{"id":4201,"date":"2013-04-28T16:22:18","date_gmt":"2013-04-28T14:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/?p=4201"},"modified":"2026-02-17T12:00:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:00:23","slug":"pixar-animation-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/28\/pixar-animation-software\/","title":{"rendered":"Pixar animation software part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>This article is the first of a three part series<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/2014\/04\/28\/pixar-animation-software-part-ii\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pixar animation software part 2<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/01\/pixar-animation-software-part-iii\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pixar animation software part 3<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong> Wondering what animation software Pixar uses to bring us magical movies like Monsters inc 2? Wonder no more!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a latest Open Subdiv demo, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xFZazwvYc5o\">Autodesk Meet the experts presentation<\/a>, Pixar&#8217;s engineer lead Dirk Van Gelder lets us have a quick peek at his computer screen so we get to see what Pixar&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marionette_(software)\">Marionette<\/a> looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Meet the Experts: Pixar Animation Studios, The OpenSubdiv Project\" width=\"470\" height=\"264\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xFZazwvYc5o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you didn&#8217;t know, the software&#8217;s 30th iteration of Marionette or Menv (the name comes from the original name, Modeling environment), is now called Presto, as a tribute to <a href=\"&lt;a href=\">Doug Sweetland&#8217;s 2008 short film<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69de10f65f0c5&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69de10f65f0c5\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"877\" height=\"455\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Presto-2008.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5568\" title=\"Presto-2008\" srcset=\"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Presto-2008.jpg 877w, https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Presto-2008-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Presto-2008-768x398.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 877px) 100vw, 877px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Around 18 minutes into the presentation, we can have a good look at the interface and see Monsters University&#8217;s character, <a href=\"http:\/\/pixar.wikia.com\/Dean_Hardscrabble\">Dean Hardscrabble<\/a>, the dean of the School of Scaring faculty, in motion. Here is a screenshot.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69de10f65f714&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69de10f65f714\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"631\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Menv_screenshot_2-1024x631.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5569\" srcset=\"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Menv_screenshot_2-1024x631.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Menv_screenshot_2-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Menv_screenshot_2-768x473.jpg 768w, https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Menv_screenshot_2.jpg 1533w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pixar Marionette<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Instead of being displayed in the viewport as we are accustomed to, the controls or Avars (this is how they are called at Pixar) are tucked to the bottom right of the screen and displayed as some sort of advanced channel box or <a href=\"http:\/\/accad.osu.edu\/~smay\/AL\/tools\/chant.html#spreadsheet\">spreadsheet<\/a> since this is the term used in Animation Language <a href=\"http:\/\/citeseerx.ist.psu.edu\/viewdoc\/download?doi=10.1.1.123.1656&amp;rep=rep1&amp;type=pdf\">AL<\/a>, the ancestor of Pixar&#8217;s Menv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An other interesting thing we notice is that Presto runs on Linux and the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/GNOME\">Gnome environment<\/a>. This could be surprising when we think that Pixar&#8217;s CEO was also Apple&#8217;s CEO.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69de10f65fd0c&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69de10f65fd0c\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"644\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Menv_Brave-1024x644.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5570\" srcset=\"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Menv_Brave-1024x644.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Menv_Brave-300x189.jpg 300w, https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Menv_Brave-768x483.jpg 768w, https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Menv_Brave-1536x967.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Menv_Brave.jpg 1716w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Animator working on Brave<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If you want to see Presto in action a little bit more, check out that Guardian&#8217;s interview with Toy Story 3&#8217;s Animation Supervisor <a href=\"http:\/\/bobbypodesta.tumblr.com\/\">Bobby Podesta<\/a> : (the video seems to have been pulled out, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0qGlL3J1ZKQ\">here is an other one instead<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Inside Pixar  &#039;I haven&#039;t thought about anything but Toy Story 3 for four years&#039; | Film | guardian co uk\" width=\"470\" height=\"353\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/su_3e9AU9SA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>or that one with <strong>Sanjay Patel<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"This Week: Sanjay Patel\" width=\"470\" height=\"264\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NiXHoKQ9d7Q?start=103&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ah and to finish this post, what a better way than posting Monsters University&#8217;s third trailer!!! As a side note, Monsters Inc is still my favourite Pixar feature \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Monsters University Trailer 3\" width=\"470\" height=\"264\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_Fb1IzsOAHs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Related posts:<\/em><\/strong><br>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/2012\/06\/26\/pixar-brave-wireframes\/\">Pixar Brave wireframes<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wondering what animation software Pixar uses to bring us magical movies like Monsters inc 2? Wonder no more!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[105,463,478,504,505,547,580,592],"class_list":["post-4201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-animation","tag-autodesk","tag-marionette","tag-menv","tag-monsters-inc","tag-monsters-university","tag-open-subdiv","tag-pixar","tag-presto"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4201"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4201\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5707,"href":"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4201\/revisions\/5707"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olivier-ladeuix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}