There's something about visiting the place that's the genius behind the movies you've loved for over two decades. I had a chance to tour the Pixar campus as part of my press visit for their new feature, Inside Out, that opens in theaters on June 19, 2015.
The first thing I spotted? My favorite lamp.
I've been a Pixar fan since Toy Story released in 1995 and I've seen every single film. Multiple times. My kids are growing up Pixar. (Sort of like me growing up Star Wars, but that's a different story)
It wouldn't be Pixar without some of our friends from Cars. I suspect Lightening McQueen was off at a race somewhere, but that doesn't mean I was in awe of the coolness, and if my 2 year old had been with me, we would have never been able to leave.
There's a feeling you get when you walk onto the Pixar campus, I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's like you're suddenly immersed in this aura of creativity. The positive energy around is just amazing.
The main building on the campus is the The Steve Jobs Building, which he was heavily involved in designing. He felt the building should be centered around a large atrium, in hopes that it would accidental collaboration when people were not in their offices. Jobs put significant amounts of his own money into Pixar because he believed in the work of the employees.
It's clear Pixar is dedicated to the people that work there. Breakfast bars, easy to grab snacks and more. There are basketball courts, lush fields for athletics, even an in-ground pool (this is after all, California)
Something that's really cool is all of the artwork. From upcoming films (Inside Out) to old favorites, plus loads of concept art I can't show you (sorry folks, spoilers)... It is everywhere! And it's always changing. In the upstairs of the Steve Jobs building, I was lucky enough to see some of the original art work for Over There, from the Pixar Animation Studio Artist Showcase. It was beautiful, and of course, I had to then bring the book home with me.
And how could one miss all of the awesome artwork for Inside Out. After seeing the first 50ish minutes of the film, I'm super excited about it's upcoming release.
For the press event, they even had a little camera set up for us to express our emotions in the film.
Haven't seen the trailer? You can watch it below!
Seeing the Pixar campus was such a special treat for me - stay tuned for more of my posts over the next few weeks about my experiences, and more about the film Inside Out.
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