Happy 55th Birthday, Andrew Stanton! Born today in 1965 as Andrew Ayers Stanton, this American voice actor, screenwriter, producer and film director is based at Pixar.
Born in Rockport, Massachusetts, Stanton, years later, received his BFA in character animation from the California Institute of the Arts before working as an animator for Kroyer Films in the 1980s.
As the decade drew to a close, Stanton also worked as a writer for legendary American director of animated and live-action films Ralph Bakshi. This was for Mighty Mouse, The New Adventures (1987–1988).
In 1990, the talented writer/animator became the second animator to join John Lasseter's fledgling Pixar Studios. His relationship with Lasseter was cemented with work as an animator in a couple of Luxo Jr. short films.
After this, the duo's harmonious sensibilities were brilliantly realized when Stanton served as character designer and writer for Pixar's freshman effort.
This eventually became 'Toy Story' (1995), of which went on to became the runaway family hit of the year as the very first computer-animated film of all time.
Stanton is credited for co-conceiving and co-writing the film. He is also credited as the voice of the Commercial Chorus.
The following year, Stanton was nominated an Oscar for co-writing and co-conceiving the story. However, he didn't win. This occurred at the 68th Academy Awards in late March 1996.
Three years later, Stanton co-conceived, and co-wrote 'Toy Story 2' (1999). This was the second film in the Toy Story franchise and also the first ever computer animated sequel.
Four years later, Stanton directed the 2003 American computer-animated adventure family film 'Finding Nemo'.
One year later, the film was nominated for three Oscars, including Best Original Screenplay. However, it won one for Best Animated Feature Film. This occurred at the 76th Academy Awards in late February 2004. 'Finding Nemo' was also the first Pixar film to win an Oscar.
Additionally, it became the highest-grossing animated film at the time of its release, and was the second-highest-grossing film of 2003.
On a budget of $94 million, 'Finding Nemo' grossed a total of $940.3 million at box offices worldwide by the end of its initial theatrical run.
In 2005, its first year of eligibility, 'Toy Story' was inducted into the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
As of 2006, 'Finding Nemo' is the best-selling DVD title of all time, with over forty million copies sold. It was also the highest-grossing G-rated film of all time before Pixar's own 'Toy Story 3' overtook it.
In 2008, the American Film Institute named 'Finding Nemo' as the tenth greatest animated film ever made as part of their 10 Top 10 lists.
Later that same year, Stanton co-conceived, co-wrote and directed the film of which he is best known. This was the 2008 American computer-animated science-fiction romance adventure film 'WALL-E' (stylized with an interpunct as 'WALL. · E').
After directing 'Finding Nemo', Stanton felt that Pixar had created believable simulations of underwater physics and was willing to direct a film set largely in space.
It was also Pixar's first animated film with segments featuring live-action characters.
'WALL-E' has minimal dialogue in its early sequences; many of the characters do not have voices.
Instead, they communicate with body language and robotic sounds designed by American sound designer, film editor, director, screenwriter, and voice actor Ben Burtt.
The film criticizes consumerism, corporatocracy, nostalgia, waste management, human environmental impact and concerns, obesity, and global catastrophic risk.
Upon release, 'WALL-E' was critically praised for its animation, story, voice acting, characters, visuals, score, use of minimal dialogue, and romantic relationship between WALL-E (Burtt) and EVE (Elissa Knight).
The film was also commercially successful. On a budget of $180 million, 'WALL-E' grossed $533.3 million at box offices worldwide.
The following year, the film received five Oscar nominations, including Best Original Screenplay. However, it won one for Best Animated Feature Film. This occurred at the 81st Academy Awards in late February 2009.
One year later, Stanton co-conceived the story for the 2010 American computer-animated comedy family film 'Toy Story 3'.
In 2016, 'WALL-E' was voted 29th among one hundred films considered the best of the 21st century by one hundred and seventeen film critics from around the world.
Later that same year, Stanton conceived, co-wrote and directed the 2016 American computer-animated adventure family film 'Finding Dory'. Upon release, the film was well-received by critics.
On a budget of $175–200 million 'Finding Dory' grossed $1.029 billion worldwide. This allowed it to become the second Pixar film to gross $1 billion after 'Toy Story 3' and the third highest-grossing film of 2016.
In 2017, Stanton directed two episodes of the American science fiction horror streaming television series Stranger Things (2016–present) and an episode of the American television crime drama series Better Call Saul (2015–present) in 2018.
The following year after directing the Better Call Saul episode, Stanton co-conceived and co-wrote the 2019 American computer-animated comedy-drama family/adventure film 'Toy Story 4'.
With his voice being heard in some capacity in near every Pixar production (most notably Crush the sea turtle and Zurg in 'Toy Story 2'), Stanton has had a hand in virtually every aspect of production.
It is his family-friendly sensibilities and keen writing skills of which have resulted in films that can be appreciated by young and old alike -- a true rarity in the realm of so-called "family entertainment."
One of the main driving forces behind computer animation powerhouse Pixar Studios, Stanton's contributions to such modern animated classics are second only to that of studio founder John Lasseter.
Stanton has been active from 1981–present.
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