1st Edition
Making the Cut at Pixar The Art of Editing Animation
Join industry insiders Bill Kinder and Bobbie O’Steen as they guide readers on a journey through every stage of production on an animated film, from storyboards to virtual cameras and final animation.
With unprecedented access to the Pixar edit suite, this authoritative project highlights the central role film editors play in some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful movies of all time. Exclusive interviews with animation editors and other creative leads are supported by footage from deep inside Pixar’s vault. Nearly 90 minutes of video segments include never-before-seen works in progress, deleted scenes, and demonstrations to shed light on how these beloved stories are crafted. The challenges and essential contributions of editors in animation have never been examined in such depth and detail.
In addition to exploring method and craft, this book provides important context for the editor in film history, the evolution of technology, and Pixar’s uniquely collaborative studio culture. A must-read for students of digital filmmaking methods, filmmakers in all aspects of production, and fans of Pixar movies, this uniquely educational, historical, and entertaining book sheds light on how beloved stories are crafted from the perspective of crucial members of the filmmaking team.
1. The Hub of the Wheel: The Setup
2. "Story, Story, Story…": Edi-Storial
3. Conducting a Concerto: Sound
4. Edit First, Shoot Later: Layout
5. Cutting Jell-O: Workplace Challenges
6. Out of the Galápagos: Editors and Technology Adapt
7. Afterword––Why Does It Matter?
Biography
Co-authors Bill Kinder and Bobbie O’Steen are experts in the field. Kinder was the founding Director of Editorial and Post Production at Pixar from 1996–2014. O’Steen is a teacher and film historian, specializing in editing, and author of The Invisible Cut and Cut to the Chase.
"The art of editing is little understood, all the more so in the world of animation. This illuminating book explains how Pixar completely reshaped the role of the film editor, with clear examples and video links to boot. I hope other producers follow Pixar’s lead; the results speak for themselves."
Leonard Maltin (Author, Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons)"As a live action editor, imagine my surprise when I discovered that animation editing shares the same dramatic values of live action: story structure, characterization, performance, pace, and emotional impact. From the first drawing through endless iterations with dialog, sound, and music, anything and everything is possible, with the editor at the core of the collaborative, creative process. Filmmakers will treasure this artful book about animation storytelling from the inside out."
Carol Littleton (Editor, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Body Heat, The Big Chill)"Bill Kinder’s and Bobbie O’Steen’s wonderful book reveals that editing is at the heart of Pixar’s digital animation process. It sheds light on how editors are involved with a production from the earliest stages of concept and design, through background and layout, and into the complex and extended phase of post-production. This book will change your understanding of how digital animation is made."
Lea Jacobs (University of Wisconsin-Madison)"The full History of Editing cannot be understood without the contribution of this book. An insightful, in-depth look at the editor’s contribution to both the story-telling success at Pixar and the evolution of digital filmmaking technology."
Phillip Linson (Chapman University)"Making the Cut at Pixar is not only chock full of important and thought-provoking information about the history of computer animation, it’s a fun read. Written by insiders in a way that will engage readers in and out of the industry!"
Michael Miller (Editor, Miller’s Crossing, Armageddon)"This book may primarily address the editor’s role in animation production, but in doing so, it provides marvelous insight into the range of skills needed to make a Pixar-quality film. A must-read for both animation and live-action professionals, a fun read for any film enthusiast."
Atia Newman (Rochester Institute of Technology)
