Creative Conversations: With Dr. Alvy Ray Smith, Co-Founder

Dr. Alvy Ray Smith is a pioneering figure in computer graphics. He co-founded two major startups – Pixar, later sold to Disney and Altamira acquired by Microsoft.

Take a deep dive into the Alvy’s fascinating journey. His significant contributions to the computer graphics sector, has left an indelible mark on the technology and entertainment industries. From his early days at the Computer Graphics Laboratory to his groundbreaking contributions to beloved films like Toy Story and Finding Nemo, Alvy’s stories offer a deeper understanding of the history and technical intricacies behind computer graphics animation, as he shares his wealth of experience.

Alvy has received two technical Academy Awards, for the alpha channel and for digital paint systems. He invented the first full-color paint program and co-invented the alpha channel. Alvy also directed the Genesis Demo in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and hired John Lasseter, who ultimately directed Toy Story.

Alvy is a also a published author, A Biography of the Pixel, and, an advisor to Baobab Studios, an award-winning VR company in Silicon Valley.