In 1994 Steve Jobs was desperate for a comeback. He had sunk US$50m in a fledging animation company no one had heard of and knew nothing about the entertainment industry. He offered successful Silicon Valley start-up lawyer Lawrence Levy, a job - he was wary. After being ushered into a screening for a very early iteration of a project called Toy Story, Levy turned to Steve Jobs and Ed Catmull and said, somewhere in this building there is magic.
Screen Producers Australia is revealing the secrets behind that magic in a special presentation and Q&A session from ex-Pixar CFO, author and business leadership strategist, Lawrence Levy.
Lawrence Levy could be best described as a specialist in transformation and his personal journey is as inspirational as the company that he transformed. His lessons from turning Pixar into a high-risk experiment into a multi-billion-dollar studio that redefined entertainment are poignant for every independent producer. We are very fortunate to have Lawrence among us at SCREEN FOREVER, said Screen Producers Australia, CEO, Matt Deaner.
As CFO of Pixar, Levy proved that innovative creativity and commercial success were not mutually exclusive, in fact in the culture of Pixar he found the equilibrium that allowed that creative vision to flourish, without killing it with bureaucracy.
Within a year of working at Pixar, Toy Story, went on to gross over US$362million worldwide and a week later Levy transitioned Pixar into being a public company, which represented the largest IPO of the year valuing Pixar Animation Studios at US$1.5billion.
Innovation by definition means going some place where no one has gone before, Levy says.
His elite experience in leadership in the entertainment and technology industries has granted him a unique perspective of how to make the nexus between creativity and commercial success work without sacrificing integrity, vision or innovative thinking.
In a wide-ranging discussion, Levy will discuss strategies to unlock potential and the challenges and power of collaboration; resolving the tension between the artist and the bureaucrat and finding the middle way'; in addition to his insights into risk taking, self-mastery and creative success.
In a special Visionary Keynote Session supported by AFTRS, Lawrence Levy will appear at SCREEN FOREVER at 10.30 on Thursday 16th November: Pixar and Enlightenment-Cracking the Creative Code
Lawrence Levy Is the:
Former Pixar CFO and member of the Office of the President
Author, To Pixar and Beyond
Acclaimed Business Strategist
Founder, Juniper Foundation
Download the release.
Media Enquiries:
Laura Vozzo, Way To Blue
SPA@waytoblue.com
Ph: 0400489599
About SCREEN FOREVER
Uniting the pillars of entertainment, media and technology, SCREEN FOREVER is one of the largest congregations of screen industry professionals in the Southern Hemisphere. It is attended by the leading Australian and international industry practitioners involved in all aspects of producing, creating, writing, directing, distributing and financing screen content across film, television, games, interactive and online.
About Screen Producers Australia
Screen Producers Australia was formed by the screen industry to represent large and small enterprises across a diverse production slate of feature film, television and interactive content. Our members employ hundreds of producers, thousands of related practitioners and drive more than $1.7 billion worth of annual production activity from the independent sector. On behalf of these businesses we are focused on delivering a healthy commercial environment through ongoing engagement with elements of the labour force, including directors, writers, actors and crew, as well as with broadcasters, distributors and government in all its various forms. This coordinated dialogue ensures that our industry is successful, employment levels are strong and the community's expectations of access to high quality Australian content have been met.
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In 1994 Steve Jobs was desperate for a comeback. He had sunk US$50m in a fledging animation company no one had heard of and knew nothing about the entertainment industry. He offered successful Silicon Valley start-up lawyer Lawrence Levy, a job - he was wary. After being ushered into a screening for a very early iteration of a project called Toy Story, Levy turned to Steve Jobs and Ed Catmull and said, somewhere in this building there is magic. 
