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Friday, July 12, 2013

The Luxo Limelight - Issue #7: Emma Evans


This week, I chatted with the very amiable Emma Evans, who currently resides in Missouri. She's quite the passionate Pixar aficionado and is full of big dreams for the future. Learn more about her on this week's Luxo Limelight!

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What is your favorite Pixar film? What is your favorite Pixar short film?
My favorite short film is definitely La Luna, it’s so creative and something about it just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. My favorite Pixar movie though is either The Incredibles or UP. I can’t choose between them because I love love love the character design in both of them. I like the Incredibles because of the retro vibe it gives off with the sharp angles and the bits of saxophone in the soundtrack. 

I love the strong themes of love and devotion in UP as well as the subtler message of ‘It’s not the destination, it’s the journey’. Pixar is amazing at creating fun and light-hearted movies that still manage to leave an impact on the audience and allow them to become timeless classics.

Who is/are your favorite Pixar character(s)? How do you relate to them?
My favorite characters are probably Edna, Ellie, and Queen Elinor. Edna, simply because she’s hilarious and is the product of some AWESOME character design (good character design is everything).

I love Ellie because she is the kind of person that I want to be. She fearlessly pursued her dream to go see the world and have all sorts of adventures, but as she grew older and farther away from her dream she realized that she didn’t need to travel to be happy. And I find it so incredible that Pixar’s animators can take a character and show her to you for a mere ten minutes, most of which has no dialogue, and still allow you to come away knowing her and understanding her importance.

I think I like Elinor a lot because I sympathize with her. While everyone else watched the movie and was caring about Merida, all I could think was just how much of a brat she was. I mean sure, I wouldn’t want to be forced into an arranged marriage either, but I just didn’t connect with her. I felt bad for Elinor because I understood that everything she did was out of love and a desire to do what’s right, while all Merida cared about was herself. I think other people who watched Brave connected with Merida because they understood how she felt, and they wanted to be themselves in a world that wouldn’t let them. But I’m more like Elinor and I was always thinking, ‘Merida why are you doing this, don’t you know that you could cause your entire kingdom to fall into despair and desolation?!’ I understand Elinor’s struggle between what’s right for her kingdom and what’s right for her daughter. 

Who is your favorite Pixarian, and how do they inspire you?
I’d have to say my favorite Pixarian is Pete Docter. He’s really inspiring because he’s the classic underdog. When they were looking for a new director after Toy Story 2 Pete Docter stepped up to the plate but they told him he couldn’t do it, he was too new. But John Lasseter believed in him and gave him the job anyways, which resulted in some of the most touching and emotional of Pixar’s movies. Also, John Lasseter, this guy is the greatest  person on Earth. there are no words to describe how awesome this guy is. I don’t really know why I like him so much, maybe it’s because he reminds me of my dad. But John Lasseter can’t be forgotten because he is John Lasseter and that’s all there is too it. 

How and when did you first come to be a Pixar fanatic?
About a year ago in class our school’s counselor had us considering what kind of careers we wanted to pursue; and I, of course, knew that I was going to do something artsy. I was trying to narrow it down to something more specific when it dawned on me, people at Pixar get paid to dream up characters! So, being me, I watched every single Pixar movie and the commentaries and read a bunch of books about the place to prepare myself for my future dream job. 

Which upcoming Pixar film excites you the most ?
I’m super excited about Teddy Newton’s new movie. I’m a HUGE fan of his
and I think it’s about time he get to make his own movie. I’m also pretty excited about Pete Docter’s new film because his movies are always my favorites.

Is it a dream of yours to work for Pixar? If so, what sort of job would you like to have there?
Like I said before, I had my heart set on becoming a character designer for Pixar, but recently I’ve decided that I’m not nearly competitive enough to go out for a job like that. However, I do hope that maybe I can do something else for Pixar that doesn’t necessarily involve the arts.

How do friends and family react to your love for the studio?
To them it’s just another one of my quirks. They don’t really mind but they do get pretty irritated when we go to see a new Pixar movie and I provide a running commentary on the whole thing. :)

Try to explain the feeling of seeing a Pixar film, feature-length or short, for the very first time in just three words.
Awesome, but intimidating.

Pixar's films teach us many valuable life lessons. Can you recall a particular time when you implemented any of these lessons into your life?
Everyday; that’s the magical thing about Pixar. They teach kids, and even adults, lessons that can help them through everyday life. 

Which moral lesson showcased in a Pixar film resonates with you the most?
The lesson that Ellie embodies, that even though you may think that achieving your ultimate goals is the only thing that can make you happy, happiness is where your heart is. You may never achieve your dream, but maybe you didn’t need to. 

You are in argument with someone who claims Pixar is overrated. How do you convince them otherwise?
I would ask them when was the last time they created an entirely new computer system from scratch, invented an entirely new art form, and built a multi-million dollar company that impacted the lives of thousands of people and became a pop culture icon in only a few years. That might put them in their place.  Also, I would bring up the Death Star, which is my trump card.

Pixar have created something of a legacy for themselves ever since they began back in 1986. What part of said legacy do you hope the studio holds on to for as long as they are in existence?
I hope they remain a real company for real people, rather than a huge corporate monster that spews out movies just to make money. Pixar is so friendly and family-like, so devoted to their work. They have an attitude that allows people to pursue their dreams of working there rather than becoming distant and corporate.

If you could say something, anything, to the founders of Pixar right now, what would it be?
Amid the squeals and manly tears of joy they would probably make out something like ‘I love you so much, you guys rock, don’t stop what you’re doing, EVER.’ or something else equally embarrassing.

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Big thanks to Emma for contributing her fantastic answers! Follow her on Twitter at @LuxoCharaDesign and be sure to check out some of her extraordinary artwork on her deviantART page as well! And as always if you enjoy reading The Luxo Limelight, why not participate in it yourself? If you are interested don't forget to email me at pixarcornerunofficial@gmail.com!

Tune in once again next Friday for the eight issue of The Luxo Limelight!

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