Mark Gustafson, co-director of Oscar-winning animation Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, died on Thursday aged 64. The news was reported in the Oregonian, and Del Toro posted a tribute on social media, saying Gustafson was “a pillar of stop-motion animation [and a] compassionate, sensitive and mordantly witty man”.
Gustafson joined Del Toro on Pinocchio after a long career in stop-motion, having animated The California Raisins in the 1980s at the start of his career, and rising to be animation director on the Wes Anderson Roald Dahl adaptation Fantastic Mr Fox in 2009. He also acted as head of animation on A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas in 2011.
Gustafson was originally intended to co-direct Pinocchio with illustrator Gris Grimly, with Del Toro producing, but eventually Del Toro decided to get more closely involved, saying: “Little by little, I realised that I should direct.” The resulting film, with Gustafson’s experience ballasting Del Toro’s visionary flights of fancy, was a triumph, winning the best animated film Oscar in 2023, as well as a host of other major awards.
In his tribute Del Toro wrote: “I admired Mark Gustafson, even before I met him. A pillar of stop-motion animation – a true artist. A compassionate, sensitive and mordantly witty man. A Legend – and a friend that inspired and gave hope to all around him. He passed away yesterday. Today we honour and miss him.”
“He leaves behind a Titanic legacy of animation that goes back to the very origins of Claymation and that shaped the career and craft of countless animators. He leaves friends and colleagues and a historic filmography. Prayers and thoughts go to his beloved wife, Jennifer. They say, “Never meet your heroes …” I disagree. You cannot be disappointed by someone being human … I am as glad to have met Mark, the human as I was honoured to have met the artist. As I said, I admired him before I met him. I loved having had the chance to share time and space with him during the highs and the lows. Always and for ever.”
Gustafson is survived by his wife, Jennifer.
