Pixar Animation Studios Reviews

Horrible management meritocracy, based more on who you know (and how well you manage up) than on how well you lead. Very hard to advance. Becoming more and more corporate every day. Leadership out of touch and afraid (or unwilling) to do anything "risky" or that might concern the corporate overlords. Becoming less and less "Pixar" every day, as leaders give lip service to the importance of our "core values," while at the same time doing everything they can to dismantle the very things that used to make Pixar great.

I've worked here for several years now. Unfortunately the mythology of Pixar and the image that is presented to the world no longer matches the reality. Fear has crept into the campus, and this every-person-for-himself mentality is unhealthy and impossible to remove once it takes hold. Disney owns so many bay area companies now the distance no longer protects Pixar. It's only getting worse. Upper management hems and haws about doing the "Right Thing," but there is no real follow-through. They are beholden to their parent company bosses. They pretend to listen, to care, but they seem incapable of making those brave decisions required. It's the insincere facade of morality so intrinsic to the Bay area, and Berkeley, in particular. But don't be fooled, the folks at the top protect their bonuses, wineries, and Hawaiian homes just like any other CEO's. It seems they have already forgotten about the lessons learned from Steve Jobs. And the campus has become creatively incestuous. Newcomers are treated like townies attending an elite private school on scholarship. Everyone is kept at arm's length, despite the endless parties and mandatory social events. Those who thrive are often passive-aggressive and elitist, in denial about the real problems the studio is facing. And then there is the female problem. Apart from one talented producer power couple, there are very few women making any real decisions for the studio. Pixar remains as much a Boy's Club as Disney's Nine Old Men decades ago. And that is a huge problem creatively. Fart jokes, self-referential dated nerd references, consistently male lead characters and perspectives, the studio is run by perpetually awkward, impatient 13-year-old Caucasian boys, and unfortunately it is starting to wear on the Pixar formula. Sadly, it's quite obvious, with the recent critical and financial failures, the grab-for cash sequels and TV tie-ins, last minute director changes, and layoffs, Pixar is no longer special. We lost a lot of talented folks recently, but everyone expects another round of layoffs on the horizon. Welcome to the wonderful world of Disney.