logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2015
1h 11m

Pixar Founder, Ed Catmull on Creativity,...

Jonathan Fields / Acast
About this episode

Do you remember being a kid and loving to draw? But at some point early on you learned that your art wasn't good enough? So you stopped.


What if you had learned a different story? That your art WAS good, that your ideas WERE valid, that your perspective WAS valued?

Today's guest is a master of cultivating and allowing for creativity in the art world. Children's animated films to be exact.

Ed Catmull is the founder of Pixar, the world-renowned animation studio that has transformed the film world by creating the standard for computer graphics.

In his recent book, Creativity Inc., Ed discusses how creativity is cultivated, what is required, and his own journey from studying physics in college to founding Pixar (which he still heads today).

Our conversation goes down many fascinating avenues, including the misconceptions we have about what art teaches us, the connection between artistic thinking and entrepreneurship, and his long-standing friendship with giants like George Lucas and Steve Jobs.

He explains what it was like to be on the frontier of computer science in the 70s and how he has learned to navigate the fear of failure.

At the core of Ed's genius though, is what makes a good story, and throughout the interview he shares his wisdom on this topic.

Get excited for a dive into the brilliant mind of the artist and visionary Ed Catmull.

Some questions I ask:

  • What made you talk yourself out of studying animation in college?
  • How did you evolve from working in physics to technology?
  • How important do you think it was for you to have an end goal of what you wanted to create?
  • Who was the Steve Jobs you knew and how was he different than the general public's viewpoint?


Follow Ed:

Twitter | Website

"The creative act is acting and responding in the face of change."


Check out our offerings & partners: 



See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Up next
Yesterday
How to Turn an Emotional Transition Into a Beautiful Celebration | Tembi Locke
When New York Times bestselling author Tembi Locke faced sending her only child to college, she created what she calls a "college moon" - a transformative journey through Sicily that offers fresh wisdom for anyone navigating major life transitions.In her new audio memoir, Someday ... Show More
55m 46s
Oct 6
Simple Food & Lifestyle Choices That Protect Your Brain | Austin Perlmutter, MD
Every choice you make today is rewiring your brain, shaping not just how you think and feel, but who you become.In this fascinating conversation, Dr. Austin Perlmutter, author of Brain Wash: Detox Your Mind for Clearer Thinking, Deeper Relationships, and Lasting Happiness, reveal ... Show More
1h 9m
Oct 2
Harness the Power of Deep Listening to Transform Your Relationships | Emily Kasriel
Former BBC executive Emily Kasriel reveals eight practical steps to transform any conversation through the art of deep listening, from healing family relationships to bridging seemingly impossible divides.Drawing from research across boardrooms and conflict zones, she shares surp ... Show More
55m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2023
Pixar Co-Founder Ed Catmull On The Art & Science Of Creativity, How To Do Your Best Work, Bring Out The Best In Others & Lead
Every once in a while there’s a generational thinker that emerges from the most unlikely of places. Someone capable of straddling the complexities of new industries without losing their grasp on historical and cultural perspectives. A person willing to forge new paths in new ways ... Show More
1h 44m
Dec 2023
Pixar’s Ed Catmull: Throw out your rules
There's no perfect process for achieving your goals. Accepting that the rules you play by need to be constantly tweaked, hacked or reinvented will open you up to new ways of innovating. Instilling this attitude throughout your organization will help you be boldly differential in ... Show More
47m 19s
Sep 2023
David Sedaris: How observation and prototyping shapes his work
Welcome to the first episode in our Design Better series on the creative process. In this series, we’re going beyond the confines of design to speak with some of the most creative people in the world, to learn how they approach collaboration, come up with innovative ideas, and ov ... Show More
48m 44s
Jul 2023
Pixar’s Formula For Storytelling Success & Emotional Persuasion w/ Founder Ed Catmull EP 1474
The Summit of Greatness is back! Buy your tickets today – summitofgreatness.com – This episode is PART ONE of a powerful two-part interview series with Pixar Founder, Ed Catmull. Lewis and Ed dive into the strategies Pixar implements to strategically stimulate different aspects o ... Show More
1h 6m
Oct 2023
School Kills Creativity. Here’s How To Revive It with Chase Jarvis
In this interview, we discuss why “creativity is the new literacy” and how you can unlock your own creative genius to create the life you want to live. Most people are completely wrong about what they think creativity is and how to be more creative. We dispel the myths about crea ... Show More
53m 1s
Feb 2022
352 - 9 Prompts to Help You Make Your Most Powerful Work to Date
__________ Listen and Subscribe on Apple, Spotify and more: https://link.chtbl.com/creativepeptalk TRANSCRIPT __________ SHOW NOTES Creative Zero-To-Hero Series 1. Skill 2. Story 3. Style 4. Setting 5. Psychology 6. Say Something Hanif Abdurraqib’s “A Little Devil in America: In ... Show More
53m 58s
Oct 2023
264 - Accelerating Creativity — with Kevin Lau
It’s not unusual for people to be a little on edge about AI, both where it is now, and where it could be in the near future. As a creative, will you even have a job in five or ten years? If AI can create art, where do we humans fit in? In this episode, Chris is joined by fellow L ... Show More
55m 24s
Nov 2021
67. The power of perseverance as a creative freelancer, with Ben Tallon
Ben Tallon is an illustrator who has two decades of experience in the field with a hand-drawn style that's lively, loud and expressive. One that has done him proud across many disciplines from print, digital and animation to set design and large-scale media. So far, his clients i ... Show More
52m 34s
Mar 2024
Head of TED: INCREASE Your HAPPINESS & ABUNDANCE! Our Simple STRATEGY To Reaching BILLIONS | Chris Anderson
Today, we're diving into a conversation with Chris Anderson, the visionary curator behind TED for over two decades. In this episode, Chris shares his latest endeavor, INFECTIOUS GENEROSITY, a book and a call to action that challenges us to harness the power of the internet and ou ... Show More
57m 35s
Oct 2020
John Cleese: How creativity can be applied to business
As an entrepreneur, creativity is the name of your game. And who better to hear from than the king of creativity himself, Mr John Cleese. Yes, that’s right. John. Cleese. You’re welcome. Where do we begin? John’s (Mr Cleese?) talents are boundless - actor, comedian, screenwriter, ... Show More
51m 40s