How to Make Creativity More Efficient

Slow is Smooth. Smooth is Fast.

Navy seals, elite companies, and high-performers across industry espouse this advice. So… it must be true. But, how does it get put into practice?

For Pixar, it started with their animators.

To build a budget for their films, Pixar executives calculated their workload in terms of person-weeks. Fewer person-weeks equaled money saved.

In an executive meeting regarding the movie Up!, associate producer Denise Ream implored leadership to slow down. Delay when the animators start working.

Pixar’s teams had an intense eagerness to get going, which always felt like efficiency.

But, first versions of scripts, voiceovers, and design usually needed to be changed. This led to re-edits for animators and more total work.

“I believe that animators will work faster than you give them credit for if you give them if they have all the pieces you need when they begin”

Pixar took Denise’s advice and Up! came in under budget and on time.

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