SAVE THE DATE: Story Workshop with Pixar Veteran Matthew Luhn Coming August 26th

For the Love of Pixar is proud to present STORYTELLING ESSENTIALS & BEYOND with PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS VETERAN ANIMATOR and STORY ARTIST MATTHEW LUHN.

For the Love of Pixar Workshop Matthew Luhn

SAVE THE DATE for Friday, August 26th! Filmmakers, writers, animators, entrepreneurs, communicators, and marketing professionals looking to learn how to better engage their audiences don't want to miss this rare opportunity with one of Pixar's most accomplished storytellers.

Matthew’s story credits include Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3, Monsters Inc., Monsters University, Finding Nemo, UP, Cars, Ratatouille and other films currently in development.

For a complete description of the workshop, click HERE. Registration opens next month on Thursday, July 7th! 

Talking 20 Years of Toy Story w/Author of The Pixar Theory Jon Negroni & Marco Bongiorno of The Pizza Planet Truck

This week, the Lunch Box Blab with Berto discussed the 20th Anniversary of Toy Story with author of The Pixar Theory Jon Negroni and Marco Bongiorno of The Pizza Planet Truck. Listen to the replay HERE and visit blab.im/bertoway for future episodes.

Blab Pixar

Every Pizza Planet Truck Sighting in Pixar Films (1995 - 2013)

By now, most of us know that the animators at Pixar love to hide easter eggs in their films. Here's a compilation of every Pizza Planet Truck sighting in each Pixar film from 1995-2013. Sadly, the truck does not appear in The Incredibles. We're pretty sure, Director Brad Bird will correct that in his upcoming sequel to the superhero action-flick. Check out video below.

Video edit by FunWithGuru.

Interview with Jason Russell: Co-Founder of Invisible Children

There are three charities our show is supporting through the sale of art on October 11. One of them is Invisible Children. IC is an organization that seeks to end the violent acts of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) which include abductions and abuse of children who are forced to serve as soldiers in places like Central Africa. 

I recently had the privilege of asking Jason Russell, Co-founder of Invisible Children, three questions. Below are his answers.

3 QUESTION INTERVIEW:

1. The Pixar universe is full of characters we can relate to. Is there one particular character you identify with the most? Why? 

Edna Mode is my all-time favorite Pixar character. I just love that they couldn't find anyone else that could play the part, so they had Director Brad Bird do the voice. She to me is the most original and memorable character.

Edna Mode. The Incredibles, 2004. ©Disney/Pixar.

Edna Mode. The Incredibles, 2004. ©Disney/Pixar.

As far as identifying with one character though, I think it would be a toss up between Lighting McQueen and Woody. At times I feel like McQueen. I have a tendency to want to move super fast and sometimes make it all about me, while the Woody spirit in me is old school, analogue, and knows the value of true friendships.

2. What person, place or thing is inspiring you right now?

Hafiz's poems are inspiring me right now, especially this one: 

God and I have become
Like two giant fat people
Living in a tiny boat
We keep
Bumping into each other
And laughing.

3. Years ago you decided to step up and be an agent of change in the world. What kind of encouragement would you give to someone who believes that their efforts can't make a difference?

Jason Russell; Co-founder of Invisible Children. 

Jason Russell; Co-founder of Invisible Children. 

* There is no such thing as an act of love too small. 

* Follow your passion, the money will follow you. 

* Everyone at all times is asking the world these three questions: Do you see me? Do you hear me? And does what I say mean anything to you? 

- I learned this last one from Oprah. 

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To learn more about Invisible Children, click here

 

Interview with Writer and Pixar Detective Jon Negroni

Remember that Pixar Theory that went viral last summer? That was written by Jon Negroni. Do you recall the theory suggesting Andy's mom from Toy Story was Emily, Jessie’s previous owner? That too was made popular by Jon Negroni. Does a sad theory about Andy's dad come to mind? That revelation was also brought to you by Jon Negroni.

In the blogosphere, Jon Negroni's work offers some very imaginative answers to some of Pixar's most mysterious characters.  

The Pixar Theory as told by Jon Negroni, 2013. ©Disney/Pixar.

The Pixar Theory as told by Jon Negroni, 2013. ©Disney/Pixar.

Last week I had the honor of briefly interviewing writer and Pixar Detective Jon Negroni. To further acquaint you, here are his answers to my three questions:  

1. The Pixar universe is full of characters we can relate to. Is there one particular character you identify with the most? Why?

That's the beauty of Pixar characters, isn't it? It's so easy for me to relate with so many different characters, it's hard for me to single out any one of them. But I guess I can use the power of nostalgia to settle on the one character that has inspired me from the beginning (because he reminds me so much of myself). And that would be Toy Story's Woody. Of all of the Pixar stories, his redemption and growth as a loyal, compassionate leader has always struck a chord with me.

Left: Woody. ©Disney/Pixar. Right: Jon Negroni. 

Left: Woody. ©Disney/Pixar. Right: Jon Negroni. 

2. What person, place or thing is inspiring you right now?

Right now, I'm being bombarded with the genius of The Beatles. I've been a diehard fan of the music since high school, but I just recently purchased the Box Set on iTunes. So I've been binging on all of their songs for the last few weeks as I write. It "inspires" me in the sense that it opens up my creativity. I think and create in different ways when I'm exposed to the music, and every time I hear something truly complex within the seemingly simple tunes, I'm challenged to add more depth to the simple things I say, do and bother to write down.

3. Over the years you have written content that has shaped how people think about life, art, and culture. It's obvious that somewhere along the way you discovered that writing was more than a hobby for you. For those having a difficult time pinpointing their passion, what are some indicators they should look for in the discovery phase? 

If people don't like that you're doing something a certain way, that's how you know you're on to something. In other words, my English teachers mostly hated me (in the nicest way possible). And when I started blogging out of college, everyone told me the way I picked my blog's topics was too scattered. They all said I needed to settle on a niche. Just one singular focus. That way, they said, I could build a loyal fan base. 

But I told myself that I'd rather just write about whatever I want. Best blog-related decision I've ever made. So if you're trying to figure out your passion, then sometimes its useful to just try some different things and see what works. Let yourself get excited about the things that easily excite you. This can be hard if you're not naturally an opportunist. In those cases, pay very close attention to how people react to what you contribute to the world and find a reason for why you do it.

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For more of Jon's musings about life, art, and culture, make sure to check out his blog at jonnegroni.com