Uploaded February 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Hola Rise Up Fam! Join us as we host creatives from Encanto's Cultural Trust - La Familia. Yvette Marino (Producer), Jorge Ruiz & Rebecca Perez Stodolny (Animation), and Juan Pablo Reyes (Creative Executive of Development) will share their experiences and the significance of cultural representation in Disney's latest hit film.
Optional: Informational links mentioned in the panel following this format:
REBECCA PEREZ STODOLNY first joined Walt Disney Animation Studios to work on “Meet the Robinsons” and “Bolt.” After that she worked at multiple studios, including Pixar Animation Studios, before returning to Disney Animation in 2020 as an animator on “Raya and the Last Dragon. In addition to her animation work on “Encanto,” Perez was also part of Familia, a group of Disney Animation employees who served as a cultural resource on the film.
JUAN PABLO REYES LANCASTER JONES has been working in creative development at Walt Disney Animation Studios since 2018, and currently serves as a senior creative development executive working on a variety of feature films, shorts and animated content for streaming, television and other media. For “Encanto,” he helped to shepherd the film from its earliest stages of development, working with the filmmakers to find and develop the story, providing cultural support and writing the Art of Encanto book. Reyes has also been an active volunteer over the years in such organizations as LatinX in Animation/Latino Film Institute, a leader for Disney’s LatinX Affinity Group, and founder of the Amazon Studios LGBTQ+ Affinity Group.
JORGE E. RUIZ CANO began his career with Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2012 as an animation apprentice and assistant on Frozen. His credits include Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Raya and the Last Dragon. As an animator, Ruiz pulled on his personal experience as he animated shots involving dancing and cooking, especially the arepas, which he cooks weekly at home. Ruiz was also part of Familia, a group of Disney Animation employees who served as a cultural resource on the film. He states, “My dad is Colombiano, my grandfathers were Colombianos; I feel this film in many dimensions.”
YVETT MERINO first came to Walt Disney Animation Studios more than 25 years ago, and has worked in numerous capacities such as production manager on Big Hero 6 and Moana. Launching her Disney Animation career in the Technology department, she moved into the world of Production as a supervisor on Tangled. She went on to work with the Stereo team on The Lion King 3D, and with various departments on Wreck-It Ralph. Merino was also a part of the team that started Voices@Disney, the Studio’s first Latinx employee resource group, where she served as co-president for two years.
La Familia Speakers:
Rebecca Perez Stodolny | Animator, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones | Creative Exec of Development, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Jorge E. Ruiz Cano | Animator, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Yvett, Merino | Producer, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro
00:05:06 What was 'La Familia' and why was it created?
00:14:12 Development of Encanto and staying culturally authentic
00:17:20 How would you encourage up-and-coming writers & artists looking to get into the animation industry to tell their own stories from their own cultures?
00:20:18 What was the most rewarding scene you got to animate?
00:29:25 What aspects of your life and upbringing did you bring to your work as an animator?
00:36:10 D&I in feature film storytelling
00:41:38 Q&A: How have you seen animation change since 'Meet The Robinsons' & 'Bolt'?
00:44:54 Q&A: How did you pick what to add from references of dancers into your animation on Encanto?
00:47:51 Q&A: Were there any characters in the movie you had a hard time developing?
00:53:13 Q&A: How did you get through creative blocks in the film?
00:56:52 Q&A: What excites you about the future of cultural diversity in animation?
01:01:16 Q&A: Political unrest in Encanto and the future of this in animation
01:06:07 Q&A: How did your families respond to the film?
01:14:27 Q&A: What went into making 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' so popular?
01:19:35 Cultural authenticity in storytelling
01:28:26 Outro
Rise Up Animation Founders:
Bobby Pontillas
Frank Abney
Trent Correy
Monica Lago-Kaytis
Are you ready to Rise Up together? Join the movement by checking out our upcoming panels and visiting our social media!
Website: riseupanimation.org
Instagram: instagram.com/riseupanimation
Facebook: facebook.com/Rise-Up-Animation-111394517713539
Twitter: mobile.twitter.com/riseupanimation
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/rise-up-animation
Inspire. Educate. Create. #RiseUpAnimation #encanto #disney
Hola Rise Up Fam! Join us as we host creatives from Encanto's Cultural Trust - La Familia. Yvette Marino (Producer), Jorge Ruiz & Rebecca Perez Stodolny (Animation), and Juan Pablo Reyes (Creative Executive of Development) will share their experiences and the significance of cultural representation in Disney's latest hit film.
Optional: Informational links mentioned in the panel following this format:
REBECCA PEREZ STODOLNY first joined Walt Disney Animation Studios to work on “Meet the Robinsons” and “Bolt.” After that she worked at multiple studios, including Pixar Animation Studios, before returning to Disney Animation in 2020 as an animator on “Raya and the Last Dragon. In addition to her animation work on “Encanto,” Perez was also part of Familia, a group of Disney Animation employees who served as a cultural resource on the film.
JUAN PABLO REYES LANCASTER JONES has been working in creative development at Walt Disney Animation Studios since 2018, and currently serves as a senior creative development executive working on a variety of feature films, shorts and animated content for streaming, television and other media. For “Encanto,” he helped to shepherd the film from its earliest stages of development, working with the filmmakers to find and develop the story, providing cultural support and writing the Art of Encanto book. Reyes has also been an active volunteer over the years in such organizations as LatinX in Animation/Latino Film Institute, a leader for Disney’s LatinX Affinity Group, and founder of the Amazon Studios LGBTQ+ Affinity Group.
JORGE E. RUIZ CANO began his career with Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2012 as an animation apprentice and assistant on Frozen. His credits include Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Raya and the Last Dragon. As an animator, Ruiz pulled on his personal experience as he animated shots involving dancing and cooking, especially the arepas, which he cooks weekly at home. Ruiz was also part of Familia, a group of Disney Animation employees who served as a cultural resource on the film. He states, “My dad is Colombiano, my grandfathers were Colombianos; I feel this film in many dimensions.”
YVETT MERINO first came to Walt Disney Animation Studios more than 25 years ago, and has worked in numerous capacities such as production manager on Big Hero 6 and Moana. Launching her Disney Animation career in the Technology department, she moved into the world of Production as a supervisor on Tangled. She went on to work with the Stereo team on The Lion King 3D, and with various departments on Wreck-It Ralph. Merino was also a part of the team that started Voices@Disney, the Studio’s first Latinx employee resource group, where she served as co-president for two years.
La Familia Speakers:
Rebecca Perez Stodolny | Animator, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones | Creative Exec of Development, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Jorge E. Ruiz Cano | Animator, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Yvett, Merino | Producer, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro
00:05:06 What was 'La Familia' and why was it created?
00:14:12 Development of Encanto and staying culturally authentic
00:17:20 How would you encourage up-and-coming writers & artists looking to get into the animation industry to tell their own stories from their own cultures?
00:20:18 What was the most rewarding scene you got to animate?
00:29:25 What aspects of your life and upbringing did you bring to your work as an animator?
00:36:10 D&I in feature film storytelling
00:41:38 Q&A: How have you seen animation change since 'Meet The Robinsons' & 'Bolt'?
00:44:54 Q&A: How did you pick what to add from references of dancers into your animation on Encanto?
00:47:51 Q&A: Were there any characters in the movie you had a hard time developing?
00:53:13 Q&A: How did you get through creative blocks in the film?
00:56:52 Q&A: What excites you about the future of cultural diversity in animation?
01:01:16 Q&A: Political unrest in Encanto and the future of this in animation
01:06:07 Q&A: How did your families respond to the film?
01:14:27 Q&A: What went into making 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' so popular?
01:19:35 Cultural authenticity in storytelling
01:28:26 Outro
Rise Up Animation Founders:
Bobby Pontillas
Frank Abney
Trent Correy
Monica Lago-Kaytis
Are you ready to Rise Up together? Join the movement by checking out our upcoming panels and visiting our social media!
Website: riseupanimation.org
Instagram: instagram.com/riseupanimation
Facebook: facebook.com/Rise-Up-Animation-111394517713539
Twitter: mobile.twitter.com/riseupanimation
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/rise-up-animation
Inspire. Educate. Create. #RiseUpAnimation #encanto #disney
