“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
– Benjamin Franklin
There are only a few individuals who fall into the two categories demonstrated by Benjamin Franklin. There are only a limited number of people in every era who can write something that can be read and valued by progeny. We only know about a handful of people who have written poetry and prose in every century. The sheer quality of their work has captivated the world and served as an epitome of creativity. On the other hand, only a few individuals are able to create a rattle in the world and make others record and document them for progeny. These people work silently and let their achievements make noise in the world.
Courtney Allan Lane, popularly known as Cort Lane, is one of the few individuals who fall into both categories. He has not only produced immaculate animation movies but also written interesting books for children. He has also produced numerous documentaries that have made their mark on the animation industry. We all know how deeply animated movies are loved by children. Such movies enable children to transcend reality and step into the world of imagination and limitless creativity.
Lane grew up in San Diego, California. He pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Design from UCLA and also served as a visiting lecturer at their Design Department for three years. He started his career in the entertainment industry as a co-executive producer of leading animated series and as the head of the animation development team. He has worked in leading production houses, including Mattel, Marvel, and Animation & Family Entertainment, and has an extensive experience of over 20 years.
Lane has produced over 50 animated filmsshows, including My Little Pony: Make Your Mark, Spidey And His Amazing Friends, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ultimate Spider-man, Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, Hulk, and The Agents of S.M.A.S.H., Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Maximum Overload, Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers (from Toei & Bandai), Iron Man: Armored Adventures and Marvel Anime: Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men, and Barbie in A Christmas CarolSpidey And His Amazing Friends, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ultimate Spider-man, Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, Hulk, and The Agents of S.M.A.S.H., Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Maximum Overload, Phineas & Ferb – Mission: Marvel (from Disney TV Animation), Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers (from Toei & Bandai), Iron Man: Armored Adventures and Marvel Anime: Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men, Barbie in A Christmas Carol, Monster High, and Blade among others.
Lane is also the executive producer of the documentary feature, No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and bagged the Grand Jury Prize at the Outfest. He has served as the executive producer of the new My Little Pony: Make Your Mark series for Netflix. His creativity and skill in the animation industry have been recognized through two Emmy nominations for his movies Rocket ‘n Groot and Marvel’s Spider-Man and two NAACP Image Award Nominations for Avengers Assemble: Black Panther’s Quest.
Lane’s body of work has created enough impact that he can be recorded in the annals of animation history. He is a brilliant storyteller and brings various stories to life through his creativity. He depicts all his stories on the small screen in numerous ways, including standalone web shorts, animated series, and unique-cross promotions. He has reflected all the elements from humor to fantasy effectively in his animations and worked on shows of different lengths, from feature-length to short-form.
Lane gained significant experience with children’s psyche and emotions while producing animations for them. Therefore, he embarked on a journey of writing down books for them. He has penned down the series Monster and Me, a thrilling account of a family that is full of emotions. His information about children and their emotions not only comes from his experience as an animation developer and film producer but also stems from his service at the GLAAD’s Kids & Family Advisory Council. His service has enriched his outlook on the activities and thought processes of children. It has also led to the augmentation of his craft both as an animation producer and a writer.
All in all, it can be said that Lane can find a spot in both the categories mentioned by Benjamin Franklin. He has recognized his potential in the art of writing and has not restricted himself to animated productions only. It is essential for one to look beyond their boundaries and realize their potential in multiple domains. In a world where people are struggling to master one craft, Lane has successfully made his mark on multiple domains.