David Silverman

David Silverman, known for his significant contributions to one of America’s favorite television families in "The Simpsons," directed the main titles and several key episodes including the series premiere and the Christmas show during the show's first season. His work helped the series win an Emmy for the best-animated program in its debut season. After starting as an animator on "The Tracey Ullman Show," he later became the Supervising Animation Director for "The Simpsons" from 1990 to 1997 and returned as the Supervising Director, overseeing seven production teams.

During his early career, Silverman won several awards for his animation films, including a major accolade from Eastman Kodak. He pursued animation and filmmaking at U.C.L.A., obtaining his Master of Fine Arts degree in 1983, and worked across various animation and directorial roles, including at a laser graphics/animation house. His career took a significant turn when he and Wes Archer, a fellow animator, began drawing the one-minute "Simpsons" spots for "The Tracey Ullman Show" in 1987, which led to "The Simpsons" securing its own time slot on television.

Aside from his time with "The Simpsons," Silverman also ventured into film, working at DreamWorks as a co-director on "The Road to El Dorado" and later at Pixar, where he was a co-director for "Monsters, Inc." His diverse career and background in cutting-edge animation techniques make his presentations highly valuable for audiences interested in the intersection of creativity and technology in filmmaking. Silverman provides a behind-the-scenes look at the animation process, sharing insights from his extensive experience in both television and film.