Jan Pinkava
Encyclopedia
Dr. Jan Jaroslav Pinkava, Ph.D. (born 21 June 1963, in Prague
) is the director and writer of the Pixar
Oscar-winning 1997 short film Geri's Game
and the originator and co-director of Pixar's Oscar-winning 2007 film Ratatouille
.
He is the third-born of four children of the Czech polymath
Václav Pinkava alias Jan Křesadlo
. The family emigrated to Britain in 1969, where he obtained British citizenship.
He attended Colchester Royal Grammar School
from 1974 to 1982 showing interest and talent in the arts, music, drama and sculpture. (One of his juvenile sculptures 'Big Cat' was acquired by Essex University and put on permanent display outside the library.)
After obtaining an 8mm movie camera for Christmas in 1975, he began experimenting with pixilation
, stop-motion plasticine, paper-drawn and cell animation.
He had some early prize-winning successes in animation competitions. Most notably, he won the Young Film-Maker's Competition of the Year Award 1980 on the long-running (1969 to 1984) BBC
children's quiz series Screen Test
for his animated short "The Rainbow". This was hailed in 2001 on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows by ex-Screen Test presenters Michael Rodd
and Brian Trueman
as "the only occasion in the history of the competition where we came across a piece of film that was spectacularly professional", a clip of him receiving the award is shown in the 2007 film Son of Rambow
.
He went on to study Computer Science at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
, where he graduated with first class honours and obtained his PhD, During this time he also represented his university in archery, fencing and hang-gliding competitions, and continued developing his cartoon drawing skills.
After university he turned to a career in computer animation
initially in London, with Digital Pictures, who specialised in TV commercials.
In 1993 he joined Pixar
, and moved to the USA. His "Arrows" TV commercial for Listerine won the Gold Clio Award in 1994.
His 1997 animated short Geri's Game
won the Oscar and a string of other awards.
The short film "67 Aluminum Plates" was created during the 1998 Ottawa International Animation Festival
by a group of volunteers under the direction of Jan Pinkava. The film is stop motion, filmed in one long day and edited the next. It was shown on the closing night of the festival. Credits include: Jan Pinkava, Jordan Craig, Carolyn Craig, Rob Anderson, Jean Claude Kalache, Denis LeLong, Carol Beecher, Floyd Bishop Jr, Heather Hosel, Hugo Desrosiers, Karen Oxhorn, Susan Campbell, Charlie Hill, Ginette Brisson, Chris Mullington, Ed Eagen, and sculpture by Ulysse Comtois.
In 2000, he began work as director
on Ratatouille
, a European-flavored, ultimate-outsider tale based on his original story. This was to have been his feature film debut and the first Pixar film beyond the terms of the then-expiring Pixar-Disney franchise.
In 2005, Pinkava was replaced as main director by The Incredibles
director Brad Bird
. In an interview given in 2006, Pinkava had "no comment" about this turn of events and for two years staunchly refrained from comment on the genesis of the film. At the time when he was replaced, Pinkava had written the core storyline of the film and created the styling, key characters and sets. Following his departure from the project, Pinkava initially undertook other duties and then left the company. In the final film, Pinkava is credited for his original story idea http://vzjp.cz/JJP/storyby.jpg and as the co-director. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including a nomination for Pinkava (along with Jim Capobianco and Brad Bird
) in the Best Original Screenplay category.
He is currently working as a director at LAIKA on his new film Little White Lie.
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
) is the director and writer of the Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
Oscar-winning 1997 short film Geri's Game
Geri's Game
Geri's Game is a five-minute animated short film made by Pixar in 1997, written and directed by Jan Pinkava. It was the first Pixar Short created after Toy Story, the previous short being Knick Knack in 1989....
and the originator and co-director of Pixar's Oscar-winning 2007 film Ratatouille
Ratatouille (film)
Ratatouille is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the eighth film produced by Pixar, and was directed by Brad Bird, who took over from Jan Pinkava in 2005...
.
He is the third-born of four children of the Czech polymath
Polymath
A polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...
Václav Pinkava alias Jan Křesadlo
Jan Kresadlo
Jan Křesadlo was the primary pseudonym used by Václav Jaroslav Karel Pinkava , a Czech psychologist who was also a prizewinning novelist and poet....
. The family emigrated to Britain in 1969, where he obtained British citizenship.
He attended Colchester Royal Grammar School
Colchester Royal Grammar School
Colchester Royal Grammar School is a grammar school in Colchester, Essex, founded in AD 1206 and granted two Royal Charters by Henry VIII and by Elizabeth I .-Admissions:...
from 1974 to 1982 showing interest and talent in the arts, music, drama and sculpture. (One of his juvenile sculptures 'Big Cat' was acquired by Essex University and put on permanent display outside the library.)
After obtaining an 8mm movie camera for Christmas in 1975, he began experimenting with pixilation
Pixilation
Pixilation is a stop motion technique where live actors are used as a frame-by-frame subject in an animated film, by repeatedly posing while one or more frame is taken and changing pose slightly before the next frame or frames. The actor becomes a kind of living stop motion puppet...
, stop-motion plasticine, paper-drawn and cell animation.
He had some early prize-winning successes in animation competitions. Most notably, he won the Young Film-Maker's Competition of the Year Award 1980 on the long-running (1969 to 1984) BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
children's quiz series Screen Test
Screen Test
Screen Test was a UK children's quiz show about films, broadcast from 18 November 1970 to 20 December 1984 on BBC1. It was first hosted by Michael Rodd, who was succeeded by Brian Trueman and Mark Curry.-Background:...
for his animated short "The Rainbow". This was hailed in 2001 on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows by ex-Screen Test presenters Michael Rodd
Michael Rodd
Michael Rodd is a British television presenter and businessman.-Education:Rodd was educated at the independent school Trinity College, Glenalmond near Perth in Scotland, and at Newcastle University.-Life and career:Rodd became a familiar face to millions of television viewers in Britain as a...
and Brian Trueman
Brian Trueman
Brian Trueman is a British writer and broadcaster known mainly for his work with the animation studio Cosgrove Hall...
as "the only occasion in the history of the competition where we came across a piece of film that was spectacularly professional", a clip of him receiving the award is shown in the 2007 film Son of Rambow
Son of Rambow
Son of Rambow is a 2008 comedy-drama film written and directed by Garth Jennings. The film premiered January 22, 2007 at the Sundance Film Festival. It was later shown at the Newport Beach Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and Glasgow Film...
.
He went on to study Computer Science at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth University is a university located in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding Member Institution of the former federal University of Wales. As of late 2006, the university had over 12,000 students spread across seventeen academic departments.The university was founded in 1872 as...
, where he graduated with first class honours and obtained his PhD, During this time he also represented his university in archery, fencing and hang-gliding competitions, and continued developing his cartoon drawing skills.
After university he turned to a career in computer animation
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
initially in London, with Digital Pictures, who specialised in TV commercials.
In 1993 he joined Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
, and moved to the USA. His "Arrows" TV commercial for Listerine won the Gold Clio Award in 1994.
His 1997 animated short Geri's Game
Geri's Game
Geri's Game is a five-minute animated short film made by Pixar in 1997, written and directed by Jan Pinkava. It was the first Pixar Short created after Toy Story, the previous short being Knick Knack in 1989....
won the Oscar and a string of other awards.
The short film "67 Aluminum Plates" was created during the 1998 Ottawa International Animation Festival
Ottawa International Animation Festival
-History:In 1976, the Canadian Film Institute founded the biennial Ottawa International Animation Festival . First held August 10 to 15, 1976, the OIAF created a gathering place for North American animation professionals and enthusiasts to ponder the craft and business of animation...
by a group of volunteers under the direction of Jan Pinkava. The film is stop motion, filmed in one long day and edited the next. It was shown on the closing night of the festival. Credits include: Jan Pinkava, Jordan Craig, Carolyn Craig, Rob Anderson, Jean Claude Kalache, Denis LeLong, Carol Beecher, Floyd Bishop Jr, Heather Hosel, Hugo Desrosiers, Karen Oxhorn, Susan Campbell, Charlie Hill, Ginette Brisson, Chris Mullington, Ed Eagen, and sculpture by Ulysse Comtois.
In 2000, he began work as director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
on Ratatouille
Ratatouille (film)
Ratatouille is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the eighth film produced by Pixar, and was directed by Brad Bird, who took over from Jan Pinkava in 2005...
, a European-flavored, ultimate-outsider tale based on his original story. This was to have been his feature film debut and the first Pixar film beyond the terms of the then-expiring Pixar-Disney franchise.
In 2005, Pinkava was replaced as main director by The Incredibles
The Incredibles
The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated action-comedy superhero film about a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, a former director and executive consultant of The Simpsons, and was produced by Pixar and distributed by...
director Brad Bird
Brad Bird
Phillip Bradley "Brad" Bird is an Academy Award-winning American director, voice actor, animator and screenwriter. He is best known for writing and directing Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles and Ratatouille . He also adapted and directed the critically acclaimed 2D animated 1999 Warner Brothers...
. In an interview given in 2006, Pinkava had "no comment" about this turn of events and for two years staunchly refrained from comment on the genesis of the film. At the time when he was replaced, Pinkava had written the core storyline of the film and created the styling, key characters and sets. Following his departure from the project, Pinkava initially undertook other duties and then left the company. In the final film, Pinkava is credited for his original story idea http://vzjp.cz/JJP/storyby.jpg and as the co-director. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including a nomination for Pinkava (along with Jim Capobianco and Brad Bird
Brad Bird
Phillip Bradley "Brad" Bird is an Academy Award-winning American director, voice actor, animator and screenwriter. He is best known for writing and directing Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles and Ratatouille . He also adapted and directed the critically acclaimed 2D animated 1999 Warner Brothers...
) in the Best Original Screenplay category.
He is currently working as a director at LAIKA on his new film Little White Lie.
External links
- Pinkava's website (in Czech)
- Biography
- Jan Pinkava interview at the official Pixar website
- Jan Pinkava interview at ASIFA-SF March 1998, shortly before his Oscar, very informative
- Computer Arts interview