Making the Cut at Pixar: The Art of Editing Animation

by Bill Kinder, Bobbie O'Steen

Overview

Making the Cut at Pixar is an interactive book written by industry insiders Bill Kinder and Bobbie O'Steen about the central role the Pixar editor plays in some of the most critically acclaimed and successful movies of all time. The 90 minutes of Video Material in the companion website show every stage of production on Pixar's animated films, from storyboards to virtual cameras and final animation, accompanied by exclusive interviews with Pixar editors.

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367766146
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	05/31/2022
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

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.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments x

A Note on the Text xi

Introduction: Retraining the Editor 1

1 The Hub of the Wheel: The Setup 4

How did the editor move to the center of production?

Video 1.1 First Cuts (3:30) 20

Video 1.2 Stages of Production (3:40) 26

Video 1.3 "What Exactly Do You Do?" (3:05) 28

2 "Story, Story, Story…": Edi-storial 30

How does a film editor help write a story? The essential exchange between editor and story artists.

Video 2.1 Timeline Years Long (1:05) 37

Video 2.2 Editors in the Story Room…and Story Artists in Editorial (4:10) 40

Video 2.3 Story and the Editor-Making Rough Boards Play (1:50) 41

Video 2.4 Moving Stills (:04) 43

Video 2.5 Story and the Editor-Case Study: "Carl and Ellie Meet" (2:05) 59

Video 2.6 Story and the Editor-Case Study: "Married Life" (3:55) 59

Video 2.7 Story and the Editor-Case Study: "End of the Line" (2:55) 62

Video 2.8 Story and the Editor-Case Study: "Opening" (6:00) 64

3 Conducting a Concerto: Sound 66

How does an animation editor "build" a performance in sound?

Video 3.1 Sound and the Editor-Track Tour (: 45) 72

Video 3.2 Perfect Performance-It's All About Dialogue (1:10) 73

Video 3.3 Deconstructing Dialogue-Case Study: Woody (2:40) 81

Video 3.4 Deconstructing Dialogue-Case Study: Russell (1:35) 84

Video 3.5 Deconstructing Dialogue-Case Study: Linguini (2:38) 85

Audio 3.6 Vocalizations: Grunts, Cries, and Whispers (1:05) 86

Audio 3.7 Arranging a Composition with Voices (:30) 88

Video 3.8 Enhanced Performance-An Approach to Dialogue (14:30) 90

Video 3.9 Dialogue-One Line at a Time (:40) 93

Video 3.10 Building Character-Case Study: Relatable Robots (3:20) 97

Video 3.11 Building Character-Case Study: Un-Relatable Robots (1:15) 97

Video 3.12 Building Character-Case Study: Subhuman Speech (1:20) 98

Video 3.13 Building Character-Case Study: Bear Talk (:45) 100

Video 3.14 Barking, with Feeling-Case Study: Dante Speaks (:20) 101

Video 3.75 Sonic Underscore-Penny Drops and Rainfall (1:00) 102

4 Edit First, Shoot Later: Layout 115

Where is the editor when the set is virtual? The editor's role in layout and camera.

Video 4.1 Sets, Not Cels-Animating in Space (:35) 117

Video 4.2 Driving the Camera-Case Study: "Customers!" (2:35) 125

Video 4.3 Layout and the Editor-Case Study: "The Cleaner" (1:40) 127

Video 4.4 Layout and the Editor-Case Study: "Castle Hunt" (4:15) 133

Video 4.5 Using 2D Cameras in 3D Scene Planning (2:00) 134

Video 4.6 Moving Storyboards-Case Study: "100 Mile Dash" (4:15) 135

Video 4.7 Cooking with Layout-Case Study: "Kitchen Tour" (1:50) 138

Video 4.8 Laser Layout-Case Study: "Space Ranger" (2:25) 140

5 Cutting Jell-O: Workplace Challenges 145

What are the human challenges in the course of a production marathon? How did editors come to be known as a tribe of "Warrior-People?"

Video 5.1 Made in Point Richmond-"You've Stepped into a Different World" (2:55) 147

Video 5.2 Tales from Frontier-Building a Studio Culture (3:10) 148

Video 5.3 Sequencitis-Case Study: "Yeti's Cave" (4:40) 152

Video 5.4 "Is This Still Funny?" Case Study: "Initiation" (4:15) 153

Video 5.5 Preview Progression-Brave (1:35) 168

6 Out of the Galápagos: Editors and Technology Adapt 171

What is progress? Perspective on the role of technology in the editor's creative process.

Video 6.1 Born Digital in an Analog World (5:05) 202

Video 6.2 Fluid Pixels-Beyond Pan and Scan (2:00) 204

7 Afterword: Why Does It Matter? 213

Sources and Resources 221

Index 238

Editorial Reviews

"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)

"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)

From the Publisher