Paint & Pipette: The Art & Science of Innovation

S3E01: Wizard of Awe: Peek Behind the Pixar Curtain with Ed Catmull

Sep 18, 2023

Former CEO at Pixar and Disney Animation Studios, Ed Catmull, shares insights on the creative process, the objectivity problem in filmmaking, feedback, and the importance of learning. Anecdotes from beloved movies like Zootopia, Finding Nemo, and Monsters University are included. Great lessons for leaders in any field.

01:08:04

Episode guests

Ed Catmull

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Receiving honest feedback throughout the filmmaking process is crucial for fixing problems and creating brilliant films.

Having an outside force, like a brain trust, to provide objective feedback and challenge assumptions is essential in the creative process.

Finding the right people, embracing diverse perspectives, and being open to change are key for successful creative teams.

Deep dives

The Importance of Objective Feedback for Filmmaking

Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar, discusses the value of receiving honest feedback throughout the filmmaking process. He emphasizes that every great film goes through a phase where it sucks, and it is fixing problems that separates duds from brilliant films. Catmull shares a case study on how Pixar used brutally honest feedback to improve their film 'Inside Out'. He also highlights the importance of managing creative teams and the need for an outside force to provide objective feedback and challenge assumptions.

Introduction

2min

The Zootopia Incident

16min

The Evolution of the Brain Trust and Embracing Change

12min

Pitching Film Ideas and the Storyroom Setup

2min

Pitching Ideas and the Importance of Passion

10min

The Importance of Trying New Things and Assessing Creativity

8min

The Importance of Hindsight and Openness

4min

The Importance of Research Trips in Movie Making

12min

The Metaphor of Balance and Movement

2min

Today on the show, we have a great conversation with Edwin Catmull, the Founder and former CEO at Pixar and former CEO of Disney Animation Studios. Edwin dives deep into some of the ideas that he shared in his book Creativity Inc., so you can expect a real masterclass on the creative process and how this translates to high-level teams. We get into some insightful discussions on the objectivity problem, learning by doing, the dangers of overestimating past successes, and the constancy of change. Edwin also makes amazing arguments for why learning should be centralized in the creative process and how balance is often struck through forward motion. Along the way, you can expect to hear some colorful anecdotes about some of the beloved movies that Edwin was involved in, including Zootopia, Finding Nemo, and Monsters University. The wonderful thing about this conversation is how specific it is to the world of animated films, but also how these lessons and ideas translate for leaders in any field. Make sure to join us to hear it all!

Key Points From This Episode:

Edwin shares the story of the 'Zootopia incident' and the point it illustrates.
How a team can hold onto an element of a film that they love but is not working.
Solving the objectivity problem by drawing on trusted outside perspectives.
Assessing the group dynamic and sketching the role of the person in charge of gauging this.
Edwin comments on the place of customer feedback in internal discussions.
Reflecting on the failure of the Blue-Footed Newt project and why this and other initiatives might not have worked.
Explaining the reasons and roots for the 'three pitches rule'.
The importance of protecting new ideas and how Edwin approaches this.
Thoughts on assessing the creative process; Edwin talks about best practices for great hires.
Creating a trusting environment for interns and why this is so beneficial for all involved.
Edwin's tactics for identifying assumptions and how he looks for what he is missing at any given time.
Why our ideas about the past are as misleading as our predictions for the future!
Making use of deeper research trips to enhance an audience's sense of the truth.
Unpacking the real reasons for Steve Jobs' strength and success.