Sydney TAFE Grad Now Heads Sony Animation's Biggest Films

A kid from Sydney who loved cartoons just led the animation team behind Sony's latest blockbuster, GOAT. Daniel Pozo's path from TAFE NSW to the top of one of Hollywood's most prestigious animation studios shows that Australian training can compete with anyone.

Pozo started his career at TAFE NSW's Sydney design centre, where he discovered his passion for bringing characters to life through movement and performance. After working on Australian shows like Erky Perky and gaining experience in London, Sony Pictures Imageworks came calling.

The studio behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Academy Award-winning films recruited him as a character animator. He worked his way up through blockbusters like Hotel Transylvania and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse before earning the top job in 2023.

His first major project as Head of Character Animation was GOAT, an ambitious film set in a world of anthropomorphic animals where basketball meets underdog determination. Pozo led up to 120 animators to create hundreds of unique characters, each moving authentically according to their species.

"We didn't just rely on the characters looking like humans in costumes, we wanted the way they move to be specific to their species," Pozo explained. The team aimed to create a moving painting that felt handcrafted, drawing on basketball's street culture, music, art, and fashion.

The film follows Will, a young goat who dreams of playing professional "roarball" despite an unofficial rule that animals under six feet tall can't compete. It's a story about breaking barriers that Pozo himself embodies.

Why This Inspires

Pozo's journey matters beyond his personal success. He represents the dozens of Australian artists excelling behind the scenes in global entertainment while our actors shine in front of cameras.

His approach to emerging technology like AI shows thoughtful leadership. Rather than fear it, Pozo believes AI can help the industry if guided by human vision and creativity, protecting both artistry and livelihoods.

After two decades in animation, his advice to young Australians chasing similar dreams is simple: keep going. "You're going to work as hard as you can, and you're going to hustle to get that job, and sometimes it doesn't work out but it will work out in the end," he says.

The nervous TAFE student who learned to focus on character performance now guides massive teams to bring stories to life for global audiences, proving that world-class careers can start in Sydney classrooms.

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