Part of the 2025 Manchester Animation Festival

Ever wonder how a would-be superhero artist, Muppeteer, and rock musician ends up as an Animation Supervisor at one of the biggest studios in the world? In this entertaining and candid talk, Ken Fountain takes you on his unpredictable journey through art, music, theatre and tech, all of which led to the ONE thing he loves most: animation.

From his early days drawing Marvel characters and performing in Renaissance fairs to working at DreamWorks, Blue Sky, Google Spotlight Stories, Baobab, and now DNEG, his career proves that creativity rarely follows a straight line. Expect behind-the-scenes stories from Oscar-nominated projects, heartfelt moments from beloved films like Nimona and Entergalactic, and a few good laughs along the way.

This is not just a talk about animation. It’s a celebration of curiosity, reinvention, and embracing every detour that makes your creative path uniquely yours. Whether you’re an artist, a dreamer, or someone still figuring out what is “one thing” you want to do, you’ll walk away inspired (and maybe relieved) to know that winding roads can lead to wonderful places.

Guest for this event: Ken Gountain

This event is supported by: