Mark Gustafson, a renowned stop-motion specialist and recipient of an Oscar for his work on Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, tragically passed away on Thursday at the age of 64. The news was officially announced by del Toro himself on social media the following day, where he expressed his admiration for Gustafson as not only a talented artist but also a dear friend who inspired and gave hope to those around him.
Gustafson's career in stop-motion animation spanned several decades, with notable contributions to projects such as the iconic California Raisins characters early on in his profession. Among his impressive body of work, he also served as the animation director for Wes Anderson's acclaimed film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, in 2009, which garnered an Oscar nomination for its innovative stop-motion animation.
