Secret to success in Pixar

“To infinity…and beyond!” This is a famous phrase said by Buzz Lightyear one of the most loved characters of all times and well known by people of many generations. Amazing stories, hilarious phrases and unforgettable characters are the legacy of one of the most successful 3D animation enterprises: Pixar. Founded in 1979 it has created 11 consecutive blockbusters whose characters had persisted on the hearts of millions of children and adults until now. Since Toy Story in 1995 to Up in 2009 each one of their movies had won different Oscar awards. But what is the secret of their success? Pixar is a community in all the sense of the word.

            In the first place, Pixar people do what they want to see. Everybody in Pixar love 3D animation movies and they create easy stories inspired in the simplest things. For example: Luxo Jr’s short film (created by John Lasseter) is about a lamp that plays with a ball. Pixar people also like to do not easy things in order to resolve the possible problems in a creative and entertaining way. For example the plot of Toy Story 2 initially wasn’t working and they solved it with Jessie’s song “When She Loved Me”. Pixar Studios also allows Pixar people’s creativity to easily flow. The buildings they have are big and they are unique in the sense that they don’t look like offices. Each one of the departments are conditioned to people’s necessities. 

 

In the second place, Pixar people know that they are in constant risk to do the same things always and they don’t want to be satisfied with that. Because of that the stories they create are inspired in their personal experiences. For example “Cars” is based in John Lasseter’s travels with his family along the road. Also Pixar people are not afraid to do new things or simply they don’t dare to do things. For example Pete Docter didn’t hesitate to develop the idea that there are monsters in children closets and then he created “Monster’s Inc”. Pixar people also work in small groups that constantly proposed new ideas and resolved problems together as a team. For example they resolved the problem to create millions of ants when they were doing “A Bug’s Life”.

Lastly, in Pixar it isn’t the idea what cares; it’s the people and how they work together. For Pixar executives it’s very important to hear all the ideas and comments that come from each people of all departments and all ranges. For example most of the short films that they has created were possible because of the ideas that everybody provided. Also Pixar directors have the humility to accept critics and change the things that are not working in the movie. For example in “Finding Nemo” they made significant changes to the scene in which Nemo is dying and his father is talking with him. For Pixar director movies it’s also important to take in consideration all the ideas even if they are ridiculous. That’s why they prefer to create new things instead of copy the ones that currently exist. You can see this in “The Incredibles”. Heroes had always existed but the concept of a family of heroes is not common.

Therefore success in Pixar is because of the philosophy they has made part of Pixar people’s life. They don’t hesitate to do the things they want to do. They don’t break their heads in order to find good stories. Instead they create their plots based on personal experiences or even in the simplest things. Finally they are always open mind to every critical that members of all crew have. So this is the secret to success in Pixar.

Run Lola Run

“Not even God can change the past” this is one of the themes of 1998 Tom Tkywer’s German movie: Run Lola Run. This movie talks about the constant decisions that we made in our daily lifes. It show us how our future can be according to those decisions, but definitely show us how the whole universe is connected and every decision we made affects both our lifes and everybody’s life.

            In the first place, we are not unique and alone in this world. Our problems affect others. Like Manni’s economical problem with mafia affects Lola’s life. Another example is when Lola was run over by her father’s assistant and this save him to crash with the other car. Also we need to find support in others. For example the first person in whom Manni finds help is in Lola and she doesn’t hesitates helping him. Maybe Manni would be dead if Lola doesn’t help him to get the money or when she helps him in the robbery. Also anybody can help you. We can see this when the tramp gave back to Manni the money that he found on the train.

In the second place, we try to survive choosing the right way. Every path we choose has a unique ending. We can see this in each ending of the three plotlines; the first two are sad, but the last one is happy. This is also affected by the dog of the animation and the different feelings that Lola feels in each    one of the plotlines. Also we try to avoid dead. We can see this in Lola who one way or another tries to avoid Manni’s dead in each plotline and at the beginning of the story. Also, what we think is the right way for us maybe is not the right way for the rest of the people. For example for Manni is right to take away from the tramp the money that belong to his boss, but for the tramp is not good because he won’t have anything in life.

Lastly, people we love are important one way or another in the decisions we made. We protect the people we love. For example Lola does everything she can do to protect Manni. Or in the last plotline, she stays for a while with his father who is dying. Also we make mistakes when we choose a decision for love. We can see this when Lola kidnaps his father or when Lola takes the risk to bet all her money to the casino and when she knocks the policeman on his head in order to help Manni in the robbery. In addition, love is an important factor. Lola takes all the risks and does what she does because she loves Manni and she wants to have him alive.

We made decisions in order to survive in this world and we tried to protect the people we love. Because we are not unique in this world, the decisions we made affects other for good or bad. Every step we made influences in others life. This is the special thing, I think, that is present in each of the three plotlines: the decisions that Lola makes.

Yo-yo's Character Map from Night on Earth

The Mask

• Hysterical.
• Tramp.
• Thief.
• Impatient
• Controller.
• Rude.

Fear

• Rejection: no to be accepted by his family. For example to be rejected by Angela.
• Uniqueness: not to be unique because someone else wears the same things he wears. For example the hat that both Helmut and Yo-yo have on their heads.
• Loser: not always having reason. For example Angela always wins the fights and she always is right in some way.

The Strongest Traits

• Honest: when Yo-yo told to Helmut that he had paid less than the real payment for the taxi service.
• Sense of humor: when he joked about Helmut’s name.
• Good talker: he has the facility to quickly and easily talk with people he doesn’t know.
• Good friend: he took care of Helmut and he explained to him how to find the way back to home.
• Ingenious: Yo-yo quickly resolved the problem that Helmut had with his car.
• Family: he cares about Angela.

Admired Traits

• Spontaneity: maybe he admires people that are unique and spontaneous like Helmut.
• Talented and artistic people: the talent that Helmut has for playing the two flutes at the same time.
• Amusing people: Helmut can entertain people quickly and easily.

Trouble Traits

• Obstinate: he always wants to win the point and he wants to be right in everything.
• Curious: he doesn’t know when to close his mouth and stop asking personal or delicate things to people.
• Mocking: he jokes about everything.
• Rude: the way he speaks whit Angela.

The Dark Side

• Independency: like Angela who doesn’t want Yo-yo near to her.
• Dominant people: the way Angela always wins the fights.
• Lies: not to be honest with people.

Character Map

Character Map

The Mask

• Serious.
• Elitist.
• Selfish.
• Realist.
• Vain.
• Passionate.

Fear

• Rejection: not to be accepted by the people I love.
• Loneliness: be alone without any friend.
• Blood: when somebody is hurt in a fight.

The Strongest Traits

• Family: they give me support and security.
• High-Developed: when I like to have things in a perfect way.
• Art talents: the ability that I have to create artistical things and put my ideas in drawings.
• High School’s yearbook.

Traits Admired

• Open Mind: not to judge people if I don't know them before.
• Direct: to say what I think in the right moment.
• Assertive: to say smart things when the ocassion needs it.
• Adventurer: to try more new things.

Trouble Traits

• Materialist: when sometimes I forget that material things are not the most important thing.
• Aggressive: to react in a bad way against people.
• Mocking: when I laugh about other people.
• Obsessive: with people and details.

The Dark Side

• Selfishness: people who think they are the firsts and the most important people in this world.
• Hypocrisy: when people say wrong things when they are not with you, but they say the best in front of you.
• Opportunistic: when people just use you as a way to get what they want.
• Disloyalty: when you give everything for somebody and that person give you the worst of itself.

Places to go...

I guess that these places would be interesting:

• Polyforum Siqueiros http://www.polyforumsiqueiros.com.mx/espanol/menu.htm
• Papalote Museo del Niño http://www.papalote.mx/index.html
• Museo del Bicentenario in Palacio Nacional.
• Centro Nacional de las Artes http://www.cenart.gob.mx/html/cartele/expo.html

The Nurse is my favorite character from Romeo + Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous stories about love of all times. Written by William Shakespeare it has been represented many times in different versions. Romeo + Juliet directed by Baz Luhrmann has its own version and vision of this old love story and transports it to a modern time, but following the essence of Shakespeare’s play. The most notable thing of the movie is their characters. Names are the same, but they are not represented exactly the same way Shakespeare described them on his play. The Nurse is my favorite character from the play and there are some aspects that are not the same in Romeo + Juliet.

            In the first place, the Nurse of the movie is younger that Nurse from the play. The Nurse from the play that I imagined is and old woman that has lived enough experiences to easily recognize that things around her are good or bad. Shakespeare’s play let you imagine that she is an old and fragile woman that in any time can fall down dead or maybe she would suffer a heart attack because of all the emotions that her dear Juliet provokes on her. The Nurse of the movie is also an old woman, but you can see that physically she is not old enough. For example in the movie she can move easily and quickly. She has the appearance more of an aunt than a grandmother.

In the second place, the Nurse from the play is the confident and servant of Juliet. The Nurse form the movie assumes the same role that is described in the play, but her behavior with Juliet and with people in general is different. The Nurse from the play I imagined is a woman with a strong dignity and security that intimidates people. Also, the Nurse is like a mother for Juliet and she trust her. The relationship in the movie between Juliet and the Nurse is the same relationship that a girl can have with her aunt. The Nurse form the play even is old she flirts with men, and this not happens exactly the same way in the movie. For example in the scene when she goes with Romeo to talk about Juliet, Mercutio jokes with the Nurse and he laughed about the way she talked with Romeo and she just ignore him and dedicates all her attention to Romeo.  In the play she is strong enough to confront Mercutio and telling him all the things that she thinks about the Montesco with no fears.

Lastly, the language used in the movie is little different from the one that is used in the play. The language that Shakespeare used in his story is very romantic, formal and it is in prose. In the movie only Romeo and Juliet follow literally the words used by the Romeo and Juliet from the book. Every character in the movie has its own way to speak according with its origins. For example, the Nurse from the movie seems that came from Puerto Rico and her way of speaking is funny. No matter what the Nurse from the book or from the movie is a special character that gave all her support to Juliet. The Nurse is always with Juliet no matter what wrong or bad things the lady does in name of love. This can be seen either in the movie or in the book. Every time the Nurse talks with Juliet she is able to see things that wasn`t clear and gets the courage from her lovely Nurse.

Characters from Romeo + Juliet are unique. The Nurse is an important character for Juliet and sometimes for Romeo. She is and unique old lady with a strong dignity and full of power to defend her dear Juliet. Although the Nurse from the movie is not the same to the Nurse I imagined from the book, the essence of the character is faithful to the character of Shakespeare’s play. In some way the Nurse is like Juliet’s fairy godmother.

Rosemary's Baby

Rosemary’s Baby is a movie directed by Roman Polanski on 1968. It’s the story of a young girl who is married with Guy Woodhouse. They changed to a new apartment and they want to have a baby. She got pregnant and a lot of strange things start to happen to Rosemary and Guy and with their neighbors: the Castevet. They are an old couple which made strange things. At the end Rosemary’s baby was a baby from the devil.

According to Freytag´s Pyramid we have the story divided into these parts:

• Exposition: Ro and Guy visited an apartment and they bought it. After they made some arrangements to the department the Woodhouse start to live there. Guy is a theater actor and he has done some TV and Rosemary wants to have a baby. Theresa Gionoffrio and Hutch, who are friends of the Woodhouse, are introduced.

This is the exposition because all the characters are presented to us and we can know where they are in life.

• Inciting Incident: Theresa Gionoffrio suicides and the Woodhouse met the Castevet. Both couples start to be friends and they spend some time together, despite; Woodhouse didn’t want to establish contact with them.

Minnie gave Rosemary a necklace made of an herb called tannis. Suddenly everything goes well for Guy.

This is the inciting incident because with the death of Theresa the Wood house met the Castevet. Maybe they will meet some other way, but when somebody dies unexpectedly the story turns mysterious.

• Rising Action: Minnie Castevet gave a chocolate mousse to the Woodhouse and after eating it Rosemary fainted. Then she had a strange dream in which she had sex with devil. Next morning she realized that Guy violated her.

This is the rising action because in this part the devil had sex with Rosemary. This is the action that allows the baby to exist.

• Complication: Rosemary had an awful pain and she scared because she didn’t know if there was something bad with the baby inside her stomach.

This is the complication because the story is about a baby. That’s why the title of the movie. The pains that Rosemary feels are strange and mysterious because the baby maybe will die and maybe the story won’t be about Rosemary’s baby.

• Falling Action: With Hutch’s help Rosemary resolved an anagram. She realized that Castevet are bad people who participated in demoniac rituals. She suspects that Guy is involved too. Castevet are involved in witchcraft.

This is the falling action because in this part of the movie Rosemary stars to think for the very first time and realizes that she really doesn’t know anything about the people with she lives. And the spectator confirms all the doubts that the story created on them and allows to question their self who is Guy in reality. Also in this part of the movie the story takes a new direction.

• Turning Point: Rosemary decided not to believe in anybody, neither Guy. Hence she goes with Dr. Hill. She got strength enough to decide by herself the moves that she will do to protect her baby.

This is the turning point because Rosemary takes the initiative by herself and decided to do her own things alone without trust in nobody.

• Reversal: Rosemary told Dr. Hill all what she knows about the Castevet and all the bad things that they had been doing against Rosemary and her baby. He told her that he is going to help her. Dr. Hill betrayed Rosemary and he called to all the members of the demoniac congregation and she is delivered to them.

This is the reversal because everything seemed to go perfectly good and suddenly Rosemary is betrayed by someone she could thrust.

• Moment of Last Suspense: After she was betrayed the congregation reunited and took care of the birth and Rosemary don’t know what is going to happen with her baby.

This is the moment of last suspense because as spectator you don’t know what is going to happen to Rosemary’s baby. You don’t know if the congregation will kill the baby or the will kill Rosemary or both. Also you don’t know if the baby will born.

• Catastrophe: Rosemary’s baby is taken away from her and everybody told her that he is dead. When Rosemary knew the truth about the baby she became sad.

This is the catastrophe because Rosemary knows the truth about everything. She knew who the baby is in reality. Rosemary also knows what the purpose of the baby is. It’s also the catastrophe because when everybody told to Rosemary that the baby died, as spectator you just don’t know what to think.

• Climax - Resolution: Rosemary resigned and accepted the reality. So, she decided to be the mother of devil’s son.

This is the climax and also the resolution because Rosemary doubted about what to do know now she knows the truth. And this is the main purpose of the action. One way or another, Rosemary follows the desire to be a mother no matter how or who the baby is. As spectator at the moment you don’t know what will be the decision that Rosemary will take after this surprising revelation to her.

And is the resolution because she accepted who is she for the kid and obviously the story ends.

Toy Story is a great movie!

There are a lot of movies that are great. They entertain people with their stories or maybe their characters or just the message they have. There are movies that always persist through time. For example we remember The Wizard of Oz or Titanic. No matter what Toy Story movies are great movies.

            In the first place, it doesn’t exist a lot of known movies about toys. Toy Story movies are well known by most of the people since the time it were created, 1995, and still being adored by millions of people. Maybe exist some other movies about toys, but Toy Story is the favorite movie of most of the kids. The story is unique and each one of the three movies has a different message and basically these movies are about the adventures of the toys that appear on the movies.

In the second place, it was produced by one of the most famous 3d movie producers: Pixar. This company is famous for producing the most incredible and amusing movies for people of different ages. Pixar is a branch of Disney dedicated to make and produce 3D movies. It has produced Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc., The Incredibles, Wall-E just to mention. Almost all of Pixar’s movies are a success. The company cares a lot the stories they create and the quality of its messages.

Lastly, which is one of its greatest attributes is that Toy Story’s characters are unique. Most of the people that had seen these movies can’t forget these characters. It’s easy to identify yourself with one of the characters. Every character has its own personality. Woody’s personality is very different from Buzz Lightyear’s personality. These characters are well know by 3 generations and won’t be easily forget. Who can forget Woody or Jesse or Buzz or Rex or Hamm or Slinky Dog or Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head or Bullseye or Andy. 

Toy Story movies are great 3D movies because of its story and unforgettable characters. If you are bored or you just want to see a movie, you can always enjoy these amusing movies full of adventures.

James Dean

James Dean was an American actor who born in Indiana on February 8, 1931.  His full name was James Byron Dean, but his nickname was Jimmy. His mother died too young and his father sent him to a farm in order to live whit his aunt and uncle. That’s the reason he was a solitary person. He was considered introverted, clumsy, moody and passionate as a person.

He was an artistic person. He studied violin, tap-dance, and he liked art. He liked to create thins with his hands. Because of the passion he demonstrated for theater he made TV, movies and some plays for Broadway. His most successful movies were: East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause and he was nominated for the roles he played in those movies.

He practiced sports like basketball and baseball. He studied in UCLA and he liked to participate in race cars with his Porsche named “The little bastard”.  Another passion he had was motorcycle.

People speculated about his sexual orientation and maybe he could be bisexual; despite, her greatest love was the actress Pier Angeli.

He died at the age of 24 years old because of a car accident. Nowadays he is considered as a legend for a lot of people and because of the way of his short life. He is mentioned in numerous songs of singers like Lady Gaga, The Killers, Hilary Duff and Bon Jovi. He was compared with the actor Marlon Brando. He always will be remembered as the rebel without a cause.

Remember November

The same tragedy occurred like it happened 3 years ago. It was November 28^th when she left this world. My grandmother at the age of 86 years old died early in the morning. I was devastated because one week before another member of my family died too. This was my first experience with dead. Of course I knew that people had to die some day and I know that this is a situation that is out of our hands. No matter what it was hard for me. It was hard not to miss someone that loved you so much with all of the pureness of her heart. It was hard not to miss someone that always cared about you and your life.

She was born in Toluca and she lived her last year of life with my aunt. She was the sister of my mother (my aunt). That year was unique and amazing. By that time I was in high school finishing the 3^rd semester. I used to go to my aunt’s house in order to spend some time with my grandmother. She used to telling me stories about her young life. It was unique to listening someone who had lived when the revolutionary days of our country were happening. Every time I was in my aunt’s house my grandmother and I walked in the garden in order to make some exercise with her legs because of her disease. We could spend hours talking or just sat down outside the house (in the garden) without saying anything and watching the sunset.

I can say that we had a non understandable connection. I really can’t explain it with words, but we both understand perfectly well; although, my family has some problems. I think that when she died a part of my die too. Many people can understand this, many others can’t but it happens.

On August of that year my niece was born. For everybody in my house was a perfect gift from heaven to us. She replaced that empty place that my grandmother left when she died. I think that sometimes when you lose something life rewards you with something else. I learned that maybe life can become difficult and you can feel lost and empty when someone who you love so much dies.

Last year my grandfather died on November 27^th. It was sad but not difficult because I knew both my grandmother and my grandfather were together taking care of me somewhere. I also have the happiness that my 3 year old niece brings me with her little mouth smiling to me with the innocence of a life that is starting to live. Now remembering November won’t be hard.