Computer Arts magazine has a lengthy interview with Pixar Animator Jan Pinkava. Pinkava won an Oscar for the 1998 Pixar short "Geri’s Game", which he directed. Pinkava was recently replaced in the director’s chair by Brad Bird on the upcoming Pixar film "Ratatouille". His answer to that question is a politic:
I think that Brad Bird’s going to make a great job of it, but beyond that – and I’ve always wanted to say this – no comment
When asked about the merger and continuing the uniquess of Pixar’s animation culture Pinkava had this interesting response:
My guess is that with [Pixar co-founders] John Lasseter and Ed Catmull
in charge of Walt Disney Feature Animation, there will be choices made
to make the right movies. People are making the right decisions, I
think, to make the work as good as possible. You’ve got to have faith
in that.
There does seem to be quite a bit of faith involved in this merger even now. (via)