timeline
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-of-the-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.
The New York Institute of Technology to head
Lucasfilm's Computer Division, a group charged with
developing state-of-the-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."
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 the 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.
André & Wally B. premieres at SIGGRAPH. It is the 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 three-dimensional
computer animated film to be nominated for the
Best Animated Short Film Oscar®.
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 three-dimensional
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.
the Pixar Image Computer.
Also directed by John Lasseter, the short film has its
premiere in July at SIGGRAPH.
1988
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.
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
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
box-office 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.
accompanied by the short film Geri’s Game.
A Bug's Life breaks all previous U.S. Thanksgiving weekend
box-office 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.
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.
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.