John Lasseter: Meet the Filmmaker Meet the Filmmaker: John Lasseter (audio)
4 snips
Jul 22, 2011 
John Lasseter, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind classics like Toy Story and Cars, dives into the creative journey of Cars 2. He shares how global travels and Formula One inspired the sequel's storyline. Lasseter reflects on Pixar's evolution, emphasizing story over gimmicks and the importance of authentic research. Discussing his role as chief creative officer, he explains balancing leadership with directing. He also teases Brave and Pixar's commitment to innovation, highlighting passion for storytelling in every project.
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Genre Shift Revitalizes A Sequel
- John Lasseter chose a radically different genre for Cars 2 by blending spy movies with the Cars world to keep sequels fresh.
- He wanted spy gadgets and globe-trotting settings to transform familiar characters into something new and exciting.
From Road Trips To Spy Stories
- Lasseter describes how Cars grew from his Americana road-trip memories and later evolved into a world tour after he visited cities worldwide.
- A cut spy-scene from the first film seeded Finn McMissile and later inspired the full spy storyline.
Use A Creative Brain Trust
- As Chief Creative Officer, John Lasseter advises making studios filmmaker-driven and surrounding directors with a creative brain trust.
- Require directors to show work regularly so peers can give candid notes to improve the film.
