post-digital era

The work of a key animator from the post-digital era

John Lasseter 

A junior animator at the company Walt Disney left behind, saw computer-generated imagery for the first time. It was a rudimentary sequence and contained no characters, yet it introduced such astounding new physical dimensions and such a flexibility in point of view that Lasseter had an epiphany. 

When Lasseter got fired he went on to co-found the Pixar animation studio, where he directed the first fully computer-generated feature film (Toy Story) and where, as director or producer, he has overseen eight more spectacular hits (A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille and Wall-E), almost single-handedly turning cartoons from Saturday morning TV fodder to one of the biggest money makers in the film industry. Meanwhile Disney's animation division foundered. In 2006 Disney brought Lasseter back - along with Pixar.

It was after the success of Tin Toy, when Lasseter started to think about the creation of a computer animated feature film.

The aim was to create a story that was different from the traditional Disney films. The final story was about a group of classic toys, which belonged to Andy, who received a new toy with the name Buzz Lightyear for his birthday. The old toy-cowboy got jealous and made Buzz disappear. But then, he had to find it again. Toy Story was a huge success all around the world and earned John Lasseter a Special Achievement Academy Award for his work in making the first completely computer animated feature film.