Meet Gregory Verreault | Animator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gregory Verreault and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gregory, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’ve always had a passion for storytelling. Movies and comics have always held a special place in my heart, but it wasn’t until I discovered the animated series: “Avatar: The Last Airbender” that I fully took notice of the power of Animation. The compelling world building, the depth of character development, and the beautiful designs within this series opened my eyes to the immense potential of Animation as a storytelling medium. It possesses a unique ability to convey epic tales while captivating audiences with its unparalleled artistic beauty. Since then, I have been pursuing a career in Animation in hopes of telling stories that would resonate with audiences all over the world.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It’s been about a decade since I’ve started working in Animation. I began as a 2D animator on many Disney television series such as the “Mickey Mouse Shorts” and “Wander Over Yonder”, and from thereon I eventually gravitated towards Feature Animation. It has been a real privilege to be able to hone my skills at studios such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Blue Sky Studios, ILM, and Blizzard Entertainment.

From collaborating with exceptionally talented artists on Blizzard’s renowned cinematics to contributing to award-winning films such as “Encanto” and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”, I’m incredibly grateful that my career has been full of rewarding opportunities. However, one moment stands out amongst the rest.

As a huge “Star Wars” fan, particularly the animated content, I attended the 2022 Star Wars Celebration. At the event, I had the opportunity to connect with members of the Lucasfilm Animation team, which ultimately led me to an interview with the Animation Director. From having episodes of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” playing in the background at every studio I’ve worked in, the opportunity to join Lucasfilm Animation felt like an absolute dream come true.

To be given the chance to contribute to the Star Wars legacy, under the awe-inspiring leadership of Lucasfilm veterans, I don’t think my passion for Animation could be any more fulfilled.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The Lucasfilm Headquarters in San Francisco is my favorite place to show my friends that are visiting the city. The Yoda fountain is so iconic! It’s just such a wonderful building full of Star Wars treasures. You can truly feel the love for filmmaking when you walk through the halls. It’s also right in the Presidio which is an absolutely beautiful park, with a direct view on the Golden Gate Bridge! Other favorite spots around town include the Palace of Fine Arts, the Japanese Tea Garden, Muir Woods, Dolores Park and Fisherman’s Wharf. There’s just so many fun outdoor places to visit with good restaurants everywhere!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve had the chance to grow as an artist thanks to so many wonderful and talented co-workers that I’ve been lucky to meet throughout my career. But most importantly, I would simply love to give a huge shoutout to my mother. She has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams and to always stay positive. This industry can be tricky to navigate for many reasons, but my mother never stopped believing in me. Thank you mom!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greg.verreault/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-verreault-551a0463/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Greg_Verreault