”Don Bluth: Somewhere Out There”

We held our premiere of the “Don Bluth: Somewhere Out There” documentary of Don’s EPIC animation journey and life! Lots of laughs, inspiration, and a standing ovation! I had the honor of being an Executive Producer on the film and can’t wait for the WHOLE WORLD to see it! I got to be a big part of the documentary, from making the initial deal, coordinating people and places, archive hunting, watching cuts, giving my suggestions, and much more. Dave and Chad really let me shine here; they even agreed that the title should be the same as Don Bluth’s Autobiography. This was the biggest thing for me. I would love to work with these guys again, true honest filmmakers.

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA: (L-R) Chad Walker, Dave LaMattina, Fergal Lawler, Lavalle Lee, Don Bluth and Steven Weintraub speak onstage at the “Don Bluth: Somewhere Out There” Q&A during the 28th SCAD Savannah Film Festival on October 25, 2025 in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SCAD)

When I started working with Don over 10 years ago, I was told at the time by Gary Goldman that they had a documentary in the works. They even spent $200,000 on it. It just never happened. Since then, I’d say we were contacted by people who want to make a documentary about Don or include Don in someone else’s Documentary at least once or twice a month. It wasn’t until I met Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker that I knew it was time. These were the guys. I love the film they made, “I Am Big Bird,” which is the story of Caroll Spinney, and I wanted that for Don. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. Buy on Amazon: https://a.co/d/a97UZOW

We are currently planning the film festival run. The premiere was held at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) for the 20th Anniversary of the Don Bluth Animation Archive at the school. It was an amazing weekend! Thank you to the sold-out crowd for coming and SCAD for having us.

Below is a Q&A for the directors and Don Bluth himself!

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA: Don Bluth visits a special exhibition of the Don Bluth Studios Animation Archive at Press Cafe at the Jen Library on October 25, 2025 in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SCAD)

Question: What was it like watching your life flash before your eyes?

Don: That’s a great question. Let’s see if I can put it into words. An image comes to mind. “When you’re in the middle of the swamp, surrounded by alligators, it’s hard to remember that your original idea was to drain the swamp.” What that means is that I was totally taken by surprise – I never met an alligator I didn’t like. First of all, I am looking at a much younger me, a somewhat arrogant fellow, who thinks he has all the right answers to making the art of animation survive. And, secondly, who are those beautiful people up on the screen who surround him and believe in what he is saying?

My journey in life has always been moving forward. Once an animated movie is finished, I seldom look at it again. My thrill in the creative arena has always been in the doing, not the watching. I’ve never kept score regarding my own history in the business.

As I sat in the Lucus Theater at SCAD and saw the finished documentary, it put a lump in my throat. “Really,” I thought. quietly to myself, “Is that me; did I and all those wonderful people up there on the screen do all that?” What’s the famous saying? “Fools rush in where wise men never dare to go.” Were we just clowns?” The ups and downs of my career, the triumphs and failures and the comings and goings of different crews were painful for me to see again.

The reference to the Ballerina’s enchanted red shoes was dead on accurate. That was me alright. I couldn’t stop. However, my takeaway from the documentary was overwhelmingly positive. It made me look back and be grateful. We did move the earth with some enchanted movies, twelve of them, which shaped the lives of so many children all over the world, perhaps people that I will never meet. They are my children. That’s what I took away.

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA: One ticket for Don Bluth: Somewhere Out There showing at the Lucas theater in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo by Les Carpenter)

Question: Since the premiere, many have asked how they can see the film. How can the fans see the documentary?

Dave: We are currently in the midst of finalizing distribution. Along the way to a wide release, there will be festival opportunities. Keep an eye on Don’s social media channels and Traditional Animation for the latest news!

Question: What was the most difficult part of making this film about Don Bluth?

Dave: The most difficult part of making any documentary about a living person is establishing trust. We had no prior relationship with Don, so that’s always a hard sell. But I think that Don saw our passion, not just for his story, but for the art of animation. As someone that has always been guided by his own heart and passion, I think he really responded that and opened the doors.

Chad: During one of our interviews, Don even said, “I’m not sure why I’m being so honest with you.” In the end, though, I think he was happy he was because the film turned out to be an honest look at his life from which others can draw inspiration.

Question: I have to ask this one! What is your favorite Don Bluth film?

Dave: I sort of have two answers for that. American Tail was so key to my childhood. But other than the music, I couldn’t necessarily tell you a line from it before we started this project. But I could tell you how it made me feel. And I think that’s why it was my favorite: because the images that Don and the artists behind it created captured such deep emotion that connected with me so much that I didn’t need words to accentuate it. It was just enough to see Fievel’s face as he went through New York, looking for his parents. As an adult, and someone that makes a living as a creative, I think I’d have to add NIMH as a favorite too. It’s a wonderful film and story of course, but knowing the journey behind it–how this film represented that moment of sheer terror and excitement of leaving behind the known (Disney) for the unknown (NIMH)… I love it. It’s how I felt when Chad and I left Blue Sky.

Chad: For me, it’s Land Before Time. I think that because Don portrayed the reality of losing a parent, that journey and the payoff at the end really stayed with me. It gained extra meaning for me when my son Ben was born and that became one of his favorite movies. We watched it together so much.

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA: (L-R) Lavalle Lee, Don Bluth and Steven Weintraub speak onstage at the “Don Bluth: Somewhere Out There” Q&A during the 28th SCAD Savannah Film Festival on October 25, 2025 in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SCAD)

Question: Anything that came as a surprise to you when directing the film?

Dave: I think we were surprised by how poetic Don is. He talks about film and life in a way that is as rich and beautiful as his drawings. We’re always looking for a bigger meaning in our films and Don’s insight into life as an artist really gave us a takeaway that people beyond animation can latch onto.

Chad: I was shocked to see the breadth of Don’s archive. We love working with archive and finding the story there. And in Don’s home videos, so much came to light, particularly the struggle between art and commerce that someone working in such a commercial medium is confronted with all the time. That archive became the spine of the film.

Thank you everyone for your answers and the amazing premiere! As news comes out about the Documentary, we will be updating this site and all our social media. Stay Tooned!