Inspiration is powerful – you develop a connection with something and it drives you and influences your work. Many creatives often point to characters or moments in Pixar films as a source of inspiration for them. Still, the filmmakers who made those films were also inspired by other pieces of art. Toy Story 4 director Josh Cooley is one of those filmmakers, and for his film, he points to Indiana Jones as a major inspiration. [Read more…]
I Am Excited and Nervous To Watch ‘Toy Story 4’
Toy Story 3 ended on a perfect note. Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang endured an incredible journey as they prepared to leave Andy forever. To this day, the thought of Andy giving away his prized possessions, the toys that he cared for (and little did he know they also cared for him) and grew up with, gives me goosebumps. The film was capped with Andy handing his toys off to Bonnie, one of the most heartfelt moments to grace any film in the last 10 years. Now, here we are, almost 10 years later and we are on the verge of Toy Story 4. [Read more…]
New Short ‘Purl’ Reveals A Fascinatingly Different Side Of Pixar
When we see a Pixar film released to the general public, it is readily apparent that the film has gone through a refining process because what regularly emerges is an incredibly polished piece of work. The concept art and storyboards that is revealed is only a glimpse from within the production process. We usually don’t get an extended look at the raw and experimental material that often pushes the limits of the story. SparkShorts is a new Pixar initiative that spotlights a series of shorts that were not developed to be seen by the public. It may be our first true look at what the modern-day Pixar can accomplish by providing its creative employees with a broader canvas upon which to draw. [Read more…]
Pixar Searching For “That New Creative Spark” With Experimental Short Films
Pixar, as a studio, has an identity. It is mostly known for its groundbreaking feature films such as Toy Story, Ratatouille, WALL-E, and Up (among others). Although there has been much discourse over the last few years about how Pixar has “lost its edge” or is “playing it safe,” Coco was an incredible example of the studio pushing itself and it delivered beautifully – director Lee Unkrich and his crew produced one of the most gorgeous, heartfelt, and imaginative stories I have ever seen on the big screen. Still, even with some new directors heading projects, there is no denying that most of the films that have been directed within Pixar have been led by a select few individuals. This is where we often overlook Pixar shorts, which is where the studio first emerged as an animation powerhouse and has long been a space for experiments for new technology and new voices. Pixar is now placing a larger emphasis on the latter. [Read more…]
Review: Pixar Shorts Vol 3 Is An Essential Addition To Your Blu-Ray Collection
There has been a shift in the last few years, where streaming services have dramatically overtaken physical media in usage. Take one look at Netflix – the company that was famous for mail-in DVD rentals is now one of the largest producers of content in the world, due to the convenience of streaming that it popularized. Disney has taken notice and is launching its own service, Disney+, which will house films and shows that include all of its subsidiaries, including Pixar. Why then, you might ask, should you buy a physical set collecting Pixar shorts when they will inevitably end up streaming? [Read more…]
Jack-Jack Steals The Show In ‘Incredibles 2’ (Spoilers)
If you watched The Incredibles, you likely fell in love with Jack-Jack, the baby of the Parr/Incredibles family. Whether it was his charm, his adorable mannerisms, he won the hearts of many before he even had the opportunity to showcase any powers. In the short film that accompanied the film’s DVD release, we were given a brief preview of the sheer number of powers that were hiding away underneath that cute exterior. In Incredibles 2, we see much more of Jack-Jack and exactly what he can do! [Read more…]
I Toured Pixar’s Secret Archives And It Was ‘Incredible’
Think of all the creative materials that go into making an animated film – e.g. artwork, research photos. There is an insane amount of this creative work that is amassed during a film’s production cycle. All of this begs to be preserved in some way, whether to honor and celebrate a film’s history or to inspire artists and filmmakers on films years later. Pixar has their own Archives collection, where a significant amount of these materials are, indeed, saved. I visited the special building where the Archives is housed and I was blown away. Read about my experience after the break! [Read more…]
Take A Tour Through Pixar’s Inspiring ‘Incredibles 2’ Art Gallery
Pixar’s films, when complete and seen on the big screen, feature stunning visuals, achieved through the use of 3D computer animation. It is easy to overlook all the effort that goes into actually developing these works of art, long before animation ever occurs. During the pre-production process, artists create many pieces of concept art, with some ideas evolving into what we see in the final product, while other ideas are abandoned yet are still fascinating to view. After the break, take a peek at many examples of Incredibles 2 concept art that were created! [Read more…]
Watch: Learn How Pixar and Disney Collaborate To Create A Massive Pixar Celebration At Disneyland
Pixar Fest is a first for Disney as well as Pixar. We have seen limited-time Star Wars-themed events in addition to Marvel-takeovers, but we have never seen a Pixar celebration to the scale we are seeing now. Although the influence of Pixar’s films can be spotted throughout the Disneyland Resort (and many other Disney Parks), Pixar Fest is the first time that the studio’s characters are the headlining attraction at the Parks for the summer season. There is a great deal of thought and planning that went into putting together Pixar Fest. I had a chance to conduct an interview where we hear about this collaboration between Pixar and Disney Parks – watch the video interview after the break! [Read more…]
‘Incredibles 2’ Features A Huge City With Amazing Details – How Pixar Made It Happen
The Incredibles was a landmark film for Pixar Animation Studios. It was the first film from the studio where the main characters were human. This also led to the creation of a city where the characters lived. Compared to the fantastical worlds that were created for earlier films such as Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo, which were all inspired by elements of our world, The Incredibles took place entirely in locales where humans were the key characters, and the scenes were shot from the perspective of humans. Municiberg, the city where the Parr family resided, was created and mapped out for the first film. Incredibles 2, though, gives us much more of the city. What is the process in bringing the city to life? I interviewed the city’s creators and we discussed this very question. [Read more…]
