Frank E. Abney III is a writer, director, and animator that has worked at all three of the major animation studios — Disney, DreamWorks and Pixar — animating blockbuster hits and award-winning films including Frozen, Big Hero 6, Kung Fu Panda 3, The Boss Baby, Coco, Incredibles 2, and Toy Story 4. He was part of the cultural trust on Pixar’s latest film, Soul. Most recently, Abney served as Executive Producer on the 2020 Academy Award-winning short Hair Love with Issa Rae for Sony Pictures Animation.
Abney’s original short film Canvas, which he wrote and directed, debuted on Netflix in December 2020, and won the first NAACP Award for Outstanding Animated Short. He is currently developing an original animated feature with QC Entertainment (Get Out, BlacKkKlansman). Beyond his tremendous artistic talent, Abney is also a genuine leader in the animation industry as co-founder of non-profit organization Rise Up Animation, which connects emerging BIPOC animators with established industry talent, fostering mentorships to empower emerging creators.