Wired magazine takes us behind the scenes of the day by day creation of a Pixar movie (in this case, Toy Story).
Day 36
So far, the characters exist only as digital illustrations. Character design has begun. Some are sculpted in clay and scanned. Others are drawn by hand. Later, visual textures-fur, fabric, hair-will be added to the form, a step known as simulation. “It’s a constant negotiation with the technical side,” says supervising animator Bobby Podesta. “Not everything we want is possible.”
Day 123
The storyboards are turned into what’s called a story reel-a series of images that can be projected for an in-house audience like an elaborate flip book. The lines are prerecorded by Pixar employees. “This is a crucial moment for the film,” says Pixar president and cofounder Ed Catmull. “Watching along with an audience allows us to see what works and what doesn’t.”