"Carroll Ballard" is an American film director. He has directed six feature films, including The Black Stallion (film)/The Black Stallion (1979) and Fly Away Home (1996).

More Carroll Ballard on Wikipedia.

I tried to make a film that was not a lot of empty (garbage). To me, the film is about the relationship between the boy and a black guy - he comes to see him for what he really is. That's the most rewarding part of the film. Most of the credit goes to Eamonn Walker, who is one of the greatest actors alive today.

It's a picture book. No story. Just photographs of a little boy growing up with a cheetah. We had to concoct a story. Actually, I stole part of the idea of the trek from a movie that I got fired off of many years ago, 'A Far Off Place,' where a boy takes a travel trip with a little Bushman guy.

(He) just walked in, hugged the cheetah, was great friends with him. They were buddy-buddy in a minute.

I'm sick and tired of making animal movies.