To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the animated film Toy Story, a rare interview with Steve Jobs On November 22, 1996, exactly one year after the premiere of the film that changed the face of animation, "Toy Story" was not only the first feature-length computer-animated film, but it was also a turning point in Jobs' life, in the future of Pixar, and in the relationship between technology and art.
Toy Story movie success
When Toy Story was released as the first feature film to be entirely computer-generated, it wasn't just a successful technological experiment; it was a declaration that the world of animation would never be the same again. Audiences fell in love with the characters, critics lauded the visual effects, and Wall Street acknowledged that Pixar had become a force to be reckoned with.
For those who don't know, Pixar was born after Jobs bought Lucasfilm's computer graphics division and turned it into an independent company. Jobs remained Pixar's largest shareholder until the company was sold to Disney in 2006.
One week after the animated film was released, the company's stock nearly doubled, raising its value to $1.5 billion in the largest IPO of 1995. Suddenly, Pixar had transformed from a small studio of artists and engineers into an economic and artistic powerhouse.
Pixar's debut
In a rare interview published by the Steve Jobs Archive, the founder speaks Camel He spoke confidently and clearly about the strategy he implemented for Pixar's success. Jobs explained that Toy Story's success was not a surprise to him; it was the result of years of laying the groundwork, which included the following:
In a rare interview published by the Steve Jobs Archive, the Apple co-founder candidly and confidently revealed the long-term strategy behind the seemingly overnight success of Toy Story. He pointed out that Pixar's unique business model gives artists and engineers ownership of their ideas, ensuring their loyalty and the quality of their work. It also fosters an environment that treats creativity as a strategic value, not just a skill. Jobs also shared the hard wisdom he learned from his experience working at Disney about the importance of focus and discipline in creative endeavors.
In short, Jobs revealed that the secret was not in technology alone, but in giving creators a space to draw their dreams without fear, with a system that turns those dreams into a strong business.
wise leadership
What's remarkable is that Jobs described leading Pixar as "the hardest and easiest" thing he had ever done. Hardest because the team included people smarter than him in every field. Easier because he knew his real role wasn't to control, but to remove obstacles from the path of innovators and create the conditions for talented individuals to flourish. That's why he said with a smile in the interview, "When you bring together really brilliant people, your only job is not to mess them up." This principle later became a cornerstone of his management philosophy when he returned to Apple.
A few weeks after this interview, Jobs returned to Apple. What many don't know is that Steve Jobs' experience at Pixar reshaped his vision of what Apple should be, leading him to decide to make it a company that builds timeless products and uses technology to deliver cultural value, not just consumer goods.
Ultimately, this encounter, kept secret for three decades, is more than just a memory. It offers a glimpse into the mind of someone who combined art and technology in ways no one had dared to imagine before. In this rare interview, you will witness the story of a man who believed that creativity could become an industry, that stories could transform cultures, and that technology, if properly channeled, could build something that endures.
Did you know that Steve Jobs had a role in the creation of 3D animation?
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