This reputation for detail and perfectionism became an early part of Pixar’s appeal. The technology that would become Toy Story began in animated commercials, and Catmull began to put into effect his belief in total quality control, a philosophy he learned from Japanese assembly lines. In Chapter Three, “A Defining Goal”, Catmull explores Pixar’s beginnings as a hardware company, along with his relationship with the late Steve Jobs. This is also when he hired Alex Ray Smith, who epitomizes Catmull’s belief that it’s important to always be willing to hire people smarter and more qualified than you. This was Catmull’s first time in a leadership role, when he started to rethink how he managed people.

This chapter is the establishing character ground for Catmull and leads directly into Chapter Two, “Pixar is Born.' This chapter focuses on Catmull’s college years, as well as the period in the 1970s when he went to work at Lucasfilm to lead their new computer division. Chapter One, “Animated’, begins by introducing us to Ed Catmull and his personal story of how he grew to love animation as a child.

frequently shifts between Catmull’s memoirs and the lessons he wants to impart on the reader. Divided into thirteen chapters, Creativity, Inc. It is considered one of the most in-depth looks at the inner workings of Disney/Pixar as well as one of the best self-help guides for those in the creative arts. combines Catmull’s personal recollections of his childhood and his rise through the ranks of Disney and Pixar with the lessons he’s learned along the way and how he believes they can help the average person achieve their creative goals. Focusing on themes of managing creativity, fostering a creative culture at work, and the challenges of stepping into a leadership role, Creativity, Inc.

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration is a memoir and self-help book written by Disney/Pixar Animation President Ed Catmull and self-help writer Amy Wallace.

Creativity ed catmull