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30th out of 196 books
—
132 voters
The Pixar Touch: The Making of a Company
The roller-coaster rags-to-riches story behind the phenomenal success of Pixar Animation Studios: the first in-depth look at the company that forever changed the film industry and the “fraternity of geeks” who shaped it.
The Pixar Touch is a story of technical innovation that revolutionized animation, transforming hand-drawn cel animation to computer-generated 3-D graphics...more
The Pixar Touch is a story of technical innovation that revolutionized animation, transforming hand-drawn cel animation to computer-generated 3-D graphics...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
May 13th 2008
by Knopf
(first published 2008)
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This was a fascinating story. The company called Pixar made it big by being the pioneer in computer animation, replacing the "old-style" hand-drawn animation techniques of the Disney tradition. But it was a long, painful process to get to "fame and fortune." The book includes some early history of computer development, the gradual evolution of graphics hardware and rendering software, and the persistent and painstaking efforts that led to sophisticated computer animation. We meet the key persona...more
I saw this book on the shelf at 1/2 Price Books a few months ago and decided to check it out. As a movie buff, especially Pixar movies, I thought that I would enjoy reading about the beginnings and the behind the scenes of Pixar. The author, David Price, does an excellent job of giving the reader a large amount of info without ever making it boring. I actually wished the book covered more of Pixar's history. (The book was published in 2007 so maybe there will be an updated edition some time down...more
In Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, there's a picture of Jobs with John Lasseter. They were both laughing (as people normally do in pictures that are featured in biographies) & the caption reads "With John Lasseter, August 1997. His cherubic face & demeanor masked an artistic perfectionism that rivaled that of Jobs." Chapter 22 of that book talked about Pixar, from the point where Lasseter & his team had had the first half of Toy Story ready to screen by November 1993. The...more
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book and was especially intrigued by the role the University of Utah (my alma mater) played in the earliest developments in computer animation. However, I have to confess I got a bit bored during the descriptions of one technological development after another, and then by the in-depth description of all the politics and feuds in the Disney and Pixar worlds. That was followed by details of the plot development of eight or nine Pixar films. Yawn. Still, the m...more
The Pixar Touch tells the story of the establishment of Pixar as the leading 3D computer animation company. Sure enough, Price gives us a vivid account of the grinding and growth of what essentially is the success of a garage company (albeit an academic garage). We are told how Pixar started as an imaging branch of Lucasfilm, went on as a hardware company, awed at SIGGRAPH for years, and only later could focus on making feature animated movies. We get to learn about the process that led to the f...more
A hard journalism "biography" of Pixar upto 2007. This is as up to minute as you can get for this book. The story tracks the company from its origins at the University of Utah, to the NY Institute of Technology, to LucasFilm, to Jobs, and ultimately Disney. We are lead through the creative struggles and business fights over Toy Story, and then subsequent dramas with Eisner and Katzenberg. This is a riveting and informative walk through the history of the most storied movie studio of the last 15...more
If you are enough of a Pixar fan to watch the movies with the director's commentary, most of this will seem familiar.
One interesting omission comes early on in the book when discussing the failure of the first Toy Story script: Price does not mention Katzenberg's pushing for more "edge" which is well covered in the Jobs biography, and seems central to the story to me. This kept me from fully "trusting" the book.
Perhaps the most interesting bit for me was the description of The Incredibles charac...more
One interesting omission comes early on in the book when discussing the failure of the first Toy Story script: Price does not mention Katzenberg's pushing for more "edge" which is well covered in the Jobs biography, and seems central to the story to me. This kept me from fully "trusting" the book.
Perhaps the most interesting bit for me was the description of The Incredibles charac...more
I think anyone who's a fan of Pixar's films and computer graphics in general will enjoy this well-researched, readable book. Price begins in the 1970s with the backstories of the company's key members, and proceeds forward, providing an engaging condensed history of computer graphics and animation along the way (which might bore non-technical readers). We learn about Pixar's early days trying to find its way as a subsidiary of Lucasfilm, and its struggles to stay afloat after being purchased by...more
Interesting history of Pixar's turbulent beginnings. The Pixar founders just wanted to make computer animated entertainment. But to keep the financing going, they had to masquarade as a hardware/software company for Lucasfilm and then later for Steve Jobs, who purchased Pixar for a mere $5 million from Lucasfilm. It's amazing how none of the financial backers (George Lucas & Steven Jobs) or potential buyer (Disney/Eisner/Jeffery Katzenberg) never saw the creative potential of Pixar. It's saf...more
At first I thought this book would be as entertaining and humorous as "The Accidental Billionaires", I quickly realized that wasn't going to happen. The book became long and boring and I thought it would take forever. I wanted to just stop reading and give up on the book all together several times, but I kept with my personal self and read the whole thing. i did it, and I'm proud of myself for it.
The book wasn't easy, but it did get better. After the boring stuff about computers and stuff, I fi...more
The book wasn't easy, but it did get better. After the boring stuff about computers and stuff, I fi...more
FANTASTIC book as it really gives u an in-depth history of the birth and coming of age of Pixar. This is a MUST READ for geeks (especially computer scientists and multimedia artists and engineers) who are into animation as it explains some theories and processes they used and created for Pixar. Couldn't help spazzing at some points. The book did feel that it had TOO much to tell sometimes and the ending was just a bit rushed. There wasn't really a solid conclusion and the latter part of the book...more
I was looking for a book about the history of PIxar, and the first half of this book totally delivers it. It's kind of amazing. I never had a firm handle on Ed Catmull, everyone else involved, Lucas, Jobs, etc., and I knew NOTHING about Utah or NYIT. And Jim Clark? And Pixar's IPO being the second big IPO ever of a non-revenue-generating company? And john Lasseter seems so awesome.
BUT, then, the second half of the book is just a film-by-film runthrough. Which is kind of interesting, and makes m...more
BUT, then, the second half of the book is just a film-by-film runthrough. Which is kind of interesting, and makes m...more
Few would be able to tell you a 20 years of struggle story for the passion and dream they have, until they made it a reality. Know the detailed history of this company that kept moving from one home to another, one owner to the next, refused to give in and take prosperous career jobs in places like Disney, for they saw a good future with full length 3D animated movies. Something that no movie publisher was welling to believe in.
NOTE: I strongly advise you read Disney War first. The books are kin...more
NOTE: I strongly advise you read Disney War first. The books are kin...more
'The Pixar Touch' describes the development of the successful animation studio, from its humble beginnings as a dream of a bunch of visionary computer science students to its assimilation within the Disney Company in 2006, when somehow things became full circle for Pixar (this last chapter is titled 'homecoming' for obvious reasons).
Price goes at lengths to delve into the deep past, rendering the origins of Pixar's key players, Ed Catmull, Alvy Ray Smith and John Lasseter. It takes a long time b...more
Price goes at lengths to delve into the deep past, rendering the origins of Pixar's key players, Ed Catmull, Alvy Ray Smith and John Lasseter. It takes a long time b...more
The Pixar Touch tells the fascinating story of how Pixar went from being a grad student's dream to the world's best animation company (and possibly the best movie studio in terms of storytelling). There are many actors and supporting actors in the history of Pixar, and I was surprised and pleased that while Steve Jobs has a role in the book, he does not dominate the content (which might have been an easy route to take given his celebrity status and recent death). The book is filled with interest...more
The Pixar Touch is a fascinating story of Pixar, from its humble beginnings in a garage to the animation powerhouse. The author deftly weaves together strands from business and corporate intrigue (Roy Disney vs. Michael Eisner! Disney vs. DreamWorks!), the history of computer animation and technology, and the personal stories of the major players in the history of Pixar. The book deepened my appreciation of the technical wizardry of the Pixar films and my admiration for the company. It's a quick...more
I have always enjoyed watching Pixar films, so when this book was recommended by one of the major financial newspapers (Wall Street or Financial Times...sorry, I forgot which one), I definitely wanted to read it. Overall, it was a very interesting rag-to-riches story about Pixar, Inc. The beginning was a little difficult to read because the author mentioned a lot of terminology used in the computer animation industry. However, once you get past that, it becomes much easier to read. I also liked...more
Excellent, well-written story of the growth, transformation, and maturity of the company that revived animated movies. Price is trained as a computer scientist, and he has a knack for explaining the technical creations that gave Pixar such power in creating great films. He does less about the story-telling side, without which Pixar would have merely been a collection of gimmicks - he talks about John Lasseter's genius, but he doesn't penetrate. His book ends in 2007, just as Disney was buying Pi...more
This is a fun book; it is of special interest to me, as my brother works for another major computer animation studio. I did not realize how large a role that Steve Jobs played in the development and financing of Pixar. The company is wildly successful, and has contributed enormously to the state-of-the-art in computer animation. Just as important as the animation technology, the creativity, story-lines and dialogues developed by Pixar are wonderful. This book does a good job of helping one to un...more
Decided to follow my read of Steve Jobs by Isaacson with this book. Thoroughly entertained and interested throughout the book on several levels. I enjoyed the general history of animated feature films that it offered. Certainly, the place Pixar holds within the history of Silicon Valley, the movie industry and the future of Disney was fascinating.
But I believe what kept me close to the book until I finished it was the accessibly chronicled intricacies of the technologies and processes necessary...more
But I believe what kept me close to the book until I finished it was the accessibly chronicled intricacies of the technologies and processes necessary...more
David Price tells a compelling story about my favorite movie studio. It's a book about humans, and it is laid out in a very readable and fascinating manner. I got a chance to speak with Mr. Price on an episode of my podcast, and we talked about his book and other stories from the history of Pixar. My positive reaction to this book occurred years before I had a chance to interview him, though, or ever thought that I would. I have been recommending this book to everyone ever since finishing it mys...more
As a fan of pretty much every movie that Pixar has ever made and as someone who remembers being impressed by their early animated shorts when I saw them years ago, I was obviously eager to read all about the founding of the company.
So the early chapters of this book are great since the cover the pre-Pixar years as the company founders move from company to company building their knowledge and skills. It's really just as much a history of computer modeling as it is of Pixar.
The middle chapters tha...more
So the early chapters of this book are great since the cover the pre-Pixar years as the company founders move from company to company building their knowledge and skills. It's really just as much a history of computer modeling as it is of Pixar.
The middle chapters tha...more
If you've read the Steve Jobs book, this is a good follow-up. I've admired the vision of John Lasseter ever since seeing him give a tour of the Pixar studios in the bonus material of the Monsters, Inc. DVD. What I liked most about this book is the back story of the creative process of Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., and other Pixar films. It sometimes got bogged down in technical details but I'm sure a book like this must dive into that for folks who understand that world.
A few takeaway...more
A few takeaway...more
Interesting and inspiring, The Pixar Touch tells the story of the founders of Pixar and their struggle to break technological barriers while building and maintaining an artistic image.
It is not the story I had expected when starting this book. Sure, I knew the company had struggled and I know that they now have an unheard of amount of artistic control over their productions. This is what makes them so successful and so critically acclaimed: they don't make compromises when it comes to their art....more
It is not the story I had expected when starting this book. Sure, I knew the company had struggled and I know that they now have an unheard of amount of artistic control over their productions. This is what makes them so successful and so critically acclaimed: they don't make compromises when it comes to their art....more
Very interesting history of the Pixar Company - going back all the way to the formation of the original group of folks who wanted to create computer animation. The book ends in 2007, so we don't get any commentary on WALL*E or UP - but otherwise the level of detail and pacing are excellent.
This is an independent book, written with extensive access. The coffee table book, "To Infinity & Beyond", covers roughly the same time period but is written by Pixar. It has better pictures; "The Pixar To...more
This is an independent book, written with extensive access. The coffee table book, "To Infinity & Beyond", covers roughly the same time period but is written by Pixar. It has better pictures; "The Pixar To...more
Although I've always loved Pixar movies, animation has been a spectator sport, I've never created or worked on animated pieces. However, this book was fascinating, especially the first half, as it details the rise of the Pixar company and brand. It's obviously very well researched and features lots of behind the scenes details and insights on the key players at Pixar: Steve Jobs, John Lasseter, George Lucas, Michael Eisner,and more.
This is more of a "business" book than a creative one I suppose,...more
This is more of a "business" book than a creative one I suppose,...more
The Pixar Touch, by David Price
I basically picked this one up because I believe that Pixar can do no wrong. How many large, ultra-profitable production studios are out there that consistently churn out beautiful stories of amazing depth and, to the joy of hollywood bigwigs, insane marketability? Very few. I can name a few that have one or the other, but a perfect track record for both?
So it was in pursuit of the answer to that question that I decided to read this book, which is by and large (tha...more
I basically picked this one up because I believe that Pixar can do no wrong. How many large, ultra-profitable production studios are out there that consistently churn out beautiful stories of amazing depth and, to the joy of hollywood bigwigs, insane marketability? Very few. I can name a few that have one or the other, but a perfect track record for both?
So it was in pursuit of the answer to that question that I decided to read this book, which is by and large (tha...more
Having read a reasonable number of Apple and Disney corporate histories over the years, I found myself largely familiar with author David A. Price's documentation of Pixar's story-so-far, given the digital animation studio's longstanding residence at the intersection of the aforementioned companies' millennial trajectories. This familiarity lends a warmed-over air to Price's account, an impression exacerbated by the obvious fact that the author didn't have direct access to most of the story's ma...more
Astonishing history of an extraordinary company
This copiously researched, vivid account covers the rise of one of the world’s most successful entertainment companies. Experienced journalist David A. Price fills Pixar’s history with implied lessons about patience in management and running a creative company, but he doesn’t seem much interested in writing a how-to business book, so he sticks to the historic narrative and draws few conclusions. Notably, Price, whose education is in computer science...more
This copiously researched, vivid account covers the rise of one of the world’s most successful entertainment companies. Experienced journalist David A. Price fills Pixar’s history with implied lessons about patience in management and running a creative company, but he doesn’t seem much interested in writing a how-to business book, so he sticks to the historic narrative and draws few conclusions. Notably, Price, whose education is in computer science...more
Would you like to know how Pixar got started? Companies totally disagreed with CGI and didn't think it was going to be as successful as it is now. It tells you how they revolutionized the way we see movies and pretty much dominated old fashion animation. They even used the earlier program of Pixar in the Lion King. It talks briefly about Steve Jobs and how he gave them an opportunity to show what Pixar was all about but even he thought the idea wasn't going to go anywhere. Overall it's a great g...more
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