Pixar films are known for their incredible storytelling, but what is lesser known are the stories behind them. From a son wanting to connect with a dad he never truly knew, to the journey of becoming one’s true self, the origins of many of our films come from very personal places and often speak to the triumphs, struggles, and day-to-day moments that make us human. Our goal with Pixar Origin Stories was to create a visually-compelling series that would shine a spotlight on these impactful stories-behind-the-stories and captivate our audience.
With our goal in mind, our next task was figuring out the best medium for our message. Audience insights showed us that engagement was strong with the carousel format on Instagram and that illustrated pieces in particular, really shined. We also realized that conveying these stories through illustration would allow us to weave imagery from our films into the stories of our filmmakers. Seeing the film and the filmmaker together illustrated a direct connection between story and storyteller.
When selecting the artist for each Origin Story, our internal creative team always starts with this question: ‘Will the artist be able to portray the story in a way that honors the filmmaker’s journey and expresses their point of view in a way that is deeply authentic and stylistically appropriate?’
Using this question as their North Star, they work closely with the artist and the filmmakers to create a picture book approach that tells the filmmakers’ story in an individual way that reflects the uniqueness of each origin. Great attention is paid to ensure that not only the films’ characters are depicted correctly but that the filmmakers themselves are portrayed respectfully and accurately regardless of the art style.
Last but not least, we aim to align the release of this content to film debuts and relevant holidays in order to make a greater impact in the social space.
Pixar Origin Stories has become a beloved series amongst our audience, garnering over 14M impressions and 546K engagements across platforms. When it comes to content that showcases the behind-the-scenes elements of our filmmaking, Origin Stories are by far our most engaged with format. Fans, including Brene Brown, have loved the stories we’ve shared and the impact has been felt on a global level. We are currently in the process of creating more Origin Stories and look forward to sharing them with our audience!
