‘Initially, the lead characters were a tin drummer toy and a ventriloquist’s dummy! Then we decided that the main character should be a cool new toy, with karate chop action, like we wanted as kids. And that was Buzz. Then, a few people argued that a ventriloquist’s dummy was way too creepy, like it was going to come alive and murder you in your sleep, so he became a cowboy. These characters seem so obvious when you see the movie, but they’re the process of a slow evolution.’
Pete Docter has been with Pixar since the beginning, the third animator the studio hired. Since then, he has packed every one of his films – including ‘Toy Story’, ‘Monsters, Inc.’ and forthcoming ‘Inside Out’ – with invention, emotion and insight. Below he shares his favourites from the Pixar family.