2. History
1976
Ed Catmull was recruited from the New York Institute Of Technology, to be the head of the new
ʻLucasfilmʼs Computer Divisionʼ, a group which was going to be in charge with developing state of
the art computer technology for the film industry. By creating this new division, ʻLucasʼ wanted to
create a digital (nonlinear) film editing system, a digital film printer and explore the use of computer
graphics further.
1983
John Lasseter was later invited to join the graphics group. He helped work on the short film ʻThe
Adventures Of Andre & Wally Bʼ. In 1984 he was was hired full time and became the leader in
ʻInterface Designerʼ.
1986
They created their first short film, which incorporated ground breaking technology such as
complex flexible characters, hand-painted and motion blur. ʻThe Adventures Of Andre & Wally Bʼ
was realised at SIGGRAPH.
1986
Steve jobs brought the Computer Graphics Division from George Lucas for $10 million and put
$5 million cash as capital straight into the company. He established it as a independent
company and named it Pixar. Luxo Jr, is the next short film to be created, it was directed by
John Lasseter and released in August also at SIGGRAPH in November. It was the first three
dimensional computer animated film to be nominated for the Best Animated Short Film at the
Oscars.
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3. 1990
In April, Pixar sold their Hardware division and moved to Richmond, California. Throughout this process
Pixar had created a close and successful relationship with Walt Disney Feature Animation Studio.
1991
Pixar suffered a few set backs and were loosing money so had to drop 30 employees, which caused the
total number of employees to just 42. However they made a deal with Disney, this was to produce three
computer animated feature films.
1995
Toy Story was realised in theatre November 22nd, this was the worlds first computer animated feature
film. This film is the only reason that Steve Jobs did not end up selling this company. Toy Story, was the
highest grossing film of 1995, making $362 globally. It was nominated and won many different awards and
in November 29th, the companies stock was priced at $22 per share.
1997
Pixar announce that along side Walt Disney Studios, they will be producing five movies over the next
10years. Now they employ 375 people. Pixarʼs next short film is also completed and premieres on
November 24th and is Pixarʼs second winner of the Best Animated Short Film Academy Award.
1998
A Bugʼs life is released on November 25th and breaks previous US Thanksgiving weekend box office
records.
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4. 1999
Toy Story 2 is released in theatres on November 24th. It is the first film in history to be entirely created,
mastered and exhibited digitally, and is the first animated sequel to gross more than its original. It was
nominated for the best original song at the Oscars. It also broke box office records in the US, UK and
Japan.
2000
Pixar moves to its purpose built building in November, in Emeryville, California
2001
Monsters, Inc. is released in theatres on November 2, accompanied by For the Birds. Monsters,
Inc. reaches over $100 million in domestic box-office in just 9 days—faster than any animated film in
history. Pixar now has over 600 employees.
2002
Finding Nemo is released in theatres on May 30, accompanied by a remastered version of Knick
Knack. Finding Nemo breaks opening weekend box-office records domestically for an animated feature.
2004
The Incredibles is released in Theatres on November 5th. Its first weekend box office of $70 million, which
breaks all other Pixar records. Finding Nemo also becomes the best selling DVD of all time.
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5. 2006
Pixar celebrates 20years, Cars is released in June and disney announces itʼs plans to
buy Pixar.
2008
WallE, is released in theatres in june and is nominated for six Academy Awards and takes
home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film.
2009
A new studio in Canada is set up to produce and focus on shorts that will focus on
beloved characters from its feature films. Up is the first animated feature film to open the
Cannes film Festival and debuts in theatres in May. Up was nominated for five Academy
Awards including Best Picture. It also won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film.
2010
Toy Story 3 is released in theatres on June 18. It will become the highest-grossing
animated film of all time, and the first to reach the billion dollar mark.
2011
Pixar celebrate its 25th Anniversary and completes the construction of a new building on
its Emeryville Campus. Cars 2 is also released in theatres in June, accompanied by the
first short made by the Canadian studio, Toy Story Toon.
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6. Key Films
“Toy Story follows a group of anthropomorphic toys who pretend to be
lifeless whenever humans are present, and focuses on the relationship
between Woody, a pullstring cowboy doll (Tom Hanks), and Buzz Lightyear,
an astronaut action figure (Tim Allen).”
Toy Story was released in November 22nd 1995, and was the top grossing
film on its opening weekend and later for the whole of 1995. It earned over
$361 million worldwide. It received huge praise for both the screenplay and
the animation. It is still today regarded as one of the best animated films
ever made. In 2005 (the first year of eligibly) Toy Story was inducted into the
National Film Registry as being “ Culturally, historically or aesthetically
significant”
The film centres on an elderly widower named Carl and an earnest
young Wilderness Explorer named Russell. By tying thousands of
balloons to his home, 78-year-old Carl sets out to fulfil his lifelong
dream to see the wilds of South America and to complete a promise
made to his lifelong love.
Up was released in 3D on May 29th, 2009, it opened the 2009
Cannes Film Festival, making it the first animated and 3D film ever to
do so. The film earned over $731 in its theatre release. The film
received five Academy Award Nominations, including best picture,
making it the second animated film in history to receive such a
nomination following Beauty and the beast 1991.
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7. Key Characters
Sulley from
Unlike previous Pixar films, each main character had its own lead animator. The
person responsible for Sulley was John Kahrs. Their were many struggles when
designing and animating Sulley because he is so different to the characters that
they have animated and designed before. Kahrs, found a challenge when
dealing with Sulleyʼs sheer mass because traditionally, you would portray a
figures heaviness by giving it a slower movement, but he did not want to do this
as he thought it would give the film a sluggish feel. To fix this problem he started
to think of Sulley as a American football player, this meant that they were big yet
athletic so they could move quickly and lightly. To help with his animation
Rodger Kram, who is a expert on the locomotion of heavy animals gave a
lecture on the subject.
Another problem that kahr in counted was the fur on Sulley. After many fails attempts and test simulations pixar
eventually set-up the Simulation department and created a new fur simulation program called Fizt (for "physics
tool"). This helped them make the fur look better because they could now animate huge numbers of hairs
(2,320,413 on Sulley) and they could also add self shadowing and that the hairs cast shadows on the other
hairs. All of this aspects allowed sulley to have a really 3D and realistic look to him.
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