Rob Minkoff is an American film director, animator, and producer. He is best known for co-directing the 1994 Disney animated feature film The Lion King, which is one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time. Minkoff has also directed other successful films, such as the Stuart Little franchise and Mr. Peabody & Sherman.
Early career
Minkoff began his career as an intern at Walt Disney Productions in 1982. He was apprenticed by Eric Larson, a senior animator who was one of the “Nine Old Men”. The following year, Minkoff was employed as an in-between artist for The Black Cauldron (1985). He was then a supervising animator for The Great Mouse Detective (1986) for the character Olivia, before working as a character designer for The Brave Little Toaster (1987). He also wrote the song “Good Company” for Oliver & Company (1988), and subsequently served as a character animator for The Little Mermaid (1989).
Co-directing The Lion King
In 1991, Minkoff was asked to co-direct The Lion King with Roger Allers. The film was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $968 million worldwide. It won two Academy Awards for Best Original Song (“Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”) and was nominated for Best Original Score and Best Sound. The Lion King is considered to be one of the greatest animated films ever made.
Directing other films
After the success of The Lion King, Minkoff directed a number of other films, including the Stuart Little franchise (1999, 2002, and 2005), The Haunted Mansion (2003), The Emperor’s New Groove (2000), Home on the Range (2004), and Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014).
Other sources of income
In addition to his directing career, Minkoff has also worked as a producer and writer. He has also given public speaking engagements and taught animation classes. Minkoff has also endorsed products and services, such as the Wacom graphics tablet.
Conclusion
Rob Minkoff has made his money through a successful career as a film director, animator, and producer. He is best known for co-directing the 1994 Disney animated feature film The Lion King, which is one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time. Minkoff has also directed other successful films, such as the Stuart Little franchise and Mr. Peabody & Sherman.