kung Fu Panda 2 (first directing). Yuh is the first woman to solely direct an animated feature from a major Hollywood studio. She won an Annie Award
Annie Award
The Annie Awards have been presented by the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood since 1972...
for Best Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production for directing the opening for Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American computer-animated action comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures...
.
Biography and work
Yuh was born and raised in South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
in 1972 and immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with her parents and 2 sisters when she was 4. Yuh spent her childhood in Lakewood, California
Lakewood, California
Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares...
, where she enjoyed watching martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
movies, playing with cars, and drawing. "I have been drawing since age 3 and making movies in my head for almost as long. In fact, drawing for me was a way to express those films when I had no other means of doing so," said Yuh. As a young girl, she would sit at the kitchen table for hours and watch her mother draw, copying her every stroke. As a kid, she would fancy stories with her sisters and was learning to draw to get down those stories. Yuh traces the lineage of her career to those formative family experiences.
Yuh received a BFA in Illustration from California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
. Prior to joining DreamWorks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
, Nelson worked at HBO Animation, developing various projects and short series. She has worked as director, story artist and character designer for HBO’s animated series “Spawn”.
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
' Jeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg is an American film producer and CEO of DreamWorks Animation. He is perhaps most famous for his period as chairman of The Walt Disney Company's film division, and for producing DreamWorks animated films such as Shrek, Antz, The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Chicken...
approached Yuh about directing Kung Fu Panda 2, the 2011 sequel to the 2008 Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American computer-animated action comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures...
movie. She hadn't expressed interest in directing the animated movie, but the movie's producers felt that she was the right choice in continuing Master Po's story. The film proved a major critical and international box office success with a worldwide gross of $637.6 million as of Aug 30, 2011, making it the highest-grossing film ever directed by a woman.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Dark City | Illustrator | |
| 2002 | Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is a 2002 American animated film that was released by DreamWorks. It follows the adventures of a young Kiger mustang stallion living in the 19th century wild west. The film, written by John Fusco and directed by Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook, was nominated for the... |
Storyboard artist | |
| 2003 | Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas is a 2003 American animated swashbuckling fantasy aventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation, using traditional 2D animation with some 3D... |
Storyboard artist | |
| 2005 | Madagascar Madagascar (2005 film) Madagascar is a 2005 computer-animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation, and released in movie theaters on May 27, 2005. The film tells the story of four Central Park Zoo animals who have spent their lives in blissful captivity and are unexpectedly shipped back to Africa, getting shipwrecked... |
Storyboard artist | |
| 2008 | Kung Fu Panda Kung Fu Panda Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American computer-animated action comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures... |
Visual effects artist Storyboard artist Stunt performer Annie Award for Best Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production |
|
| 2011 | Kung Fu Panda 2 | Director |
Television work
- 1997 Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
- 1999 Todd McFarlane's SpawnTodd McFarlane's SpawnTodd McFarlane's Spawn was an animated television series which aired on HBO from 1997 through 1999. It was based on the Spawn comic series from Image Comics, and was nominated for and won an Emmy in 1999 for Outstanding Animation Program...
[Director] - 1998 Spicy City [Other, Visual Effects]
Award
- Annie Award for Best Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production at 36th Annie Awards36th Annie AwardsThe 36th Annual Annie Awards, honoring the best in animation for 2008, were held on January 30, 2009 at Royce Hall in Los Angeles, California. Below is a list of announced nominees...