Angus MacLane

{{Infobox person

| name = Angus MacLane

| image = Angus-maclane Buscando a Dory premiere.jpg

| caption = MacLane in 2016

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|4|13}}

| birth_place = Riverside County, California, U.S.

| alma_mater = Rhode Island School of Design

| occupation = {{hlist|Animator|screenwriter|director|voice actor}}

| years_active = 1997–present

| employer = Pixar Animation Studios (1997–2023)

| other names =

}}

Angus MacLane (born April 13, 1975) is an American animator, filmmaker and voice actor, best known for his work at Pixar Animation Studios.{{cite news|last1=Wolcott|first1=Gary|title=Q&A with Pixar star MacLane|url=http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2008/12/02/403630/qa-with-pixar-star-maclane.html|accessdate=July 14, 2008|agency=ATOMICTOWN.COM|publisher=Tri-City Herald|date=December 2, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129025623/http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2008/12/02/403630/qa-with-pixar-star-maclane.html|archive-date=November 29, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite news |author=Shamsian |first=Jacob |date=October 28, 2016 |title=One of the directors of 'Finding Dory' kept 'Finding Nemo' constantly running on his phone while making the movie |publisher=Insider |url=https://www.insider.com/andrew-stanton-watching-finding-nemo-directing-dory-pixar-2016-10 |accessdate=February 25, 2020}}{{cite web |author=Moore |first=Sara |date=August 26, 2015 |title=Interview with Angus MacLane of WALL•E |url=https://ideas.lego.com/blogs/a4ae09b6-0d4c-4307-9da8-3ee9f3d368d6/post/5ffb53ba-048e-4f8d-9afe-e1d65a707328 |accessdate=December 11, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.cinemablend.com/dvdnews/Interview-BURN-E-Director-Angus-MacLane-13382.html|title=Interview: BURN-E Director Angus MacLane|last=Telsch|first=Rafe|date=November 12, 2008|website=CinemaBlend|publisher=|access-date=April 8, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/2011/12/pixar_writer_director_angus_ma.html|title=Pixar writer, director Angus MacLane puts inspiration from Portland roots into short 'Small Fry'|last=White|first=Ryan|date=December 11, 2011|website=The Oregonian|publisher=|access-date=April 8, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://collider.com/toy-story-of-terror-carl-weathers-interview/|title=Carl Weathers Talks TOY STORY OF TERROR!, Playing "Combat Carl," Joining the TOY STORY Franchise, and More|last=Radish|first=Christina|date=October 14, 2013|website=Collider|publisher=|access-date=April 8, 2016}} He co-directed the film Finding Dory (2016){{cite news |author=Han |first=Angie |date=June 11, 2014 |title=Pixar Updates: 'Finding Dory' Gets Co-Director, More 'Inside Out' Details Revealed |publisher=/Film |url=http://www.slashfilm.com/pixar-finding-dory-co-director-inside-out-details |accessdate=July 10, 2014}}{{cite news |author=Feldberg |first=Isaac |date=June 11, 2014 |title=Angus MacLane Co-Directing Finding Dory With Andrew Stanton |publisher=We Got This Covered |url=http://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/angus-maclane-codirecting-finding-dory-andrew-stanton |accessdate=July 10, 2014}} and made his solo feature directorial debut with the Toy Story spin-off film Lightyear (2022).{{cite news|title=Pixar Announces 'Lightyear' – An Origin Story of the Human Buzz Lightyear – Coming Summer 2022|url=https://www.pixarpost.com/2020/12/pixar-lightyear-film.html|accessdate=December 11, 2020|newspaper=Pixar Post|date=December 10, 2020|author=Julie & T.J.}} MacLane is also a Lego enthusiast and created the CubeDudes building format and designed a LEGO WALL-E that has become an official set from The Lego Group.{{Cite web|url=https://ideas.lego.com/blogs/1-blog/post/38|title=Introducing LEGO Ideas #011 WALL•E|last=Courtney|first=Tim|date=August 14, 2015|website=LEGO Ideas Blog|publisher=|access-date=April 8, 2016|archive-date=April 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404050950/https://ideas.lego.com/blogs/1-blog/post/38|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |last1= |date=September 26, 2009 |title=LEGO Interview: Angus MacLane and the CubeDudes |url=http://www.bricksabillion.com/interviews/interview-with-angus-maclane-about-cubedudes/ |accessdate=July 14, 2014 |website=bricksabillion.com}}

Early life and education

Angus MacLane was born on April 13, 1975, in Riverside County, California, but grew up in Portland, Oregon. He originally wanted to be a comic book artist but halfway through school switched to animation and hoped one day he could work at the Will Vinton Studios (now Laika) and would eventually go on to work for the studio before working for Pixar. In 1997, he received a bachelor of fine arts from Rhode Island School of Design.{{cite news | url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2008/12/the_interview_pixar_animator_a.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031133808/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2008/12/the_interview_pixar_animator_a.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 31, 2013 | title=The Interview: Pixar Animator Angus MacLane | author=Michael Cavna | date=December 11, 2008 | newspaper=The Washington Post | accessdate=July 10, 2014}}

Career

= 1997–2023: Pixar =

MacLane joined Pixar in 1997, starting as an animator on Geri's Game. He worked as an animator on every Pixar feature film from A Bug's Life (1998) through Toy Story 3 (2010). He also worked in the character development on Monsters, Inc. (2001) and The Incredibles (2004). His work on The Incredibles gained him an Annie for Outstanding Achievement in Character Animation. After serving as Supervising Animator on One Man Band, MacLane started working on the story team for Andrew Stanton's WALL-E and later moved up to Directing Animator. After animating a small scene for a side character named BURN-E, MacLane wanted to know what might happen to the character. He originally wanted BURN-E's story arc part of the actual film, but Stanton ended up wanting him to develop it into a short which eventually became BURN-E, which can now be viewed on the DVD and Blu-ray releases of WALL-E. For a short amount of time, he worked on the animation for Up, and the animation on Toy Story 3.

After BURN-E, MacLane started to move further to directing and writing works in the studio with Toy Story Toons: Small Fry and Pixar's first TV special, Toy Story of Terror!, for which he won an Annie for Outstanding Achievement in Directing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production. In addition, MacLane co-directed Pixar's 2016 film Finding Dory and directed the 2022 film Lightyear. Following the box office failure of Lightyear, MacLane was among 75 Pixar employees laid off by The Walt Disney Company as part of an ongoing company-wide restructuring in May 2023.{{cite news |last1=Chmielewski |first1=Dawn |title=Exclusive: Walt Disney's Pixar targets 'Lightyear' execs among 75 job cuts |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/walt-disneys-pixar-animation-eliminates-75-positions-2023-06-03/ |access-date=June 3, 2023 |work=Reuters |date=June 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603173238/https://www.reuters.com/business/walt-disneys-pixar-animation-eliminates-75-positions-2023-06-03/ |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Walt Disney's Pixar Animation eliminates 75 positions |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/walt-disneys-pixar-animation-eliminates-75-positions/articleshow/100732173.cms |publisher=The Economic Times |date=June 3, 2023 |access-date=June 3, 2023}}{{cite news|last=Wolsos|first=T.J.|title=Disney/Pixar Lays Off 75 Employees – Developing|url=https://pixarpost.com/2023/06/pixar-lays-off-75-employees.html|newspaper=Pixar Post|date=August 9, 2024|access-date=February 15, 2025}}

Filmography

=Films=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title !Director !Writer !Animator !Story Artist !Character Developer !Production Artist !Other !Voice Role !Notes
1998 \| A Bug's Life \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes\|Additional}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
1999 \| Toy Story 2 \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes\|Additional}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2000 \| Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins \| {{Partial}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \| Directed Pixar CG opening scene direct-to-video {{cite web\|last1=White\|first1=James\|title=Lightyear Exclusive Interview: Director Angus MacLane On The 'Real' Buzz's New Movie\|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/lightyear-exclusive-interview-director-angus-maclane-on-the-real-buzz-new-movie/\|newspaper=Empire \|access-date=April 29, 2022 \|date=October 27, 2021}}{{cite web \|last1=Hermanns \|first1=Grant \|title=Angus MacLane & Galyn Susman Interview: Lightyear \|url=https://screenrant.com/lightyear-angus-maclane-galyn-susman-interview \|website=Screen Rant\|access-date=April 29, 2022 \|date=April 21, 2022}}
2001 \| Monsters, Inc. \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes\|Additional}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2003 \| Finding Nemo \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2004 \| The Incredibles \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes\|Animation}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2006 \| Cars \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes\|Additional}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2007 \| Ratatouille \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes\|Additional}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2008 \| WALL-E \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes\|Directing}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| BURN-E (uncredited) \|
2009 \| Up \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2010 \| Toy Story 3 \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes\|Animation}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2016 \| Finding Dory \| {{Partial\|Co-Director}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| Sunfish "Charlie Back and Forth" / Additional Voices \| Additional Story Material
2017 \| Coco \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| \| rowspan=9 \| Pixar Senior Creative Team
2018 \| Incredibles 2 \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
2019 \| Toy Story 4 \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
rowspan=2 \| 2020 \| Onward \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
Soul \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
2021 \| Luca \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
rowspan=2 \| 2022 \| Turning Red \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
Lightyear \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| ERIC / DERIC / Zyclops
2023 \| Elemental \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

!Character
Developer

!Other

!Notes

1998

| A Bug's Life

| {{No}}

| {{Yes|Additional}}

| {{No}}

|

1999

| Toy Story 2

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes|Additional}}

| {{No}}

|

2000

| Buzz Lightyear of Star Command:
The Adventure Begins

| {{Partial}}

| {{No}}

|

| Directed Pixar CG opening scene
direct-to-video {{cite web|last1=White|first1=James|title=Lightyear Exclusive Interview: Director Angus MacLane On The 'Real' Buzz's New Movie|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/lightyear-exclusive-interview-director-angus-maclane-on-the-real-buzz-new-movie/|newspaper=Empire |access-date=April 29, 2022 |date=October 27, 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Hermanns |first1=Grant |title=Angus MacLane & Galyn Susman Interview: Lightyear |url=https://screenrant.com/lightyear-angus-maclane-galyn-susman-interview |website=Screen Rant|access-date=April 29, 2022 |date=April 21, 2022}}

2001

| Monsters, Inc.

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes|Additional}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

|

2003

| Finding Nemo

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

|

2004

| The Incredibles

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes|Animation}}

| {{No}}

|

2006

| Cars

| {{No}}

| {{Yes|Additional}}

| {{No}}

|

2007

| Ratatouille

| {{No}}

| {{Yes|Additional}}

| {{No}}

|

2008

| WALL-E

| {{No}}

| {{Yes|Directing}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| BURN-E (uncredited)

|

2009

| Up

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

|

2010

| Toy Story 3

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes|Animation}}

| {{No}}

|

2016

| Finding Dory

| {{Partial|Co-Director}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Sunfish "Charlie Back and Forth" / Additional Voices

| Additional Story Material

2017

| Coco

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

| rowspan=9 | Pixar Senior Creative Team

2018

| Incredibles 2

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

2019

| Toy Story 4

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

rowspan=2 | 2020

| Onward

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

Soul

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

2021

| Luca

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

rowspan=2 | 2022

| Turning Red

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

Lightyear

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| ERIC / DERIC / Zyclops

2023

| Elemental

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

==Shorts==

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title !Director !Writer !Animator !Executive Producer !Other !Voice Role !Notes
1997 \| Geri's Game \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2000 \| For the Birds \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2005 \| One Man Band \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes\|Supervising}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2008 \| BURN-E \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| BURN-E / SUPPLY-R \|
2010 \| Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| Additional Voices \| Episodes 8–9
rowspan=2 \| 2011 \| Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes\|Supervising}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| Captain Zip \|
Toy Story Toons: Small Fry \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| Gary Grappling Hook / T-Bone / Funky Monk / Super Pirate \|
2012 \| Toy Story Toons: Partysaurus Rex \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| Additional Voices \| Special Thanks
2016 \| Marine Life Interviews \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| \|
2017 \| Lou \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| \| rowspan=2 \| Special Thanks
2019 \| Purl \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
2022 \| Cars on the Road: Gettin' Hitched \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| \| Pixar Senior Creative Team

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

!Other

!Notes

1997

| Geri's Game

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

|

2000

| For the Birds

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

|

2005

| One Man Band

| {{No}}

| {{Yes|Supervising}}

| {{No}}

|

2008

| BURN-E

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| BURN-E / SUPPLY-R

|

2010

| Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Additional Voices

| Episodes 8–9

rowspan=2 | 2011

| Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation

| {{No}}

| {{Yes|Supervising}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Captain Zip

|

Toy Story Toons: Small Fry

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Gary Grappling Hook / T-Bone / Funky Monk / Super Pirate

|

2012

| Toy Story Toons: Partysaurus Rex

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Additional Voices

| Special Thanks

2016

| Marine Life Interviews

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

|

2017

| Lou

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

| rowspan=2 | Special Thanks

2019

| Purl

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

2022

| Cars on the Road: Gettin' Hitched

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

| Pixar Senior Creative Team

== Television ==

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title !Director !Writer !Other !Voice Role ! Notes
2000–01 \| Buzz Lightyear of Star Command \| {{Partial}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| \| Directed Pixar CG intro variants
2013 \| Toy Story of Terror! \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| Officer Wilson \| TV special
2025 \| Win or Lose \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| \| Pixar Senior Creative Team (Episode 8: "Home")

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

!Director

!Writer

!Other

!Voice Role

! Notes

2000–01

| Buzz Lightyear of Star Command

| {{Partial}}

| {{No}}

|

| Directed Pixar CG intro variants

2013

| Toy Story of Terror!

| {{Yes}}

| Officer Wilson

| TV special

2025

| Win or Lose

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

| Pixar Senior Creative Team (Episode 8: "Home")

== Other credits ==

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
2005 \| The Making of 'The Incredibles' \| Himself \| DVD Extra
2009 \| Tracy \| Waiter / Actor #9 \|
2021 \| Pixar 2021 Disney+ Day Special{{Cite web\|last=Palmer\|first=Roger\|date=November 10, 2021\|title=Pixar 2021 Disney+ Day Special Details Revealed\|url=https://whatsondisneyplus.com/pixar-2021-disney-day-special-details-revealed/\|access-date=July 2, 2022\|website=What's On Disney Plus\|language=en-US}} \| rowspan="2"\| Himself \| rowspan="2"\| Disney+ Original specials
2022 \| Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to 'Lightyear'{{cite news\|title=Buzz Lightyear Documentary 'Beyond Infinity' Now on Disney+\|url=https://pixarpost.com/2022/06/lightyear-documentary.html\|access-date=July 2, 2022\|newspaper=Pixar Post\|date=June 10, 2022\|author=T.J. Wolsos}}

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

2005

| The Making of 'The Incredibles'

| Himself

| DVD Extra

2009

| Tracy

| Waiter / Actor #9

|

2021

| Pixar 2021 Disney+ Day Special{{Cite web|last=Palmer|first=Roger|date=November 10, 2021|title=Pixar 2021 Disney+ Day Special Details Revealed|url=https://whatsondisneyplus.com/pixar-2021-disney-day-special-details-revealed/|access-date=July 2, 2022|website=What's On Disney Plus|language=en-US}}

| rowspan="2"| Himself

| rowspan="2"| Disney+ Original specials

2022

| Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to 'Lightyear'{{cite news|title=Buzz Lightyear Documentary 'Beyond Infinity' Now on Disney+|url=https://pixarpost.com/2022/06/lightyear-documentary.html|access-date=July 2, 2022|newspaper=Pixar Post|date=June 10, 2022|author=T.J. Wolsos}}

Recognition

2005, Won Annie Award for 'Character Animation' for The Incredibles{{cite web|last1=staff|title=32nd ANNUAL ANNIE NOMINATIONS AND AWARDS RECIPIENTS|url=http://www.annieawards.org/32nd-annie-awards#8|website=annieawards.org|publisher=Annie Awards|accessdate=July 11, 2014}}
2014, Won Annie Award for 'Outstanding Achievement in Directing' for Toy Story of Terror{{cite web|last1=staff|title=41st ANNUAL ANNIE AWARDS WINNERS|url=http://annieawards.org/nominees/#17|website=annieawards.org|publisher=Annie Awards|accessdate=July 11, 2014}}