#216 John Schafer & Tom Bancroft: Light of the World

Today on the podcast, we’re joined by John Schafer, producer of the upcoming animated film The Light of the World, and Tom Bancroft, veteran Disney animator behind classics like Mulan and The Lion King. Together, they’re bringing a powerful, faith-filled story to life through stunning 2D animation. Let’s dive into the heart and vision behind the film.

John Schfer is an innovative storyteller, director, producer, and brand manager. John has produced for television and film productions for over 33 years. His work on the Daytime EMMY® nominated CG series, Superbook (65 episodes), has been seen by millions of people in over 123 countries and is translated in over 56 languages. 

Tom Bancroft has almost 25 years of experience in the animation industry, most of which was for Walt Disney Feature Animation where he was an animator for 11 years. He has been nominated for Annie and Rueben awards, spoken at the Kennedy Center and awarded an entry into the Chicago Children's Film Festival. While at Disney, Bancroft had the opportunity to contribute his talents to 10 animated feature films, five animated shorts, and numerous special projects and commercials. Among the classic films on which he worked are, "Beauty and the Beast," "The Lion King," "Aladdin," "Mulan" and "Brother Bear." He was also a character designer and director for Big Idea Productions, makers of the family-friendly "Veggietales" video series.