Pixar Projection
Bringing Pixar films to the big screen, perfectly
Design and development
Pixar 2010 – present
Creating the perfect projection experience
At Pixar, every detail matters—from story and animation to how a film appears in theaters. To help ensure the highest-quality presentation of their feature films and shorts, I designed and developed a dedicated projectionist site. This resource provided essential technical specifications for both 2D and 3D film formats, detailed best practices, and direct insights from Pixar’s team. It also included critical sound calibration settings for Dolby 7.1 and ATMOS, giving projectionists everything they needed to deliver a flawless experience.
Beyond providing technical guidance, the site reinforced Pixar’s commitment to visual excellence at every stage of a film’s journey. Earlier programs even included a contest giveaway to encourage projectionists to engage with the site, driving adoption and reinforcing best practices across the industry.
Setting a new standard for film presentation
Pixar needed a way to maintain projection quality at the same high standard as their animation. I created a fully responsive site where projectionists could quickly access key details like brightness, color calibration, aspect ratios, and Dolby 7.1 and ATMOS sound settings—ensuring consistency across theaters.
The redesign also highlighted Pixar’s artistry, using large, full-frame stills to immerse projectionists in the creative world of each release while they reviewed the technical specifications. The site was designed to be intuitive, visually compelling, and highly practical for real-world use.
Beyond technical specs, the site featured messages from Pixar’s directors, reinforcing the projectionist’s role as the final step in delivering a flawless cinematic experience. Every aspect of the site aligned with Pixar’s meticulous attention to detail and dedication to storytelling.
Industry adoption & lasting impact
The Pixar Projection site became a go-to resource for theater projectionists, helping to deliver consistent, high-quality screenings of Pixar films worldwide. By equipping projectionists with the right tools and insights, the site ensured that audiences experienced Pixar’s films exactly as intended. This initiative reinforced Pixar’s reputation for excellence and underscored the critical role of projectionists in shaping the cinematic experience.
Key takeaways
This project highlighted the importance of supporting every stage of the creative process—from production to final projection. Designing for specialists requires clarity and precision—technical details had to be accessible and easy to implement. Finally, great storytelling extends beyond the screen—giving projectionists the right tools helped preserve the magic of Pixar’s animation for audiences worldwide.