The Pixar Story

such measures. In October 2005, Chief Operating Officer Robert Iger had replaced Eisner as CEO. On taking charge, Iger quickly carried out a bold move, negotiating a buyout of Pixar Animation Studios. Although the price was high, the acquisition proved to be overwhelmingly popular. B Pixar had started life twenty years earlier as Pixar Inc., a computer hardware company, one of hundreds dotting the landscape of the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Within the company, a tiny animation group made short promotional films that brought in practically no revenue; the group came close more than once to being shut down. When the Pixar Image Computer proved unprofitable, the company turned to selling animation software and making animated commercials, but it continued to lose money year after year. C In 1991, when Disney agreed to finance the production of Pixar's first feature film for cinema release, Disney largely dictated the terms of the contract. In late 1993, Disney considered ordering Pixar to shut down production of the John Lasseter-directed film Toy Story because of problems with the script. At the time, Hollywood commentators doubted whether audiences would even sit through a full-length film made using the new…