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Animation remains a thriving corner of the industry for aspiring professional artists even if, as a career, breaking in has never been harder. “There are just not as many entry-level positions at this point when you think about all the work that’s been offshored over the years,” says Jinko Gotoh, an Oscar-nominated producer and vp at Wia, an organization that advocates for gender equity in animation, VFX and gaming. “As the industry shrinks and the demand for content shrinks, those positions shrink.”

Animation is at an inflection point as it continues grappling with the ongoing impacts of such market forces — not to mention the growing presence of AI. Schools and organizations like Wia and Asifa-Hollywood (which produces the Oscars of animation, the Annie Awards) are already addressing this game-changer with additional courses, industry events and multiyear studies. “It’s my responsibility to say to students, ‘Look, that threat will remain and grow,...

With its release in 2010, Tangledwas instantly regarded as a true return to form for Disney while utilizing what was, at the time, a new animation style for the company. Grossing almost $600 million on a $260 million budget, the film rivaled Disney's renaissance-era films, including more contemporary musical numbers, featuring the vocals of '90s/early 2000s pop star Mandy Moore.

The film explores conflicted dynamics between the sly criminal Flynn Ryder and the sheltered lost princess Rapunzel. The two's development from unlikely friends to inseparable lovers coincides beautifully with the film's adventure elements. The film is an adaption of the beloved fairy tale Rapunzel and employs many key plot points from the story, but there is a more concentrated emphasis on the action within the film. This shift in direction for the film was decided to appeal to a more comprehensive audience, aiming to move away from the princess film archetype.

Quick LinksDisney's Bolt Was a Successful But Almost Forgotten Disney FilmDisney's Bolt Helped Save Walt Disney Animation in the Early 2000sDisney's Bolt Has a Similar Premise to Disney • Pixar’s Toy Story

It's possible only Disney fans remember Bolt(2008). One of the first fully computer-generated movies Disney produced without the partnership of Pixar in the early 2000s. The studio was struggling to make the transition from hand-drawn animation to CGI at the time, and Bolt gave the studio the boost it needed. Starring John Travolta and a young Miley Cyrus, the movie follows a dog who believes he has the same superpowers as his TV persona. It premiered on November 17, 2008, at Disney's El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California, and ranked third at the box office in its opening weekend.

Critically and financially, it was a hit for Disney. However, over the years, a shadow has fallen over Bolt, and it's...

The globally celebrated icon who spawned the gargantuan Star Wars franchise has always been hailed as a visionary of the utmost eminence, and his work attests to the same. But even a filmmaker as established as George Lucas was pilloried for the infamous Star Wars Prequel trilogy which became a mere laughing stock for the public.

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) (Credit: Lucasfilm)

But if there’s one decision that Lucas has made that perhaps rivals his dreadful Star Wars Prequel idea, it would be his selfish dealings with Pixar.

A Glance at the History of Pixar Animation Studios

The studio recognized for hatching movies after magnificent animated movies like Toy Story and The Incredibles, first started as a part of the Lucasfilm Computer Division called Graphis Group back in 1979. Before they found Pixar Animation Studios, Ed Catmull and Alvy Ray Smith were recruited by Lucasfilm...

Spellbound and John Lasseter – Pictures: Skydance Animation and GettyImages

Skydance Animation, which ex-Pixar head John Lasseter currently heads, unceremoniously dropped its seemingly homely, animated feature deal at Apple TV for a partnership with Netflix back in November 2023.

Netflix’s Original animated feature output has long been a discussion point of the industry. It’s an area that Ted Sarandos has addressed numerous times, most recently citing the re-watch value this type of content delivers for subscribers, and his view that Netflix are “underpenetrated” in the genre. This was as the streamer came off arguably its biggest flex of the year, swiping Skydance Animation from its output deal at Apple TV+. Despite restructuring and layoffs that recently impacted the internal Netflix Animation division, animated family movies seem to be a key part of the future strategy.

Netflix already has a partnership with Skydance Media at large, with recent output on the kids side,...

The history of Walt Disney Animation Studios is one full of extreme highs, but also equally precarious lows. You cannot have your Frozen or The Jungle Book without also going through titles like Home on the Range or The Black Cauldron. In 2008, Walt Disney Animation Studios was in the middle of those dark times, with the outfit being constantly outmatched by fellow Disney entities Pixar and other animation entities. John Lasseter and Ed Catmull, leaders of Pixar Animation Studios, were installed as the heads of this division in 2006 in the wake of Disney purchasing Pixar in the hopes that they could turn this label around. One of the first titles released under their watch was the story of a Hollywood hound by the name of Bolt.

Through the ever-changing landscape of animation, Pixar has remained at the top of the proverbial totem pole. Establishing itself as a household name with its unmatched collection of critically acclaimed hits, the entertainment giant has pioneered more than a few aspects of the medium over the years. There is a certain magnitude to having the "Pixar" name stamped on a film and, with it, a reassurance that viewers will be in capable hands.

Being responsible for leading innovation that changed the medium as a whole and establishing the use of CGI animation for feature-length films, it's only natural that a studio willing to take such risks would also be willing to grow and change. It has also been far from a smooth ride for the fabled animation studio, full of peaks and crevices and roadblocks along the way, despite which Pixar has remained one of the most prolific names in the world of animated films.

It's hard to rank the Disney animated films, and not just because there are so many of them. These are films that mean so much to so many people, that are inherently linked to powerful memories of childhood and have informed what we so many adults consider magical. Ranking their respective strengths and weaknesses becomes as much an investigation of why you loved something as it is to their relative worth as a creative endeavor. (Divorcing yourself of those emotions is mightily challenging.) Still, I tried to do just that, and wanted to share stories from the making of the movies as well, so you know just what went into that film's success (or lack thereof). So, yes, this is a history lesson as much as it’s a critical appraisal.

“Moana” and “Raya and the Last Dragon” producer Osnat Shurer has left the Magic Kingdom.

She has joined Baobab Studios, where she will serve as co-chief creative officer alongside company founder and Cco Eric Darnell, a DreamWorks veteran who worked as a director on “Antz” and every “Madagascar” film (including “Penguins of Madagascar”).

Shurer joined Disney more than a decade ago as a VP of development, having come from Pixar where she oversaw short films like the Oscar-nominated “Boundin’” and “Lifted.” She also worked on shorts that appeared on the studio’s home video releases like “Jack Jack Attack,” written and directed by Brad Bird, which appeared on the home video release of “The Incredibles.”

Baobab Studios describes itself as “the leading interactive animation studio” and has produced a number of award-winning VR experiences. At Baobab Shurer joins Maureen Fan, the chief creative officer (she is a veteran of game...

Osnat Shurer, an Oscar-nominated producer of Disney Animation’s Moana and Raya and the Last Dragon, has joined Baobab Studios as co-chief creative officer, alongside company founder and Cco Eric Darnell (Madagascar).

Previously, Shurer served as Walt Disney Feature Animation’s vp development and as executive producer of the short films group at Pixar, where she produced or executive produced shorts such as 2006’s Lifted and 2003’s Boundin’.

As she joins interactive animation studio Baobab, Shurer joins creative leaders including Darnell, chief content officer Kane Lee and advisors and investors such as Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull and Disney legend Glen Keane.

“We are thrilled to welcome Osnat to Baobab,” said Maureen Fan, CEO and co-founder of the studio. “She has a gift for launching franchises with beloved characters that resonate across ages and cultures. Osnat’s extensive background brings invaluable expertise to our growing story franchises across film, television, games and books.

Indie animation studio Baobab Studios has brought in Oscar-nominated producer Osnat Shurer (Moana) to serve as Co-Chief Creative Officer alongside Cco Eric Darnell (Madagascar).

Boasting 30+ years of experience in animation, Shurer comes to the company from Walt Disney Feature Animation, where she served as VP of Development, having simultaneously held a role as the executive producer of the short films group at Pixar. Going forward, she’ll be part of a creative brain trust which includes Darnell and Kane Lee (Chief Content Officer), and such advisors and investors as Ed Catmull and Oscar-winning filmmaker Glen Keane, among others.

Among the first projects Shurer will work on at Baobab are the Momoguro multiplatform franchise, which includes a digital collectibles game, an upcoming Roblox game, and a TV series in development, and two falling under a TV development deal with Disney+.

Pixar originated in 1986 and, according to one of its founders Ed Catmull in his book Creativity, Inc., got its name from a combination of the words Picture, Laser, and Radar. The company was designed to be a triple threat; pioneering business (as led by Steve Jobs), story (as led by animation director John Lasseter) and technology (as led by Catmull). Today, Pixar is classed as one of the most successful animation studios in the world, with almost all of its films having won or at least been nominated for Academy Awards. It's hard to pinpoint a singular specific moment in the company's genesis as being responsible for its fortune, and as Catmull writes in his book, it took a combination of several moments to achieve the level of success Pixar did. But one of those moments was undoubtedly a particular lunch meeting in the summer of 1994, in which Lasseter, along with fellow directors Andrew Stanton,...

After one of the most impressive winning streaks in Hollywood history, Pixar has seen its fortunes reversed in recent years, with last year’s flop Lightyear and a pandemic-era policy of sending its features straight to streaming at Disney+. Now, Pixar faces a major test of brand strength as it prepares to unveil Elemental, its first original theatrical feature since Covid-19 hit.

Directed by Peter Sohn, the film is based on an original story set in a world where fire, water, earth and air residents live together. Among early reviews, the title has an underwhelming 64 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a low number for Pixar. Additionally, the movie is tracking to soft numbers, just $37 million to $38 million over the June 16-18 opening weekend, which it shares with Warner Bros.’ The Flash. Only a handful of Disney’s releases have debuted to less than $50 million. (There were plenty of negative...

Chris Williams remembers standing at the retirement party for Walt Disney Animation legend John Musker, who directed The Little Mermaid and Aladdin with Ron Clements, and suddenly contemplating his future. “Being a Disney lifer is not a bad thing,” he remembers thinking. “But I didn’t want that to just happen to me, I wanted it to be a choice.” That event was followed not too long after by a company presentation from Pixar’s Ed Catmull, who cited a study where people regretted not things they did, but rather things they didn’t do. Williams, who had spent 25 years at Disney Animation, winning an Oscar for Big Hero 6 and earning a nomination for Moana, decided it was time to jump into the unknown.

He didn’t, however, jump to a rival animation studio or make a foray into live-action, like some other animation filmmakers do. Williams made the decision to go to Netflix.

For many, Pixar’s canceled film Newt was a curiosity, but it ended up helping Inside Out. Announced by Disney as far back as 2008 and scrapped shortly after, Pixar’s newt described itself as an animated romantic comedy surrounding themes of conservation, biology, and the struggles of scientists to save species from extinction. Although preceded by other films, such as Brave, in 2015, Disney released the mind-bending Inside Out, allowing Newt to fade into obscurity as one of the Pixar projects that could’ve been.

Sometimes for something new to be made, something else must end, and in the case of Inside Out, it came about because Newt never reached theaters. Behind-the-scenes production troubles with Newt and a changing of the guard brought Inside Out’s story to the table. It’s a strange tale of trying to capture lightning in a bottle and continue Pixar’s tradition of emotional storytelling,...

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A group of student from French animation school Pole 3D used CG to tell a powerful story about the Paris Massacre of 1961, which has now qualified for Academy Awards consideration.

Computer-animated short The Seine’s Tears (Le lames de la Seine) has already collected several awards, most recently the BAFTA Student Film Award for Animation. Next week the short will be honored as Best of Show at annual computer graphics confab Siggraph, which returns as an in-person event Aug. 3-8 in Vancouver.

The Seine’s Tears and all of the selections for the Siggraph Computer Animation Festival Electronic Theater — a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards — will be available for viewing both in Vancouver and remotely.

Yanis Belaid and seven of his fellow Pôle 3D students (Eliott Benard, Alice Letailleur, Nicolas Mayeur, Etienne Moulin, Hadrien Pinot, Philippine Singer and Lisa Vicente) helmed The Seine’s Tears,...

The London-based CG animation studio Locksmith Animation has appointed Mary Coleman as Chief Creative Officer. Coleman joins Locksmith from Pixar Animation Studios, where she served as Head of Creative Development. She will begin her work at Lsa in July.

During her 23 years at Pixar, Coleman worked closely alongside numerous A-list animation directors—looking to support their vision, from original concept through final draft. Modern classics brought to life there during her tenure included Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, Wall-e, Up, Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Brave, Monsters University, Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur, Finding Dory, Cars 3, Coco, Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4, Onward, Soul, Luca and Turning Red.

Coleman is known for helping to launch the careers of such screenwriters as Dan Fogelman (Cars), Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3), Meg Le Fauve (Inside Out) and Kemp Powers (Soul). She was the first woman to participate on Pixar’s Brain Trust,...

Longtime Pixar stalwart Mary Coleman, who was most recently Head of Creative Development, is now headed to Locksmith Animation as its Chief Creative Officer.

Locksmith, which was founded by former Aardman vets Sarah Smith and Julie Lockhart through funding from Elisabeth Murdoch, released “Ron’s Gone Wrong” in the fall of 2021 via 20th Century and has several projects in development with Warner Bros.

Locksmith CEO Natalie Fischer announced the news Tuesday and confirmed that Coleman officially will join the studio in July.

Also Read:

‘Ron’s Gone Wrong’ Animation Studio Sets Director for 2nd Film ‘That Christmas’ Based on Richard Curtis Books

Coleman spent 23 years at Pixar, having first been recruited by Ed Catmull in 1999 to start its creative development department. (Catmull had known her from her work as the Associate Artistic Director at San Francisco’s Magic Theatre.) At the time Pixar had just released two movies (“Toy Story” and “A Bug’s Life...

Coleman spent 23 years at animation giant Pixar.

Locksmith Animation, the UK studio behind Disney release Ron’s Gone Wrong, has bolstered its senior team by appointing Pixar executive Mary Coleman as its chief creative officer.

Coleman is a highly respected industry veteran who spent 23 years at the Oscar-winning animation studio behind Toy Story, The Incredibles and Soul, most recently as head of creative development. She will join London-based Locksmith Animation, which has offices in Los Angeles, in July.

Natalie Fischer, CEO of Locksmith, described the appointment as “a milestone in our company’s journey” and praised Coleman’s “keen eye for...

Exclusive: Pixar co-founder and longtime Disney Animation President Ed Catmull has joined the Board of Directors and Creative Advisory Board at Baobab Studios.

Honored with five Academy Awards as well as the A.M. Turing Award (referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Computing”) for his contributions to 3D graphics and CGI filmmaking, Catmull brings over 50 years of experience to Baobab’s board. He served as President of both Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar, from Pixar’s acquisition by Disney in 2006 through his retirement in 2019, and oversaw numerous groundbreaking films from both studios, including Disney’s Big Hero 6, Frozen and Zootopia, and Pixar’s Finding Nemo, Incredibles 2 and Toy Story 4, to name a few. As a member of the independent animation studio’s boards, Catmull will guide creative and operations, as the studio accelerates its award-winning storytelling across both emerging and traditional mediums.

“I’m honored...

As we stroll on Disney’s historic Burbank lot toward the plaza where he is about to be photographed in front of a statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse holding hands, I ask Iger if he is feeling melancholy about his decision to leave.

“I’m being resolute about it — this time around. I haven’t once second-guessed it or hesitated,” he tells me. “It’s bittersweet. I’m going to miss people, and I’m going to miss the creative process.” Iger, who turns 71 in February and who began his career at age 23 at ABC, is one of only six CEOs to lead Disney since its founding in 1923 until Bob Chapek assumed the role in February 2020.

Ten days from now, Iger can step away knowing that few, if any, media leaders can claim as impressive a track record at any one enterprise as he achieved over his time...

Video Version of this Article Photo/Video: Steve Jobs and Pixar/Hollywood Insider YouTube Channel For most of the 20th century, Walt Disney Animation Studios was the kingpin in animation. Towards the end of the century, with the groundbreaking inventions of mass-produced desktop computers, and animation software reaching new innovative heights, art and science would intertwine in a triumphant way that would give Disney a run for its money. When Steve Jobs, John Lasseter, and Edwin Catmull shared their dreams of the future together, their drive and talent created Pixar, the most beloved creator of animation content. After learning about John Lasseter’s and Ed Catmull’s lives, it’s no surprise they ended up where they are today. However, throwing Steve Jobs in the mix is a bit peculiar, especially because he was simultaneously the CEO of Apple and Pixar for many years. Related article: The Complete List of 2021 Oscar Nominations – Celebrations,...

Andrew Jackson, VFX supervisor of Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk and latest release Tenet, will be featured in a closing keynote session of the View Conference.

Due to the pandemic, the annual VFX and animation confab will be held virtually from Oct. 18-23, rather than its typically home in Torino, Italy.

Dneg’s Jackson, an Oscar nominee for Mad Max: Fury Road, will participate via a virtual conversation with THR’s Carolyn Giardina.

Guests may register to watch the View conference free via live streaming. On-demand options are also available, for purchase.

Additional keynote and session speakers include Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull, 9-time Oscar-winning ...

Andrew Jackson, VFX supervisor of Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk and latest release Tenet, will be featured in a closing keynote session of the View Conference.

Due to the pandemic, the annual VFX and animation confab will be held virtually from Oct. 18-23, rather than its typically home in Torino, Italy.

Dneg’s Jackson, an Oscar nominee for Mad Max: Fury Road, will participate via a virtual conversation with THR’s Carolyn Giardina.

Guests may register to watch the View conference free via live streaming. On-demand options are also available, for purchase.

Additional keynote and session speakers include Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull, 9-time Oscar-winning ...

Over the past 16 years View conference director Maria Elena Gutierrez has been steadily growing the event held in Turin – historically the first Italian city to develop a film industry — into one of Europe’s top international symposiums on computer graphics, animation, and visual effects. It’s regularly attended by top creatives and execs coming to Italy to hobnob and take the pulse of the latest digital developments in film, 2D/3D animation, VR and Ar, gaming, and VFX.

This year of course the effects of Covid-19 posed a major challenge. One that Gutierrez, who was born in Mexico, raised in central California – she has a PhD from Stanford – and has long been living in Turin, managed to turn into an advantage of sorts for the event’s upcoming 21st edition that will be held virtually Oct. 18-23.

Gutierrez spoke to Variety about how she navigated the coronavirus crisis and turned...

Italy’s View Conference, the week-long confab featuring top creatives from around the world in film, television, games, virtual reality, and more is going entirely digital this year with all live sessions being made available for free to a global audience.

Usually the high-caliber event, now in its 21st edition, which spotlights the latest in computer graphics, animation, and visual effects of various types, is held in Turin against an Alpine backdrop. Over the years it has evolved into a Davos-like conference where the digital creative community’s top execs fly in to hear each other’s talks and hobnob, perhaps over a nice bottle of Barolo. That aspect due to Covid-19 is being scrapped this year though “virtual rooms” following presentations are being set up.

Of course it won’t be the same thing. But conference director Maria Gutierrez says there are also some advantages to being online only.

The View Conference is offering free streaming access to its 2020 program, which runs from Oct. 18-23 in Turin, Italy.

“There has been so much bad news in 2020, so I’m thrilled to be able to share some great news for a change,” said conference director Maria Elena Gutierrez. “Everyone could use some extra light and joy in their lives, so we have made the unprecedented decision to make this year’s conference completely free.” Those who register will have streaming access to the conference’s 125 online and on-site talks, workshops, master classes and panels.

“Every session will be available online, allowing anyone to attend anywhere in the world,” said Gutierrez. “This is a fantastic chance to grow the View community and to welcome into our family participants who are unable to travel to Torino or buy a full access pass.”

Keynote speakers include Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull, Industrial Light & Magic’s Dennis Muren,...

Cartoon Saloon co-founder and creative director Tomm Moore will take part in a presentation about his latest film, “Wolfwalkers,” during the 2020 View Conference, along with his co-director, Ross Stewart, and other key artists.

“Wolfwalkers,” which generated lots of buzz during the Toronto Film Festival, where it had its world premiere, is the latest film from Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon. The studio’s “The Secret of Kells” and “Song of the Sea,” both directed by Moore, were nominated for Academy Awards for animated feature. “Wolfwalkers” will stream worldwide on Apple TV Plus later this year.

Joining Moore and Stewart for the 90-minute online talk will be assistant director Mark Mullery, character designer Sandra Andersen, art director Maria Pareja and animation supervisor Svend Rothmann Bonde.

“We are lucky to be able to enjoy the work of such wonderful storytellers as Cartoon Saloon,” said conference director Maria Elena Gutierrez. “Their exquisite films...

Osnat Shurer, producer of Disney’s upcoming animated feature “Raya and the Last Dragon,” will give a virtual talk at the 2020 View Conference, based in Turin, Italy. Her session will be live-streamed to a global audience on Tuesday, Oct. 20, beginning at 10 a.m. Pt.

Shurer, who joined Disney Animation in 2012 as vice president of development, also produced “Moana,” which was nominated for an Oscar for best animated feature in 2017. During her virtual talk, she’ll discuss the cultural consultancy work she undertook with the Oceanic Story Trust for “Moana” as well as her work on “Raya,” set to be released in March of 2021, and other topics.

“It will be fascinating to hear Osnat speak about gender representation,” said View Conference director Maria Elena Gutierrez. “She has produced films featuring strong female characters with her team at Disney, depicting women as warriors. This is true of ‘Moana,’ and I have an...

Peter Ramsey, co-director of Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” will be the next speaker in the View Conference’s free PreVIEW series of virtual conversations ahead of the October gathering.

Ramsey will speaking with Escape Studios’ deputy dean and director Saint John Walker on Saturday, Aug. 29, beginning at 10 a.m. Pt. He’ll be discussing the his work on the acclaimed film as well as other aspects of his long showbiz career.

In addition to Sony Pictures Animation’s “Spider-Verse,” Ramsey directed DreamWorks Animation’s “Rise of the Guardians” and the Halloween TV special “Monsters vs. Aliens: Pumpkins From Outer Space,” and was a story artist on a number of other Dwa projects. His experience also includes work as a storyboard artist on a number of live-action features, including “Independence Day,” “Fight Club,” “Being John Malkovich,” “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” and “Minority Report.”

“Peter is a master storyteller,” says View Conference director Maria Elena Gutierrez.

Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull will give a keynote address at the 2020 View Conference in October and Tomm Moore, co-director of the upcoming Apple TV Plus animated feature “Wolfwalkers,” will also be speaking at the event, which will be a mix of virtual and in-person talks and masterclasses this year, due to the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic.

Catmull will be giving a keynote address that will touch on many aspects of his 33 years with Pixar and the ever-evolving world of computer graphics. Catmull is also the author of “Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration.”

Moore, who co-directs “Wolfwalkers” with Ross Stewart, is a co-founder of Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon. His films “The Secret of Kells” and “Song of the Sea” were nominated for Oscars. His latest film will be the first animated feature to premiere on Apple TV Plus. It will stream later this year.

Pixar has been dominating the animation field for years with its beloved Oscar-winning films, but it’s taken over 25 years for the computer industry to acknowledge the animation studio’s contributions on the technology side of things. Luckily, Pixar Animation’s Ed Catmull and Pat Hanrahan are being acknowledged with the most prestigious award in the computer industry: the Turing […]

The post Pixar’s Ed Catmull and Pat Hanrahan Have Won the $1 Million Turing Prize for Their CGI Breakthroughs appeared first on /Film.

Two of Pixar Animation Studios’ earliest employees, Ed Catmull and Pat Hanrahan, have won the computer industry’s prestigious Turing Prize for their contributions to 3D graphics and CGI filmmaking.

The duo will split the $1 million cash prize for the Association for Computing Machinery’s A.M. Turing Award, which is sometimes referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Computing” and named for British mathematician and computer scientist Alan M. Turing.

Catmull is a computer scientist and former president of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios, who retired from his Pixar post in 2018. Hanrahan, a founding Pixar employee, currently is a professor in Stanford University’s Computer Graphics Laboratory.

“Ed Catmull and Pat Hanrahan have fundamentally influenced the field of computer graphics through conceptual innovation and contributions to both software and hardware,” Acm said in announcing the award Wednesday. “Their work has had a revolutionary impact on filmmaking, leading to a...

As you may or may not know, Steve Jobs was a board member at Disney, and he was also their largest shareholder. So, it’s not a surprise that Disney CEO Bob Iger would go to him to discuss all kinds of things regarding the direction Disney was looking to go. Jobs became a very influential part of the company after Disney bought Pixar.

Iger explained in his book, The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company:

“Whenever I wanted to do something big, I talked it over with him, to get his advice before taking it to the full board. Steve’s voice mattered in our boardroom; they had such respect for him.”

It turns out that during one of these talks, Jobs suggested to Iger that he should shut down Disney Animation because he didn’t think they needed...

Walt Disney Animation is still enjoying a resurgence in popularity that began after Ed Catmull and John Lasseter were respectively named president and chief creative officer of the company. After starting off in a promising new direction with the movie Tangled, Disney Animation has churned out hits like Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, […]

The post Steve Jobs Wanted Bob Iger To Shut Down Disney Animation After Pixar Acquisition appeared first on /Film.

Ahead of this year’s hostless Oscars, the Motion Picture Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards, held Saturday night, proved it was possible to have an uncontroversial, enjoyable ceremony…complete with an emcee.

The Sci-Tech Awards honor technological innovators from the film industry who are rarely seen in front of the camera. The evening’s master of ceremonies, actor David Oyelowo, kept the mood light by lauding the tech award show over the Oscars and connecting with the honorees over the common mispronunciation of their foreign last names.

“These are the real unsung heroes of moviemaking, and I just love how selfless they are,” Oyelowo told Variety. “These guys spend tireless amounts of hours perfecting the things that make movies great. It’s a real honor to get to serve them tonight.”

Honorees were previously announced in December after being chosen by the Academy for their groundbreaking contributions to filmmaking and special effects.

Netflix has inked another of its multiyear overall deals, this time with Darla K. Anderson, the Oscar-winning longtime Pixar producer whose credits at the Disney animation giant include Coco, Toy Story 3 and Cars. Under the new deal, Anderson will develop and produce new animated and live-action projects, both feature films and series, for family audiences.

It’s the latest big get for Netlfix which has been lassoing talent both behind and in front of the camera in both film and TV as it continues to ramp up original fare. It’s also the latest loss for Pixar, which in the past six months has seen the exits of co-founder John Lasseter (amid allegations of inappropriate conduct) and soon co-founder Ed Catmull (who is retiring) as well as Anderson’s Coco partner Lee Unkrich, who exited earlier this month after his own 25-year career there.

“Darla is one of the...

Lee Unkrich, one of the centerpiece creatives at the heart of Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios since its first movie Toy Story, said Friday he is leaving the company after 25 years. The director won two Oscars during his run, for helming Coco (last year) and 2010’s Toy Story 3. He also co-directed Pixar smashes Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc and Finding Nemo.

Unkrich informed Pixar staff of his decision today we hear and confirmed the news on Twitter.

“I’m not leaving to make films at another studio; instead, I look forward to spending much-needed time with my family and pursuing interests that have long been back-burnered,” he said in a statement.

After twenty-five incredible years, I’ve decided to leave Pixar.

The time has come for new adventures. pic.twitter.com/0KZyHXhs8L

— Lee Unkrich (@leeunkrich) January 18, 2019

Pete Docter, who was named chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced nine scientific and technical achievements, represented by 27 individual recipients, to be honored at the annual Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation Feb. 9 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

In addition, Curtis Clark will be receiving the John A. Bonner Award for his service to the motion picture industry.

Achievements that receive Scientific and Technical Awards do not need to have been introduced in 2018. They need only to demonstrate a record of significant value contributed to the process of movie making.

“Each year, the Academy forms a diverse committee made up of nearly 60 experts on the technology of filmmaking tasked with examining the tools that artists use to create films,” said Doug Roble, chair of the Scientific and Technical Awards Committee. “This year, the committee is recognizing nine technologies from around the world. These extraordinary contributions to the science...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences just announced nine scientific and technical achievements represented by 27 individual award recipients to be honored at its annual Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation on February 9 at the Beverly Wilshire.

AMPAS also said that cinematographer Curtis Clark will receive the John A. Bonner Award for his extraordinary service to the motion picture industry.

“Each year, the Academy forms a diverse committee made up of nearly 60 experts on the technology of filmmaking tasked with examining the tools that artists use to create films,” said Doug Roble, chair of the Scientific and Technical Awards Committee. “This year, the committee is recognizing nine technologies from around the world. These extraordinary contributions to the science of filmmaking have elevated our art form to incredible new heights.”

Here are the Academy Awards for scientific and technical achievements:

Technical Achievement Awards (Academy Certificates)

To Eric Dachs, Erik Bielefeldt, Craig Wood...

Spoiler Alert: This interview features discussion of critical plot elements from Pixar’s Incredibles 2.

When The Incredibles came out in 2004, it was a film ahead of its time. Marking a major paradigm shift in animation as a whole, Brad Bird’s family-centric superhero story was so ambitious—in the midst of the technology and techniques of the era—that it seemed impossible to make, even for artists at Pixar, one of the most innovative and influential animation studios of all time. When Bird’s original work achieved huge success at the box office, and built an avid fan base, a sequel became inevitable. And while Incredibles 2 would have beasts of its own to slay—from conceptualization through completion—they were of an altogether kind. Technology had caught up with the scope of Bird’s ideas, meaning that the problem to work out was the story itself, rather than...

After decades at the helm of Pixar, co-founder Ed Catmull is retiring. The 73-year-old co-founded Pixar in 1986 alongside Steve Jobs and John Lasseter, and helped shepherd the cutting-edge computer animation studio into becoming the global animation giant it is today. Ed Catmull retires from his role as the president of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation […]

The post Pixar Co-Founder Ed Catmull to Retire After Nearly 40 Years in Animation appeared first on /Film.

Animation pioneer Ed Catmull, 73, Pixar co-founder and president of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, will retire at the end of the year and serve as consultant through next July, marking his 40th year in the industry.

Simply put, there would be no animation and VFX industries as we know it without Catmull’s visionary tech contributions. Beginning with Pixar’s innovative shorts and ground-breaking “Toy Story” (1995), the first CG feature, he’s literally taken Pixar and Disney to infinity and beyond, serving as Yoda to John Lasseter’s Luke Skywalker, creating a multi-billion dollar industry.

Read More: John Lasseter’s Legacy: Why the Tarnished CG Animation Pioneer May Be Irreplaceable For Disney and Pixar

In looking back, the five-time Academy Award tech recipient never anticipated such astounding success: “The goal of making the animated feature was a goal that lasted 20 years,” Catmull told me. “And in the process of...

Computer animation pioneer was hired by George Lucas in 1979.

Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar and president of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, will retire next year.

Catmull announced the move on Tuesday (23) and will step down from his current role at The Walt Disney Company at end of 2018 and remain an employee in an advisory role through July 2019.

Following Catmull’s retirement, Pixar president Jim Morris and Walt Disney Animation Studios president Andrew Millstein will continue to oversee operations of their respective studios, reporting to Walt Disney Studios president Alan Bergman.

Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Animation...

Ed Catmull, a longtime leader at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation, has announced plans to retire.

Pixar president Jim Morris and Walt Disney Animation Studios president Andrew Millstein will continue in his place, as the 73-year-old transitions to an advisory role to end in summer 2019.

Morris and Millstein will report up to Walt Disney Studios President Alan Bergman, while each studio’s respective chief creative officer, Pete Docter and Jennifer Lee, will continue to report to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn.

Catmull leaves behind a 40 year legacy of developing technology for film, and took part in Pixar’s historic release of the first ever computer animated feature (“Toy Story”) in 1995. He was hired by George Lucas in 1979 to lead the computer division at Lucasfilm. He would go on to co-found Pixar in 1986 with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter.

“Never in my wildest imagination could I have conceived of the...

Ed Catmull, President of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, will retire after 40 years in the industry at the end of 2018, Disney announced on Tuesday.

Pixar President Jim Morris and Walt Disney Animation Studios President Andrew Millstein will continue to oversee operations of their respective studios, reporting to Walt Disney Studios President Alan Bergman. Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios will continue to be creatively led by Chief Creative Officers Pete Docter and Jennifer Lee, respectively, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn.

Catmull, 73, will remain on in an advisory role through July 2019.

Also Read: Animation Execs Jennifer Lee and Pete Docter to Split John Lasseter's Duties at Disney, Pixar

Catmull’s career began in 1979 at Lucasfilm, when he was hired by George Lucas to oversee the studio’s nascent computer division. Seven years later, Catmull co-founded Pixar Animation Studios with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter...

Pixar co-founder and computer animation pioneer Ed Catmull will retire next year after more than four decades working in the film industry. The soft-spoken computer engineer will step down from his current role as president of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios at the end of the year, though he’ll serve in an advisory role through July 2019.

Following Catmull’s retirement, Pixar president Jim Morris and Walt Disney Animation Studios president Andrew Millstein will continue to oversee operations of their respective studios, reporting to Walt Disney Studios president Alan Bergman.

Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios will continue to be creatively led by chief creative officers Pete Docter and Jennifer Lee, respectively, reporting to Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn.

“Ed Catmull’s impact on the entertainment industry is immeasurable,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement Tuesday. “A pioneer of the intersection of creativity and technology,...

Ed Catmull, who co-founded Pixar along with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter and in doing so revolutionized the animation industry, is retiring after a ground-breaking five-decade career, during which he has been involved with dozens of hit films from Toy Story to Frozen to this year's Incredibles 2.

Catmull, who acts as president of both Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, will step down from his current roles at the end of this year, according to a Disney announcement on Tuesday, and then stay on as an adviser through July 2019 before formally retiring.

“Never in my wildest imagination could I ...

Ed Catmull, who co-founded Pixar along with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter and in doing so revolutionized the animation industry, is retiring after a ground-breaking five-decade career, during which he has been involved with dozens of hit films from Toy Story to Frozen to this year's Incredibles 2.

Catmull, who acts as president of both Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, will step down from his current roles at the end of this year, according to a Disney announcement on Tuesday, and then stay on as an adviser through July 2019 before formally retiring.

“Never in my wildest imagination could I ...

Bob Iger says Fox labels create ’endless possibilities’.

Twenty-First Century Fox executives Emma Watts, Elizabeth Gabler, Nancy Utley and Stephen Gilula, Andrea Miloro and Robert Baird, and Vanessa Morrison are joining Disney’s studio entertainment management team pending Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox.

As previously reported, 20th Century Fox chairman and CEO Stacey Snider will not be among the new intake and is poised to leave once the transaction goes through. It is not yet known where she will land.

Watts, the Twentieth Century Fox Film vice-president and president of production at Twentieth Century Fox, along with Fox Searchlight Pictures...