1979-1990: a fresh start
In 1979 Ed Catmull is recruited fromThe 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, the company consisted of 40 members. In 1983 John Lasseter is invited to join the graphics group at Lucasfilm's Computer Division.
In february 1986, Steve Jobs bought the company after being fired from Apple. It was later known by Pixar, the action verb of making pixels in Spanish. Pixar was a high-end computer hardware company whose core product was the Pixar Image Computer, a system primarily sold to government agencies and the medical community.
One of the buyers of Pixar Image Computers was Walt Disney Studios, using the machine and custom software (written by Pixar) to migrate the laborious ink and paint part of the 2-D animation process to a more efficient method.
As poor sales of Pixar's computers threatened to put the company out of business, Jobs invested more and more money and took more and more ownership away from the management and employees until after several years he owned essentially all the company for a total investment of $50,000,000.
In february 1986, Steve Jobs bought the company after being fired from Apple. It was later known by Pixar, the action verb of making pixels in Spanish. Pixar was a high-end computer hardware company whose core product was the Pixar Image Computer, a system primarily sold to government agencies and the medical community.
One of the buyers of Pixar Image Computers was Walt Disney Studios, using the machine and custom software (written by Pixar) to migrate the laborious ink and paint part of the 2-D animation process to a more efficient method.
As poor sales of Pixar's computers threatened to put the company out of business, Jobs invested more and more money and took more and more ownership away from the management and employees until after several years he owned essentially all the company for a total investment of $50,000,000.
1990-2000: hard times turnt great.
In 1991, after a tough start of the year when about 30 employees in the company's computer department had to go, leaving them with only 42 members. Pixar made a $26,000,000 deal with Disney to produce three computer-animated feature films, the first of which was Toy Story.
Despite the total income of these products, the company was still losing money, and Jobs, still chairman of the board and now the full owner, often considered selling it. In 1994, Jobs considered selling Pixar to Microsoft.
Only after learning from critics in New York that Toy Story was probably going to be a success and founding out disney would distribute it at christmas 1995, he gave his company another chance. He also began to take a direct leadership role in the company, making himself its CEO. The film went on to gross more than $361 million worldwide, making pixar a very powerful company within the film industry.
In 1996 John Lasseter receives a 'Special Achievement Oscar' from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his leadership in creating toy story.
In 1997, Pixar now employed 375 people, and won more Oscars. Steve Jobs returned to apple this year, aswell as continuing with Pixar.
In 1998, they were nominated for an Oscar; for an original score in 'a bugs life'.
In 1999, 'toy story 2' was released earning them $485,000,000, again winning another Oscar that year.
In 2000 Pixar won another Oscar and opened up their studios in california.
(pictured below)
Despite the total income of these products, the company was still losing money, and Jobs, still chairman of the board and now the full owner, often considered selling it. In 1994, Jobs considered selling Pixar to Microsoft.
Only after learning from critics in New York that Toy Story was probably going to be a success and founding out disney would distribute it at christmas 1995, he gave his company another chance. He also began to take a direct leadership role in the company, making himself its CEO. The film went on to gross more than $361 million worldwide, making pixar a very powerful company within the film industry.
In 1996 John Lasseter receives a 'Special Achievement Oscar' from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his leadership in creating toy story.
In 1997, Pixar now employed 375 people, and won more Oscars. Steve Jobs returned to apple this year, aswell as continuing with Pixar.
In 1998, they were nominated for an Oscar; for an original score in 'a bugs life'.
In 1999, 'toy story 2' was released earning them $485,000,000, again winning another Oscar that year.
In 2000 Pixar won another Oscar and opened up their studios in california.
(pictured below)
2000+
Disney and Pixar attempted to reach a new agreement in early 2004. The new deal would be only for distribution. Disagreements between Steve Jobs and then Disney Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner made the negotiations more difficult than they otherwise might have been.
Disney had agreed to buy Pixar for approximately $7.4 billion in an all-stock deal. Following Pixar shareholder approval, the acquisition was completed May 5, 2006. The transaction catapulted Steve Jobs, who was the majority shareholder of Pixar with 50.1%, to Disney's largest individual shareholder with 7% and a new seat on its board of directors.
Lasseter and Catmull's oversight of both the Disney and Pixar studios did not mean that the two studios were merging, however. In fact, additional conditions were laid out as part of the deal to ensure that Pixar remained a separate entity, a concern that analysts had expressed about the Disney deal. Some of those conditions were that Pixar HR policies would remain intact, including the lack of employment contracts. Also, the Pixar name was guaranteed to continue, and the studio would remain in its current Emeryville, California location with the "Pixar" sign. Finally, branding of films made post-merger would be "Disney•Pixar" (beginning with Cars).
On April 20, 2010, Pixar Animation Studios opened a new studio in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, creating Pixar canada. The roughly 2,000 square meters studio is primarily producing shorts and TV specials based on characters from Pixar's feature films. The studio's first production was the Cars Toons episode, "Air Mater."
In October 2011, Steve Jobs sadly passed away due to cancer. They are planning to release a biopic about his life, starring Ashton Kutcher as Mr Jobs (I expect this will include highlights of his Pixar career).
Disney had agreed to buy Pixar for approximately $7.4 billion in an all-stock deal. Following Pixar shareholder approval, the acquisition was completed May 5, 2006. The transaction catapulted Steve Jobs, who was the majority shareholder of Pixar with 50.1%, to Disney's largest individual shareholder with 7% and a new seat on its board of directors.
Lasseter and Catmull's oversight of both the Disney and Pixar studios did not mean that the two studios were merging, however. In fact, additional conditions were laid out as part of the deal to ensure that Pixar remained a separate entity, a concern that analysts had expressed about the Disney deal. Some of those conditions were that Pixar HR policies would remain intact, including the lack of employment contracts. Also, the Pixar name was guaranteed to continue, and the studio would remain in its current Emeryville, California location with the "Pixar" sign. Finally, branding of films made post-merger would be "Disney•Pixar" (beginning with Cars).
On April 20, 2010, Pixar Animation Studios opened a new studio in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, creating Pixar canada. The roughly 2,000 square meters studio is primarily producing shorts and TV specials based on characters from Pixar's feature films. The studio's first production was the Cars Toons episode, "Air Mater."
In October 2011, Steve Jobs sadly passed away due to cancer. They are planning to release a biopic about his life, starring Ashton Kutcher as Mr Jobs (I expect this will include highlights of his Pixar career).