Episode
Ep 22: Ed Catmull, President of Pixar, on Steve Jobs, Stories, and Lessons Learned
55:12
Published: Tue Aug 12 2014
Description
Ed Catmull is co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios (along with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter) and president of Pixar Animation and Disney Animation. Ed has received five Academy Awards, and -- as a computer scientist -- he has contributed to many important developments in computer graphics. He is the author of Creativity, Inc., which Forbes has said "just might be the best business book ever written." (!)This episode touches on a lot, including lessons learned from George Lucas and Steve Jobs, the origins of Pixar, personal challenges, routines, favorite books, and much more. Enjoy!***If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Visit tim.blog/sponsor and fill out the form.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chapters
Ed Catmull shares his journey from technician to president of Pixar, the creative process they developed, the mistakes they've made and the lessons he's learned working with people like George Lucas and Steve Jobs.
00:00 - 02:58 (02:58)
Summary
Ed Catmull shares his journey from technician to president of Pixar, the creative process they developed, the mistakes they've made and the lessons he's learned working with people like George Lucas and Steve Jobs.
EpisodeEp 22: Ed Catmull, President of Pixar, on Steve Jobs, Stories, and Lessons Learned
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The host reflects with his guests on the achievement of their goal in going public and starting a new film while also thinking about their relationship with Disney, and how achieving their goal made them miss one of their defining frameworks.
02:58 - 10:26 (07:27)
Summary
The host reflects with his guests on the achievement of their goal in going public and starting a new film while also thinking about their relationship with Disney, and how achieving their goal made them miss one of their defining frameworks.
EpisodeEp 22: Ed Catmull, President of Pixar, on Steve Jobs, Stories, and Lessons Learned
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The host discusses with a guest on how to apply the precision of problem-solving and logical thinking to other areas, specifically storytelling, which often requires acceptance of the messy middle.
10:25 - 16:03 (05:37)
Summary
The host discusses with a guest on how to apply the precision of problem-solving and logical thinking to other areas, specifically storytelling, which often requires acceptance of the messy middle.
EpisodeEp 22: Ed Catmull, President of Pixar, on Steve Jobs, Stories, and Lessons Learned
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
Using a problem as a catalyst for change can be an effective way to solve issues within a group, even in complicated situations like movie-making or the evolution of companies in Silicon Valley.
16:03 - 26:35 (10:32)
Summary
Using a problem as a catalyst for change can be an effective way to solve issues within a group, even in complicated situations like movie-making or the evolution of companies in Silicon Valley.
EpisodeEp 22: Ed Catmull, President of Pixar, on Steve Jobs, Stories, and Lessons Learned
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker shares his personal relationship with Steve Jobs, highlighting Jobs' caring nature and his growth as a person throughout his life.
26:36 - 32:26 (05:50)
Summary
The speaker shares his personal relationship with Steve Jobs, highlighting Jobs' caring nature and his growth as a person throughout his life.
EpisodeEp 22: Ed Catmull, President of Pixar, on Steve Jobs, Stories, and Lessons Learned
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
When negotiating a deal, it is advantageous to strive for a 50-50 partnership as it is a good stand to take.
32:26 - 38:35 (06:09)
Summary
When negotiating a deal, it is advantageous to strive for a 50-50 partnership as it is a good stand to take. Going public allows for more financial leeway when it comes to negotiating deals.
EpisodeEp 22: Ed Catmull, President of Pixar, on Steve Jobs, Stories, and Lessons Learned
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The process of creating a film can start in one place and end up in a completely different place.
38:35 - 42:32 (03:56)
Summary
The process of creating a film can start in one place and end up in a completely different place. Field trips and research trips are conducted to gather information and the brainstorming process is aided by a group of colleagues referred to as the brain trust.
EpisodeEp 22: Ed Catmull, President of Pixar, on Steve Jobs, Stories, and Lessons Learned
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
This podcast explores the similarities between baseball and restaurant kitchens, specifically in the movie Ratatouille, and how the audience can sense the authenticity even if they haven't experienced it personally.
42:32 - 46:48 (04:16)
Summary
This podcast explores the similarities between baseball and restaurant kitchens, specifically in the movie Ratatouille, and how the audience can sense the authenticity even if they haven't experienced it personally.
EpisodeEp 22: Ed Catmull, President of Pixar, on Steve Jobs, Stories, and Lessons Learned
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker emphasizes that although he would like to change his past perspectives, he recognizes that personal growth and understanding are ongoing processes.
46:48 - 52:57 (06:09)
Summary
The speaker emphasizes that although he would like to change his past perspectives, he recognizes that personal growth and understanding are ongoing processes. He believes in lifelong learning and improving oneself in order to address life's challenges.
EpisodeEp 22: Ed Catmull, President of Pixar, on Steve Jobs, Stories, and Lessons Learned
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The podcast discusses critical issues related to engaging with others, addressing fear, making safe environments, and perceiving the world and our moral and ethical position in that environment.
52:57 - 55:07 (02:09)
Summary
The podcast discusses critical issues related to engaging with others, addressing fear, making safe environments, and perceiving the world and our moral and ethical position in that environment. The unpredictable butterfly effect is also mentioned.