… It’s hard to imagine now, but in 1976, the idea of incorporating high technology into Hollywood filmmaking wasn’t just a low priority it wasn’t even on the radar. “What I proposed to do looked, to most academics, as a pipe dream, an expensive fantasy. The problem was (in the age of 2D, traditional animation) nobody else seemed to share his enthusiasm… not even Disney when he pitched this concept to them in 1973. His story begins with an introduction to his childhood dream, and later on, formal goal of developing a new way to animate – with a computer instead of a pencil.

I suppose I shouldn’t have expected anything less from a leader in storytelling. At the top of one page, you’re reminiscing about when Anton Ego, the jaded food critic proclaims in his review that he loves Remy’s cooking in Ratatouille… and by the bottom of the page, he’s explaining how this ties into Pixar’s value of defending new talent and creations. Time and time again, you’re left saying “awe” at the movie scene he reminds us of from our favorite Pixar movies, and then a shortwhile later leaves us saying “ah”, when he weaves it into a larger business lesson he’s applied at Pixar. What I liked best was Catmull’s candor in describing “behind the scenes” stories from my favorite animated Pixar movies from childhood ( Toy Story, Ratatouille, Monsters Inc, and Up to name a few) to help illustrate his points. As someone whose read her fair share of leadership books, this one exceeded my expectations and is one of my favorite reads of 2022. “Creativity Inc.” struck me as particularly relevant and inspirational for leaders who seek to become more self aware, inspire to their teams, and create something meaningful.

Including: staying true to your vision, valuing people over ideas, prioritizing candor, embracing failure as a tool, understanding that ideas can come from anywhere, and then… well, there’s that whole thing about the hungry beast and the ugly baby… In Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace’s co-authored 2014 book, “Creativity, Inc.”, Catmull illustrates his business leadership advice with colorful examples (both ‘wins’ and ‘lessons’) from his time at Pixar and Disney. But my decision to pursue physics, and not art, would lead me, indirectly, to my true calling.” What’s more, I had no idea how one actually became an animator. “It soon became clear that I would never be talented enough to join Disney Animation’s vaunted ranks.

Creativity inc book