This video from Wired magazine looks at the foundational role Pixar Animation Studios (and by extension Industrial Light & Magic, where Pixar got its start) played in the use of computer-generated visual effects in film. As the video title points out, Pixar’s RenderMan software and… Read More »Pixar: 30 years of computer-generated animation in film
Big news in the animation world today. Ed Catmull, the big pioneer behind the entire computer animation industry, co-founder of Pixar, and current President of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios has announced his retirement at the end of this year. At age 73, Catmull… Read More »Ed Catmull, Pixar Co-Founder, is stepping down as President of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios
It’s a bit awkward to think about when you’re in the theater, but today’s computer animated movies are not just works of art, but they’re millions of mathematical calculations as well.
Without the math that gives the illusion of smoothness in computer animated characters, the visuals would not be nearly as appealing.
Pixar’s current President, Ed Catmull was the one who came up with the first formulas that helped the animators bring their art to life. These days there’s a whole group at Pixar in charge of researching new.Read More »Explaining the Math in Pixar’s Computer Modeling
Disney Fans, it’s time to get Wired. No really. Go out and get the next issue of Wired magazine. It will feature a special cover with over 30 Disney and Pixar animated characters, not to mention Ed Catmull and John Lasseter who currently oversea both… Read More »Disney Fans, it’s time to get Wired
It’s a question that regrettably must be asked.
For five years prior to his death, Steve Jobs served as Pixar’s voice on the Walt Disney Company board of directors and provided valuable insight (must read) in other areas as well. Who succeeds him will have significant implications for both Disney and Pixar.
About two years ago Ed Catmull’s talk on keeping your crises small made the internet circuit (video of his speech). Now the Harvard Business Review has another great object lesson, that once again involves Ed Catmull. This time it’s a bit of Pixar mythology –… Read More »Another Business Lesson from Pixar
Yesterday the LA Times had a front page story that reported Disney Animation is closing the book on fairy tales. I immediately thought that this was either an over-reaction by the reporter or a purposeful statement by Disney to set expectations on Tangled, or both.… Read More »Don’t bury Fairy Tales at Disney just yet
As much as anyone Dr. Randy Pausch embodied creativity and technology combined. His work founding and teaching at the Entertainment Technology Center for Carnegie Mellon University, his life long passions, including working for Walt Disney Imagineering, and his emotional “Last Lecture”, in fact a gift for his kids, are good models for us all. So it makes sense that Dr. Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar and current President of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, be awarded the first Randy Paucsh Prize.
Without the leadership and vision of Dr. Ed, Pixar would not exist; without his passion for excellence and creativity, Pixar would not have hit every ball out of the park with a perfect record of films out of the Emeryville Studios. Catmull will give a speech at CMU on September 26th when he receives his award.
The full press release is below the cut:
Read More »1st Randy Pausch Prize from CMU ETC goes to Pixar’s Ed Catmull