Pixar

Pixar Animation Studios is an American computer animation film studio known for its computer-generated feature films. Based in Emeryville, California, it operates as a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios and has been a leading force in the evolution of CGI animation since the 1990s. The studio is noted for its emphasis on character-driven storytelling and technical innovation in areas such as rendering, shading, and effects.

Pixar originated in 1979 as The Graphics Group, the computer division of Lucasfilm. It was purchased by Steve Jobs in 1986 and renamed Pixar. After developing computer graphics technology and a slate of short films, the company released Toy Story in 1995, the first feature-length film made entirely with CGI, establishing Pixar as a premier animation studio. Subsequent successful releases include A Bug’s Life (1998), Toy Story 2 (1999), Monsters, Inc. (2001), Finding Nemo (2003), The Incredibles (2004), WALL-E (2008), Up (2009), and Coco (2017). Pixar has produced numerous acclaimed short films, such as Luxo Jr. (1986) and Geri’s Game (1997), and developed RenderMan, a widely used rendering software in the industry.

Disney acquired Pixar in 2006 in a deal valued at about $7.4 billion, integrating its creative leadership with Disney’s distribution network. Since the acquisition, Pixar has continued to release commercially successful and critically acclaimed films and has maintained a reputation for innovation in animation techniques and collaborative storytelling. The studio’s work has earned multiple Academy Awards and has had a lasting influence on modern animated cinema.