“Pixar Is Like Family”
If you’re unfamiliar with our project, Diving Into the Bay Area Work Culture, read our intro here
The creative work culture of Pixar is no secret as Ed Catmull, President, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios has written the book Creativity, Inc. about it. However, since we are in the Bay Area to get our own perspective we wanted to talk to an employee at Pixar, why we contacted Paul.
Company Snapshot
Pixar Animation Studios
Founded in 1986
Headquarter in Emeryville, California
Employees: 1200+
Meet Paul
Title:
Lead Technical Director at Pixar Animation Studios
Background:
Has worked at Pixar for 11 years, since finishing college.
Sneak Peak of Your Future:
Becoming even nerdier
3 Words That Describe You:
Nerd, Artistic & Curious
What Advice Would You Give To Millennials ?
When I do talks for students, the advice I always give is to try things, artistic or technical, because you can do it if you look into it. Nobody should feel like they are pigeon-holed into one area. There is so much cool material online that can get you started. Even if getting to the level of expertise can be far away, people should still just try it out.
The Highlights From Our Talk About Culture at Pixar
Innovation Challenges
Finding ways to be more efficient in the creative process, without compromising the result is Pixar’s technical challenge according to Paul.
It’s costly to have the idea in your head come alive on screen. It’s always a budget challenge to try more and iterate more to get as close to the vision as possible. The cg production process is costly, but the process is part of what assures that all teams working on the movie understands the creative context.
As Paul described, the work at Pixar is never the same because of the challenges with evolvement of tech and tools. Although mentioned as a challenge, to Paul it’s what makes sure it never gets boring.
Collaboration & Creative Processes
Pixar works with constant team and cross-team collaboration and communication, because they all have a piece of the puzzle. Pixar only collaborates externally, with Disney when marketing the movies.
Paul thinks, there is as much innovation in communication as tech, because it can be a real challenge to communicate the context of what you have in your head as early as possible in the process.
The creative process at Pixar is about learning by doing and pushing the limits for what’s possible. It also about being proactive and creative about the challenges met on the way. The creation of Pixar shorts is one of the ways they test new things, ideas and tools (Fact: These shorts usually take around 1 year to create).
Pixar has a development team that helps with the idea development in the early stages, even before the movie is put into production, but then after it’s all about story boarding. The production screens a movie every few months for different groups from the studio. Pixar has many reviews with representatives from each team, with the purpose of catching any imperfections they see. All employees give notes on screening, but a team called the Brain Trust spends the most time reviewing each pass.
Work Culture
Pixar’s culture is about commitment and trust. Paul shared that most people worked hard to get to Pixar, and that they want to be there, why there is trust that you do your work.
And walking into the Steve Jobs Building, We felt the culture Paul calls a family. Everyone greets each other and employees kids some in to eat lunch. It’s are open and inviting meeting spaces but every employee also has their own closed off working space or office, that they can decorate as they want.
Employees go to Pixar University when they start at Pixar, and have the offer to continuously educate themselves there during their time there. Another part of being trained into the culture of Pixar is learning by doing and following the vision of the directors, many of whom have been at Pixar almost from the beginning. Leaders are highly respected and trusted, but still very approachable. The CTO even took our group photo you see above.
When asked about team culture, Paul said: We’re story tellers, nerds and have no fear of technology. It’s very supportive and about working together to tell a story. We’re solution oriented and perfectionists, because we have to be. And there is zero tolerance for team members being assholes. He also said that animators have a special place and decision making power, because of the heritage. Animators have the power to ask for things.
Another thing we talked about is that Pixar is a career for most employees. Paul has been there for 11 years and does not consider himself a senior. Most employees enter Pixar at internship level. And leading positions are usually filled internally.
Co-written with Paula Vivas-Avila
Thank you Paul for the lunch, the sharing and the guided tour. We loved every part of it.
