Upon the release of each and every Pixar movie you can count on all sorts of publications to run an article about the secret of Pixar's success. While I labored away on the animation for five of these files I was able to soak in the finer points of Pixar fundamentals, and since then I have endeavored to apply them to my video ministry work. Here is a quick rundown of the key principles:
Anything worth doing is worth doing right.
When asked if there will be a sequel to a Pixar hit, the common answer is only if there is a great idea for one. This philosophy of doing everything as perfectly as possible carried over to employee swag and even the campus flagpole. No project is too small to reject if it won't live up to the established standards.
Set the bar high, but do so selectively.
No single Pixar project attempted to redefine all aspects of animated filmmaking. A short like Geri's Game would take on human face animation and cloth simulation, while a feature like Monsters, Inc. would tackle fur simulation. Similarly, we shouldn't get overly ambitious with each new project, but instead select areas to improve. A particular video project may be a great opportunity to improve audio cleanup, but that can't happen if too much time goes toward learning a new graphics program.
Learn from each other.
When the studio moved to a larger building, just about everyone got an office, and there was some regret in the animation department. Turning to co-workers for input didn't seem to come naturally in this setup. Collaboration and feedback from peers is vital in a creative endeavor, and while I have found it difficult at times to squeeze constructive criticism out of fellow church volunteers, a project will always benefit from a fresh pair of eyes.
Ask for help.
Do you work with anyone who is more of an expert in a particular field then you are? Yes, you do. Pixar animators were not expected to be hardware experts. When a computer problem cropped up we were encouraged to get help to fix the problem quickly and get back to the work we were paid to do. If your area is video and you have a project with special audio needs, why not go after the audio crew?
Polish, then polish some more.
I've worked on professional projects where a director will declare shots finished before the animator has a chance to fine-tune their work. It can be heart breaking because we'd know we could be turning in better work if we could just give it a bit more TLC. Shots at Pixar, on the other hand, could be polished even if it meant being a bit late, and others further down the pipeline could send it back to the animator for even more touch-up. Whenever possible, allow time towards the end of a project to find areas to improve.
Observe and explore.
Research for Pixar movies generally didn't involve studying existing animated films. Observations were made looking at real life, and watching what people do. An animator could spend a day or two finding or shooting appropriate reference video and sketching out ideas before even starting work on a shot. Certainly a project for church is worthy of as much preparation. Does, for example, the general church promo address the specific needs of the community? Is there a way to find out?
Each of these points deserves more attention, and I'll be writing on them more in my blog at www.churchproduction.com/michaelparks.
