Peter Docter
Encyclopedia
Peter Hans "Pete" Docter (born October 9, 1968) is an American
film director
, animator
, and screenwriter
from Bloomington, Minnesota
. He is best known for directing the films Monsters, Inc.
and Up
, and as a key figure and collaborator in Pixar Animation Studios. The A. V. Club has called him "almost universally successful". He has been nominated for six Oscars (one win thus far for Up -- Best Animated Feature
), three Annie Awards (winning two), a BAFTA Children's Film Award (which he won), and a Hochi Film Award
(which he won). He has described himself as a "geeky kid from Minnesota who likes to draw cartoons."
He is currently directing an upcoming animated feature, set for release on May 30, 2014, and described as "...an inventive new film that explores a world that everyone knows, but no one has seen: inside the human mind."
, growing up introverted and socially isolated, preferring to work alone and having to remind himself to connect with others. He often played in the creek
beside his house, pretending to be Indiana Jones
and acting out scenes. A junior-high classmate later described him as "this kid who was really tall, but who was kind of awkward, maybe getting picked on by the school bullies because his voice change at puberty was very rough".
Both his parents worked in education: his mother, Rita, taught music and his father, Dave, was a choral director at Normandale Community College
. He attended Nine Mile Elementary School, Oak Grove Junior High, and John F. Kennedy High School in Bloomington
. Unlike his two sisters, Kirsten Docter, who is now the violist of the Cavani String Quartet
,and Kari Docter, a cellist with the Metropolitan Opera
, Docter was not particularly interested in music. Nevertheless, he can be seen playing on Michael Giacchino
's score on the Up
Blu-ray extra features. He taught himself cartooning, making flip book
s and homemade animated shorts with a family movie camera. He later described his interest in animation
as a way to "play God", making up nearly living characters. Cartoon director Chuck Jones
and producer Walt Disney
and cartoonist Jack Davis
were major inspirations.
He spent about a year at the University of Minnesota
studying both philosophy
and making art
before transferring to the California Institute of the Arts
, where he won a Student Academy Award for his production "Next Door" and graduated in 1990. Although Docter had planned to work for the Disney Corporation, his best offers came from Pixar
and from the producers of The Simpsons
. He did not think much of Pixar at that time, and later considered his choice to work there a strange and unusual one.
, Docter had created three non-computer animations, "Next Door", "Palm Springs", and "Winter". He was a fan of the company's early short films, but he knew nothing about them otherwise. He commented in an October 2009 interview, "Looking back, I kind of go, what was I thinking?"
He started at Pixar at the age of 21, and began work the day after his college graduation, the tenth employee the company hired, and its third animator
. He first met owner Steve Jobs
when Jobs came to lay off some older workers. Docter instantly felt at home in the tight-knit atmosphere of the company. He has said, "Growing up... a lot of us felt we were the only person in the world who had this weird obsession with animation. Coming to Pixar you feel like, 'Oh! There are others!'"
Docter had been brought in with limited responsibilities, but John Lasseter
quickly assigned him larger and larger roles in writing, animation, sound recording, and orchestra scoring. He was one of the three key screenwriters behind the concept of Toy Story
, and partially based the character of Buzz Lightyear
on himself. He had a mirror on his desk and made faces with it as he conceptualized the character.
Docter's fascination with character development was further influenced by a viewing of Paper Moon
, he told journalist Robert K. Elder
in an interview for The Film That Changed My Life
.
Docter has been an integral part of some of Pixar's most seminal works, including Toy Story
, Toy Story 2
, A Bug's Life
and Monsters, Inc.
, all of which received critical acclaim and honors. He contributed to these animated films as a co-author to the scripts, and worked with CGI
stalwarts such as John Lasseter
, Ronnie Del Carmen
, Bob Peterson, Andrew Stanton
, Brad Bird
, and Joe Ranft
. Docter has referred to his colleagues at Pixar as a bunch of "wild stallions".
In 2004, he was asked by John Lasseter
to direct the English
translation of Howl's Moving Castle
. Docter made his directorial debut with Monsters, Inc.
, which occurred right after the birth of his first child, Nick. Docter has said that the abrupt move from a complete, single-minded devotion to his career to parenting drove him "upside down" and formed the inspiration for the storyline. Docter then directed the 2009 film Up
, released on May 29, 2009. He based the protagonist of Up partially on himself, based on his frequent feelings of social awkwardness and his desire to get away from crowds to contemplate.
Docter appeared at Comic-Con 2008 and the 2009 WonderCon.
In May 2009, Docter remarked retrospectively to Christianity Today
that he had lived "a blessed life" so far. The A. V. Club has called him "almost universally successful". He has been nominated for four Oscars (winning one for Up
), three Annie Awards (winning two), a British Academy Children's Award (which he won), and a Hochi Film Award
(which he won). He also won a Bafta for best animation for UP. Accepting his Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
he said, "Never did I dream that making a flip book out of my third-grade math book would lead to this."
Docter is a fan of anime
, particularly the work of Hayao Miyazaki
. Docter has said that Miyazaki's animation has "beautifully observed little moments of truth that you just recognize and respond to". He is also a fan of the work done by his competitors at DreamWorks
as well. He has said, "I think it’s a much healthier environment when there is more diversity". Docter is also a devout Christian
. Though he incorporates his personal morality into his work, he has said that he does not intend to ever make a movie with an explicitly religious message.
About the relationship between his faith and his filmmaking, Docter has said:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
, and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
from Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
. He is best known for directing the films Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 American computer-animated film and the fourth feature-length film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It was directed by Pete Docter, co-directed by Lee Unkrich and David Silverman, and written by Jill Culton, Peter Docter, Ralph Eggleston, Dan Gerson, Jeff Pidgeon, Rhett...
and Up
Up (2009 film)
Up is a 2009 American computer-animated comedy-adventure film produced by Pixar, distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and presented in Disney Digital 3-D. The film premiered on May 29, 2009 in North America and opened the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first animated and 3D film...
, and as a key figure and collaborator in Pixar Animation Studios. The A. V. Club has called him "almost universally successful". He has been nominated for six Oscars (one win thus far for Up -- Best Animated Feature
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Los Angeles-based professional organization, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
), three Annie Awards (winning two), a BAFTA Children's Film Award (which he won), and a Hochi Film Award
Hochi Film Award
The are film-specific prizes awarded solely by the Hochi Shimbun.- Categories :*Best Picture*Best International Picture*Best Actor*Best Actress*Best Supporting Actor*Best Supporting Actress*Best New Artist*Special Award*Best Director- Winner :...
(which he won). He has described himself as a "geeky kid from Minnesota who likes to draw cartoons."
He is currently directing an upcoming animated feature, set for release on May 30, 2014, and described as "...an inventive new film that explores a world that everyone knows, but no one has seen: inside the human mind."
Early life
Docter was born in Bloomington, MinnesotaBloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
, growing up introverted and socially isolated, preferring to work alone and having to remind himself to connect with others. He often played in the creek
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
beside his house, pretending to be Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
and acting out scenes. A junior-high classmate later described him as "this kid who was really tall, but who was kind of awkward, maybe getting picked on by the school bullies because his voice change at puberty was very rough".
Normandale Community College
Normandale Community College is a two-year college located in Bloomington, Minnesota, serving primarily the communities of the southwestern portion of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. Established in 1968 as Normandale State Junior College with an initial enrollment of 1,358 students,...
. He attended Nine Mile Elementary School, Oak Grove Junior High, and John F. Kennedy High School in Bloomington
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
. Unlike his two sisters, Kirsten Docter, who is now the violist of the Cavani String Quartet
Cavani String Quartet
The Cavani String Quartet is an American string quartet based in Cleveland, Ohio. The group was established in 1984 and has been the Quartet-in-Residence at the Cleveland Institute of Music since 1988...
,and Kari Docter, a cellist with the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
, Docter was not particularly interested in music. Nevertheless, he can be seen playing on Michael Giacchino
Michael Giacchino
Michael Giacchino is an American composer who has composed scores for movies, television series and video games. Some of his most notable works include the scores to television series such as Lost, Alias and Fringe, games such as the Medal of Honor and Call of Duty series, and films such as...
's score on the Up
Up (2009 film)
Up is a 2009 American computer-animated comedy-adventure film produced by Pixar, distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and presented in Disney Digital 3-D. The film premiered on May 29, 2009 in North America and opened the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first animated and 3D film...
Blu-ray extra features. He taught himself cartooning, making flip book
Flip book
A flip book or flick book is a book with a series of pictures that vary gradually from one page to the next, so that when the pages are turned rapidly, the pictures appear to animate by simulating motion or some other change. Flip books are often illustrated books for children, but may also be...
s and homemade animated shorts with a family movie camera. He later described his interest in animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
as a way to "play God", making up nearly living characters. Cartoon director Chuck Jones
Chuck Jones
Charles Martin "Chuck" Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of animated films, most memorably of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio...
and producer Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
and cartoonist Jack Davis
Jack Davis (cartoonist)
Jack Davis is an American cartoonist and illustrator, known for his advertising art, magazine covers, film posters, record album art and numerous comic book stories...
were major inspirations.
He spent about a year at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
studying both philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and making art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
before transferring to the California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
, where he won a Student Academy Award for his production "Next Door" and graduated in 1990. Although Docter had planned to work for the Disney Corporation, his best offers came from Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
and from the producers of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. He did not think much of Pixar at that time, and later considered his choice to work there a strange and unusual one.
Career
Before joining PixarPixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
, Docter had created three non-computer animations, "Next Door", "Palm Springs", and "Winter". He was a fan of the company's early short films, but he knew nothing about them otherwise. He commented in an October 2009 interview, "Looking back, I kind of go, what was I thinking?"
He started at Pixar at the age of 21, and began work the day after his college graduation, the tenth employee the company hired, and its third animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
. He first met owner Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
when Jobs came to lay off some older workers. Docter instantly felt at home in the tight-knit atmosphere of the company. He has said, "Growing up... a lot of us felt we were the only person in the world who had this weird obsession with animation. Coming to Pixar you feel like, 'Oh! There are others!'"
Docter had been brought in with limited responsibilities, but John Lasseter
John Lasseter
John Alan Lasseter is an American animator, director and the chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is also currently the Principal Creative Advisor for Walt Disney Imagineering....
quickly assigned him larger and larger roles in writing, animation, sound recording, and orchestra scoring. He was one of the three key screenwriters behind the concept of Toy Story
Toy Story
Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is Pixar's first feature film as well as the first ever feature film to be made entirely with CGI. The film was directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen...
, and partially based the character of Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear is a character and the main deuteragonist of the Toy Story franchise. Buzz is a space ranger action figure and the co-leader of Andy's Room. He has also appeared in the movie Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins and the television series spin-off Buzz Lightyear of...
on himself. He had a mirror on his desk and made faces with it as he conceptualized the character.
Docter's fascination with character development was further influenced by a viewing of Paper Moon
Paper Moon (film)
Paper Moon is a 1973 American comedy film directed by Peter Bogdanovich and released by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was adapted from the novel Addie Pray by Joe David Brown, and the film was shot in black-and-white. The film is set during the Great Depression in the U.S. states of Kansas and...
, he told journalist Robert K. Elder
Robert K. Elder
Robert K. Elder is an American journalist, author and film columnist.- Early life and education :A Montana native, Elder interviewed Ken Kesey for his high school newspaper. The author encouraged Elder to attend his alma mater, the University of Oregon, which Elder did two years later...
in an interview for The Film That Changed My Life
The Film That Changed My Life
The Film That Changed My Life is a non-fiction collection of interviews compiled by American journalist, author and film columnist Robert K. Elder...
.
I like the more character-driven stuff, and Paper Moon brought that home to me in a way that I had not seen in live action, really focusing on the whole story just about characters. It was almost theatrical in the same way you might see a stage show because you’re locked in a room. It’s got to be about characters, and yet it was so cinematic, a film that couldn’t be done in any other medium. It just kind of blew my socks off.
Docter has been an integral part of some of Pixar's most seminal works, including Toy Story
Toy Story
Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is Pixar's first feature film as well as the first ever feature film to be made entirely with CGI. The film was directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen...
, Toy Story 2
Toy Story 2
Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer animated film directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon. It is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story, released by Walt Disney Pictures and the third film to be produced by Pixar...
, A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life is a 1998 American computer animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on November 25, 1998. A Bug's Life was the second Disney·Pixar feature film after Toy Story, and the third American computer-animated film after Toy...
and Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 American computer-animated film and the fourth feature-length film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It was directed by Pete Docter, co-directed by Lee Unkrich and David Silverman, and written by Jill Culton, Peter Docter, Ralph Eggleston, Dan Gerson, Jeff Pidgeon, Rhett...
, all of which received critical acclaim and honors. He contributed to these animated films as a co-author to the scripts, and worked with CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
stalwarts such as John Lasseter
John Lasseter
John Alan Lasseter is an American animator, director and the chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is also currently the Principal Creative Advisor for Walt Disney Imagineering....
, Ronnie Del Carmen
Ronnie del Carmen
Ronnie del Carmen is an animation storyboard, story artist and designer. He was recently Story Supervisor on Pixar's tenth full-length computer-animated film titled Up and director of its accompanying short film on DVD, Dug's Special Mission.-Filmography:*The Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You...
, Bob Peterson, Andrew Stanton
Andrew Stanton
Andrew Stanton is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and occasional voice actor based at Pixar Animation Studios. His film work includes writing and directing Finding Nemo and WALL-E; both films earned him the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.-Life and career:Stanton was...
, Brad Bird
Brad Bird
Phillip Bradley "Brad" Bird is an Academy Award-winning American director, voice actor, animator and screenwriter. He is best known for writing and directing Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles and Ratatouille . He also adapted and directed the critically acclaimed 2D animated 1999 Warner Brothers...
, and Joe Ranft
Joe Ranft
Joseph Henry "Joe" Ranft was an American screenwriter, animator, storyboard artist and voice actor who worked for Pixar and Disney. His brother, Jerome Ranft, is a sculptor who also worked on several Pixar movies....
. Docter has referred to his colleagues at Pixar as a bunch of "wild stallions".
In 2004, he was asked by John Lasseter
John Lasseter
John Alan Lasseter is an American animator, director and the chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is also currently the Principal Creative Advisor for Walt Disney Imagineering....
to direct the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation of Howl's Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle (film)
is a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli and based on the novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones...
. Docter made his directorial debut with Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 American computer-animated film and the fourth feature-length film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It was directed by Pete Docter, co-directed by Lee Unkrich and David Silverman, and written by Jill Culton, Peter Docter, Ralph Eggleston, Dan Gerson, Jeff Pidgeon, Rhett...
, which occurred right after the birth of his first child, Nick. Docter has said that the abrupt move from a complete, single-minded devotion to his career to parenting drove him "upside down" and formed the inspiration for the storyline. Docter then directed the 2009 film Up
Up (2009 film)
Up is a 2009 American computer-animated comedy-adventure film produced by Pixar, distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and presented in Disney Digital 3-D. The film premiered on May 29, 2009 in North America and opened the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first animated and 3D film...
, released on May 29, 2009. He based the protagonist of Up partially on himself, based on his frequent feelings of social awkwardness and his desire to get away from crowds to contemplate.
Docter appeared at Comic-Con 2008 and the 2009 WonderCon.
In May 2009, Docter remarked retrospectively to Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
that he had lived "a blessed life" so far. The A. V. Club has called him "almost universally successful". He has been nominated for four Oscars (winning one for Up
Up (2009 film)
Up is a 2009 American computer-animated comedy-adventure film produced by Pixar, distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and presented in Disney Digital 3-D. The film premiered on May 29, 2009 in North America and opened the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first animated and 3D film...
), three Annie Awards (winning two), a British Academy Children's Award (which he won), and a Hochi Film Award
Hochi Film Award
The are film-specific prizes awarded solely by the Hochi Shimbun.- Categories :*Best Picture*Best International Picture*Best Actor*Best Actress*Best Supporting Actor*Best Supporting Actress*Best New Artist*Special Award*Best Director- Winner :...
(which he won). He also won a Bafta for best animation for UP. Accepting his Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Los Angeles-based professional organization, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
he said, "Never did I dream that making a flip book out of my third-grade math book would lead to this."
Personal life
He is married to Amanda Docter and has two children, Nick and Elie (Nicholas and Elizabeth), ages 14 and 11 , respectively. Elie has a speaking part in Up as "Young Ellie".Docter is a fan of anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, particularly the work of Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
. Docter has said that Miyazaki's animation has "beautifully observed little moments of truth that you just recognize and respond to". He is also a fan of the work done by his competitors at DreamWorks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
as well. He has said, "I think it’s a much healthier environment when there is more diversity". Docter is also a devout Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
. Though he incorporates his personal morality into his work, he has said that he does not intend to ever make a movie with an explicitly religious message.
About the relationship between his faith and his filmmaking, Docter has said:
Pixar filmography
- Toy StoryToy StoryToy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is Pixar's first feature film as well as the first ever feature film to be made entirely with CGI. The film was directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen...
(1995) - Story / Head Animator - Geri's GameGeri's GameGeri's Game is a five-minute animated short film made by Pixar in 1997, written and directed by Jan Pinkava. It was the first Pixar Short created after Toy Story, the previous short being Knick Knack in 1989....
(1997)- Animator - A Bug's LifeA Bug's LifeA Bug's Life is a 1998 American computer animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on November 25, 1998. A Bug's Life was the second Disney·Pixar feature film after Toy Story, and the third American computer-animated film after Toy...
(1998)- Additional Storyboard Artist - Toy Story 2Toy Story 2Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer animated film directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon. It is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story, released by Walt Disney Pictures and the third film to be produced by Pixar...
(1999) - Story - Monsters, Inc.Monsters, Inc.Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 American computer-animated film and the fourth feature-length film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It was directed by Pete Docter, co-directed by Lee Unkrich and David Silverman, and written by Jill Culton, Peter Docter, Ralph Eggleston, Dan Gerson, Jeff Pidgeon, Rhett...
(2001) - Director / Story - Mike's New CarMike's New CarMike's New Car is a 2002 Pixar animated short, starring the two main characters from Monsters, Inc., Mike and Sulley. Directed by Pete Docter and Roger Gould, it is the first Pixar short to utilize dialogue and the first to take characters and situations from a previously established work.It...
(2002) - Director / Story - Boundin'Boundin'Boundin' is a 2003 Pixar short film, shown at the start of the film The Incredibles. The film was written, directed, narrated and featured the musical composition and performance of PIXAR animator Bud Luckey.-Plot:...
(2003)- Special Thanks - Howl's Moving CastleHowl's Moving Castle (film)is a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli and based on the novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones...
(2004) - Director / Executive Producer (U.S. production) - WALL-EWALL-EWALL-E, promoted with an interpunct as WALL•E, is a 2008 American computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and directed by Andrew Stanton. The story follows a robot named WALL-E, who is designed to clean up a waste-covered Earth far in the future...
(2008) - Story - Partly CloudyPartly CloudyPartly Cloudy is a Pixar CGI animated short film directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Kevin Reher. It was shown in theaters before Pixar's feature film Up and is a special feature on its DVD and Blu-ray release. It was included in the Animation Show of Shows in 2009. In a , Sohn says his idea for...
(2009) - Special Thanks - UpUp (2009 film)Up is a 2009 American computer-animated comedy-adventure film produced by Pixar, distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and presented in Disney Digital 3-D. The film premiered on May 29, 2009 in North America and opened the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first animated and 3D film...
(2009) - Director, Story, Writer/ Voice of Kevin and Campmaster Strauch - Dug's Special MissionDug's Special MissionDug's Special Mission is a short Pixar film, directed by Ronnie del Carmen. It is tied into and included on the DVD and Blu-ray Disc release of Up.-Premise:...
(2009) - Executive Producer - The Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You Inside the Mind (2014) - Director