(Producer, Director, Co-writer) is one of the top creative talents in the field of animation today and his gentle humor, visual integrity and strong story sensibilities have helped to attract a wider audience than ever before for animated features. Clements has successfully added to the Disney legacy and taken the art of animation in exciting new directions. "Hercules" marks his fourth directorial effort for the Studio.
Born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, Clements traces his interest in animation to his first viewing of "Pinocchio" at the age of 10. As a teenager, he began making super-8 animated films, which led to a part-time job as an artist at a television station, where he animated commercials for the local market. While there, he made a 15-minute featurette (which he animated single-handedly) entitled "Shades of Sherlock Holmes." Several years later, his animated Sherlock Holmes project helped him get a job at Disney and also served as the inspiration for "The Great Mouse Detective," which Clements wrote and directed (with John Musker).
After graduating from high school, Clements came to California to try his luck at animation. Since there weren't any openings at Disney, he went to work for several months at Hanna-Barbera while studying life drawing in the evening at Art Center.
With a little persistence and determination, Clements was finally accepted into Disney's Talent Development Program, a training ground for young animators. His self-taught experience and ambition made up for his lack of formal training.
After successfully completing the training program, Clements served a two-year apprenticeship under Disney animation great Frank Thomas. He quickly progressed through the ranks from in-betweener to assistant to animator/storyman. His credits include "Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too," "The Rescuers," "Pete's Dragon," "The Fox and the Hound" and "The Black Cauldron."
Clements made his writing/directing debut (with Musker) on the 1986 Disney animated feature, "The Great Mouse Detective." Following that, he successfully pitched an animated version of Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale, "The Little Mermaid" and went on to write and direct the film (again with Musker), which became
an instant classic upon its release in 1989. The film won Academy Awards® for best song and original score and helped to inspire a new generation of moviegoers and animators.
Clements & Musker continued to make animation history with their next collaboration, "Aladdin," in 1992. Both served as writers, producers and directors on the film, which went on to earn $486 million at theaters all over the world and become one of the most popular animated films of all-time.
Clements and his wife, Tami, live in the San Fernando Valley.
