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With a Bachelor of Arts, his animation career took off, leading him to join the esteemed Walt Disney Animation Studios. He Started as an inbetweener in the special effects department on The Black Cauldron and rose quickly to an effects animator on The Great Mouse Detective, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Oliver & Company, Tummy Trouble, The Little Mermaid, Roller Coaster Rabbit, and The Rescuers Down Under. After those films, he was promoted to supervising effects animator on Beauty and the Beast and continued doing effects animation on Aladdin, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Runaway Brain, with additional effects supervision on The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Hercules, after being elevated to visual effects supervisor and Artistic Coordinator on Fantasia/2000.
Each project provided challenges and learning opportunities to explore early animation techniques, pushing the boundaries of art and innovation. Simultaneously, Bossert freelanced during that time as a special effects animator, consultant, and artist, contributing his talents to An American Tail, The Land Before Time, Stay Tuned, Clerks: The Animated Series, Spider-Man, Bambi II, Brother Bear II, and more than one hundred commercials and several public television history shows. After Fantasia/2000, he continued as a visual effects supervisor and artistic coordinator on the Academy Award © nominated shorts Lorenzo, The Little Matchgirl; co-directed One by One; and was the associate producer on the Academy Award © nominated short Destino.
Bossert then transitioned to special projects for various theme park attractions and other partners around The Walt Disney Company. He quickly advanced to producer, creative director, and head of Special Projects at Walt Disney Animation Studios. He led a talented team of artists and technicians on hundreds of projects throughout the company. Bossert was part of the creative teams for numerous iconic theme park attractions including the World of Color at Disney’s California Adventure; the Seven Dwarf Mine Coaster at Walt Disney World and Shanghai Disneyland; Paris Dreams the nighttime spectacular at Paris Disneyland; Animation Magic for the Disney Cruise Ships; Once Upon A Time at Tokyo Disneyland; and many others. A number of these shows and attractions have since received numerous industry accolades.
In 2018, Bossert was awarded, along with several colleagues at Walt Disney Animation Studios, a U.S. Patent for his concept in converting 3D film images for use in an iPad app. Paralax Based Monoscopic Rendering has allowed for the blending between the left and right eye images based on the orientation of the iPad gyroscope to create a 3D effect without the need for 3D glasses. And in 2020, he earned another patent for his pioneering work on Varying Display Content Based on Viewpoint. Continually pushing boundaries, Bossert remains dedicated to exploring transformative and immersive experiences that captivate audiences.
Bossert’s daily life revolves around writing, complemented by family, art making, mischief, and laughter. His wife, Nancy, and daughters, Sydney and Marlee, showcase their talents as they embrace life’s journey. With no shortage of topics to write about or art to create, life continues as a captivating adventure.
During that time, I was also freelancing as a special effects animator, consultant, and artist, contributing my talents to The Land Before Time, Stay Tuned, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Clerks: The Animated Series, Spider-Man, Bambi II, Brother Bear II,
and more than one hundred commercials and several public television history shows. After Fantasia/2000, I continued as a visual effects supervisor and artistic coordinator on the Academy Award © nominated shorts Lorenzo and The Little Matchgirl; co-directed One by One; and was the associate producer on the Academy Award © nominated short Destino.
I then began doing special projects for various theme park attractions and other partners around The Walt Disney Company. Becoming the producer, creative director, and head of special projects at Walt Disney Animation Studios and leading a team of talented artists and technicians on hundreds of projects throughout the company. We were part of the creative teams for numerous iconic theme park attractions including the World_of_Color at Disney’s California Adventure; the Seven Dwarf Mine Coaster at Walt Disney World and Shanghai Disneyland; Paris Dreams the nighttime spectacular at Paris Disneyland; Animation Magic for the Disney Cruise Ships; Once Upon A Time at Tokyo Disneyland; and many others. A number of these shows and attractions have since received industry accolades.
In 2018, I was awarded, along with several colleagues, a U.S. Patent for my concept in converting 3D film images for use in an iPad app. Paralax Based Monoscopic Rendering has allowed for the blending between the left and right eye images based on the orientation of the iPad gyroscope to create a 3D effect without the need for 3D glasses. I have always looked at the world with an inventive eye for delivering new experiences.
In the late 1990s, I started writing seriously with a monthly column in a local newspaper. Writing mostly on topics that were of concern to our community. As with any new endeavor, I made my share of mistakes. But this is how you learn a new craft—through trial and error. The important aspect is that I stuck with it continuing to hone and develop my writing voice by moving on to a weekly online column.
Then in 2010, a friend of mine suggested that I put a collection of stories about Roy E. Disney into a book. That simple comment resulted in my first book—Remembering Roy E. Disney: Memories and Photos of a Storied Life—and has since sent me down a marvelous path, one that has been a natural extension of my more than three decades association with Disney, of writing books. It has allowed me to combine my love of film and the animation art form with storytelling to bring an authentic insider’s viewpoint to my subsequent books and other writings.
Since then, I have written more books, dozens of articles, essays, concert program notes, CD liner notes and the foreword to several books. Some of that material is on this site for your reading enjoyment, including exclusive content— articles and essays— that you won’t find anywhere else.
In 2015, I enrolled in The Writer’s Program at UCLA and graduated with distinction in June 2018 with a certificate in Creative Non-Fiction. I then completed another certificate this time in Fiction, graduating with distinction again from the UCLA Writer’s Program in 2019.
Education and learning have been part of my entire adult life. For more than twenty-five years, I have taken one, sometimes two classes at a school in Maine every summer. Each class has been an opportunity to learn something new regardless what it was—one summer I made a pair of full size oars, complete with stitched leather sleeves. When I’m in Maine, I write every day and have written some portion of each of my books there on the rocky coastline where the cerulean blue heavens meet the sparkling emerald seas.
In 2016, I left Disney to write fulltime with a slate of books releasing each year through 2023. Writing is part of my life. I wake early every day, do a brisk workout, and then sit down at my computer on my vintage Kem Weber desk and write. I write daily in a composition book as well, which is my journal no matter where I am on the planet. Then in the afternoons I read, sometimes into the evening.
I enjoy plenty of mischief and hijinks—laughter is good for the soul. We have two beautiful daughters, Sydney and Marlee, both of whom are talented in their own right. It is a joy to watch them grow into young women, reaching for new heights with their individual interests and passions. Life continues to be a wonderful adventure and no shortage of topics to write about!
