8 Pixar Tools for Fresh Thinking
Visual summary for "Creativity Inc " part 10
1,157 words | Around 8-minute read
Hi there!
Welcome! My name is Lud, and I am passionate about the power of Visual Thinking, especially in relation to how we learn!
Visualizing the book
We are currently reviewing "Creativity Inc." by Ed Catmull, chapter by chapter, using short metaphorical animations to make the book’s ideas more memorable.
We have now reached Chapter 10. If you missed previous chapters, you can catch up by reading the earlier posts.
The last chapter discussed the hidden biases and limits that affect our perception. In this chapter, we will explore 8 concrete mechanisms set up at Pixar to help "broaden the view."
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Chapter 10 - Broadening our view
Is it possible for an organization to know too much?
Ed Catmull starts the chapter with an example of how a couple can begin an argument in seconds about something that would seem irrelevant to an outsider. They have created their own version of reality, which can obscure what is actually happening.
Groups and organizations similarly live in their own bubble; the more people involved, the more inflexible these 'mental models' become, preventing the group from reacting appropriately to changing situations.
An organization can indeed now too much, as pre-conceived idea prevent us to stay flexible and agile.
The rest of the chapter presents 8 ways Pixar uses to avoid being stuck in their own perspective.
1. Dailies: Solving Problems Together
We are blind to our blindspots, but like the guy that could spot dust in his brother’s eyes, we are very good at seeing other people's issues.
At Pixar, they made a habit of solving problems together. Everyone is encouraged to take advantage of that "critical eye" and critique the work of others during daily meetings.
This approach requires a lot of humility from everybody, and a safe environment where they know that, while feedback may hurt, the team's input aims to make the work better.
2. Research Trips
We should be cautious not to assume that what made one project successful will apply in a new context.
For Pixar, that means avoiding “Frankensteining” different ideas from great movies to create something new… Instead they embark on research trips for every film, exploring the real world for inspiration!
As an example they visited restaurant kitchens for “Ratatouille”, and aquariums for “Finding Nemo”. This attention to detail is likely why their animated films feel so authentic and grounded.
3. THE POWER OF LIMITS
Creativity often emerges from constraints. Having budget limits, time constraints or similar restrictions pushes us to think outside the box and find creative solutions to those challenges. However, Ed Catmull warns about the impact of HOW limits are set.
For example, they had established a group to oversee production costs and keep everyone on schedule, but soon realized it was a mistake:
It removed flexibility
People felt powerless, with every proposed solution being challenged
Ed had to dismantle the oversight group and instead make the budget and limits more tangible (e.g. Physically show the number of “person-weeks” acceptable for the current project) and rely on the team to work with those constraints.
The true power of limits comes from ENABLING people to solve problems, not restricting them.
4. INTEGRATING ART AND TECHNOLOGY
Another way Pixar's employees stay on their toes is by not only accepting changes but also driving them. When faced with an artistic challenge, they try to use technology to resolve it. This approach led to the creation of new tools such as "Review Sketch Tool" used to digitally draw over images during the Daily meetings, and "Pitch Doctor" which helps directors present storyboards dynamically.
“Art challenges technology, technology inspires Art”
Below you can see a live demo showing how the tool enhance the pitching experience, in comparison to traditional storyboards on a wall.
5. SHORT EXPERIMENTS
A tradition at Pixar is to include short films before their feature films. While these don't generate direct profit, they allow teams to experiment with new techniques and approaches.
One of the most famous short films, "Geri's Game," helped Pixar improve their rendering of faces and clothes, and went on to win an Oscar!
If you haven’t seen it yet check it below :
6. LEARNING TO SEE
What we see is often not the complete picture.
At Pixar, everyone is encouraged to take a class on "Learning to See." This drawing class teaches how our brains can trick us:
We draw what we KNOW instead of what we SEE. One technique to make the switch is to draw the gaps between elements instead of the objects themselves. With gaps, your brain doesn't have a preconceived idea of how things should look and can focus on what is actually there.
This idea extends beyond drawing, which is why Pixar encourages even non-artists to take the class. Learning to switch perspective is a skill we should all develop.
Looking at what is really there, instead of our preconceived notions of how things work, can help us find better solutions to the problems we encounter.
7. POSTMORTEM
Thinking “What we did failed so we were wrong”or the opposite “We succeeded so we should keep on doing the same thing” are shallow ways of thinking.
Pixar conducts postmortems at the end of each project to:
Consolidate what has been learned
Teach others who weren't involved
Prevent resentment from festering
Force reflection
Pay it forward (identify questions to ask in the next project)
8. CONTINUING TO LEARN
The final idea is to maintain a "beginner's mind." Pixar has created their own university, offering free classes to their employees in Acting, Ballet, Meditation, Computer Programming, Design & Colors, Belly Dancing, and more.
The goal is to instill a mindset of continuous learning, trying to recreate the creative spark that we all had as children!
That’s all for today! Congratulations on reading until here. I would like to leave you with one question:
If you had to select on of the 8 practices that you would like to see more in your life or work next year, which would it be ?
Find the next chapter here:
https://open.substack.com/pub/ludtoussaint/p/6-pixar-mental-models