Not Just A Goof is a documentary uncovering the untold story of A Goofy Movie. It follows a young creative team tackling their first Disney feature, facing disappointment upon release, only for the film to gain a passionate following decades later. Through key interviews and rare archival footage, it explores the struggles, victories, and studio dynamics that shaped the movie. More than just a behind-the-scenes look, it highlights why A Goofy Movie remains a beloved gem for the generation that grew up watching it. This captivating retrospective sheds light on Disney Animation’s evolution and the film’s enduring legacy, making it a must-watch for Disney fans and '90s kids alike.
The film was directed by Christopher Ninness and Eric Kimelton, who also co-wrote the story alongside Mason Trueblood. Produced by Scott Seibold and executive produced by Don Hahn, renowned for his work on iconic films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Waking Sleeping Beauty. Christopher Ninness and Eric Kimelton view Not Just A Goof as a spiritual sequel to Don Hahn’s Waking Sleeping Beauty, drawing on similar themes and creative inspiration. The original score was composed by Cameron Chambers, with original animation provided by Venturia Animation Studios. This new documentary is set to release April 7 on Disney+, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of A Goofy Movie.
For The Fans
Christopher Ninness and Eric Kimelton, two Los Angeles filmmakers, embarked on the documentary project Not Just A Goof (2024) because of the deep impact it had on their lives. They both grew up with the absence of fathers during pivotal moments in their childhoods and found themselves watching the 90s classic, A Goofy Movie (1995) on repeat. It was not until they embarked on the journey to showcase the making of this film that they discovered the universal power of art and how a character as silly as Goofy could be so meaningful. Through their experience of making this film, Ninness and Kimelton are driven to show how the transformative force of art transcends boundaries and speaks to the human experience, making Not Just A Goof a heartfelt testament to the profound impact of creativity on our lives.
Christopher Ninness & Eric Kimelton
Bill Farmer
Bill Farmer has famously performed as the official voice of Disney’s Goofy and Pluto since 1987 and his sterling voice-acting resume includes thousands of leading and supporting roles in film, television, advertising, consumer products, and more. Farmer became the first voice actor to receive the prestigious Friz Freleng Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Animation. Equally distinguished is the Disney Legend distinction, which Farmer received in 2009 alongside beloved entertainment icons Robin Williams and Betty White. Farmer won an Annie Award® in 2014 for his voice work in the wildly popular Mickey Mouse short film series. Further adding to Farmer’s many honors is an Emmy® nomination for his memorable performances in the hit animated series, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Most recently, Bill Farmer was executive producer and on-air host of the television series It’s a Dog’s Life with Bill Farmer for Disney+.
Kevin Lima (director, writer, producer) began his professional animation journey animating on “Sport Goofy in Soccermania” during his senior year at CalArts.
Upon graduating, he designed characters and animated for the independently produced feature, “The Brave Little Toaster,” before joining Walt Disney Feature Animation in 1987. For the next six years, Lima worked in one capacity or another on each of Disney’s next five animated features – animating on “Oliver & Company,” designing characters for “The Little Mermaid,” “The Rescuers Down Under,” “Beauty and the Beast” and storyboarding sequences for “Aladdin.” In 1992, he was offered the director’s chair on “A Goofy Movie” which led to the hugely successful and critically acclaimed “Tarzan.”
In 2000, Lima made his live-action feature film debut with “102 Dalmatians” which starred Glenn Close. He went on to direct Julie Andrews in the made-for-TV movies “Eloise at the Plaza” and “Eloise at Christmastime” for which his work on the latter won him the Director’s Guild of America award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs. His film, “Enchanted,” released in 2007, was the culmination of all of Lima’s filmmaking experiences, containing a mixture of traditionally animated, live-action and computer-generated characters.
Currently, Kevin is collaborating with his wife, Brenda Chapman, the Academy Award winning director of “The Prince of Egypt” and ‘Brave,” combining their talents, developing and writing a slate of diverse projects across all media and platforms.
Kevin Lima
Don Hahn
Don Hahn produced the classic Beauty and the Beast, the first animated film to receive a Best Picture nomination from the Motion Picture Academy. His next film, The Lion King, broke box-office records all over the world to become the top-grossing traditionally animated film of all time and a long-running blockbuster Broadway musical. Hahn also served as associate producer on the landmark motion picture Who Framed Roger Rabbit. His other films include The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, the 2006 short The Little Matchgirl (which earned Hahn his second Oscar® nomination), Maleficent, and Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, as well as the Disneynature films Earth, Oceans, African Cats, and Chimpanzee. He also directed the documentaries Waking Sleeping Beauty, Hand Held, and The Gamble House, and produced the documentary High Ground.
Hahn has also authored three books on the art of animation, including the 2008 book, The Alchemy of Animation, which provides the definitive account of how animated films are created in the modern age. His other books include Brain Storm: Unleashing Your Creative Self, Before Ever After: The Lost Lectures of Walt Disney’s Animation Studio, and Yesterday’s Tomorrow: Disney’s Magical Mid-Century.
Scott Seibold
Scott Seibold is a Creative Producer and storyteller based in Los Angeles, specializing in educational and documentary-style content. With nearly a decade in tech and production management, he has led award-winning projects, including A Seat at the Table, a roundtable series on workplace social issues, and The H-Files, an animated series on project management mistakes. His work has won awards for excellence in social impact, corporate training, and remote production and has been featured in CNN, The Washington Post, and Fortune.
Currently, Scott works with the Future of Life Institute, transforming complex topics into compelling media. His first feature-length documentary, Not Just A Goof, marks the beginning of many more to come.
Cameron Chambers
Cameron Chambers is an American film composer known for his evocative scores. Raised in Arkansas, he honed his guitar skills in blues, funk, R&B, and rock before studying at the Musician's Institute in Hollywood. There, he worked as a session musician and contributed to Billboard-charting albums for artists like Trey Songz and Teyana Taylor.
After graduating in 2010, Cameron transitioned into film scoring and trailer music, with work featured in Moonfall, Superman & Lois, The X-Files, Riverdale, and Bates Motel. In 2023, he earned an Emmy nomination for Hulu’s Captive Audience trailer. His film credits include The Perfect Host: A Southern Gothic Tale (2018), Perfectly Disturbed (2022, Best Original Music – Thrills and Chills Film Awards), and The Kids Are Still Here (2020). He also contributed to the hit podcast King Falls AM, winning multiple Audio Verse Awards.
Cameron recently completed the score for the upcoming documentary Not Just A Goof (2025).