Inside Pixar’s weirdly effective strategy for boosting creativity at work

From viciously funny caricatures to AI-powered rendering tools, Pixar’s Pete Docter says fun and risk-taking are essential to great storytelling.

Companies try all sorts of ways—from paint parties to escape rooms—to foster creativity among employees, but Pixar’s approach is likely unique: The animation studio hosts regular “mean caricature” nights, in which employees draw “really nasty pictures” of one another.