John Lasseter is an American animator and film director who works for the officer of Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and DisneyToon Studios. John is 59 years old and is currently still working and animating for Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Pixar Animation Studios. The reason I chose this man to do my research paper, was most likely due to the fact that whenever I think of Pixar (which is my favorite animation studio.) I think of John Lasseter almost immediately. He is very known for his participation in very highly rated animated movies such as Toy Story and others like A Bugs Life. Lasseter was born in Hollywood, California and his mother was an art teacher. So you can see where his artistic side came from. While he was growing up his mother only influenced his passion for art and pushed him to do what he would like to do. As a teenager Lasseter seemed to have debated on what to do while growing up. He did have an enormous passion for drawing, he even drew in church, he still debated on what to go into when it came to college. Lasseter went to watch an animated movie, The Sword in the Stone, and because of that Disney film Lasseter finalized his decision to become an animator. He later began his university studies at Pepperdine University, but later continued his studies in California Institute of the Arts. He went into the (at the time) new character animation. After he finished his and got his degree he immediately received a job at Disney for his works during his studies. Mostly for Lady and the Lamp. There he began his career as animator and gained the credit he so deserves.