A sit-down with Chapman's new director of animation and visual effects

Ruth Daly, the new director of animation and visual effects at Dodge College, discusses her journey — from her beginnings in Ireland to her new position at Chapman. Photo courtesy of Ruth Daly

Within the futuristic, Silicon Valley-esque halls of the Digital Media Arts Center (DMAC), Ruth Daly’s office sits, marked by a dark blue door. Inside, a stuffed Totoro toy rests on the desk. Rolled-up posters and unhung frames sit on the floor, waiting to join the “Wreck it Ralph” and “The Iron Giant” posters already in place. 

The office is slowly taking shape alongside Daly, who stepped into the role of director of animation and visual effects this past August. 

In an August 10 email sent from Stephen Galloway — the Dean of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts — he announced Daly’s appointment as director, noting that her years of experience would give the animation department a “gigantic boost.” 

But Daly’s career expands beyond Chapman, spanning over 20 years in the world of animation and can be traced back to her beginnings in Ireland. Born in Cork, Daly’s father ran an agricultural business and her mother worked as a teacher. Daly told The Panther her inclination toward art can be credited to her mother and grandmother, who both loved to draw. 

“I was in a small town, and I had a wonderful childhood,” Daly said. “My parents exposed me to a lot of the arts. We were a very arts-oriented family.” 

After graduating high school at only 17 years old, Daly attended the Irish School of Animation, where she was inspired to move to the U.S. and follow in the footsteps of her fellow classmates. 

“It was a really rough and tumble community college environment,” Daly said. “But they had a great program that was very oriented at developing talent for placement in the industry.” 

After graduating, Daly moved to the U.S. and began an internship at Warner Bros., where her career took flight and she would go on to work on projects including “The Iron Giant,” “Futurama” and “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.” 

Throughout her time in the animation industry, Daly said she has watched the art form change and evolve, going from traditional animation to 3D. 

“It’s an astonishing thing to live through and to see how much better and easier it is to do things we found very difficult and challenging in the beginning,” Daly said. 

Though her work has been vast and diverse, Daly said she has maintained a particular love for animals and creature animation. 

“It was one of those things from when I was very small,” Daly said. “So I always used to draw foxes and mice and things running around when I was a kid.” 

When speaking about her projects, Daly shared a particular enthusiasm for a project she’d worked on for WildAid, where she animated pangolins doing kung fu beside Jackie Chan. A drawing of a pangolin even hangs beside her desk.  

“I love animals,” Daly said. “So being able to work on wildlife conservation projects was really amazing.” 

Arriving at Chapman in 2014, Daly began by teaching animation classes. When the opportunity to become director presented itself, Daly said she felt it was the right moment for her to join Chapman full time. Galloway shared a similar sentiment, saying that Daly was the right person at the right time. 

“In a word, she’s brilliant,” Galloway said. “If you look at her credits and projects she’s been in everything in animation in the past 25 years. She knows different forms incredibly well.” 

Galloway’s esteem for Daly is evident, but sitting across from her in her office, one can grasp a sense of her humble nature. She speaks with a subtle Irish accent, her hands gesturing, but there is no mistaking that she is an expert in her field. She said she also finds a certain joy in mentoring students and giving them the same opportunities that were offered to her. 

“People at the beginning of their career, when they're just starting to learn, they’re just so excited and enthusiastic and open to learning,” Daly said. “And I just love being around that creativity and enthusiasm.”

Just like most Dodge students, Daly has a difficult time choosing a favorite film, but she admires such works as “Ratatouille” and Disney classics such as “The Lion King” and “The Jungle Book.” 

While Daly has found a place at Chapman, she still returns to Ireland often to visit family. When asked what she might say to her younger self, Daly offers advice that every student could take to heart.

“Focus on the goals that you have and what you can change and accomplish,” Daly said. “Don’t focus on mistakes you’ve made, always move forward and make the most of all the relationships you have.” 

Though just beginning her time as director of animation and visual effects, Daly is comfortable in her office. The halls of DMAC suit her, and her decades of experience, from that first drawing in Ireland to now, have led her to the very blue door she now sits behind. Students in Dodge and across campus can only wait to see how she and the animation department might flourish in the years to come.