Name: The Pixar Touch
ISBN: 9780307278296

The Pixar Touch

The Pixar Touch is a lively chronicle of Pixar Animation Studios' history and evolution, and the "fraternity of geeks" who shaped it. With the help of animating genius John Lasseter and visionary businessman Steve Jobs, Pixar has become the gold standard of animated filmmaking, beginning with a short special effects shot made at Lucasfilm in 1982 all the way up through the landmark films Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Wall-E, and others. David A. Price goes behind the scenes of the corporate feuds between Lasseter and his former champion, Jeffrey Katzenberg, as well as between Jobs and Michael Eisner. And finally he explores Pixar's complex relationship with the Walt Disney Company as it transformed itself into the $7.4 billion jewel in the Disney crown.From the Trade Paperback edition.

What Hacker News says

malexwJun 2018

The Pixar Touch describes the creation of the company and first few films that Pixar made. I especially enjoyed it because of my interest in computer graphics, but it's probably a worthwhile read for most tech folks.

Creativity, Inc., is another book about Pixar that's been recommended to me, though it was recommended as a way to learn about what successful management at a tech company looks like. I haven't read it though, so I can't vouch for the quality.

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dbarlettMay 2013

The Pixar Touch (http://www.amazon.com/The-Pixar-Touch-ebook/dp/B0010SKT0M/) is a great book about Catmull and Pixar.

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pooriaazimiJul 2012

"Pixar Touch"[1] is fantastic. Highly recommended.

Also, the 2007 documentary about Pixar ("The Pixar Story"[2]) is well worth a watch - Extremely well done. There's a shorter, 23 minute mini-documantary about Pixar Shorts ("The Pixar Shorts, A Short History"[3]) that I also enjoyed.

[1]: http://www.amazon.com/The-Pixar-Touch-Making-Company/dp/1400... and http://www.pixartouchbook.com/

[2]: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1059955/

[3]: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1164983/

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jakartaMar 2011

Yeah, if you read "The Pixar Touch" you get a good picture of what Jobs hoped to achieve with Pixar (focusing on selling the hardware to consumers). His main contribution was money. I think it was only after Toy Story did he truly "get" how good the computer animated films could be.

It's funny because in the book they describe the brief period where Pixar was owned by George Lucas, and he too did not have faith in computer animated films.

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ruffJan 2011

The Pixar Story has some issues with it--largely cuts out Alvy Ray Smith and gives a lot more credit to Steve Jobs than deserved. I'd recommend reading The Pixar Touch for a balanced portrayal of the company.

For what it's worth, I got to know Alvy by running into him at various Seattle breakfast spots over the years (he's in Berkeley now). If you ever get to hear him speak, be sure to go up and talk with him. He's nothing but a welcoming, smart, and humble guy.

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javanixJan 2011

If anyone is interested, The Pixar Touch by David Price is a pretty fantastic look at the early history (both from a business standpoint and from a technological standpoint) of the company.

http://www.amazon.com/Pixar-Touch-Vintage-David-Price/dp/030...

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