Pixar: Behind The Screens

The anticipation was tangible as Pixar veteran, Lee Unkrich, took to the stage to divulge a fascinating insight into the company that changed animation forever in 1995 with Toy Story, the first ever computer-animated feature film. He glossed over the process of how a Pixar movie is made (surprisingly the animation part is one of the last steps!) and got straight into the nitty gritty, outlining just why the creative process for one film takes on average nearly four years.

He shared hilarious behind the scenes footage of directors and voice actors at work, scenes and ideas that were relegated to the back burner, and how the animators get inspiration for their characters by filming themselves. He put the films under a microscope and unlocked the depth of rich and meticulous detail involved in every aspect of the film; from the ten voice takes sliced together to make one line of dialogue, to the strategic use of colour.

Every explanation was decorated with snippets from Pixar's 13 films, which filled the Concert Hall with belly laughs from little and big kids alike. He shared personal reflections and anecdotes like he was talking to friends at a dinner table rather than an entire hall of people, and it was a refreshing reminder of just how cathartic good, clean humour can be.

Sydney Opera House, part of GRAPHIC Festival