Alvy Ray Smith - cofounder of Pixar's Innovative Playground

Alvy Ray Smith, one of Pixar’s cofounders, was our best resource for understanding how Pixar's innovative and playful culture was born. Alvy told us, "When I sit around and watch the animators, it seems that they have managed to hold onto childhood. They surround themselves with toys, and they just have a lot of fun like kids. That’s one of the reasons they are so damn much fun to be around--they’re sort of constantly fun--playful--setting up little secret rooms--you just don’t know what they are going to do next.” Unfortunately, however, most organizations have no interest in and no knowledge of what it takes to produce such an collaborative, innovative, and energizing environment. It begins with creating a culture where imagination--the very thing that kept us so interested in discovering and trying new things when we were young--is cherished and rewarded.