John Lasseter

Celebrated as Pixar's “Chief Creative Officer,” John Lasseter is a revolutionary figure in animation history and one of today's most important filmmakers. Lasseter films from Luxo Jr. to Toy Story and Cars 2 highlighted his gift for creating emotionally engaging characters. At the same time, they helped launch computer animation as a viable commercial medium and serve as blueprints for the genre's still-expanding commercial and artistic development. This book explores Lasseter's signature aesthetic and storytelling strategies and details how he became the architect of Pixar's studio style. The book contends that Lasseter's accomplishments emerged from a unique blend of technical skill and artistic vision, as well as a passion for working with collaborators. In addition, the book traces the director's career arc from the time Lasseter joined Pixar in 1984. As it shows, Lasseter's ability to keep a foot in both animation and computer-generated imagery allowed him to thrive in an unconventional corporate culture that valued creative interaction between colleagues. The ideas that emerged built an animation studio that updated and refined classical Hollywood storytelling practices—and changed commercial animation forever.