The History of Pixar

The Nugget

Pixar's history is a tale of overcoming obstacles, maintaining integrity, and redefining the world of animation.

Key insights

Ed Catmull and Alvey Smith founded Pixar in 1974 after being part of the computer graphics lab at the New York Institute of Technology.
Joined the computer division of Lucasfilm led by George Lucas in 1979.

John Lasseter, a Disney animation enthusiast, joined Pixar in 1983 after being fired from Disney.
Lasseter's influence led to innovative projects like "The Adventures of Andre and Wally B" and the stained glass knight in "Young Sherlock Holmes."

Steve Jobs bought Pixar for $10 million in 1986, leading to the creation of groundbreaking short films like "Luxo Jr."
Pixar's financial struggles led to Jobs securing $150 million in funding for the studio's survival.

Pixar's collaboration with Disney led to the release of hit films like "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life," and "Monsters Inc."
Negotiations with Disney post-acquisition in 2006 resulted in Pixar's creative freedom and financial success.

John Lasseter and Ed Catmull's leadership at Disney's animation studio saved it from closure by revitalizing the team and rehiring talented animators from the Disney Renaissance era.
The unique collaboration between Pixar and Disney's animation studios led to a resurgence of high-quality animated films.

"This was a godsend for the studio as it was severely struggling at the time."
"They trailblaze new technologies and dare to take a leap of faith."
"Pixar redefined the world of animation but always continued to maintain a level of integrity and class."
"Is the foundation of Pixar's is that art challenges technology and technology inspires the art."
"From an animation perspective I then went to the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland in September and the parade went by that hit me that the characters that were in the parade all came from films that had been made prior to the mid-90s except for some of the Pixar characters."

Pixar's mantra: "Art challenges technology and technology inspires the art."
Pixar's legacy is built on integrity, trailblazing, and maintaining creativity.
John Lasseter's journey from Disney to Pixar to Disney again showcases the circular nature of the animation industry.
Pixar's collaboration with Disney led to a resurgence in high-quality animated films and saved Disney's own animation studio

This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.