Project Blueprint

Toy Story: Pixar and the First Computer Animated Film

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How do you accomplish a project that’s part art, part technology? 

When Toy Story first debuted in 1995, it changed filmmaking forever. For the first time, a movie had been made entirely with computer animation. The film became the highest-grossing release of the year in the U.S., inspired one of the most successful franchises in cinema, and launched Pixar’s unprecedented run of seven consecutive box office hits. 

On the surface, Toy Story looked like an overnight success–but it was actually the culmination of 25 years of work from three visionaries: Ed Catmull, John Lasseter, and Steve Jobs.

In this episode of Project Blueprint, discover the origins of Pixar and the making of Toy Story. It’s a story of  Silicon Valley innovation, Hollywood storytelling, and one man's decades-long journey to change how movies are made. 

What You’ll Learn:

  • The unique relationship between art and technology
  • How ambitious creative projects actually get accomplished 
  • How you can become a better leader by removing barriers to creativity

    • Chapters:

    (00:00:00) - Introduction

    (00:01:21) - Ed Catmull

    (00:29:49) - John Lasseter

    (00:50:35) - Steve Jobs

    (01:07:27) - Pixar

    (01:18:58) - Disney Partnership

    (01:32:04) - Black Friday

    (01:47:35) - Toy Story

    (01:58:18) - Epilogue

    (02:04:46) - Analysis

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      Project BlueprintBy Will Heinzel and Stephen Lasky