John Lasseter quotes

John Lasseter is an American director, animator, and producer, best known for his pioneering work at Pixar Animation Studios. His creative vision helped shape classic films such as Toy Story, Cars, and A Bug’s Life. He continues to influence the animation industry with his innovative storytelling. Here are 38 of his quotes:

Animation is the one type of movie that really does play for the entire audience. Our challenge is to make stories that connect for kids and adults.

John Lasseter

If you're sitting in your minivan, playing your computer animated films for your children in the back seat, is it the animation that's entertaining you as you drive and listen? No, it's the storytelling. That's why we put so much importance on story. No amount of great animation will save a bad story.

John Lasseter

People who get into animation tend to be kids. We don't have to grow up. But also, animators are great observers, and there's this childlike wonder and interest in the world, the observation of little things that happen in life.

John Lasseter

The art challenges the technology, and the technology inspires the art.

John Lasseter

Computers don't create computer animation any more than a pencil creates pencil animation. What creates computer animation is the artist.

John Lasseter

I love movies that make me cry, because they're tapping into a real emotion in me, and I always think afterwards "How did they do that?"

John Lasseter

A good part of my leadership skills is crafted from learning from experiences early in my career that were not positive experiences.

John Lasseter

You cannot base a whole movie on just the imagery alone. It has to be the story and the characters.

John Lasseter

I believe in the nobility of entertaining people and I take great, great pride that people are willing to give me two or three hours of their busy lives.

John Lasseter

I loved animation and cartoons, even when it was not cool when you were in high school. I raced home to see the Bugs Bunny cartoons.

John Lasseter

When I look at the success I have, it's because of my creative-thinking skills.

John Lasseter

Every single Pixar film, at one time or another, has been the worst movie ever put on film. But we know. We trust our process. We don't get scared and say, 'Oh, no, this film isn't working.'

John Lasseter

Animation is the only thing I ever wanted to do in my whole life. I have no desire for live-action or anything else.

John Lasseter

In computer animation, every detail has to be thought out, designed, modeled, shaded, placed and lit. The more you add, the more computer memory you need.

John Lasseter

I quickly realized that this medium had a lot to offer someone like me. To do Disney-quality hand-drawn cartoons, you have to be a master of two art forms. Seriously, you have to be able to draw like a Leonardo da Vinci or a Michelangelo. But also you have to know movement and timing and control that through 24 frames a second.

John Lasseter

Every young person gets so excited about new software packages and new technology.

John Lasseter

I realized that people make cartoons for a living. It had never dawned on me that you could do this as a career.

John Lasseter

In dire economic times, movies are relatively inexpensive entertainment for the whole family.

John Lasseter

Sure, they were simple desk lamps with only a minimal amount of movement, but you could immediately tell that Luxo Jr. was a baby, and that the big one was his mother. In that short little film, computer animation went from a novelty to a serious tool for filmmaking.

John Lasseter

You can achieve all the things you want to do, but it's much better to do it with loved ones around you; family and friends, people that you care about that can help you on the way and can celebrate you, and you can enjoy the journey.

John Lasseter

I worry about kids today not having time to build a tree house or ride a bike or go fishing. I worry that life is getting faster and faster.

John Lasseter

I believe in research you cannot do enough research; believability comes out of what's real.

John Lasseter