Pixar Post

Top image via USA Today / © Pixar
Lower images courtesy of IMDB (links below)

This afternoon we were treated (via USA Today) to additional details surrounding the vocal cast for the upcoming Pixar film, Inside Out. The director of the film, Pete Docter, revealed who Riley and her parents would be voiced by, but also included a few more notes regarding the story elements as well. Riley's Mother will be voiced by Diane Lane, her Father will be voiced by Kyle MacLachlan and Riley, the 11-year old girl who is the setting for the film's emotions will be voiced by Kaitlyn Dias.

Below we have summarized some of the additional details surrounding the parents from the USA Today post - read the entire article here.

"These guys are the pillars on both sides," says Docter. "They are pivotal parts, knowing how joyful this kid Riley used to be and the young woman she's changing into."

So while Riley's mind is full of out-there comedic characters (particularly Joy), the parents are more "rooted in reality and very truthful," says Docter. "Both of those actors do that very well."

Inside Out takes viewers inside the mind of all three human characters. Dad's emotions have Headquarters like a Norad missile defense site and have mustaches. Very male. Meanwhile, Mom's Headquarters features emotions wearing her red glasses and who engage in civil discussion à la The View.

"There's our world which we're conscientious of and looking at. So we're driving, eating dinner, whatever. And inside our head there's this whole rich internal dialogue and world no one else knows about," says Docter. "This film gets you inside each character's heads."

TRAILER RELEASE DATE

Most notably from the article, USA Today also mentions that this Wednesday (December 10, 2014) will also be the release date for another trailer for Inside Out. If early indications we've been hearing are true, this trailer should be 2:08 in length. Previously, we have seen a teaser trailer as well as the series of posters and videos focused on the emotions, but it will be fantastic to see another trailer featuring Riley and the emotions in just a few days.

Thanks to our friends, Dan "the Pixar Fan"& Seth I. for the heads up on the article. Dan first mentioned the news in the Inside Out section of the Pixar Post Forum and we welcome everyone to chat about the news in the comments below or leave a comment on the forum.

UPDATED December 9 - Just moments ago a 17-second teaser trailer was released in anticipation for the full length trailer set to premiere on Wednesday (December 10, 2014). The teaser showcases the characters working together in a unique way. (video via CBMTrailers)

UPDATED December 9 7:00 PM - Tomorrow at 10:15 AM PST / 1:15 PM EST, Inside Out director, Pete Docter will be fielding your questions during a Live Twitter chat. All you have to do is ask your question using #AskInsideOut and he may answer your question. So, what will you ask Pete?

Photo via Disney•Pixar

As we venture into 2015 the news on upcoming Pixar films is becoming plentiful. While most recently the news has surrounded Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur, this past Saturday during the CCXP - Comic Con Experience in Brazil, Omlete, who was in attendance (via /Film) shared the small plot detail that was revealed regarding Finding Dory. This highly anticipated sequel to Finding Nemo has been shroud in secrecy with only few details emerging until now.

During the presentation titled "Hilarious Mind Pixar" (loosely translated from Portuguese), President of Pixar Animation Studios, Jim Morris showed the crowd newly developed software which was used to create schools of fish as well as unveiled that the main film setting will take place in the Marine Biology Institute of California just a few months from when Finding Nemo left off. While Dory attends a class trip with Nemo she begins to remember moments from her past leading the trio to the Institute (which is more of a rehabilitation center) where they encounter many new characters.

Finding Dory concept art via Disney•Pixar

As Dory continues on her journey learning that she was born in the Institute, then released into the ocean while still young, leaves us speculating that she will reunite with her mom (Jenny, voiced by Diane Keaton) and dad (Charlie, voiced by Eugene Levy) in captivity. Morris also revealed that in addition to Bailey, the Beluga whale (voiced by Ty Burrell) some new characters will also include an octopus and sea lions just to name a few.

As always, we're excited to see Andrew Stanton's vision come to life on the big screen as he guides his team through another story which will most certainly tug at our heart strings. Finding Dory is scheduled to be released on June 17, 2016.

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- Vocal Talent Announced for Finding Dory
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Pixar Post - Julie

Moments ago, the first official full-length trailer for Pixar's insanely anticipated film, Inside Out, premiered on iTunes. The trailer highlights the inner workings of not only the emotions in Riley's head but also that of her Mom and Dad - which was a pleasant and unexpected surprise. While the emotions are the same (Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust and Sadness) their physical appearance in the 'headquarters' are a bit different in mom and dad (shown below). It was great to see the similarities, yet differences between the emotions (like the glasses on Mom and mustache on Dad's emotions).

With only six months until the release of the film (June 19, 2015), you can expect a lot more details, concept artwork and interviews until the film's release - which is of course great news for Pixar fans. Along with the new Inside Out trailer there was also a new and official synopsis of the film:

Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it's no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley's main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.

Check out the full trailer below on Disney UK's YouTube page or check it out directly on the Apple Trailers site.

Additionally, we loved the viewpoint of the emotions while in the headquarters. You can really see the incredible amount of detail that each department put in while creating this film - from the lighting, animation to the effects. It was also great to see how the memory orbs are viewed and we definitely chuckled when we were treated to the Brazilian helicopter pilot memory!

Did You Notice?

There are two different versions of the Inside Out trailer that was released today - one on the Disney UK Facebook page and one that was released on iTunes. Well, in the UK version the dad is watching a memory of a soccer (football) game and the US version has him watching a hockey game - see below.

UK Version

US Version

Now that you've seen the trailer, don't forget that Pete Docter will be participating in a live Question and Answer session on Twitter today as well - read our summary post for more details (we will update this link as soon as we post the article) as we'll be updating and summarizing Pete's answers from the session as well.

Additionally, we're going to host a Live Google On Air Hangout this evening (December 10) at 10:00 PM EST / 7:00 PM PST to chat about the trailer as well as Pete's Twitter Q&A. Be sure to join us on Google+, YouTube or watch the streaming video below when the show starts.

Related Posts:
- Complete Summary from Pete Docter's Twitter Q&A

- Inside Out Books Popping up on Amazon
- Additional Vocal Cast & Trailer Details For Pixar's Inside Out

- Lava will premiere ahead of Inside Out in theaters & more Inside Out details

Pixar Post - Julie & T.J.

Pete Docter, the brilliant mind behind Monsters, Inc., Up and the upcoming, Inside Out participated in a live question and answer session on Twitter this afternoon following the release of the first Inside Out full-length trailer. Pete answered questions ranging from the emotions in Inside Out to general questions about Pixar's studios and working with some amazing vocal talent. Be sure to read below for our summary of the 45-minute session.

Question (Q) Inside Out is all about emotions personified. Which emotion did you have the most fun bringing to life?

Pete Docter's Response (PD) - Anger. Wait, what does that say about me? Actually it's likely because Lewis Black was so great for the role.

(Q) How did you come up with the main character Riley, and all the emotions in her head?

(PD) We did lots of research & talked to psychologists to find what emotions science has identified. (Actually there are more than 5, but we wanted to keep it simple for the film.) For Riley we looked at our daughters & their friends. People think we make this stuff up. Most is real life!

(Q) Joy is Riley’s main emotion. Which emotion is the most significant in your mind?

(PD) It’s impossible to pick one — each is important at different times. We don’t choose emotions, they choose us. But joy seems the most important to me - also the least logical. It's the hardest to define, but basically joy is the reason we take risks and try new things.

(Q) What is your biggest challenge when directing an animated film?

(PD) For this one, this world is completely new and made up — It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. To go in the mind, we couldn't look to toy stores or universities or Scotland to make sure we got it right

Photo via iTunesTrailers

(Q) What movie inspired you to choose filmmaking as a career?

(PD) Dumbo. Cinderella. Ichabod Crane. Classic Disney Features & the Warner Brothers shorts. Can't beat 'em.

(Q) @drawntothemagic: We've heard Riley's parents minds look different inside. What's yours look like?

(PD) Mine are better looking than I look on the outside.

Read more »

Pixar's Toy Story That Time Forgot may be full of new and exciting Battlesaur characters (as well as the fan-favorite Angel Kitty), but in our eyes the "character" taking center stage would be the lighting - yes, the lighting. When creating a Pixar film there are many key elements that are put into place from the story conception to the final render, but we feel that the technical achievements paired with Pixar's mastery of the medium add so much they're worth calling out in their own post. The lighting was wonderful throughout the special and while watching closely, we couldn't help but notice how brilliantly the light was used to support the rise in power of the Cleric.

The Cleric was our personal favorite character from the short. His rickety movements as he scooted along on his plastic wheels paired with Steve Purcell's (Director) brilliant vocal work for the character really solidified his placement as our favorite. What may not have been as obvious when you first watched the special is that the background lighting goes from a warm gold color when we're first introduced to his character, to a vibrant purple as he attempts to dispatch the Toy Story crew.

Using lighting as a tool to reinforce the story is something that filmmakers have done for years but we love how Pixar took the care to include all of these elements for a television special. Where some televisions specials have reduced the quality or moved production to an off-shore animation team, Pixar's attention to detail and quality certainly do not go unnoticed (whether consciously or subconsciously).

Pixar's Luxo Jr. was honored on December 17 by being named to the 2014 National Film Registry and officially gaining the title of, "Cinematic Treasure". This fantastic honor began in 1988 as the Library of Congress passed the National Film Preservation Act, which sought to preserve American filmmaking as well as represent the vast heritage and culture of the United States. Although the rules for a film to be considered are simple - a film must be at least 10 years old and be “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." - the selection process of (up to) 25 films per year is more complex.

The Library of Congress makes the annual registry selections after reviewing hundreds of titles nominated by the public and conferring with Library film curators and the distinguished members of the National Film Preservation Board (NFPB). For selected films, the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation works to ensure that the film is preserved for future generations, either through the Library’s motion-picture preservation program or through collaborative ventures with other archives, motion-picture studios and independent filmmakers. The Packard Campus is a state-of-the-art facility where the nation’s library acquires, preserves and provides access to the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of films, television programs, radio broadcasts and sound recordings.

Inside Out may not be hitting theaters until June 19, 2015, but the excitement for the film has been felt among Pixar fans for what seems like an eternity. Recently we have been treated to poster/character art, a theatrical trailer and storyline details - only adding to the excitement of what director Pete Docter and his crew have in store for us.

While the film takes place in the mind of 11-year old Riley, as she copes with the struggles of moving to a new city and attending a new school, the lead protagonist is in fact Joy - one of five emotions including Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust. The new image has us intrigued and can you guess why? Take a look at the bag that Joy is carrying, it's covered with images of candy, which makes us wonder if each of the five emotion characters each have a similar bag (based on their emotions).

Additionally, Pixar has started offering a 2015/2016 calendar (exclusively at their studio store) which highlights each of Pixar's past releases as well as known future releases. We were excited to see that the photo for June 2015 included a new piece of gorgeous concept artwork for Inside Out (by Ralph Eggleston and Albert Lozano) featuring Joy reaching for glowing orbs.

UPDATED December 29 - Just moments ago our loyal reader (@MaxdHartog03) showed us that a new Inside Out image was released on Empire Online. The still features the group of the five emotions huddled together in Riley's mind watching a 'Joy'ous memory from Riley's past (in what appears to be the snowy Midwest). While we cannot say for sure, but this image would appear to be after Riley's move to San Fransisco - perhaps, after the argument scene with her father from the official trailer when she goes to her room?

Be sure to share your thoughts on everything Inside Out on the Pixar Post Forum.

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- Summary of Pete Docter's Live Twitter Q&A Session
- 2-Minute Inside Out Trailer Continues to Build Excitement
- Additional Vocal Cast Announced for Inside Out

Pixar Post - Julie

A press release promoting the 2015 lineup of Disney produced and distributed films was just released and included among the 15 films highlighted was Pixar's upcoming prehistoric flick, The Good Dinosaur. Along with the previously released concept artwork, the press release also included an updated logo for the film. Although this update isn't a drastic change from the previous version, we actually prefer it a bit more for its cleaner lines and more simplistic look.

We would also anticipate that this would be the final logo for the film as we're within 12 months of the November 25, 2015 release date. The previous logos showed a series of changes, from the first being simply revealed as The Untitled Pixar Movie About Dinosaurs at the 2012 CinemaCon, to the more familiar look of the logo released in February 2013. In the two previous logos, we saw the included silhouette of Arlo, the film's main dinosaur (an apatosaurus), but this new version nixes the dino. What are your thoughts - let us know which version do you prefer in the comments below or on The Good Dinosaur Pixar Post Forum.

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- The Good Dinosaur New Story Element & Concept Artwork
- The Good Dinosaur Updated Concept Artwork & Additional Story Details
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Pixar Post - T.J.

Images courtesy of Ronnie Del Carmen's blog

Ronnie Del Carmen, the co-director of Pixar's 2015 summer film, Inside Out, created a wonderful holiday image this year showcasing the emotion of Joy with the text, "Joy to the World". The layout of Joy with holly in her hair was one of many that Ronnie pitched to Inside Out director, Pete Docter and Producer, Jonas Rivera. The process of creating the piece (spotted by Pixar Times) is detailed on Ronnie's personal blog and is fascinating to read how he fit the project into evenings as well as the challenges of using Gouache (an opaque watercolor).

"I got the go ahead to design and write the card this year and what an honor it is to get that shot. I did a couple of very rough ideas and in a quick presentation to Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera they picked the one of Joy with holly in her hair. It was the one I wanted to make--whew! I refined the idea only a little further in Photoshop to get the studio buy-off." -- Ronnie Del Carmen

Read more about Ronnie's decision-making process for this wonderful piece and be sure to follow his personal blog or his Tumblr page for even more artistic inspiration (and a few additional photos of the design process for this card). There's also a conversation about this card already going on the Inside Out Pixar Post Forum - be sure to chime in and leave a comment below or chat about the card in the forum - what are your thoughts?

"Joy to the World" is the perfect way to also welcome 2015 into the fold. Congratulations to everyone as we welcome a new year - remember to stay positive in the face of adversity and remember that 2015 will bring us two wonderful Pixar films - "Joy to the World" indeed!

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- 2-Minute Inside Out Trailer Continues To Build Excitement
- Inside Out Books Popping up on Amazon
- Inside Out Character Profiles: Anger, Joy, Disgust, Fear and Sadness

Pixar Post - T.J.

Kohl's department store just unveiled their new products for their Kohl's Cares line featuring some of our favorite Pixar characters as a series of plush toys and books. The Kohl's Cares program often features animated classics as well as new animated films with 100% of the proceeds being donated to charity. In fact, Kohl's mentions that, "Since its inception in 2000, our Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program has raised more than $257 million to support kids' health and education initiatives in communities nationwide".

With six Pixar-themed character plush toys and books to choose from (for only $5.00 each), it makes it easy to pick up all of them and support a great cause as well. It should be noted that the WALL•E and Up plush and book are online exclusives, the others can be found in-store or online. Thanks so much to our friend Paulina for the heads up on these great items.

- John Lassetire Car Unboxing Photos and Details

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Pixar Post - Julie

Hitting theaters on June 19, 2015, Inside Out will take us into the mind of Riley, a 11-year-old girl who is uprooted from her midwest life to start anew in San Francisco, California. As Riley grows up and enters her teenage years, her emotions and personality change too. Although Riley is an important part of the movie, her emotions are the film's main characters: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust. Which lead us to the newly released still image featuring Joy and Sadness riding on what appears to be the Train of Thought.

What's great about this new still is that it showcases the expansiveness of the mind and you really get a sense of how big the world is - similar to the Grand Canyon. The image also features Sadness smiling and looking intently at one of Joy's memory orbs and while we haven't yet seen the characters express emotions other than what they represent, this small smile from Sadness has us wondering if each character poses different emotional qualities as well. Be sure to tell us what you think and share your thoughts with us on the Pixar Post Forum.

Thank you to our forum user Sullivan & maxxie03 for sharing this with us.

- Summary of Pete Docter's Live Inside Out Twitter Q&A

- New Two-Minute Inside Out Trailer Continues Excitement

Pixar Post - Julie

Last October, we announced the exclusive first look at the upcoming Cars Toon, To Protect and Serve which finds Radiator Springs in disarray as Sheriff goes on vacation leaving two rookie cops in charge. Like most Cars Toons, it seems like it will be packed with fast-moving action and hilarity. The official synopsis mentions -

When Sheriff takes a mandatory vacation, two overzealous rookies from County take over his duties in Radiator Springs. Bent on making a good impression to score commendations, the rookies over-do every aspect of their jobs, finding “crimes” at every turn and turning the quiet little town into a hotbed of taped-off crime scenes. No one is safe and everyone’s a suspect until Sheriff senses an imbalance and returns home to right the “justice” that’s been served.

Although the official air date for the Toon has yet to be announced, our friends at Take Five a Day have noticed a three-pack of upcoming die cast cars containing Lightning McQueen, Mike and Didi (the two rookie police officers).

Didi

Mike

For those with young readers at home, you can also purchase the To Protect and Serve: Step Into Reading, Level 2 book (geared towards 4-6 year old readers) featuring a very high level look at the story as well as images from the short - like the hilarious Police Line Tape Mater shown below, or the Student Driver McQueen above. We think they should make the Police Line Tape Mater as a die cast as well!

For fans of the short Radiator Springs 500½, there's also a great book on Amazon (including 30 stickers) as well as a great recreation of the story - pick it up along with To Protect and Serve.

- Our Exclusive Review of Radiator Springs 500½ - The Characters, the Die Cast Cars & The Details

- Episode 033 of the Pixar Post Podcast - Exclusive First Look at To Protect and Serve, Our Interview with Effects Artist, Jason Johnston & More

Pixar Post - T.J.

The Dam Keeper sculpt up for auction by Andrea Blasich & Chris Sasaki

On the surface, Pixar employees are known for their superb artistic abilities and determination across departments to create something special that audiences will love for generations to come. Dig a little deeper though and you'll find a community of people who are also extremely passionate about giving back to those in need. For the last few weeks, a team of current and former Pixar employees, along with other talented artists, have banded together to offer an amazing set of items up for auction - all in support of the recent typhoons which have affected the people of the Philippines (Typhoon Haiyan [Yolanda] in November 2013 and Typhoon Hagupit [Ruby] in December 2014).

The Art to Heart Typhoon Relief Fund has already had two weeks (week 1 and week 2) of amazing original and Pixar-themed auctions online (of which we were lucky enough to have won several items), and the current set of auctions is accepting early bidding for the January 16, 2015 live auction event. The auction features original pieces from Tadahiro Uesugi, Ricky Nierva, Dice Tsutsumi, Jason Deamer, Chris Sasaki, Sho Murase, Peter de Sève, Jeff Ranjo, John Aquino, Louie del Carmen, Matt Jones, Manu Arenas, Tanja Krampfert, Bobby Chiu, Christian Robinson, Ronnie del Carmen, Andrea Blasich, Bob Pauley, Claudio Acciari, John Hoffman, Kei Acedera, Robert Kondo, and many more.

Rain Girls piece for auction by Ricky Nierva

All you need to get started bidding is to register on the Art to Heart Fund page, or if you're in the San Francisco area you can visit the gallery in person (details on the Art to Heart page). Online bids placed prior to the live event on January 16, 2015 (7:00 PM PST) are pre-bids for the event, so be sure to bid with your "highest and best" price to ensure you can win some of the original artwork being offered by this amazing collection of artists. During the live event, pieces that garner the most attention and bids will be moved to a traditional live auction setting with a series of surprise items which we're told will "wow" attendees. If you're an avid collector and are not able to attend the live event, you are more than welcome to send a representative on your behalf, but please keep in mind that all bids are final and any miscommunications with your representative are not the responsibility of the Art to Heart Typhoon Relief Fund.

Bob Pauley original piece & Dice Tsutsumi original piece for auction

Full details on the event as well as registration options can be found on the auction page.

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Pixar Post - T.J.

Earlier today Disney Consumer Products released new and exclusive details regarding the toy lines for Inside Outand The Good Dinosaur by TOMY. As stated in the press release:

Both films will have robust toy lines from best-in-class licensee TOMY, whose innovative approach, strength in international markets and ability to reflect Pixar's unique storytelling in its product lines made them the ideal choice for Pixar Animation Studios' most exciting year yet.

The Inside Out inspired toys are sure to be a hit with fans as the posable figures (Joy, Anger, Sadness, Fear and Disgust) have light up features - which is sure to bring the magic of these characters to life (as they have a slight glow in the film). It was John Lasseter who was drawn to the toy company TOMY, "When I visited TOMY's headquarters in Japan, I was impressed by their commitment to quality and craftsmanship. The toys they've created for 'Inside Out' and 'The Good Dinosaur' are fantastic - they've truly brought our characters to life". You will notice the incredible amount of craftsmanship and detail that TOMY put into the making of the Inside Out toys (pictured below). Having each character modeled with their signature facial expression and body movement allows fans the chance to recreate scenes from the film with their own imaginative play.

There were no toy-releated images released for The Good Dinosuar, however the details surrounding the toy line were plentiful. The Good Dinosaur toys will appeal to kids of all ages, from remote control characters to action figures the team at TOMY worked closely with the filmmakers to get the details and movements of the characters just right. The TOMY team also unveiled that they are working on placing RFID technology into some of the toys allowing the characters to interact bringing the film to life right in your living room.

"We put our hearts into these films, so it's incredibly important to us that our toy-making partners care about and do justice to these characters we know so well,"said John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.

While the release dates for the toys have yet to be announced, we can hope to hear more about this incredible partnership between Disney•Pixar and TOMY next month at the New York Toy Fair.

Related Posts
- The Good Dinosaur Gets an Updated Logo
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- Inside Out Concept Art & New Still Image

Pixar Post - Julie

Thanks to the keen eye of Pixar Post Forum user, PIX-R.113, our readers were made aware that the Disney Channel was advertising a sneak peek of Inside Out this evening at 7:30 PM. We anticipated that the sneak peek would be the television broadcast of the second trailer (more details can be found here, or you can watch the video below), but were happy to get a brief glimpse at some extra animation. The brief toolkit features Joy sneaking up on Fear and frightening him, sending him into an arm-flailing run!

The animation of Fear, although brief, really excites us to see more from this movie. We know we're going to absolutely love the more comedic movement of these characters - and fear is certainly going to make us laugh with his over-exaggerated movements. Also, I sure hope we eventually get to see Bill Hader (the voice of Fear) recording his sessions for the movie. His vocal work must have been extremely physical with a character like Fear who is seemingly always "on edge".

Check out the toolkit animation of Joy and Fear above and watch the trailer which aired after the short clip below.

What are your thoughts of the brief clip? Chat about it on the Pixar Post Forum and be sure to follow along for more great Pixar news.

- New Details & Images on the TOMY Toy Line for Inside Out & The Good Dinosaur

- 2-Minute Inside Out Trailer Continues To Build Excitement

Pixar Post - T.J.

The Walt Disney Family Museum, located in San Francisco, celebrates the legacy and imagination of one of the worlds greatest visionaries through its interactive and immersive galleries. Currently, the museum is featuring the All Aboardexhibit (through March 15, 2015) showcasing the importance of and passion for trains in Walt's life. The exhibit not only focuses on the past of locomotion, but also on the future and includes some special concept artwork of the "Train of Thought" from Pixar's summer release, Inside Out(June 19, 2015).

Colin D., A recent guest of the museum (and long-time reader of Pixar Post), spotted the beautiful concept artwork by Ralph Eggleston, Daniel Holland and Shelly Min Wan and sent along some photos to share - special thanks Colin.
Read more »

Now that 2015 is comfortably underway, we wanted to get everything back underway with the Pixar Post Book Club and what better way to get things going than offer a giveaway of our first book of the year - The Art of Ratatouille. Read more details below on how to enter, the dates for the giveaway and how you can join us as we chat about The Art of Ratatouille.

HOW TO ENTER

All you have to do to enter our giveaway for the The Art of Ratatouille is log in (or sign up) to the Pixar Post Forum and leave a comment on the forum post letting us know your favorite character from Ratatouille (be sure to read the rules and qualifications below for verification purposes - entrants that do not meet the giveaway qualifications will be eliminated and another user will randomly be chosen).

To enter, you must be at least 18 years of age and live in the 48 contiguous United States. The Pixar Post Forum is free to sign up for and the book is completely free as well (even shipping the book to you).

For our readers who are under 18 years of age, you may have a parent sign up on the forum and enter, but you may not enter our on their behalf.

How many times can you enter? Only one entry per person/user.

The giveaway will remain open from Sunday, January 25, 2015 at 11:00 PM Eastern Standard Time through February 1, 2015 at 11:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. One random winner will be chosen once the contest is closed and will be contacted by us through the forum (using the email address you signed up with). Once the winner claims the book, it will also be announced in the forum as well as this original post on PixarPost.com (by their first name and last initial).

Log in (or sign up) to the Pixar Post Forum and enter here.

PIXAR POST BOOK CLUB

Have you joined us for any of our previous Pixar Post Book Club discussions? If not, there's no better time to read the books associated with your favorite Pixar films and chat about the books with other Pixar fans in a Live On-Air Google Hangout. More details on the Hangout, how to chat about the books and the full list of books we'll read in 2015 can be found on the Pixar Post Book Club page. We hope you join us and share your passion for Pixar and books throughout the year.

Pixar Post - T.J.

This past December, Pixar debuted their second 30-minute television special, Toy Story That Time Forgot and it captivated us from the very beginning. The entire team behind the film did a phenomenal job, from the new character designs to the camera angles - oh, and don't forget the amazing storytelling capabilities from the lighting department! Though there has yet to be an official Blu-ray/digital release date to view behind-the-scenes bonus features, thanks to the passionate Pixarians who share their early concept/design work we are all in for a special treat.

This past week, Pixarian Grant Alexander, released some incredible photos of a Dream Elder sculpt that he created to help 'mold' the character from the film. While Grant is a sketch artist at the studio he stated that, "Sometimes it easier to figure something out in 3-dimensions than sketching on paper"(making the Dream Elder sculpt one of few that he has created at Pixar).

As you can see in the photo below, Grant captured the details of the Dream Elder Tower perfectly. It takes great skill, hard work and imagination to come up with and sketch out a functioning toy, in saying that, Grant explains that it was a team effort in creating the design for the character. Often with every department, teamwork is key and as we complete our Pixar Pipeline Project we have learned just how important that theme is throughout the studio.

Be sure to visit Grant Alexander's blog to view all the detailed photos of the Dream Elder sculpt as well as learn more about this incredible sketch artist.

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Pixar Post - Julie

Courtesy Michael Giacchino's Instagram

Inside Out is less than five months away from it's North American release (June 19, 2015) and as all the final pieces are falling into place, we're getting glimpses of the film, product announcements and even sneak peeks at the final score. Today, famed film composer (and Pixar veteran composer) Michael Giacchino posted a few photos and a video with Inside Out director Pete Docter at the Warner Eastwood Scoring Stage. In the video shown below you can even hear a sneak peek of the Inside Out score behind Michael's...uh...snoring! I guess there's no better time to catch some shuteye when you're exhausted!

A video posted by Michael Giacchino (@m_giacchino) on Jan 26, 2015 at 4:31pm PST

Courtesy Michael Giacchino's Instagram

Thanks to Nick S. for the heads up on Instagram.

Updated - January 27, 2015

Our Pixar Post Forum user mynameiskhannie just posted an incredible article from one of the studio musicians working on Inside Out. It's a detailed 'inside' look at how the orchestration is conducted for the film and it's completely spoiler-free!

"First thing Monday morning, Michael Giacchino (the film's composer) went up to the podium with Pete Docter (the director) and his colleagues to greet the orchestra and tell us about the film. Pete started by telling us the general storyline, then talked about his own daughter (who had a speaking part in UP), and the way kids grow up. He then wanted to show us the film's opening before we started recording.."

To read the full article visit the Pixar Post Forum.

Related Posts:
- Michael Giacchino to Score Inside Out - Video Interview
- Toy Story of TERROR! Soundtrack Review
- Inside Out Train of Thought Concept Artwork at the Walt Disney Family Museum

Pixar Post - T.J.

In episode 034 of the Pixar Post Podcast we chat about Pixar news updates as well as discuss some of the upcoming merchandise for Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur and To Protect and Serve. In addition to the news, we also are wrapping up the Pixar Pipeline Project with our interview with Laura Meyer with the Pixar the Localization/Post Production team. Finally, we chat about a post which puts some of the localization team members' work into visual form. Below are our show notes from the episode with time codes for your reference:

Pixar Post Website Updates

At the top of the episode we chat about the Pixar Post Book Club kicking off for 2015 with a complete lineup for the year laid out. More details on the book club and how to read along can be found here.

Pixar News

Starting at 1:53 into the podcast, we chat about a really fun video and photos that Michael Giacchino posted on Instagram with a sneak peek of the Inside Out score.
Starting at 5:07 into the podcast - We chat about the amazing Inside Out concept artwork on display at the Walt Disney Family Museum.
At 9:12 into the podcast we chat about the toolkit animation clips that have been showing up online (on our Forum as well as Tumblr), on the Disney Channel and more.
At 10:23 into the podcast we talk about the upcoming slate of toys from Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur, To Protect and Serve (Cars Toon), Wind-up Pixar toys and the Toy Story 20th Anniversary line.
At 19:54 into the podcast we talk about Grant Alexander's great blog post about his work on the Dream Elder character (clay sculpt) from Toy Story That Time Forgot.

Additional Vocal Cast & Trailer Details For Pixar's 'Inside Out' - Updated

TRAILER RELEASE DATE

Additional 'Finding Dory' Plot Details Emerge

2-Minute 'Inside Out' Trailer Continues To Build Excitement

Summary of Pete Docter's Live 'Inside Out' Q&A Twitter Session

Lighting Takes Center Stage in 'Toy Story That Time Forgot'

'Luxo Jr.' Added to the 2014 National Film Registry & Labeled as a Cinematic Treasure

New 'Inside Out' Images Features New Candy Bag Prop & New Concept Artwork - Updated

'The Good Dinosaur' Gets An Updated Logo

View Ronnie Del Carmen's Artistic Process for Pixar's 2014 Holiday Card

Kohl's Cares Features Pixar Character Plush and Books

New 'Inside Out' Still Features Joy and Sadness Riding Train of Thought

'To Protect and Serve' Cars Toon Die Cast Cars and Book

Pixar Artists Support the Philippines Though Astounding Charity Auctions

New Details & Images on the TOMY Toy Line for 'Inside Out'&'The Good Dinosaur"

'Inside Out' Sneak Peek on Disney Channel

'Inside Out' Train of Thought Concept Artwork at the Walt Disney Family Museum

"The Art of Ratatouille" Book Giveaway & The 2015 Book Club

HOW TO ENTER

PIXAR POST BOOK CLUB

'Toy Story That Time Forgot' Dream Elder Sculpt from Grant Alexander

Michael Giacchino Is Hard At Work On The 'Inside Out' Recording Sessions - Updated

Episode 034 of the Pixar Post Podcast - Our Interview with Localization Artist, Laura Meyer & More

Pixar Post Website Updates

Pixar News