The Inside Story: 5 Secrets To Pixar’s Success

By Dev Patnaik

Oren Jacob, the former chief technical officer of Pixar, provides a rare glimpse into company culture.

Recently at Jump, I had the pleasure of interviewing Oren Jacob, the former chief technical officer of Pixar, in front of a small group of invited guests. Oren shared a number of fascinating stories of what went on behind the scenes at Pixar during his 20 years there.

During his tenure at Pixar, Jacob helped the company grow into one of America’s most successful companies (all 12 of Pixar’s full-length feature films to date have been blockbusters!). You need only spend five minutes with him to realize he embodies everything we have grown to love about Pixar movies. He speaks passionately, shares emotional stories that resonate with everyone, and yes, he is quite animated (even leaping off his stool to emphasize a point).

1. When It Sucks, Say So.

2. Defend Your Opinion, Then “Hit Play Quickly.”

3. Look Upstream for the Source of the Problem.

4. Match the Medium to the Message.

5. Hire for Excellence.

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