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Jim Morris (film producer)

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Jim Morris
Born
James Morris
NationalityAmerican
Alma materSyracuse University
Occupations
  • Producer
  • production executive
  • visual effects producer
OrganizationGeneral Manager & President of Pixar

James Morris is an American film producer, production executive and visual effects producer. He is currently general manager and president of Pixar. Previously, he held key positions at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) for 17 years.[1]

Education and early career

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Morris graduated from the Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Delaware in 1973.[2] In 1977, Morris earned a Bachelor of Science degree in film, and in 1978 a Master of Science degree in television/radio, from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.[1][3]

Morris began his career with local television studios, followed by working on TV commercials.[4] He started as a cameraman and editor at NBC affiliate WSYR-TV. During this time, he independently produced and directed the award-winning documentary The Stag Hotel. He then worked at PBS affiliate WCNY-TV, where he wrote and produced the educational series Behind the Wheel as well as the Jim Lehrer-hosted documentary Old Folks at Home and Journey to the Mountain. During this same period, Morris wrote, directed and produced the independent documentary Snapshot. In 1980, Morris moved to San Francisco and worked as an editor at KTVU-TV in Oakland, after which he moved on to the production departments at advertising agencies J. Walter Thompson, and Foote, Cone & Belding. Morris was named executive producer heading the commercial production department at the innovative post-production facility One Pass, and then became the executive producer at Arnold & Associates, producing national commercials for clients such as Atari and Chevron.[1][3] While at Arnold & Associates, Morris received an NEA Grant to write, direct and produce the independent documentary Rehearsal.

Industrial Light & Magic

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In 1987, Morris joined ILM as a producer of visual effects for films and commercials, working on, amongst others, Steven Spielberg's Always and James Cameron's The Abyss, which earned an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.[3][4] He was subsequently promoted to be ILM's executive in charge of production, supervising all the company's production, and then ILM's general manager, supervising more than 1,400 artists and technicians and guiding the largest visual effects facility in the industry, a post he held for 13 years.[1][3] During this period, ILM's innovations resulting in Academy Awards included the pioneering use of computer-generated characters in Jurassic Park, realistic digital skin in Death Becomes Her, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Forrest Gump.[1][3][4] Other ILM projects he managed from the period include Mission: Impossible, Twister, Saving Private Ryan, Star Wars Episodes I and II, The Perfect Storm, Pearl Harbor, Minority Report, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Master and Commander, and three Harry Potter films.[1][3] ILM worked on over 160 films during this period.[5]

Morris was president of Lucas Digital Ltd. for 11 years, and managed its two divisions, ILM and Skywalker Sound. Additionally, Morris oversaw Lucasfilm Animation from 2000 to 2005.[5]

Pixar

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Morris joined Pixar Animation Studios in 2005.[6] He was producer of Pixar's critically acclaimed 2008 film, WALL-E, and was responsible for managing the production of the studio's features, shorts, DVD content, and theme park activities.[6] In 2008 he was named as general manager for Pixar Animation Studios.[6]

Morris was producer of Disney's 2012 film John Carter.[7]

On November 18, 2014, he was named as president of Pixar Animation Studios, succeeding Edwin Catmull.[8] In August 2019, former Walt Disney Animation Studios head Andrew Millstein was named as co-president of Blue Sky Studios, while Morris would also be taking a supervising role over Millstein.[9]

Industry roles and awards

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Morris served for many years as president of the San Francisco Film Commission.[1] He was a 2009 recipient of the Producers Guild of America Digital 25 Award.[10] Morris was the founding chair of the Visual Effect Society, and served in that role for two terms. He received the Visual Effects Society's board of directors Award in 2006, a Lifetime Membership in 2007, and their Founders Award in 2010 and was made a VES Fellow in 2016.[11] For WALL-E, Morris was awarded Producers Guild of America's 2009 Producer of the Year for Animated Motion Pictures,[12] the 2008 BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film, a 2008 American Film Institute Award for one of the 10 best films of the year, the 2008 Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film and a Visual Effects Society Award.[1] Morris is an active member in the VES, BAFTA, the Producers Guild and AMPAS, where he serves as a member of the Finance Committee. In 2021, Morris received the George Arents Award, Syracuse University's highest alumni honor.[13]

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Jim Morris" Archived December 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Visual Effects Society. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
  2. ^ "Pixar President Jim Morris '73 Visits Tower Hill". Tower Hill School. November 2, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Jim Morris ’77, G’78" Archived January 30, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Syracuse University San Francisco Giving. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
  4. ^ a b c Ryan Wilsey, "SIGGRAPH keynote review: Jim Morris, Pixar's General Manager", Icrontic, August 10, 2010. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
  5. ^ a b "Disney-Pixar Executive Jim Morris Chosen as a SIGGRAPH 2010 Keynote", SIGGRAPH, May 25, 2010. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
  6. ^ a b c "Jim Morris Named General Manager for Pixar Animation Studios; Andrew Millstein Named General Manager for Disney Animation Studios", PR Newswire, September 10, 2008. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  7. ^ Weintraub, Steven (March 8, 2012). "Producer Jim Morris JOHN CARTER Interview". Collider. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  8. ^ Graser, Marc (November 18, 2014). "Walt Disney Animation, Pixar Promote Andrew Millstein, Jim Morris to President". Variety. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  9. ^ Lang, Brent (August 9, 2019). "Disney Taps Andrew Millstein, Clark Spencer for Top Animation Posts". Variety. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  10. ^ "Digital 25: Leaders In Emerging Entertainment" Archived April 14, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Producers Guild of America. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  11. ^ "VES Honors" Archived October 1, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Visual Effects Society. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  12. ^ "PGA Award Winners 1990–2010" Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Producers Guild of America. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  13. ^ Herbert, Geoff (October 18, 2021). "Pixar president, astronaut Eileen Collins, more to receive Syracuse University awards". The Post-Standard. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
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