JIM MORRIS (Producer/Executive Vice President, Production, Pixar Animation Studios)

JIM MORRIS (Producer/Executive Vice President, Production, Pixar Animation Studios) joined Pixar Animation Studios in 2005. Morris is responsible for managing the production of the Studio’s features, shorts, DVD content and theme park activities. He also oversees various production departments at Pixar, including Story, Art, Editorial, Animation, Shading, Lighting and Technical Direction.

Prior to joining Pixar, Morris held a range of key positions in various divisions of Lucasfilm Ltd. He served as President of Lucas Digital Ltd., and managed its two divisions, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Skywalker Sound. As ILM’s General Manager for more than ten years, he supervised a staff of over 1400 artists and technicians, and guided the largest visual effects facility in the entertainment industry.

During Morris’ tenure, ILM created the groundbreaking, Academy Award®-winning visual effects in “Jurassic Park,” “Death Becomes Her,” and “Forrest Gump.” Other notable projects completed under his management include “Mission: Impossible,” “Twister,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “Star Wars: Episode I and II,” “The Perfect Storm,” “Pearl Harbor,” “Minority Report,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Master and Commander,” and the first three “Harry Potter” films.

Morris joined ILM in 1987 as a producer of visual effects for films and commercials. He was subsequently promoted to ILM’s executive in charge of production, where he supervised all of the company’s production. “The Abyss,” which earned an Oscar® for Best Achievement in Visual Effects, and “Always,” are among his producing credits.

Before joining ILM, Morris was executive producer at Arnold & Associates, where he oversaw the company’s three offices and produced national commercials for clients such as Atari and Chevron. Prior to that, Morris was executive producer at One Pass, where he headed the commercial production department. He also served in the production departments at J. Walter Thompson, and Foote, Cone & Belding in San Francisco. Morris worked as a producer and director for PBS affiliate WCNY-TV, and began his career as a cameraman and editor at NBC affiliate WSYR-TV.

Morris is the recipient of both the Producers Guild of America Digital 50 Award and the Visual Effects Society Board of Directors Award. He currently serves as president of the San Francisco Film Commission. Morris earned a Bachelor of Science degree in film and a Master of Science degree in television and radio from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University.