mchenry-crisis.org Chapter 101 Pixar
Chapter 101 Pixar
Chapter 101 Pixar
If Steve Jobs was a genius, then Pixar was a gathering place for madmen.
This unique quality was so unexpectedly and deeply imprinted in Ernst's memory when he first stepped into Pixar.
At Steve Jobs' invitation, Ernst finally found some free time to visit Pixar's headquarters in San Rafael.
At this time, Pixar was in an important transitional phase in its development. After being spun off from Lucasfilm in 1986, Pixar initially settled in a single-story office building in Port Richmond, California.
As the team grew and the business expanded, they moved to what is now San Rafael in 1990.
The iconic headquarters at 1200 Park Avenue in Emeryville, which later became famous, would not be occupied by Pixar employees for several years.
Ernst never imagined that his first encounter with Pixar would begin in the form of a car accident. And he himself was the only victim of this accident.
Pushing open the slightly worn glass door of Pixar headquarters, the sight that came into view made Ernst frown.
The narrow hallway was piled high with all sorts of cardboard boxes and miscellaneous items. Some boxes contained unopened computer parts, while others were crammed with drawings and models, and some mechanical parts of unknown purpose were scattered around.
These things make the already cramped space even more confined, making one wonder if one needs to constantly turn sideways to walk here.
In this seemingly chaotic environment, Pixar employees transformed it into an off-road course.
Two young employees were speeding through the hallway on BMX bikes, as if this were not an office but a professional extreme sports track.
Because of the excessive speed, one of them didn't have time to brake when he saw Ernst enter the room and crashed straight into him.
If it weren't for Muller, who was right behind Ernst, reacting quickly and catching him firmly, Ernst would probably still be lying on the ground right now.
"Hey, buddy, are you alright?" The perpetrator got up from the ground, his tone as relaxed as if it were just a trivial accident, showing no fear or remorse for causing trouble.
Steve Jobs, standing to the side, casually shrugged, his expression suggesting he was already used to such scenes.
"You know, creation requires inspiration, and the emergence of inspiration often requires liberating one's nature," he explained casually.
Hearing Jobs's explanation, Ernst pursed his lips, secretly finding it amusing.
What do you mean by liberating one's nature? It's basically impossible to control oneself.
Based on Ernst's understanding of Jobs, he was always a perfectionist who wanted to control everything, no matter how small.
But judging from the current situation, it seems that these Pixar employees, when they go crazy, are completely out of Steve Jobs' control.
Look at this room full of lunatics. Apart from the perpetrator's symbolic question, all the employees treated the two of them like air, each immersed in their own world, and did not restrain themselves at all because their boss, Steve Jobs, had arrived.
The BMX race resumed after a brief pause. At the end of the corridor, some people were playing with scooters, some were fiddling with strange and unusual toys, and some had even spontaneously organized a singing competition. There were people dancing to the songs, and in one corner, someone was leisurely drinking beer. Ernst could even smell the cheese from the microwave.
It can be said that there are all kinds of entertainment and leisure activities, but no one is doing anything serious.
But it was this seemingly laissez-faire management that gave birth to the great Pixar.
Perhaps this is the difference between a madman and a normal person.
If it were an ordinary person, with a boss who is so indifferent and spends all their time eating, drinking, and having fun, they would probably have long forgotten about their work.
But Pixar's strength lies in the fact that even in such a seemingly casual atmosphere, its employees can always complete their work excellently before the expected time.
"Come on, let's go to the CEO's office."
Although Steve Jobs is nominally the president of Pixar, the real person in charge of the company is Ed Catmull, one of the three key figures.
Manufacturing computers was Steve Jobs' main business, and he had no time to work at Pixar on weekdays. He left all the internal management affairs of the company to Ed Catmull.
This man is a true legend in the field of computer graphics. In 2019, he was awarded the Turing Award, often referred to as the Nobel Prize of computer science, which is a testament to his outstanding contributions and far-reaching influence in the field. He can be considered a pioneer in the industry.
In Ed Catmull's office, Ernst finally met two relatively normal people.
Besides Ed Illustrator himself, John Lasseter, another key figure at Pixar, was also present.
After being introduced by Jobs, the group got to know each other and, through conversation, Ernst gained a better understanding of these two key figures at Pixar.
To Ernst's surprise, John Lasseter was actually expelled from Disney.
He initially worked as an animator and director at Disney, and was deeply influenced by the 1982 Disney science fiction film "Tron," firmly believing that computer animation was the future direction of the animation industry.
In 1983, John Lasseter proposed to his boss with great enthusiasm that he wanted to make an animated series called "Electric Heroes".
The story is about a light bulb and a toaster, among other small appliances, that were abandoned by their owner in a cabin in the woods, and after many hardships, they were finally found by their owner again.
"Your ideas are too ahead of their time. Disney is used to stories about small animals and princesses. You are breaking with tradition."
"They simply cannot understand why a table lamp and a toaster can be the main characters in an animated film."
"Breaking with tradition often requires tremendous courage, and accepting new things is even more difficult for some people who stick to the old ways."
John Lasseter smiled at Ernst's understanding: "That's right, not only that, they also can't understand why they had to use computer animation to make this film."
He shrugged, his words carrying an air of either helplessness or resignation: "So, I was fired."
"We should really thank Disney. If it weren't for their foolish decision, there might not have been Toy Story, and we don't know if Pixar would have made another animated film."
Ernst's understanding of the development and future of computer animation was no less than that of Ed Catmull and John Lasseter.
The three of them felt like they had known each other for a long time and hit it off immediately. Although it was their first meeting, their knowledge of the animation field and their shared understanding made them feel like old friends who had been getting along well for many years. The more they talked, the more they clicked.
On the contrary, Jobs seemed more like a bystander who had just joined in and couldn't quite get a word in edgewise.
The three of them got more and more excited as they talked, and if Steve Jobs hadn't interrupted them, they don't know when the conversation would have ended.
He coughed lightly, stopping John Lasseter from dragging Ernst to see their work, "A Bug's Life," and said with a smile.
"It seems I've brought in an investor who satisfies you."
The two then remembered that Ernst had come to discuss financing today.
They exchanged a glance, and Ed Catmull spoke up, "If it were Ernst who came in, we would absolutely welcome him with open arms."
In 1986, Steve Jobs acquired Pixar for $1000 million and later invested another $500 million, giving him a 70% stake.
The remaining 30% of the shares were allocated to Ed Catmull, John Lasseter, and the other 37 founding employees.
Despite Steve Jobs being the largest shareholder, Pixar still needs to consult with all Pixar employees, especially Ed Catmull and John Lasseter, before it can raise funds.
The company was founded by the two of them; in other words, Pixar's employees identify more with these two individuals.
Ernst knew how important these two were to Pixar, which is why he talked to them for so long.
Now that things have settled down, Ernst breathed a sigh of relief.
Just then, the sunset outside the window painted the entire sky a brilliant crimson. Ernst glanced at his watch and suggested, "How about this, since we're new here today, I'll treat everyone to a party as a welcome gift. As for the specific details of the financing, we can discuss them later."
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces lit up with joy.
Steve Jobs grinned mischievously and said, "Then you'd better be prepared."