Pixar tells story behind 'Toy Story'

Pixar tells story behind 'Toy Story': "Pixar tells story behind 'Toy Story'
C.W. Nevius
Tuesday, August 23, 2005

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When Hollywood was churning out movies full of explosions and mindless violence a few years ago, Pixar Animation Studios swam against the stream with 'Finding Nemo,' a G-rated feature that received four Academy Award nominations and grossed more than $355 million.
Today, of course, Pixar's filmmaking wisdom is self-evident. Mention the animation studio and everyone nods wisely.
But Monday, as Pixar celebrated the 10th anniversary of 'Toy Story,'' its debut film, the creative minds behind the studio for the first time told the real story of how they almost lost the picture. Not only did the big-money folks at Disney who bankrolled the film not understand the vision of 'Toy Story,'' they hated it so much they shut down production.
Of course, Pixar made the movie, the movie made millions and Disney watched itself dethroned as the king of animation by a company that Steve Jobs started in a Richmond garage.
It is an instructive story on several levels. Pixar, as you have probably heard, has had a stormy relationship with Disney -- and Disney, at this point, looks like the loser. In the 10 years since we met Woody the cowboy, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the 'Toy Story' gang, Pixar has won 16 Academy Awards and grossed over $3 billion.
Disney, once the gold standard of animation, is reeling from flops like 'Treasure Planet.''
Is Pixar the new model for corporate filmmaking? Wouldn't that be nice?
Yesterday's press tour was a rare opportunity to cruise the Emeryville campus, where studio guru John Lasseter can be seen strolling by in one of his trademark Ha"