Introduction:

Speaker 2 introduces Steve Jobs as the SIGGRAPH 95 keynote speaker. Jobs is lauded for his multifaceted impact on the tech industry, having co-founded Apple and NeXT Computer. Additionally, he has received prestigious awards and is also the chairman and CEO of Pixar, an innovative animation company.

Steve Jobs’ Agenda:

Steve Jobs outlines that he plans to talk about three main topics in his keynote: the centenary, scale and complexity, and a place in history.

Steve’s Contributions and Achievements:

Jobs co-founded and led Apple to become a $2 billion company. He had a pivotal role in the design and development of products like the Apple II, Macintosh, and LaserWriter printer. He also received the National Technology Medal from President Reagan in 1985 and was named Entrepreneur of the Decade by Inc. Magazine in 1989.

Pixar’s Milestones:

Steve Jobs bought the Lucasfilm Computer Graphics Research Group and transformed it into Pixar. Pixar won the Best Animated Short Academy Award for “Tin Toy,” marking the first Oscar for a computer-animated film. Pixar is also collaborating with Disney on “Toy Story,” the first completely computer-generated feature-length film.

Current Roles:

Apart from his contributions to Apple, Jobs serves as chairman and CEO of both NeXT Computer and Pixar, highlighting his multifaceted influence in technology and animation sectors.

Upcoming Projects:

A noteworthy revelation is that Pixar and Disney are in production for “Toy Story,” slated for release on Thanksgiving. This is set to be a landmark in animation as the first feature-length computer-generated film.

Steve Jobs uses this platform to delve into topics that will presumably discuss technology’s past, present, and future, placing it in historical and practical contexts. The introductory remarks set the stage for what is likely to be an insightful discourse.

Introduction & Centenary of Motion Pictures:

Steve Jobs opens by stating that the year 1995 marks the 100th anniversary of the first motion picture. Created by Antoine and Louis Lumiere, the first film was projected in Paris, France in 1895. This centenary serves as a backdrop for Jobs to discuss how technology has evolved in the film industry.

Early Technological Milestones:

The Lumiere brothers initially invented their own cameras and projectors. The next significant advancement came in 1927 with the movie “The Jazz Singer,” which introduced sound. This film was transformative; U.S. movie attendance almost doubled between 1927 and 1929. It also saved Warner Brothers, the studio that produced it, from bankruptcy.

Technicolor and Animation:

Technicolor was the next big step in 1932, with Walt Disney being the first to adopt it, creating color films and winning multiple Academy Awards. Disney’s “Snow White” in 1937 was the first animated feature film and introduced new forms of technology like the multi-plane camera.

Special Effects Revolution:

The next major milestone was “Star Wars” in 1977, which brought special effects to the forefront. Although made pre-computer graphics, “Star Wars” laid the foundation for future technological advancements in filmmaking.

Computer Graphics in Mainstream Cinema:

“Terminator 2” and “Jurassic Park” followed, pushing computer graphics special effects into the mainstream. These films marked the increasing role of technology not just as an add-on but as a central storytelling element.

Toy Story: A New Milestone:

Finally, Jobs discusses the making of “Toy Story” in 1995, the first completely computer-generated feature-length movie. He emphasizes the importance of this film, stating that it’s a breakthrough on the scale of Technicolor and “Star Wars.” Unlike previous films that used computer graphics for portions of their content, “Toy Story” is 79 minutes long, with every frame being synthetic. This represents an order of magnitude leap in the role of computer graphics in film.

Jobs concludes that “Toy Story” represents not just an incremental step, but a giant leap in the evolution of technology in motion pictures. It marks a moment where computer graphics stop being merely a support to live-action film and become the entire vision for a motion picture.

Introduction of Toy Story Clip:

Steve Jobs introduces a clip from Toy Story to the audience. The film is a significant topic in the presentation, and Jobs offers to replay the clip for attendees, indicating its importance.

Toy Story Plot Details:

The transcript provides an excerpt from Toy Story, showcasing an intense and humorous scene among toy characters in a child’s bedroom. This segment emphasizes the toys’ personalities, their coded “military operations” to discover the presents, and their dynamics when a new toy appears to potentially replace Woody.

Significance of Characters:

Steve Jobs mentions that Woody is voiced by Tom Hanks and Buzz by Tim Allen, emphasizing the star power behind the project. Their performances add depth to the toy characters, making them relatable and lifelike.

Pixar and Disney Collaboration:

Jobs states that Toy Story was written, directed, and produced by Pixar in partnership with Walt Disney Company. This marks a major collaboration between two giants in the animation and entertainment industries.

Upcoming Release:

Jobs notes that Toy Story will be officially released at Thanksgiving, creating anticipation and signaling the film’s importance in Pixar’s lineup.

Discussion on Scale and Complexity:

Jobs alludes to a forthcoming discussion about “scale and complexity,” presumably to dive into the technical and artistic challenges faced in creating a 79-minute long animated feature, a significant achievement at the time.

This presentation showcases the pioneering work behind Toy Story, the impactful collaboration between Pixar and Disney, and the anticipation for its release. Steve Jobs sets the stage for discussing the complexities involved in producing such a groundbreaking film.

Animation Technique:

Steve Jobs describes the creation of Toy Story as a technically complex endeavor. Contrary to the term “computer-animated,” Jobs emphasizes that the film is actually “computer-drawn.” In this process, mathematical computer models for characters and sets are made.

Role of Models:

The models are not mere superficial representations. They contain intricate skeletal and musculature structures to enable realistic movement. These models are then handed to the animators who “act” the characters by manipulating the models.

Lighting and Shading:

Once the animation is complete, the scenes are meticulously lighted and shaded. This ensures that the models fit naturally into their environment.

Rendering:

The rendered scenes are passed through a colossal farm of computers for the final drawing. These computers draw for several hours per scene, producing the 3D effects that would be impossible to achieve manually.

Data Scale:

The scale of data involved is staggering. The film comprises 160 billion pixels and 600 billion bytes, equivalent to over 1,000 CD-ROMs. Jobs mentions 34 terabytes of RenderMan files were created, requiring 800,000 machine hours for rendering.

Computational Complexity:

Beyond artistic creativity, the project also represents a significant challenge in computer science and data management. Jobs concludes by saying the film is an exercise in managing “scale and complexity” unseen in computer graphics.

Technical Details:

The film used Sun’s fastest product, SparkStation 20 quad processors, for rendering. Jobs humorously advises against attempting such a mammoth project at home, underlining the scale and complexity involved.

Character Complexity:

Steve Jobs outlines the meticulous detail in animating Toy Story’s main characters, Woody and Buzz Lightyear. Woody alone has 723 animation control points, 212 of which are on his face. Buzz has similar levels of complexity, with a varying number of texture maps that increase as he gets dirtier throughout the film.

Environmental Details:

Jobs also delves into the environmental details in Toy Story, highlighting the staggering numbers behind the scenes. For example, one scene featuring trees has over 1 million leaves being rendered. Additionally, 36 automobiles appear in the film, with various chassis and power plants.

Attention to Details:

Jobs provides an example of a gas station scene to illustrate the depth of detail. The truck in the scene has 36 different lights, 200 feet of tubing, 346 bolts, 18 wheels, and over 20,000 animation controls.

Scene Complexity:

The gas station scene involves dialogue between Woody and Buzz, with Jobs describing it as a “classic buddy picture.” The characters start with strong aversions to each other but are forced into a situation where they must cooperate, offering a glimpse into the film’s emotional complexity alongside its technical intricacy.

Character Arcs:

The dialogue in the scene sets up a crucial aspect of the story: the evolving relationship between Woody and Buzz. The characters initially can’t stand each other but have to learn to cooperate and respect each other as the story progresses, adding an emotional layer to the film’s technical feats.

Summary:

Jobs presents Toy Story as a monumental achievement in both technical and storytelling complexity. The painstaking attention to detail, both in animation controls and environmental elements, showcases the film as not just a technological marvel but also a deeply emotional narrative.

A Historical Milestone:

Steve Jobs discusses the monumental achievement that Toy Story represents in the realm of computer graphics. After two decades of progressive advancement, Jobs suggests that the community has finally scaled the “castle wall,” and with Toy Story, has arrived inside the castle.

Contextualizing Achievements:

Jobs calls for reflection on the 100th anniversary of the invention of the motion picture. He posits that Toy Story is the next significant offshoot of this medium, signaling a new phase in cinematic arts that combines technology and storytelling in unprecedented ways.

The Future of the Medium:

He speculates that computer-animated films will become a unique medium in their own right, which will further define its boundaries as it is explored in the coming years. Jobs encourages the audience to take pride in this collective achievement.

Looking Ahead:

Jobs envisions a future where, on the 200th anniversary of motion pictures, people will also celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first computer-animated synthetic feature film. He suggests that Toy Story’s legacy, and by extension the community’s contributions, will be acknowledged in future generations.

Community Pride:

Closing his talk, Jobs emphasizes that the achievement of Toy Story is a collective one, representing the work and progress made by the computer graphics community over the last 20 years. He expresses honor in being part of this landmark moment and thanks the audience.

Event Conclusion:

The event concludes with thanks to Steve Jobs for his presentation, and also acknowledges awards received by Kurt and Jose, though their roles or achievements are not elaborated on in the segment.