This Day in Pixar History: Ed Catmull Gives University of Utah Commencement Address

© Disney/Pixar

Five years ago today, on May 4, 2012, Ed Catmull, president of Pixar Animation and Disney Animation, gave the commencement address at the University of Utah. Catmull studied at the University of Utah, earning bachelor degrees in physics and computer science plus a Ph.D. in computer science in the mid 1970s. One of his goals after graduating was to make the first computer animated film, which he succeeded at with the release of Toy Story two decades later.

Catmull gave an inspirational speech that included a number of references to both Pixar and Disney films, and the cultures of the 2 companies. Much of his speech spoke about the importance of accepting change and planning for unforeseen events rather than trying to prevent them. The University of Utah has a video of the commencement. You'll need to forward to the 98 minute mark to get to his speech.

Once you've finished watching the address, if you'd like to hear more from Catmull, check out the April 13th episode of the Motley Fool Money podcast. This is a repeat episode where Chris Hill interviewed Ed shortly after the release of his book, Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration. In addition to some of the points he made in the commencement address, he talks about how most Pixar films are bad at the beginning of development, and the importance of protecting the team during those early phases.