Pixar Animator to Speak on Campus

Bill Zahn, a computer animator and art director with Disney Pixar Studios, will present  “From Rubber Monsters to Digital Cowboys: One Artist’s Journey to Pixar Animation Studios”

Tuesday, October 17
12:30 p.m.
Whitman Theater – First Floor, Business Science Building

All are welcome to attend!

Bill Zahn was a kid obsessed with movies. At 19, he moved to LA to chase his dream of working in special effects. He created sculptures and models for commercials and major films.  Then digital effects started to become the norm.  After teaching himself computer animation, Bill was hired at Pixar Animation Studios and has worked as a character artist, designer, and art director.

This talk will be especially fascinating to students in computer science and visual design/art.  However, students of all majors will benefit from his message of working through challenges, teaching yourself new skills, and finding work that makes you smile.  Faculty and staff are also welcome to attend this talk (approx 1 hour program).

Some of Bill’s credits include:

(Pre Pixar) Budweiser Frog commercial, Godzilla, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars Episode II and III

Cars, Ratatouille, The Good Dinosaur, Wall-E, Up, Soul, Lightyear

For anyone interested in seeing Zahn’s work after his talk, Virginia Western will have a free showing of Soul at 3:30 p.m. in Whitman Auditorium.