GOING FOR GOLD with Disney’s Cars 2!

Want some career advice and insider industry tips from the artists, animators and creative team at Pixar? You got it. Want to get a job in animation? Follow the advice of these animation bigwigs from “Cars 2” – and go for gold!

“Cars 2” Director John Lasseter says: “The advice I give to all potential animators is the same: Study the basics and grow from there. You have to learn to draw, even if you want to get into computer animation, so learn basic design principles, learn basic animation principles and learn basic film grammar for starters. These basics are so vitally important because your tools will change throughout your career, but you’ll always fall back on the basics. Technology never makes a movie; it’s what you do with it that does. Software will always change and evolve. I use my basic art foundations every day of my career and I can’t stress enough how you should never short-change the basics.”

“Cars 2” Supervising Animator Shawn Krause says: “I was lucky enough to go to CalArts and that certainly helped me get into Pixar, but there are many other ways to get into the industry. Art school obviously helps, but it’s a good idea to start learning about art and animation as early as possible. I grew up watching a lot of the classic animation that Disney and Warner Brothers made and I studied the work of animators like Frank Thomas from a young age. If you want to get ahead, study as much as you can. It’s also a good idea to study things like anatomy so you know how the body moves. You should also try your hand at different styles of animation and art. It’s always good to have as many skills as possible because you never know what you’re going to be asked to pull out of the bag when you’re working.”

Story Supervisor Nathan Stanton says: “I never stopped drawing as a kid. I literally never stopped and I sincerely believe that my drive and passion is what got me here today. If you want to be a filmmaker and you want to get into Pixar, arm yourself with as much knowledge of film and animation as you can. Keep on top of new technologies and new software, but know the basics and keep at it.”

“Cars 2” Producer Denise Ream says: “There’s one thing we always look for in a potential Pixar employee: enthusiasm. There’s a huge amount of enthusiasm and passion at Pixar and I want to work with people who love animation. If you want to do live-action movies you should be making live-action movies. I want to hear that you are eager to work on animated films and that you’ve strived to learn as much as you can about them. I came to Pixar because I love animation and that’s exactly what we want to see in all of our employees. Having a passion for what you want to do is really key to getting far in this industry. The founder of the company is passionate about animation and so should you be. Let the passion shine through.”

“Cars 2” Animator June Brownbill says: “You don’t have to be a California native to work at Pixar, or even an American citizen, but you do have to put in a lot of effort. I’m from England and Pixar is a very long way from home for me, but I couldn’t be happier. To work here is a dream come true. It’s something I’ve always wanted and it’s something I’ve always strived to achieve. To work here was incredibly scary at the start because you find yourself working alongside some of the best animators in the world. You don’t want to look bad next to them. How did I get through my first day? I just had to embrace the nerves and get on with the work. It’s scary at first, but you soon get over it. This place is incredible and the way Pixar treats their staff is amazing. We’re like a big, happy family.”

Story Supervisor Nathan Stanton says: “I came to Pixar after working as a freelancer in the animation industry for a few years. I saw the storyboards at Pixar and I thought, ‘Oh, I can do that. I can draw these boards. That’s easy!’ Sadly, I had no idea that the storyboard work was just five percent of the job. The rest of the job involves being a filmmaker, so I had to learn fast because I wasn’t clued up. The first film I worked on was ‘A Bug’s Life’ and I learned so much. I wasn’t aware of much film speak, so phrases like ‘over the shoulder shots’ and ‘wide shots’ were new to me. If you don’t know about editing and cutting, you’re going to be lost like I was for many years. Grab a book or head online and learn the lingo!”

“Cars 2” Animator June Brownbill says: “I learned animation at university in the UK and one of the top pieces of advice given to me was very simple: ‘Enjoy life. Watch movies and do things that you enjoy doing like sports or playing instruments.’ You’ve got to have a life so that you can draw from your own personal experiences when you’re animating. Good courses, degrees and diplomas all help you get into Pixar, so get as much experience in animation as you can. But don’t forget about the life experience you’ll also need in order to become a successful animator.”

Story Supervisor Nathan Stanton says: “I think there’s always a certain element of luck and timing when it comes to getting a job. For me, I just happened to be in school with the right people at the right time. That’s exactly how I got the job on ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas,’ which is how I got my big break in the animation industry. An old classmate of mine was doing 2D animation and I pestered him relentlessly for six months so that he hired me when he eventually needed an assistant. I got very lucky, but I guess it helps if you surround yourself with animators and artists. They’re more likely to call on you for help than anyone else.”

Supervising Animator Dave Mullins says: “If you are serious about a career in animation, don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it. Most of the people that I knew I wanted to become an animator when I was growing up laughed at me. They smirked and said, ‘You’re going to Hollywood? Yeah, right.’ Well, look at me now! Just keep working at it and keep striving for your goal. I applied to Pixar many times before I got hired. I started applying in 1992, but I was rejected at least three times before I was hired on for ‘Toy Story 2’ in 1998 or 1999. It took more than six years, but I got here in the end. I’ve never regretted anything for a second.”

Don’t forget- Cars 2 is now available! Great stocking stuffer for or holiday gift for your little mechanics 🙂
Here are some fun activities you can do together as well!