Kyle Balda is a renowned BAFTA-nominated feature animation director with a career spanning over three decades. His impressive journey began in the early 1990s after completing his studies at Calarts, where he joined the esteemed team at Industrial Light and Magic. As a young animator, he worked on various iconic films, including The Mask, Mars Attacks!, and Jumanji, serving as a supervising animator on the latter.
After animating the Grim Reaper for Peter Jackson's The Frighteners at Weta Digital in New Zealand, Kyle returned to California to join the talented team at Pixar Animation Studios. He made significant contributions to A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc, and Toy Story 2, serving as a directing animator on the latter.
Subsequently, Kyle dedicated several years to conducting masterclasses at prestigious film schools worldwide and directing short-form animation projects. He eventually returned to feature production in Paris, where he took on the role of head of layout for Illumination's Despicable Me. This was followed by a co-directing position on The Lorax and directing roles, alongside his directing partner Pierre Coffin, on Minions and Despicable Me 3.
Most recently, Kyle brought his expertise to Minions: The Rise of Gru, his latest film. Throughout his illustrious career, Kyle Balda has demonstrated his versatility, creativity, and dedication to the world of animation.
