Way back in 1981 Walt Disney Feature Animation had the chance to become a leader in computer generated animation. If they listened to the younger John Lasseter then, they could have owned Pixar for $20 million and kept Lasseter on to lead it. Instead, office politics got in the way and a 25 year slow dance began as Pixar, Lasseter, and Disney worked out the details of a permanent relationship.
Fortune Magazine has just released an extensive interview with John Lasseter. In it you’ll learn more about the details of Lasseter’s background and the recent Pixar/Disney deal than I’ve read anywhere else. What becomes crystal clear is Lasseter’s love for the Disney product (all Disney product, not just animation) the way Walt envisioned it. I think this bodes well for the future of the Disney Company, let’s just hope Lasseter is listened to this time.
[ Tags: disney, pixar, animation, wdfa, john+lasseter, fortune+magazine, walt+disney, disney+company, cg+animation, film+history ]