Probing Pixar: Part 5

Last blog we examined how Disney and Pixar were able to reach an agreement after a long and difficult battle. I stated that this would help set up Pixar's security for a very long time. However, this is only possible if Pixar continues this unbelievable trend of movie success. In this weeks blog I will explain why Pixar movies are so special and why they are so much better than any other animated studios film's. I will examine two core areas where Pixar excels: character development and shot composition.

Firstly, when you think of animated films, the concept of character development doesn't seem like much of a prevailing component. Historically, animated films were designed to entertain, more importantly they were designed to entertain children. Pixar's films are targeted toward children, but the idea of making a film that is as equally entertaining for adults is a challenging one. Pixar combined traditional animated concepts with adult styles of character development. Two major examples are from Up and Toy Story 2. In these films Pixar presents three minute long music montages of several of the main characters. What is so special about this? Two things actually. Firstly, Pixar used these montages in an unconventional way in order to establish character development. In both films we discover these extremely important bits of background information that is later important to the story arc and important to the individual character's motivations and objectives. This is an adult concept which Pixar had the courage to implement in a children's movie. Secondly, Pixar risked that their story was so good and the characters were so compelling that they could get away with such an idea. The end result, a three minute piece that will likely bring you to tears. Below is the example from Toy Story 2 where we learn the background of Jessie the cowgirl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px0j1EHF8Y0

Shot composition is a very tricky and interesting element to film making. Those who are masters of their craft are able to implement shot composition in a way that pushes the story forward. Pixar began to experiment with this in their films. The greatest example of using shot composition to push story forward is in the film Ratatouille. In the clip below (@ 22 seconds) the critic tries the dish and they use the famous Hitchcock shot to push the background away and then a quick zoom into the eyes of the critic. This prompts a flashback of how important that dish was to him when he was a peasant child. The genius behind using shots, in an animated film, to illustrate character background is an extremely creative one. Especially if you consider that this is a new concept and Pixar is at the forefront. It illustrates the risks Pixar is willing to take in order to tell a good story in an affective way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDK2azVSE5Q

Probing Pixar: Part 4

Toy Story 2 would mark the beginning of Pixar and Disney negotiating for future projects. It was a six year process that was bumpy to say the least. However, it all started with Toy Story 2. I explained Pixar's process that lead up to its' first two successful films. That process did however take its' toll on director John Lasseter. Lasseter was scheduled to take a break following A Bug's Life. That break was cut short when those at Pixar found out about the progress of Disney's straight for DVD film Toy Story 2. John was forced back into action. The film wasn't very good and it was being rushed out in order to capitalize on the success of the first film. Lasseter came in and over the course of a weekend they re-story boarded the entire project. Within seven months they finished the film. Once again the film went on to monster success. Where does the business future of these two companies come into play?

Pixar's first two films made Disney an astronomical profit, and Pixar was compensated, however not nearly to the degree they should have been for their involvement. A long battle ensued between Steve Jobs and Michael Eisner at Disney. The goal was to have Disney purchase Pixar and pay them fairly for their contributions. Several years would go by until this was achieved, and by the time a deal was reached, the creative minds of Pixar took over the Disney animation leadership roles. This was pivotal for setting Pixar up securely for next decade and a half.