Latest news with #PixarAnimationStudios
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Maverick
South African Ferdi Scheepers has an animated working life at Disney's world-renowned Pixar studios
With the release of Elio, Pixar's next original animated adventure, we got the opportunity to interview Ferdi Scheepers, a South African effects artist who has worked on some of the studio's biggest films over the past two decades. South Africans have a special talent for popping up in unexpected places. A beach bar on a remote Thai island. The White House. The headquarters of Pixar Animation Studios — the multi-award-winning and record-breaking Toy Story studio that falls under the Disney umbrella. Effects artist Ferdi Scheepers has been at Pixar for more than 22 years, and has worked on the likes of The Incredibles, Wall-E, Cars, Toy Story 4 and Inside Out, along with the Academy Award-winning short Piper. It's an unlikely career destination, especially when you learn Scheepers worked for five years at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in the field of satellite imagery. This was after studying computer science at the University of Johannesburg, and completing his PhD in Computer Graphics at Ohio State University in 1996. In this interview with Scheepers, arranged by Disney, we learn more about the effects artist's unusual path to working for Pixar, his advice for wannabe animation professionals, how the industry has evolved over the past few decades, and his role in Pixar's latest: original space adventure Elio, in cinemas now. *** How would you describe your title of development and effects artist to a person on the street? Ferdi Scheepers: So I'm an effects artist primarily. As an effects artist, we create various effects, and usually that happens at the end of, or towards the end of, production, after animation is done. We react to what the characters do in animation. A very simple example would be running on a dusty foot path, and with every footfall, there's a little puff of dust, right? So that's an effect we would create. Other effects would be water, fire, smoke, electricity, and we also do some environmental effects — for example, lava, the indication of wind, and so forth. I usually describe effects as movement or changes in relation to things that move; that they're not the acting that animators do with characters. From the design part of it, on this film (Elio), I got the opportunity to work really early on during production with production designer Harley Jessup in creating the character OOOOO, a liquid supercomputer — kind of an emoji-like character — that helps Elio in the Communiverse communicate with the other aliens. My task was to help create this notion that this was a highly intelligent being, and had some energy, and that energy, eventually, we decided, was portrayed by electric signals that move inside the character. That was my contribution to creating the character, and those sort of electric signals were then adopted into the environment and other set pieces in the film. Unlike other times, I've been involved with Elio really from the start, because I was contributing to character design and then, later on, to the effects of the film. It's not exactly an expected career progression to go from growing up in Gauteng to working at the CSIR with satellite imagery systems, to Pixar. How did that last step come about? Before I actually did my PhD in Computer Graphics at Ohio State University, I had an opportunity to attend a computer science conference in 2001, called SIGGRAPH, via the CSIR, in Los Angeles. At this conference, Steve Jobs, the founder of Pixar, was a keynote speaker. At that point — this was in the '80s — he showed the first two Pixar shorts, Luxo Jr and Red's Dream. I was completely blown away by this new animation art form and, at that point, I decided I wanted to work for the company. Now it took 14 or so years for me to eventually get to Pixar, via an advanced computer graphics degree, and then going back to South Africa and working for the satellite application centre because they sponsored my studies. It was kind of a detour, but I eventually got the opportunity. I applied at a computer science conference, called CAF (Computer Animation Festival), which is one of our advanced conferences here, and I got some interviews, which was wonderful. You've been at Pixar since 2002. In that time, is there one thing that you've done that you're especially proud of? I'm proud of everything that I've done, but let me choose one thing. One of the shorts that Pixar did during the time that I was here is called Piper, and I was the effects supervisor on Piper. It was a very, very challenging and difficult short to work on, mainly because of the material: an ocean setting, macro style photography and so on. At the same time, the studio was making Finding Nemo. We needed a lot of effects artists, and we had contention in terms of who can, or who will, work on what and so on. So it was a challenging, but I was very proud of the final result. One of the big, amazing things that happened on Piper is that we worked very, very closely together with the animation department, and I think we struck a great relationship with the animators on that short, which in later years has blossomed into a strong partnership between the effects artists and animators. Piper won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short in that year (2017). That's right, Piper won the Oscar, and it was the first Pixar short since For the Birds way back in 2001 to win that award, yeah. A similar question, but focused on Elio now: apart for your role in creating OOOOO, which you've already mentioned, is there something you contributed to the film that you're excited for people to see? Helping out on the character of OOOOO was a very gratifying experience for me, because something we don't usually do is work very early on in production. But then, on the back end, I contributed to numerous effects in the film. The main one that I think I worked on probably the longest was the lava. Lava is sort of, in the case of Elio, partly an environmental effect. The main antagonist has this lair, this room that he hosts Elio in, and the idea of the lava is that it creates this dangerous, slightly scary environment for somebody to come and visit. So I designed the look of the lava, as well as created all the environmental effects in two or three sequences. And then there's a chase scene that also involves lava that I worked on. What's your elevator pitch to convince people to head to cinemas to see Elio on the big screen? What makes the film stand out? I think, personally, when Pixar takes on certain genres, they always have a little twist. In the case of Elio, the characters that you get to meet as aliens are way different from the aliens that we usually see in sci-fi movies. They're beautiful designs, with amazing variety, and they're really characters that are funny and quaint and interesting to look at. I think audiences would love that. Then Elio interacts with these characters in a very interesting and unique way. They misunderstand his identity, and they think he's the leader of Earth, and there's some comedy around that. In the end, I think the main thing that I would say is if you feel alone in the world, that's Elio. He feels alone in the world, he goes on this journey, and he discovers that to get a sense of belonging, you need to make connections. If people understand that, they might get something very, very positive out of the film. Making animated films is especially collaborative. Could you talk us through how that works at Pixar? What's a typical day or week like, especially in your department? For me and in the effects department, we get to work a little bit on our own. Then, as soon as you have something to show, and usually that's very quickly, you show it in a group context to the effects department. Supervisors are in there, a couple of leads, and all the other effects artists, and you show your work, and then they critique it. They say, 'Well, this doesn't quite work,' or 'Have you thought about this idea?' and so on. And then you go back and you work on your own again, and improve your work. At some point, you get to a point where it feels really good, it works — it tells the story, as we say. Then you get to show it to the director, who is the final, final go-ahead for an effect. They call once they're satisfied with you, with the work; they say 'Final', and then you're done with that particular task, and you move on to the next one. Typically, an effect can take a couple of days, a week or maybe a few weeks, depending on how complex it is. How have you seen the animation industry transform over the past 20+ years? Well, quite drastically. If you compare the visuals these days to the visuals of, say, the original Toy Story or A Bug's Life, today's are just stunning, very detailed, beautiful. And, sometimes, fairly realistic — not necessarily photorealistic, but realistic in the sense that it's very believable. The industry now seems to be moving, pulling back from that a little bit, with this notion of stylisation. The driving question is how do you create more interesting visuals, but that don't look all that realistic? Pixar is certainly exploring some stylisation in some of our films, and especially upcoming films. That's going to be very interesting. Then there's the technology. It's obviously improved tremendously over the 20 years that I've been working here. But, as I usually say, when technology improves, you can do more in the same available time than you had before. You have the opportunity to do more, and so you just do more. The gains that you get with improvement in technology, you spend on creating more and more interesting things, and introducing more complexity, and so on. What's your advice to any wannabe animators or other aspiring industry professionals out there? The one thing I always say is just try your best; try, try, try, and never give up. Show what you do, whether you're experimenting or learning. Show what you do as quickly as you can and as often as you can, and listen to how people respond to what you're doing, then make adjustments. And, just never give up in pursuing that goal. DM Elio is now in South African cinemas. The film is screening in 2D and 3D.
Edmonton Journal
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
Canadian Oscar-winning filmmaker draws from childhood for Elio, a tale about lonely boy's search for life in the universe
Article content Domee Shi may have signed on to co-direct the new Pixar Animation Studios movie, Elio, about halfway through its lengthy production schedule, but it didn't take her long to identify with the film's protagonist. Shi, who currently lives in California but spent most of her life in Toronto, co-directed the animated film with Madeline Sharafian after original director Adrian Molina amicably left the production to work on Pixar's Coco 2. (Shi, Sharafian and Molina are all credited as co-directors.)
Observer
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Observer
Pixar film 'Elio' follows a family's imperfect intergalactic journey
Zoe Saldana feels like her new film "Elio," from Walt Disney's Pixar Animation Studios, is a story about the imperfect journey that parents and their children go through. "I think it's okay to look at your kids and sort of just not know what to do, because that is a way that you can connect with your children, because half of the time they don't know what to do as well," Saldana, a mother of three, told Reuters. "Elio" debuts in movie theaters on Friday. The film follows a lonely eleven-year-old boy named Elio Solis, voiced by Yonas Kibreab, who unintentionally becomes the intergalactic ambassador of Earth after being sent to a planet called Communiverse. He must work with alien lifeforms, eventually realizing that he is not alone. Film critics have applauded the movie from Pixar, the famed animation studio behind "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo." "Elio" has earned an 81% positive score in reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website. Hollywood studios, however, have faced challenges in drawing audiences to theaters for films with original stories. "Elio" may debut with some of the lowest opening weekend ticket sales of any movie from Pixar, according to industry analysts. From Friday through Sunday, "Elio" is expected to bring in between $18-24 million for opening weekend in U.S. and Canadian theaters, said Shawn Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory and director of analytics for Fandango. Disney projects an opening around $25 million. In the movie, Saldana voices Olga Solis, Elio's aunt who takes care of him, alongside Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, a bulky, worm-like alien warlord, father and ambassador. Garrett, a father of two, noted that Grigon has his own parenting journey in the film that starts off a little rocky. "There's so many over-controlling parents, right? That tried to mold their kid into what they had wanted to be, or what they think they should be,' Garrett said, referring to Grigon. The "Everybody Loves Raymond" actor said "Elio" is a movie that speaks to how everyone is unique, and children have their own path. Kibreab echoed this, saying that he believes the film is rooted in families that support one another fully. "They're always going to be there for you whenever you need a shoulder to lean on and also if you're feeling doubt or feeling lonely," he said. For co-director Domee Shi, feeling isolated at a point in her life helped her create the character Elio. "This is about the weird kid before they've made any friends, when they are just feeling so alone,' the "Turning Red' director said. "I feel like I went on that journey. Definitely at some point in my life as a kid too, I felt like that weird, artsy kid who was the only kid in Toronto that watched anime at some point, but once I went to animation school and I found my people, that's when I felt like I opened up,' she added. —Reuters
Forbes
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
When Will Pixar's ‘Elio' Be Streaming On Disney Plus?
"Elio" is now in theaters Pixar Animation Studios' new intergalactic adventure film Elio is now playing in theaters everywhere. Whether you're waiting to stream it at home or excited to watch it again, here's how long you might have to wait for its Disney+ and digital releases. In the Elio, viewers are introduced to 11-year-old Elio, an orphan who feels so alone that his biggest wish is to actually get abducted by aliens. 'Elio, an underdog with an active imagination, finds himself inadvertently beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide,' the synopsis for the film reads. 'Mistakenly identified as Earth's ambassador to the rest of the universe, he starts to form new bonds with eccentric aliens while discovering who he's truly meant to be.' The star-studded voice cast features Yonas Kibreab as Elio, Zoe Saldaña as Aunt Olga, Remy Edgerly as Glordon, Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, Jameela Jamil as Ambassador Questa and Shirley Henderson as OOOOO. Elio currently boasts a stellar 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 131 reviews as of Saturday, June 21. The film is also on track to earn between $22 million and $24 million in its opening weekend, according to Deadline. Here's everything to know about Elio's streaming release timeline and when you might be able to watch the family-friendly film at home for your next movie night. How To Watch Elio Right Now "Elio" is now in theaters. Disney and Pixar's Elio premiered exclusively in theaters on Friday, June 20, 2025. Currently, the only way to watch Elio is in movie theaters. Check your local cinemas for specific showtimes. When Will Elio Be Streaming On Disney+? "Elio" is now in theaters. Elio will eventually make its way to Disney+ at a later date. The Pixar film will likely arrive on the streaming site around three months after its theatrical release, or likely sometime in September 2025. In comparison, Moana 2 debuted in theaters in November 2024 and launched on Disney+ just over three months later (105 days) in March 2025. Disney's sequel, Mufasa: The Lion King, had a shorter theatrical window (96 days) but still landed on Disney+ more than three months after its release. When Will Elio Be Streaming On Digital? "Elio" is now in theaters. Before Elio premieres on Disney+, the film will be available to purchase or rent on digital video-on-demand (VOD) platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Studios typically wait 45 to 65 days after a movie's theatrical release to make it available digitally. For example, last year's blockbuster Inside Out 2 took just over two months (67 days) to hit digital platforms. Similarly, 2023's Elemental was released digitally 60 days after its theatrical debut. With that timeline in mind – and considering Elio's theatrical release on June 20, 2025 – the earliest the film could be released digitally is around August 4. However, based on Pixar's recent releases, a late-August release seems more likely. Watch the official trailer for Elio below.
Calgary Herald
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Canadian Oscar-winning filmmaker draws from childhood for Elio, a tale about lonely boy's search for life in the universe
Domee Shi may have signed on to co-direct the new Pixar Animation Studios movie, Elio, about halfway through its lengthy production schedule, but it didn't take her long to identify with the film's protagonist. Article content Shi, who currently lives in California but spent most of her life in Toronto, co-directed the animated film with Madeline Sharafian after original director Adrian Molina amicably left the production to work on Pixar's Coco 2. (Shi, Sharafian and Molina are all credited as co-directors.) Article content Article content As both a creative vice-president for Pixar and a fan of Molina's work, Shi had been following the production ever since it was first pitched in 2020. Article content Article content But it was well underway and the concept well-established by the time Shi officially signed on. Still, she felt a real kinship with the film's titular character, a young boy whose dream of being whisked away to another planet comes true, and he is introduced to the Communiverse, a benevolent interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide. Article content 'With every project I'm on, I try to connect with and identify with the main character in some way,' says Shi in a Zoom interview with Postmedia. 'I have to find my way into the main character. For Elio, it definitely was that loneliness and desperation to belong that I drew from my own childhood and teenhood, just feeling like the only kid in school who liked anime and people not understanding why I liked these Japanese cartoons with big eyes and wacky expressions. I was like, 'No, it's not just that! It's because they are very deep characters with rich stories and arcs.' Article content Article content 'Being obsessed with going to animation school, being obsessed with being accepted there, I think that obsession and need to find my people is what I infused into the character of Elio. When he gets abducted and witnesses the Communiverse for the first time, that was definitely my feeling when I first stepped foot into Sheridan College. I finally got into the animation program there and got to meet fellow nerds like myself. That was such an amazing feeling.' Article content Article content Like all of Pixar's creations, Elio presents a wondrous, imaginative world full of offbeat characters and warm humour. But there is also a sadness underlying the film and its main character. Elio, voiced by 14-year-old actor Yonas Kibrea, is a lonely 11-year-old whose desperation to be abducted by aliens seems to be driven by a need to know he isn't alone in the universe. After his parents die, he is taken in by his Aunt Olga (voiced by Zoe Saldana), who becomes his loving but occasionally overwhelmed caregiver. A respected Air Force officer, Olga has to deal with her troubled nephew and his single-minded obsession with contacting aliens while reining in her career ambitions. Elio doesn't feel like he belongs in her world, and also has nagging guilt over the possibility that his unexpected arrival in her life has disrupted Olga's life plans.
