Pete Docter is a renowned film director, recognized for his outstanding work in the animation industry. As the Chief Creative Officer at Pixar Animation Studios, he has been instrumental in shaping the studio's creative direction.
Docter's journey in animation began at the tender age of eight, when he created his first flipbook. This early fascination with animation only grew stronger, and he went on to study character animation at the prestigious California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in Valencia, California.
During his time at CalArts, Docter produced a variety of short films, one of which earned him a Student Academy Award. These early works have since been showcased in animation festivals worldwide and are featured on the "Pixar Short Films Collection Volume 2".
Upon joining Pixar in 1990, Docter quickly made a name for himself as a talented animator and director. He collaborated on the development of the story and characters for "Toy Story", Pixar's first full-length animated feature film, and also served as a supervising animator on the project.
Docter's subsequent projects include directing "Monsters, Inc.", "Up", and "Inside Out", all of which have received widespread critical acclaim. He has also executive produced "Monsters University" and the Academy Award-winning "Brave".
In addition to his work as a director, Docter has also been recognized for his writing skills, having written initial story treatments for both "Toy Story 2" and "WALL.E". His dedication to his craft has earned him a total of eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Animated Feature-winners "Up" and "Inside Out", and nominee "Monsters, Inc.".
In 2007, "Up" received a nomination for Best Picture from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, further solidifying Docter's reputation as a master of his craft.
Currently, Docter is directing Pixar's feature film "Soul" with producer Dana Murray, which is set to release on June 19, 2020.