About this episode

Jesse Weglein discusses his transition from Pixar to founding Illuminai Studios, the role of AI in animation, and the industry's challenges.

This episode is brought to you by our e-book Mastering Film Marketing. Get your copy today at https://themakeitpodcast.com/products/mastering-film-marketing . Use the Discount code: NASHFILM20 for 20% off EVERYTHING at themakeitpodcast.com Hello, Hello! In this episode, Chris, Nick, and Producer Papa Bear sit down with Jesse Weglein — 15 years at Pixar, now founder of Illuminai Studios — joining live from the foot of Mount Fuji. Jesse worked on Up , Toy Story 3 , and Toy Story 4 before a mass layoff ended that run and pushed him into building his own studio. He's using AI as a tool, not a replacement, to make original animated films for audiences the industry keeps overlooking — including his short film Roar , which Whoopi Goldberg picked for the Tribeca Film Festival. We also talk about: The creative culture at Pixar and what makes it impossible to replicate — including how directors would skip watching their own films in theaters to study the audience's reactions instead The global divide on AI in animation, from China's breakneck adoption of the technology to Japan's philosophical hesitation around whether AI can carry the "soul" of an artist's vision The economic fragility of…

People in this episode

Hosts: Chris Barkley, Nicholas Buggs

Guest: Jesse Weglein

Topics covered

• animation
• AI in film
• Pixar culture
• film industry
• creative processes
• outsourcing
• art training

Keywords

• animation
• AI
• Pixar
• Illuminai Studios
• film marketing
• creative culture
• outsourcing
• art training

Sponsors

The MAKE IT Podcast

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Illuminai Studios, Pixar, Tribeca Film Festival

Books & works: Up, Toy Story 3, Toy Story 4, Roar

Places: Mount Fuji

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