At the 2005 D: All Things Digital conference, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) co-founder Steve Jobs shared Disney‘s revolutionary approach to filmmaking that transformed animation production and continues influencing modern studios.
Disney’s Pre-Production Innovation Changed Everything
Jobs explained how Walt Disney solved animation’s most expensive challenge decades ago. “Walt Disney himself solved this problem decades ago,” Jobs told conference hosts Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher. Disney’s solution involved editing films before production rather than after.
The Disney method required story teams to create detailed storyboards for every scene, then photograph them on film with scratch voices and temporary music. This allowed filmmakers to watch complete movies before expensive animation began.
Pixar Adopted Disney’s Cost-Saving Strategy
Under Jobs’ leadership, Pixar Animation Studios modernized Disney’s approach using video technology. “We build our movie before we make it out of these story sketches,” Jobs explained during the conference.
This pre-production process proved crucial for Pixar’s success. The studio went public in November 1995 alongside “Toy Story’s” release, making Jobs a billionaire. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) later acquired Pixar for over $7 billion in 2006.
Hollywood’s Fundamental Problem Remains Unsolved
Jobs identified Hollywood’s core issue: live-action directors shoot 10-100 times more footage than appears in final films. They discover story problems only during editing when actors, sets, and budgets are exhausted.
“By the time they knew it the actors were gone, the sets were down, they ran out of money,” Jobs observed. This wasteful approach continues plaguing major studios today.
Technology Cannot Replace Strong Storytelling
Despite Pixar’s technological leadership, Jobs emphasized the primacy of story. He quoted Pixar founder John Lasseter‘s philosophy: “No amount of technology will turn a bad story into a good story.”
This principle guided Pixar through production crises on every film. “We stop and we fix the story,” Jobs stated, crediting this discipline for Pixar’s consistent hit record and eventual Disney acquisition success.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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