Hot off the success of her feature debut “Turning Red,” Pixar director Domee Shi has been promoted to a key leadership role alongside the film’s producer, Lindsey Collins.
Shi has been named a creative vice president at Pixar, joining a creative leadership team that also includes chief creative officer Pete Docter, “Finding Nemo” director Andrew Stanton, “Onward” director Dan Scanlon and “The Good Dinosaur” director Peter Sohn. The team of creative VPs oversees the development of all productions, serving as executive producers and consultants for the studio’s filmmakers. Shi will report to Docter and Pixar president Jim Morris.
Shi joined Pixar as a story artist on Docter’s 2015 film “Inside Out” and served the same role on “The Good Dinosaur,” “The Incredibles 2” and “Toy Story 4.” In 2018, she directed the short film “Bao,” which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short.
Collins, who served as VP of development, has been promoted to senior vice president of development, leading her own development team that works with the creative VPs to guide the production of Pixar’s feature films and streaming projects for Disney+. She will report to Morris.
Having served as a production assistant and manager on 90s Disney films like “Pocahontas” and “Hercules,” Collins joined Pixar during development of its second feature film, “A Bug’s Life,” and became a co-producer in 2008 with “WALL-E.” As VP of development, Collins oversaw the creation of the studio’s SparkShorts program, which allowed up-and-coming animators at the studio to develop short films for Disney+.
“As I reflect on my 25 years at Pixar, the pride and gratitude I have is surpassed only by the
excitement I feel stepping into this new role,” said Collins in a statement. “Pixar has always been a place that seeks to delight and surprise audiences and I am thrilled to be able to expand on that legacy and help shape what comes next, surrounded by some of the most diverse, unique and inspiring filmmakers and voices working today.”
The promotions were first reported by Variety.