FAWN VEERASUNTHORN

“Wish”

For her directorial debut at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Veerasunthorn has a daunting task at hand: commemorating the 100-year legacy of Disney through the animated feature “Wish.”

“In the beginning, all the directors and [writer] Jennifer Lee got together and talked about what this film would be, what it would mean to the audience, and what it would mean to us who grew up with Disney classics.”

While perusing screencaps of the studio’s animated films, the team gravitated toward “characters making a wish upon a star.”

“Who was the first [person] who’s ever done that? Maybe there’s a story there,” she says.

Growing up in Thailand, Veerasunthorn initially attended medical school. However, the art classes she would take on the weekends solidified her interest in drawing as a profession.

“I like telling stories, I like drawing — and I was too afraid to be in a big crowd of people, so I thought [live action] film was not my path,” she says. “So, I found animation.”

During her career at Disney spanning over a decade, she has worked as the story or storyboard artist on such films as “Frozen,” “Moana” and “Zootopia.” Most recently, she served as head of story on “Raya and the Last Dragon.”

Up next, Veerasunthorn is taking the reins as a director for “Wish” alongside director and mentor Chris Buck. “Before, I would always ask myself, ‘What does the director want? What [is] their vision?’ and try to deliver on that,” she says. “For this film, I get to make what excites me.” — Michaela Zee