AC:
Interesante.
Mexico on Nov 20, 2022
Mark:
A riveting story about how Pixar went from a small player in animation to the most successful motion picture studio ever. Levy’s opened us to his personal experiences in walking with Steve Jobs, Pixar, Disney and even his own soul. A humble, fresh look at the entrepreneurial spirit of Pixar bringing Silicon Valley and Hollywood together!
Canada on Dec 11, 2021
jubrusco:
Um livro cativante e muito bem escrito!
Brazil on Nov 17, 2020
Steven C. Sobotka:
What if all of the energy, stubbornness, and steadfast dedication recounted here, by Mr. Levy, had not taken place?
Most people probably take the juggernaut of Pixar and its characters, movies, toys, etc. for granted. This book provides a compelling narrative of the many challenges faced along that path, any of which could've cast Pixar into "also-ran", never to be seen or heard from by the millions who have willingly allowed the lovable Pixar characters to take up residence in their homes. I have a 16 yr old and a 2 yr old, both who were not alive when Toy Story was released, but both love(d) the characters and the successive films. Hard to imagine, had ego and attitude rose above completing some novel and dynamic deals, that Woody and Buzz may never have gotten off the ground.
If you've seen/enjoyed The Pixar Story documentary, you should read this book. The documentary focused significantly more on the animation and creative side, while just glossing over the aspects that have been detailed here by Mr. Levy. That film and this book should be packaged together, if you want the true Pixar Story.
United States on Nov 14, 2020
Picard:
While Pixar bookworms may be sceptical of another recount, this is actually a work that encompasses a lot of new and very interesting information. Who exactly would find this 'interesting' is of course debatable - I say this as someone who admires Pixar and has followed both them and Disney for years, as well as other fascinating success stories.
The real draw is that this is, essentially, a series of business essays that can be understood by the layman. Levy deserves a lot of credit for taking his memories, experiences, and producing not only lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs, but unique information about the early life of Pixar for dedicated fans.
And then of course there is Steve Jobs, who once again comes away as quite a controversial figure. He is best surmised by his conflicting nature; at worst, preventing staff from having any stock options, to taking as much credit as possible for any form of success, to crying when he couldn't get what he wanted. At best, he cared deeply (eventually...) for his family, select close friends whom he would regularly take long walks with, to the overall quality of output from anything he was vested in. My...
United Kingdom on Dec 01, 2018
Justin:
Full disclosure: I know Lawrence and his family, have met Rinpoche, and cared for the author before ever picking up the book. So there's a bit of a cognitive bias here. I knew he was writing the book, understood what a huge undertaking it was for him to produce something that meant as much to him as it would to all involved and of course all who read it, and eagerly anticipated the date it would arrive. I preordered sight unseen based on my understanding of the author. I already wanted to believe.
Still.
I—like many of the reviewers here—spent a breathless week flipping the pages and going on the journey of Pixar's early days with Lawrence and felt absolutely, totally, elated. Vindicated for my friend and his triumph. Educated and edified against the messy, improvisational, and dramatic chords that surround business at the highest and lowest levels. And of course: entertained.
It's crazy and fun and charming and a relief to see that the people involved with the biggest deals can still be humans. Can still hold onto their humanity in the face of all of the pressure, glamour, and, well, stuff.
I work in a creative industry and am...
United States on Dec 13, 2016
Tech Historian:
There are few books written by ex-Chief Financial Officers. For good reason – for a general audience just how exciting can an income statement, cash flow and balance sheet be? No one will confuse this book with literature, but surprisingly Levy makes the financing journey of Pixar a really interesting and readable story.
As Chief Financial Officer of Pixar, Levy stakes claim to five things he accomplished for Pixar - all of them critical to its survival and success.
1. He put together the first business plan for the company
a. Killing off several ancillary businesses (Renderman, TV Commercials, Video Games) and focused the company solely on full length animation films
b. He assembled the first financial/accounting model for an animation entertainment company
2. Over the objections of Steve Jobs, he got an employee stock option pool approved before the company’s Initial Public Offering
3. He led the 1995 Initial Public Offering for Disney raising $140 million - a pool of capital large enough to keep the company solvent, funded its ability to finance its own movies and made Jobs a billionaire.
4. He renegotiated the initial Pixar deal...
United States on Nov 05, 2016
| Lawrence Levy's Remarkable Journey: From Pixar to Making Entertainment History with Steve Jobs | Trying Something New: A Guide to Overcoming Challenges and Finding Success | Uncovering the Innovative Strategies Behind Netflix's Culture of Reinvention: An Exploration of No Rules Rules | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
 |
 |
|
| B2B Rating |
89
|
98
|
96
|
| Sale off | $6 OFF | $10 OFF | |
| Total Reviews | 42 reviews | 155 reviews | 260 reviews |
| Publisher | Harper Business; Reprint edition | Random House Large Print; Large type / Large print edition | |
| Item Weight | 10.7 ounces | 1.05 pounds | |
| Business Professional's Biographies | Business Professional's Biographies | ||
| ISBN-13 | 978-1328745613 | 978-0593152386 | |
| Paperback | 272 pages | 464 pages | |
| Best Sellers Rank | #740 in Company Business Profiles #818 in Movie History & Criticism #1,259 in Business Professional's Biographies | #94 in Entertainment Industry #221 in Computers & Technology Industry #3,895 in Leadership & Motivation | |
| Company Business Profiles (Books) | Company Business Profiles | ||
| Dimensions | 5.31 x 0.69 x 8 inches | 6.16 x 0.82 x 9.19 inches | |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,380 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when.execute { if { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative { if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when.execute { A.declarative{ if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } }); }); | 4.6/5 stars of 4,250 ratings | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 7,233 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when.execute { if { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative { if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when.execute { A.declarative{ if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } }); }); |
| Language | English | English | |
| ISBN-10 | 1328745619 | 0593152387 | |
| Movie History & Criticism | Movie History & Criticism |
India on Apr 30, 2023