Lakeville native helped assemble Oscar nominee ‘The Wild Robot’

“The Wild Robot,” a leading contender in the Oscar race for best animated feature, boasts some well-known contributors, including musician Maren Morris, actor Lupita Nyong’o and director Chris Sanders, who helped write the ‘90s blockbusters “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King.”

But those marquee names were ably assisted by a team of more than 800 people, including Minnesota native Lucie Lyon, who served as assistant film editor and is on staff at DreamWorks Animation.

“Robot,” which can be seen in local theaters and on demand, tells the story of a shipwrecked robot who discovers her heart and a family when she adopts a misfit goose. In addition to its Oscar nomination for best animated feature, it also is in contention for best original score and best sound.

The movie has grossed more than $324 million worldwide, making it 2024’s most successful animated film that’s not a sequel. Next month, the film will lead the field at the Annie Awards, which recognize excellence in animation. Lyon is competing in the category of best editorial-feature.

Lyon, 29, who previously worked on “Disenchanted,” was visiting her parents last week at their Lakeville home, keeping far away from the fires that are ravaging Los Angeles. While sporting a Minnesota sweatshirt she borrowed from her sister, Lyon talked via Zoom about her career and early inspirations.

Q: What exactly does a first assistant editor do?

A: I managed myself and one other assistant. We basically ingested all the materials into the movie, like storyboards, sound effects and music, and organized them into software so it’s easy for the editor to access it all. We were also the hub for all the departments. We would communicate with animators. For example, we would tell them that a shot needs to be 10 frames shorter.

Q: What kind of skill set does it take to do that job?

A: You need to be very organized. It takes three years to make a movie, so sometimes you’re recording a line of dialogue that someone may ask for two years later. So it takes of lot of planning ahead and making sure everything is labeled. You also need to be good with time management. You need to be realistic about how long things take.

Q: What do you find exciting about it?

A: I think it’s really exciting when you nail the timing or find a funny sound effect or music cue that hits the emotion you’re going for. In college, whenever my friend and I would come up with the perfect edit, we would scream in the library and everyone would get mad at us.

Q: You probably had to watch a lot of the scenes over and over again. Did you ever get tired of that robot?

A: Definitely. You might not feel the jokes because you’ve seen them a million times. But there are certain times, like the migration scene, in which I cried every single time I watched it. You think about it differently.

Q: Why do you think the film has connected with so many people?

A: A lot of people can relate to the feeling of not fitting in somewhere and trying to adapt. There’s also the theme of overcoming challenges, of feeling like you can’t go any further and then you get that encouragement that you need. One of my favorite scenes is when Brightbill (the goose) is learning how to fly and doesn’t think he can do it. Then Thunderbolt (a falcon) comes along and gives him the inspiration he needs.

Q: How did your time at Lakeville North High School and then the University of Virginia prepare you for a Hollywood gig?

A: At Lakeville North, I was involved in a lot of extracurricular activities in which I had a lot of leadership positions. I learned how to delegate. In college, I was in an improv group that had historically made comedy videos that were kind of long. I learned how to edit so I could make them snappier.

I also went to the Children’s Theatre at a really young age. And a lot of movies. I think I was at the midnight opening of “Monsters University.” In high school, I had internships at Allied Global Marketing, which does the test screenings in the Twin Cities, and Tremendous Entertainment. I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, but in retrospect, I was always most interested in film.

Q: What animated films did you love as a kid?

A: My favorite was probably “Beauty and the Beast.” I liked to read, so I really liked that the main character also liked to read. I’ve always loved musicals, like “Oliver & Company,” “Moana” and “Frozen.” I really loved “The Croods.” I keep getting new things out of it as I get older. And I can watch the “Trolls” movies over and over again. Animation is a good part of the industry for me to be in because I pretty much love every animated movie.

The Minnesota Interview is a feature in which we dive deep into the personal side of public figures with special ties to our region and readers.