THE PIXAR STORY
1979
Ed Catmull is recruited by George Lucas from The New York Institute of Technology
to head Lucasfilm's Computer Division, a group charged with developing state-ofthe-art computer technology for the film industry. Lucas's wish list: a digital
(nonlinear) film editing system, a digital sound editing system, a digital film printer,
and further exploration of computer graphics.
1983
John Lasseter is invited to join the graphics group at Lucasfilm's Computer Division,
and works on Thomas Porter's 1984 pool ball image as well as the short film The
Adventures of André & Wally B. He would be hired full-time the following year,
joining the Computer Division as an "Interface Designer."
1984
A partially completed version of The Adventures of André & Wally B. premieres at
SIGGRAPH. It is he first short film created by the future animation studio. It features
ground-breaking technology such as complex flexible characters, hand-painted
textures, and motion blur.
1986
Steve Jobs purchases the Computer Graphics Division from George Lucas and
establishes an independent company to be christened "Pixar." At this time about 44
people are employed. Luxo Jr. is completed. The short film, John Lasseter’s
directorial debut, is unveiled in August at SIGGRAPH and then screened for general
audiences at Los Angeles-area theaters in November. Luxo Jr. will be the first threedimensional computer animated film to be nominated for the Best Animated Short
Film Oscar®.
1987
Red’s Dream is completed. Its rain effect and complexity of lighting pose
new technological challenges for the team and allow a study in creating mood and
atmosphere. A portion of the film is rendered entirely on the Pixar Image Computer.
Also directed by John Lasseter, the short film has its premiere in July at SIGGRAPH
1988
THE PIXAR STORY
Tin Toy is completed. A partially completed version is screened for SIGGRAPH
audiences in August, and the film receives its official premiere later that year at the
Ottawa International Film Fest. Tin Toy will be the first computer animated film to
receive an Academy Award® when it is named Best Animated Short Film of 1988.
Pixar’s new animation system, Menv (short for "modeling environment"), comes
online.
1989
Knick Knack is completed. A work-in-progress version is screened at that year’s
SIGGRAPH. It is the first of the company's animations to be produced in
stereoscopic 3D. The first commercial version of RenderMan® is released—and will
go on to become the industry standard software for rendering computer graphics in
film. Pixar begins making commercials—and would later twice win
the CLIO Award. Pete Docter and Andrew Stanton join the company.
1991
Disney and Pixar announce an agreement "to make and distribute at least one
computer-generated animated movie."
1995
Toy Story, the world’s first computer animated feature film, is released in theaters on
November 22. Toy Story also becomes the highest grossing film of 1995,
making $192 million domestically and $362 million worldwide. Toy Story will be
nominated for Best Original Song, Best Original Score, and Best Original Screenplay
by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. David DiFrancesco receives
a Scientific and Engineering Academy Award® for Film Input Scanning.Pixar opens
its initial public offering on November 28. It is the largest IPO of the year.
1996
John Lasseter receives a Special Achievement Oscar® from the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences for his "inspired leadership of the Pixar Toy Story Team
resulting in the first feature-length
computer animated film." Ed Catmull, Alvy Ray Smith, Thomas Porter and Tom Duff
receive the
Sciences Scientific and Engineering Academy Award® for their pioneering inventions
in digital image compositing.
THE PIXAR STORY
1997
The Walt Disney Studios and Pixar Animation Studios announce an agreement to
jointly produce five movies over 10 years.Pixar now employs 375 people. Geri’s
Game is completed. It premieres at Laemmle's Monica Theater in Santa Monica on
November 24. It will be Pixar's second winner of the Best Animated Short Film
Academy Award®. William Reeves receives the Scientific and Engineering Academy
Award® for Particle Systems; Rick Sayre receives the Technical Achievement
Academy Award® for Direct Input Device.
1998
A Bug's Life is released in theaters on November 25, accompanied by the short
film Geri’s Game. A Bug's Life breaks all previous U.S. Thanksgiving weekend boxoffice records. It will be nominated for the Best Original Musical or Comedy Score
Oscar®. Eben Ostby, William Reeves, and Tom Duff receive the Scientific and
Engineering Academy Award® for Marionette 3-D Animation Systems,
and Thomas Porter receives The Scientific Academy Award® for Digital Painting.
1999
Toy Story 2 is released in theaters on November 24. 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 will be nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar®
for "When She Loved Me," written by Randy Newman. Toy Story 2 breaks box-office
opening weekend records in United States,United Kingdom and Japan. David
DiFrancesco receives the Technical Achievement Academy Award® for Laser Film
Recording, which is dubbed PIXARVISION.
2000
For the Birds is completed. It premieres at the Annecy International Film Festival in
France on June 5. It will eventually win the Academy Award® for Best Animated
Short Film. Pixar moves to its new building in Emeryville, CA, on November 27.
2001
Monsters, Inc. is released in theaters 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. It will receive two Academy Award®
THE PIXAR STORY
nominations, including Best Song; Randy Newman will take home the Oscar® for "If
I Didn't Have You," from the Monsters, Inc. soundtrack. Rob Cook, Loren Carpenter
and Ed Catmull receive an Academy Award of Merit® for Significant Advances in the
Field of Motion Picture Rendering. Pixar now numbers over 600 employees. Cofounder Ed Catmull is named Pixar's President.
2002
Mike's New Car, the first-ever Pixar short featuring characters from another Pixar
film, premieres on September 17. It is featured as part of the Monster, Inc. DVD and
VHS release. The short will receive an Academy Award® nomination for Best
Animated Short Film. "a bug's land" attraction opens on October 7 at Disney
California Adventure Park.
2003
Finding Nemo is released in theaters on May 30, accompanied by a remastered
version of Knick Knack. Finding Nemo breaks opening weekend box-office
records domestically for an animated feature. Finding Nemo will be nominated for
four Academy Awards® and win the Oscar® for Best Animated Feature.
Boundin' premieres and will be nominated for the Academy Award® as Best
Animated Short Film.
2004
The Incredibles is released in theaters on November 5. Its first weekend box office
of over $70 million breaks all Pixar records. It will be nominated for four Academy
Awards®, and win two: Best Animated Feature Film and Achievement in Sound
Editing. Finding Nemo becomes the best-selling DVD of all time, selling more than
24 million copies in North America alone."Turtle Talk with Crush" opens at Walt
Disney World Resort's The Seas with Nemo and Friends Pavilion on November 11.
2005
The world premiere of One Man Band takes place at the Annecy International Film
Festival. One Man Band will be nominated for the Best Animated Short Film
Academy Award®.Pixar's first external exhibition of original artwork, Pixar: 20 Years
of Animation, opens at New York Museum of Modern Art on December 14.
THE PIXAR STORY
2006
Pixar celebrates its 20th anniversary. Cars is released in theaters on June 9, and will
receive Academy Award® nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original
Song. Disney announces its agreement to purchase Pixar. Ed Catmull is named
President and John Lasseter
is named Chief Creative Officer of Disney and Pixar Animation Studios
Lifted premieres at Laemmle's Colorado Theater on September 11 and will be
nominated for the Best Animated Short Film Oscar®.Story artist Joe Ranft is named
a Disney Legend. David Baraff, Michael Kass and Andy Witkin receive the Scientific
and Engineering Academy Award® for Cloth Simulation.Ed Catmull and Tony
DeRose receive the Technical Achievement Academy Award® for Subdivision
Surfaces.
2007
Ratatouille is released in theaters on June 29. Ratatouille will be nominated for
five Academy awards® and win the Oscar® for Best Animated Feature. "Finding
Nemo Submarine Voyage" opens at Disneyland Resort's Tomorrowland on June 11.
2008
WALL•E is released in theaters on June 27. The film will be nominated for six
Academy Awards®, and take home the Oscar® for Best Animated Feature Film.
Presto premieres at the Annecy International Film Festival and will be nominated for
the Best Animated Short Film Academy Award®.The first set of Cars Toons (Rescue
Squad Mater, Mater the Greater,and El Materdor) are completed. WALL•E Producer
and renowned industry effects veteran Jim Morris is named General Manager of
Pixar.
2009
Up is the first animated feature to open the Cannes Film Festival and debuts in
theaters on May 29 with the original short Partly Cloudy. Up will be nominated for
five Academy Awards®, including Best Picture; it will take home the
Oscars® for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Score. The Academy of
Motion Pictures and Sciences honors Ed Catmull with the Gordon E. Sawyer
Award®.
THE PIXAR STORY
2010
Toy Story 3 is released in theaters on June 18. It will become the highest-grossing
animated film of all time, and the first to reach the billion dollar mark. Toy Story 3 will
be nominated for five Academy Awards®, and win the Oscars® for Best Animated
Feature Film and Best Original Song, "We Belong Together," written and performed
by Randy Newman. Day and Night debuts at the Annecy International Film Festival.
It will be nominated for the Best Animated Short Film Academy Award®. John
Lasseter is honored with the Producers Guild of America's 2010 David O. Selznick
Achievement Award in Motion Pictures, making him the first producer of animated
films to receive this award. Per Christensen receives the Scientific and Engineering
Academy Award® for Point-based Rendering for Indirect Ilumination and
Ambient Occlusion.
2011
Pixar celebrates its 25th Anniversary and completes construction of a new building
on its Emeryville campus. Cars 2 is released in theaters on June 24, accompanied
by the first Toy Story Toon, Hawaiian Vacation .La Luna premieres and will be
nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Animated Short Film. David M. Laur
receives the Technical Achievement Academy Award® for Alfred Render Queue
Management System.
2012
Brave is released in theaters on June 22, accompanied bythe short La Luna.
Brave is nominated and wins the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature Film .
Partysaurus Rex, Time Travel Mater, and The Legend of Mor'du are all released.
2013
Monsters University is released in theaters on June 21, accompanied by the
short The Blue Umbrella. ABC Televised special Toy Story Of Terror and Tales From
Radiator Springs (Hiccups, Spinning, Bugged), are all released.