As we’ve often heard, some modern films may feel difficult to enjoy! Yet today we celebrate famed animated tales of yore, including the artists behind classic characters like Cogsworth, Iago, Pumbaa, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Kronk … and now, coming this fall, the greatest Hero of all. Famed animators and twin brothers Tony and Tom Bancroft bring their magic to our studio in advance of their next feature film in cinemas, the traditionally animated Light of the World.
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Backstory: Tony Bancroft
Tony Bancroft is a 2D animator with a passion for animating, directing, storytelling, creating, and teaching the next generation.
With over 30 years in the animation industry, Tony Bancroft has been creatively involved in almost every position making an animated film, video, commercial, or short film. His animation and directing skills have been sharpened and honed while working at Walt Disney Feature Animation, Sony Pictures, his own animation company, Toonacious Family Entertainment, and currently, as an independent contractor working with Disney, Warner Brothers, and many more.

IG: @‌pumbaaguy
TonyBancroft.com
Disney.Fandom.com Wiki: Tony Bancroft

Backstory: Tom Bancroft
Tom Bancroft has over 30 years of experience in the animation industry, much of which was for Walt Disney Feature animation where he was an animator on 4 animated shorts and 8 feature films of which “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” “Aladdin”, “Pocahontas”, “Mulan”, and “Brother Bear” were part of the list. He has been nominated for Annie and Rueben division awards, spoken at the Kennedy Center and awarded an entry into the Chicago Children’s Film Festival.
Bancroft left Disney in 2000 to follow his heart and help Big Idea Productions, creators of the popular “VeggieTales” animated series, create their first feature film, “Jonah: A Veggietales Movie”.  While there he also Directed/ co-created the popular 2D animated video series “Larryboy Adventures”.

IG: @‌tombancroft1
TomBancroftStudio.com
Disney.Fandom.com Wiki: Tom Bancroft

Light of the World and beyond

LightoftheWorld.com
on Spotify: The Bancroft Brothers Animation Podcast

1. Once upon a time, in a faraway decade …

How to become a professional character animator in 10,000 easy steps
From enchanted castles to ancient China, New Grooves, Veggie pirates
Favorite or most challenging classic characters to draw, watch, or imitate
From big studios to startup projects, mainstream and Christian shows

2. Honoring the Creator in animated craft

God as our divine Artist, breathing into His creatures the breath of life
The Cultural Mandate (Gen. 1:28) as applied to animation and filmmaking
Origins of Light of the World (September 2025) and its unique approach
Challenges of bringing Jesus Christ to life in classic traditional animation!

3. What’s the future of fantastical animation?

Hopes for Light of the World and other Christian-made animated films
Anticipations for the Realm Makers Expo and other fantastic crossovers
Rumors about Disney returning to (groundbreaking?) trad animation
Parting words for fans who might like to consider animation themselves

Com station
Top question for listeners

What are your favorite traditionally animated classics or newer shows?

Next on Fantastical Truth
This month at the Realm Makers Expo, we met many skilled Christian creators who are making amazing stories in books, games, and the visual arts. Yet some people believe all this stuff is outdated and will be replaced by so-called “AI art.” Are they right? Will computer-generated fictional content outpace art made by humans? And is such a belief even biblically defensible?

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