Creativity Quote by Ed Catmull
““I’m not trying to be modest or self-effacing by saying this. Pixar films are not good at first, and our job is to make them so—to go, as I say, “from suck to not-suck.” This idea—that all the movies we now think of as brilliant were, at one time, terrible—is a hard concept for many to grasp. But think about how easy it would be for a movie about talking toys to feel derivative, sappy, or overtly merchandise-driven. Think about how off-putting a movie about rats preparing food could be, or how risky it must’ve seemed to start WALL-E with 39 dialogue-free minutes. We dare to attempt these stories, but we don’t get them right on the first pass. And this is as it should be. Creativity has to start somewhere, and we are true believers in the power of bracing, candid feedback and the iterative process—reworking, reworking, and reworking again, until a flawed story finds its throughline or a hollow character finds its soul.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Pixar Leadership Talk, 2011
Great stories often start terrible and improve through relentless iteration and candid feedback.
In simple terms: Good ideas need many revisions.
Key Takeaway
Embrace feedback and keep reworking.
Themes
creativity
iteration
feedback
storytelling
risk
Mood
determined
optimistic
Type
motivational
inspirational
When to use this quote
- film development
- animation studios
- creative teams
- product design
- writing workshops
Key Concepts
process
resilience
innovation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you create a culture that welcomes harsh critique?
- What steps help turn a flawed concept into a compelling story?
A Different Perspective
Not every first draft succeeds; resources may resist change.
