Disney/Pixar Animation Studios Name New GMs

BURBANK, September 11:
Andrew Millstein has been named general manager for Walt Disney Animation
Studios, while Jim Morris will serve as general manager for Pixar Animation
Studios.

Both executives will be
responsible for guiding overall operations of their respective studios and will
continue to oversee all aspects of production related to animated features,
short films and special animated projects. They will report to Ed Catmull, the
president of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.

Millstein joined Disney in
1997 as a production executive in the studio’s Motion Pictures Group. He was
promoted to general manager of Dreamquest Images and The Secret Lab, a division
of Walt Disney Feature Animation that produced the digital effects for such
live-action films as 101 Dalmatians,
Reign of Fire and Armageddon. Prior to joining Disney, he served as head of
production for Digital Domain, where he oversaw visual-effect production on Apollo
13, The Fifth Element and Titanic.

Morris joined Pixar
Animation Studios in 2005 and most recently served as producer of WALL-E. Additionally, he has been responsible for
managing the production of the studio’s features, shorts, DVD content and
theme-park activities. Prior to that, Morris held a range of key positions in
various divisions of Lucasfilm. He served as president of Lucas Digital and managed
its two divisions, Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) and Skywalker Sound.

“Jim and Andrew are two of
the most talented, capable and experienced production executives working in
animation today, and we’re fortunate to have them running the day-to-day
operations of our two animation studios,” Catmull said. “Andrew has been a key
player at Disney for over 11 years and has had experience running studios and
dealing with all of the technical and creative issues associated with that
role. Jim is one of the most respected figures in the world of special effects
and was instrumental in creating some of ILM’s greatest achievements. Most
recently, he did an incredible job producing WALL-E for Pixar, and has assumed an important role in
that studio’s overall operations. As general managers, Andrew and Jim will
continue to lend their guidance and expertise to all of our upcoming production
efforts.”

—By Jackie Stewart