Biggest names in animation come together to help Los Angeles-area wildfire victims​on April 23, 2025 at 4:33 am

LOS ANGELES — Some of the biggest names in animation are coming together for a charity auction to benefit the victims of the Los Angeles-area wildfires.

The nonprofit AnimAID is selling over 700 pieces of artwork, ranging from original drawings of Pixar films to Mickey Mouse story boards.

“These are reproductions of the originals that have been signed, there were a limited edition of them done for members of the crew and the animation group,” said Sotheby’s Managing Director Ian Ferreyra De Bone.

They are just a few of the almost 300 lots, or rare pieces of animation history, being auctioned for charity.

From story boards to animation cells to signed scores, there are even experiences being auctioned.

That includes a tour of the Disney archives and a chance to voice a character in an upcoming movie with Sony.

Pete Docter is the chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios.

“It is very usual, I mean I think this is the first time ever every major animation studio including Disney and Pixar and DreamWorks and Sony and Warner Brothers, etc etc has come together and support a cause like this,” Doctre said. “Most of the time studios hold their characters very close.”

All of the major studios are coming together and donating the items to help victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.

Sotheby’s is even waiving its commission for the online auction.

Alex Woo is a cofounder of AnimAID, a nonprofit fundraising campaign to support members of the animation community.

“The goal is to raise $5 million which is a lot of money, but we have over 70 families who lost their homes,” Woo said. “They lost everything. And then you know the insurance companies are being really difficult when it comes to reimbursements, so there’s a lot of need for them.”

“The animation community is very small, everybody knows everybody,” Docter said. “I have a lot of friends who lost their homes. This just seems like the least we can do to contribute.”

All of the items are no reserve, meaning the first bid starts at $1.

The auction starts April 23 and closes April 30.

The live auction can be found on Sotheby’s website.

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