Pixar History

HOW IT ALL STARTED? – THE ‘PIXAR’ ERA

TIMELINE 1979 TO PRESENT

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.

1983

John Lasseter is invited to join Lucasfilm's

Computer Division. He would be hired full

time the following year, joining the

Computer Division as an "Interface Designer."

1986• Steve Jobs purchases the Computer

Graphics Division from George Lucas

and establishes an independent company(“Pixar”).• Luxo Jr., John Lasseter’s directorial debut,

becomes the first 3-D computer animated film

to be nominated for the Best Animated Short

Film Oscar.

1988• Tin Toy becomes the 1st computer

animated film to receive an Academy

Award(Best Animated Short Film of 1988).• Pixar’s new animation system, Menv

(Modeling ENVironment), comes online. 

1991

Disney and Pixar announce an agreement

"to make and distribute at least

one computer-generated animated movie.“

1995

Toy Story, the world’s 1st computer animated

feature film, is released in theatres on

November 22. It becomes the highest grossing

film of 1995, making $362 million worldwide.

AND THE STORY GOES ON…