The Pixar Touch: The Making of a Company

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I am a Computer Engineer by profession and so I couldn't get enough of the history of computer graphics at Pixar. More than a story of a company, this is the story of a collection of some of the greatest technical minds in graphics at the time who just happened to want to make films.

A must read for anyone in a technical field.

Although I was expecting more analysis of each film in relation to the history of the company, the overall content was presented with authority and frankness. The ending of the audiobook, however, seemed too quick without much of a conclusion. Details of Steve Jobs' struggle to keep Pixar during his lean years was of most value, as was the way Jobs' orchestrated the IPO of Pixar with flair for maximum value. All in all, a valuable listen.

The book works through the details of how Pixar got it's start, the key people, the key funders, and then goes through the movies and how they got their start. It's well written, well read, and boring. Don't get me wrong, if you're an Apple fan boy and love all things Jobs you'll like this book.

I wanted to know why of all the failed computer graphics companies who this one made it. I was more interested in how company culture, or what decision were made that helped the company survive. Somehow the top managers convinces some pretty rich people to keep Pixar alive and pour money into it. They managed to keep people working for the sheer joy of working, etc. It's touched on briefly, but that's it. All in all a good documentation on the growth of Pixar, but that's all it.

If you want to know what personal events lie in the history of all the major players that contribute to Pixar's culture, both friend and foe, this is the book for you. It goes into many backstories of the Disney Feature Animation Studios, Apple Computer, Industrial Light & Magic and other such behemoths because they're all very relevant to shaping Pixar. I already knew much of this general story before reading, but I learned sooooo much more and found every chapter enlightening and reflective. I ended up buying this book as a gift for a fellow artist, I couldn't stop talking about it to him.

In short, if you enjoyed the Pixar Story on the WALL-E DVD, you'll find this even more delicious and much more detailed.

I loved the description of the rise of Lassitter and Pixar, but as they got into the individual movies after Toy Story 2, it felt like they were just skimming the subject material. I wish they would have gone into more depth about the later films.

And I wish the book covered the period that included the development of Cars 2, and what caused Pixar to release such a bad, bad, bad film. I guess I'll have to wait for a sequel.

Very entertaining book on the evolution of Pixar. Excellent historical research on the pioneers of computer animation as well. One negative...author spends a lot of time explaining the plot on some of the Pixar movies.

David Price has given us a current history of Pixar Animation Studios. This book will let listeners in on the technology allowing computer-aided animation which we are coming to enjoy in the theaters. It tells the stories of the back room deals, conflict between geeks and business people, financial maneuvering, and corporate feuds that tracked the growth of Pixar. The book is well written and well read. It will inform the technologically oriented and bring the novice up to speed on the industry.

The wealth of information about so many people. I learned - actually learned - interesting things about people I have read and known about for years. George Lucas, Steve Jobs, and the Pixar stalwarts like John Lasseter and Brad Bird. Plus I learned about the people behind the company about whom I knew nothing.

It laid out the company's success chronologically, but took side trips to lay out the biographies of the characters involved.

Nope.

Building failures into success.

This isn't a "How-To" business building guide, or just a dry success story. It's inspirational in its own way, and a grand tour of the influences of my generation.

Interesting, accurate, exciting

It was clear and not over dramatic

I thought this was a fantastic audio book. I personally really enjoyed it because I am in the computer graphics industry. But I do think this would make a great listen for everyone who is even remotely interested in computer graphics or computer science.

Being a 3d geek who did animation on my Amiga using lightwave, it was fascinating to learn the history of anti-aliasing and motion blur. The story also goes into the behind the scenes of the Pixar block busters. Great listen and I couldn't put it down.

I loved the history of 3d animation and the pixar movies.

Sounded natural and unforced,

Some of the background behind the Disney and Pixar relationship was fascintating.