Edwin Catmull facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Edwin Catmull
Catmull in 2015
Born	Edwin Earl Catmull (1945-03-31) March 31, 1945 (age 80) Parkersburg, West Virginia, U.S.
Education	University of Utah (BS, MS, PhD)
Known for	Texture mapping Catmull–Rom spline Catmull–Clark subdivision surface
Spouse(s)	Susan Anderson
Children	3
Awards	Academy Award (1993, 1996, 2001, 2008) IEEE John von Neumann Medal (2006) Computer History Museum Fellow (2013) ACM Turing Award (2019)
Scientific career
Fields	Computer science
Institutions	New York Institute of Technology Pixar Animation Studios Walt Disney Animation Studios
Thesis	A Subdivision Algorithm for Computer Display of Curved Surfaces (1974)
Doctoral advisor	Robert E. Stephenson

Edwin Catmull is a famous American computer scientist and animator. He helped start Pixar and was the President of Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is known for his amazing work in 3D computer graphics, which are the pictures and animations made by computers. He even won the Turing Award in 2019, which is like a Nobel Prize for computer science!

Early Life and Dreams

Edwin Catmull was born on March 31, 1945, in Parkersburg, West Virginia. His family later moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. His father was a high school principal there.

When he was young, Edwin loved Disney movies. He especially liked Peter Pan and Pinocchio. He dreamed of becoming an animator. However, there were no animation schools back then.

Since he also enjoyed math and physics, he decided to study science. He even made his own animations using flip-books.

Discovering Computer Graphics

In 1969, Catmull earned degrees in physics and computer science from the University of Utah. He met Ivan Sutherland, who had created a computer drawing program called Sketchpad. This meeting changed Catmull's focus to digital imaging.

He became part of a special program at the university. His main goal was to create full-length movies using advanced computer graphics. This was a brand new idea at the time.

While at the university, he made important discoveries in computer graphics. He helped create texture mapping and bicubic patches. He also invented ways to make subdivision surfaces look smoother.

First Animated Hand

In 1972, Catmull made his first contribution to film. He created a one-minute animated video of his own left hand. He made it with Fred Parke at the University of Utah. This short animation was called A Computer Animated Hand.

A Hollywood producer later used this animation in the 1976 movie Futureworld. This film was one of the first to use 3D computer graphics. A Computer Animated Hand was so important that it was saved in the National Film Registry in 2011.

Career in Animation

After getting his doctorate in computer science in 1974, Catmull joined a company called Applicon. Soon after, he was asked to lead a new Computer Graphics Lab.

Inventing Tween Software

At the lab in 1977, he invented "Tween" software. This program helped 2D animation by automatically creating frames of movement. These frames would go in between two main drawings.

However, Catmull's team struggled to tell stories well with their computer films. He and his partner, Alvy Ray Smith, tried to get help from movie studios. They finally got the attention of George Lucas from Lucasfilm.

Joining Lucasfilm

In 1979, George Lucas asked Catmull to lead a team. This team would bring computer graphics, video editing, and digital audio into the entertainment world.

Catmull became a Vice President at Lucasfilm. He started a "computer division" within the company. By 1980, he had set up three main projects. He hired experts to lead them, including Alvy Ray Smith for graphics.

The Pixar Journey

In 1986, Steve Jobs bought Lucasfilm's digital division. This became Pixar, where Catmull continued his work. Pixar later joined Disney in 2006.

In 2007, Catmull and John Lasseter took charge of Disneytoon Studios. They oversaw three studios: Pixar, Disney Animation, and Disneytoon. Catmull and Lasseter lived far from the Disney studios in Los Angeles. So, they appointed general managers for each studio. They then traveled regularly between Pixar and Disney Animation.

In 2014, the general managers of Disney Animation and Pixar became presidents. They still reported to Catmull. On October 23, 2018, Catmull announced he would retire from Pixar and Disney Animation. He stayed on as an adviser until July 2019.

After Disney

In March 2022, a company called Thatgamecompany announced that Catmull joined them. He became a main adviser on creative culture and growth.

Personal Life

As of 2006, Edwin Catmull lives in Marin County, California. He lives with his wife, Susan Anderson, and their three children.

Catmull has a unique condition called aphantasia. This means he cannot form mental pictures in his head.

Awards and Achievements

Edwin Catmull has received many awards for his work.

• In 1993, he won an Academy Scientific and Technical Award. This was for developing software called PhotoRealistic RenderMan. This software helps create images for movies from 3D computer designs.
• In 1996, he received another Academy Scientific and Technical Award. This was for his early inventions in combining digital images.
• In 2001, he won an Oscar for his important improvements in movie rendering. This was shown in Pixar's RenderMan.
• In 2006, he received the IEEE John von Neumann Medal. This award recognized his pioneering work in computer graphics, modeling, animation, and rendering.
• In 2009, he was given the Gordon E. Sawyer Award. This award honors people in the movie industry whose technology contributions have helped the industry.
• In 2013, the Computer History Museum named him a Museum Fellow. This was for his groundbreaking work in computer graphics, animation, and filmmaking.
• In 2019, Catmull shared the Turing Award with Pat Hanrahan. This top award was for their pioneering work on computer-generated imagery.

His book Creativity, Inc. was also recognized. It was shortlisted for a major business book award in 2014.

Filmography

Edwin Catmull has been involved in many famous films.

See also

In Spanish: Edwin Catmull para niños