In 1979, Star Wars director George Lucas launched a computer division of Lucasfilm, and
Catmull became a candidate for running the new unit. The interviewer who screened him
asked about other candidates who might excel at the job. Catmull named several people and
cited their accomplishments. Later he learned that the interviewer asked each applicant that
question, and the others refused to name even one possible competitor. Only Catmull sang
his colleagues’ praises. His openness and willingness to collaborate were major factors in
his hiring.
In trying to name the computer that created graphic film images, one colleague suggested
what he erroneously thought was a Spanish verb: “Pixer.” Another suggested “Radar.” That
is how they named the Pixar Image Computer and, eventually, the division and the company.