Brian Fee (born January 29, 1975) is an American film director, storyboard artist, and voice actor, best known for his work at Pixar Animation Studios, including his directorial debut on the 2017 animated feature Cars 3.^[1][2] Born in Siskiyou County, California, Fee joined Pixar in 2003 as a story assistant, where he honed his skills in visual storytelling despite lacking prior experience in drawing storyboards.^[1][3] Over the next decade, he advanced to become a veteran storyboard artist, contributing to the narrative development of multiple acclaimed Pixar films, such as Ratatouille (2007), WALL·E (2008), Cars (2006), and Cars 2 (2011).^[2][3] In addition to his animation roles, Fee has provided voice work for minor characters in the Cars franchise, including Al Oft in the 2006 original film.^[1] His directorial effort on Cars 3 explored themes of aging, mentorship, and resilience through the story of Lightning McQueen, drawing inspiration from real-world sports films like Rocky and The Karate Kid, and marked a significant evolution for the franchise by emphasizing emotional depth over high-speed action.^[2][3] Fee has continued contributing to Pixar projects in additional crew capacities, including Incredibles 2 (2018) and Lightyear (2022).^[1]

Early life and education

Upbringing and family

Brian Fee was born on January 29, 1975, in Siskiyou County, California.^[1] Although born in rural Northern California, he spent his formative years in Alexandria, Kentucky, where his family relocated.^[4] Fee's early childhood was marked by frequent visits to local drive-in theaters with his parents, experiences that sparked his lifelong fascination with cinema. Films such as The Jungle Book (1967) and Star Wars (1977) left a profound impression, fostering an early appreciation for storytelling through visual media that would guide his path toward animation.^[4] Fee has two daughters.^[5]

Academic background

Brian Fee, influenced by his childhood fascination with films in Alexandria, Kentucky, pursued formal art education to build a foundation for a career in animation. He enrolled at the Columbus College of Art and Design, where he studied from approximately 1994 to 1998.^[4][6] Fee earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in illustration from the college in 1998, with coursework emphasizing drawing, visual composition, and narrative techniques essential to animation.^[6] This program provided the artistic groundwork for his career in storyboard and animation work.^[7] During his studies, Fee engaged in projects that explored illustrative storytelling, though specific student works or recognitions from this period are not widely documented in public sources. His education at CCAD ultimately prepared him to transition into professional animation by strengthening his proficiency in creating expressive, dynamic visuals.^[7]

Career

Early professional work

Prior to joining Pixar Animation Studios in 2003, Brian Fee began his professional career in the animation industry with roles in hand-drawn animation and character design at Character Builders, a studio based in Ohio.^[4] This position allowed him to develop core skills in traditional animation techniques, contributing to character development for various projects during the early 2000s.^[4] Fee subsequently moved to San Francisco, where he worked at WildBrain, continuing his focus on hand-drawn animation and character design.^[4] There, he participated in animation production, refining his abilities in visual storytelling and design elements essential to the medium.^[4] These early roles built on Fee's academic training at the Columbus College of Art and Design, which provided the artistic groundwork for his entry into professional animation.^[4] His experiences in traditional hand-drawn work ultimately fueled his shift toward computer animation opportunities.

Pixar contributions

Brian Fee joined Pixar Animation Studios in 2003 as a story assistant on the production of Cars (2006), where he transitioned into storyboard work, contributing to the film's narrative development by visualizing key sequences that established the central themes of rivalry and redemption in the racing world.^[3] His role expanded to story artist on subsequent films, including Ratatouille (2007), where he helped shape comedic and emotional beats in the story of an aspiring rat chef, such as the chaotic kitchen chases and heartfelt mentor-protégé moments. On WALL-E (2008), Fee's storyboard contributions influenced the film's poignant silent sequences depicting the robot's lonely existence and budding romance, emphasizing visual storytelling over dialogue. He continued in this capacity for Cars 2 (2011), refining action-oriented spy elements and international adventure arcs; Brave (2012), where his work supported the mother-daughter reconciliation through mystical and archery-driven scenes; and Monsters University (2013), aiding the depiction of collegiate rivalries and growth in the prequel's fraternity-like dynamics. In 2015, Fee was appointed to Pixar's Senior Creative Team, also known as the Brain Trust, a group of veteran filmmakers responsible for providing candid feedback on story reels to enhance narrative quality and eliminate weaknesses across all studio projects.^[1][8] During this period, he served as an additional story artist on Cars 3 (2017), offering supplementary input to the film's themes of aging and mentorship. Earlier, Fee contributed as an animator to the short film Tracy (2009), assisting in bringing the quirky, heartfelt animation of a young girl's imaginative world to life.^[9]

Directorial projects

Brian Fee made his directorial debut with the Pixar feature film Cars 3 (2017), the third installment in the Cars franchise, where he helmed the project following his extensive experience as a storyboard artist on prior entries. The film's development began in earnest around 2012, evolving from initial concepts focused on Lightning McQueen's post-crash recovery into a narrative exploring themes of aging, legacy, and mentorship, with McQueen training under the young racer Cruz Ramirez to reclaim his competitive edge. Fee collaborated closely with producer Kevin Reher and co-producer Andrea Warren throughout the process, emphasizing emotional depth in McQueen's journey while integrating high-octane racing sequences rendered with Pixar's advanced "art directed realism" style to enhance character authenticity and environmental detail.^[10][11][12] Fee's storyboarding background provided a strong foundation for his transition to directing, allowing him to visualize complex action and emotional beats seamlessly in Cars 3. The film received praise for revitalizing the franchise by shifting focus from global espionage—as in Cars 2—to introspective growth, culminating in McQueen's decision to mentor the next generation rather than retire.^[12][13] In 2022, Fee directed three episodes of the Disney+ animated series Cars on the Road, a spin-off featuring Lightning McQueen and Mater on a cross-country road trip to attend Mater's sister's wedding. He helmed episodes 3 ("Salt Fever"), 4 ("The Legend"), and 7 ("Roadrumble Rally"), each showcasing distinct adventure elements: "Salt Fever" involves a high-speed race across Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats guided by a veteran racer, highlighting themes of speed and historical racing lore; "The Legend" takes the duo to a legendary Michigan racetrack where they encounter ghostly figures from automotive history, blending nostalgia with supernatural humor; and "Roadrumble Rally" depicts a chaotic off-road competition in the Appalachians, emphasizing camaraderie and unexpected alliances amid rugged terrain. These episodes expanded the Cars universe through episodic road trip escapades, incorporating musical numbers and guest voices to capture the joy of exploration and friendship.^[14][15][16] Following Cars 3, Fee was announced in 2017 as developing an original Pixar feature film, described in early reports as an untitled project blending action and fantasy elements, though as of 2025, no further production updates or release details have been confirmed publicly.^[17]

Personal life

Fee resides in Petaluma, California.^[4]

Filmography

Feature films

Brian Fee began his contributions to Pixar feature films as a story artist, playing a key role in shaping narratives across multiple productions. In Cars (2006), he served as a story artist and provided additional voices, helping develop the story of anthropomorphic vehicles led by Lightning McQueen.^[18][4] Fee continued as an additional story artist on Ratatouille (2007), contributing to the film's depiction of a rat aspiring to be a chef in Paris.^[4][2] His work as a story artist on WALL-E (2008) involved crafting the post-apocalyptic tale of a lonely robot tasked with cleaning Earth.^[4] In Cars 2 (2011), Fee returned as a story artist, focusing on the international spy adventure involving Lightning McQueen and Mater.^[1][2] Fee's story artist role on Brave (2012) supported the narrative of a Scottish princess challenging tradition through archery and family bonds.^[19][4] He served as a story artist for Monsters University (2013), aiding in the prequel story of Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan's college rivalry at a school for monsters.^[20][1] Fee made his directorial debut with Cars 3 (2017), where he also co-wrote the story, exploring Lightning McQueen's journey to reclaim his racing prowess against younger competitors.^[21][4]

Television directing

Brian Fee directed three episodes of the Pixar animated miniseries Cars on the Road, which premiered on Disney+ in 2022 as an extension of the Cars franchise.^[22] The series follows Lightning McQueen and Mater on a cross-country road trip, blending adventure with the franchise's signature humor. Fee's episodes emphasize entertainment through exaggerated comedic scenarios and high-energy escapades, aiming for a balance between the grounded realism of the feature films and more flexible, cartoonish animation to heighten the fun.^[23] In episode 3, "Salt Fever," Mater is modified with racing gear for a high-speed challenge against McQueen on a vast salt flat, leading to dizzying velocities and a surreal out-of-body experience for the tow truck.^[24] Fee incorporated rapid pacing and visual gags, such as Mater's hallucinatory sequences, to amplify the episode's adventurous thrill and slapstick humor.^[23] Episode 4, "The Legend," sees McQueen and Mater teaming up with eccentric cryptid hunters to track a legendary beast in the wilderness, uncovering local folklore along the way.^[25] Fee's direction highlights exploratory tension mixed with whimsical creature encounters, using dynamic camera work to build suspense before resolving in lighthearted revelation.^[23] The seventh episode, "B-Movie," finds the duo accidentally cast as heroes in a low-budget zombie sci-fi flick on a remote film set, forcing them to improvise dramatic action scenes.^[26] Drawing on Fee's passion for the characters, the installment leans into meta-humor through over-the-top performances and chaotic set mishaps, delivering a parody-filled adventure that pokes fun at Hollywood tropes.^[27]

Voice roles

Brian Fee's voice acting contributions are limited to cameo appearances in Pixar's Cars (2006), where his work as a storyboard artist naturally extended into providing temporary vocal tracks for character development. He voiced Al Oft, the Lightyear advertisement blimp that briefly appears during the film's climactic race, delivering the line "Woo—oh yeah!" which originated as a scratch recording in early story reels to test dialogue rhythm and scene pacing.^[18][10][28] Fee also supplied additional voices for unnamed background characters in the same production, helping to populate the bustling Piston Cup racing environment with authentic crowd and pit crew sounds during pre-production visualization.^[29] This voice work exemplifies how Fee's storyboard expertise informed performance authenticity, as scratch tracks allowed animators and directors to refine character expressions and timing before professional actors were cast, a common practice in Pixar's collaborative pipeline.^[10] No further voice credits appear in his filmography, though the character Al Oft makes a silent cameo in Cars 3 (2017) without Fee's involvement.^[10]

Awards and nominations

Visual Effects Society Awards

Brian Fee was nominated for a Visual Effects Society (VES) Award in 2018 for his work on Cars 3, his directorial debut at Pixar Animation Studios. The film received a nomination in the Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature category at the 16th Annual VES Awards, shared with producer Kevin Reher, visual effects supervisor Michael Fong, and animation supervisor Jon Reisch. This recognition honored the overall visual effects integration that brought the high-stakes racing world to life, emphasizing Fee's oversight in blending storytelling with technical innovation in animated feature production.^[30] In addition to the top visual effects nomination, Cars 3 earned a VES nomination for Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature for the Thomasville sequence, which captured the essence of a historic racetrack setting integral to the film's narrative. This accolade spotlighted the team's efforts in constructing immersive, detailed environments that supported the racing dynamics, including pit stop sequences where rapid tire changes and crew interactions heightened the tension of competitive motorsport.^[30] The VES Awards underscored Cars 3's achievements in animating complex racing effects, such as fluid vehicle movements, debris simulations, and environmental interactions during high-speed chases and pit maneuvers, contributing to the film's realistic portrayal of automotive competition within an animated framework. None of the nominations resulted in wins, with Coco taking the top honors in multiple categories that year.^[30]

Other recognitions

For his directorial debut on Cars 3 (2017), Brian Fee received recognition through the film's nominations at major animation awards. The movie earned a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 45th Annie Awards, honoring the creative achievements in animation production.^[31] Cars 3 was also nominated for Favorite Animated Movie at the 2018 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, reflecting its appeal to younger audiences and Fee's role in revitalizing the franchise.^[32] Fee's contributions to Cars 3 have been spotlighted in several industry interviews and features, where he elaborated on the film's exploration of themes like aging, resilience, and mentorship. In a 2017 Collider interview, Fee discussed drawing inspiration from real-life athletes' career transitions to shape Lightning McQueen's arc, emphasizing the story's focus on personal growth over competition.^[3] Similarly, during a LaughingPlace Q&A that year, he highlighted research trips to NASCAR events that informed the film's authentic racing sequences and emotional depth, underscoring his hands-on approach to storytelling at Pixar.^[33] These discussions often positioned Fee as a key figure in preserving Pixar's legacy of heartfelt animation.