Ed Catmull: Inside the Braintrust

TL;DR

Pixar's Braintrust works because advisers provide candid feedback without having authority over the director, leaving the responsible filmmaker free to decide what action to take. Its effectiveness also depends on trust, constructive conflict, and managers monitoring whether people speak honestly. Disney Animation later applied these principles with largely the same staff and achieved six consecutive critical successes.

Transcript

Well the brain trust is something we happened on accidentally. John was the director and he had four people around him who were very focused and funny and really driven and they were passionate about the film itself so they would have intense discussions, but it was never personal. And they basically went through three films together, and this was ... Read More

Key Insights

• The Braintrust originated accidentally from a small group of passionate colleagues who worked through three films together. Their discussions were intense but never personal, establishing a pattern of peer feedback centered on the film rather than individual status or feelings.
• The Braintrust is not simply a collection of smart people in a room. Similar principles produced weaker results in technical and other groups, prompting Pixar's leaders to examine the specific interpersonal dynamics that made the original group effective.
• The Braintrust has no authority over the director responsible for the film. Members, including senior leaders, cannot dictate what the director must do, which changes the room's dynamics and reduces the director's incentive to enter discussions defensively.
• Candor is essential because creative problems require people to state honestly what works and what does not. People often hold back to avoid embarrassment, protect appearances, or grandstand, even when they do not acknowledge those emotional motives.
• Management's role is to observe whether the room's dynamics support honest discussion. Catmull focused less on evaluating each idea during a session and more on whether participants were expressing what they truly thought, trusting a healthy group to solve the problem.
• Constructive conflict can produce remarkable results, but the process is not consistently predictable. Catmull says Braintrust sessions sometimes collapse and sometimes create magic, yet careful design and continuing attention make the group highly effective overall.
• Trust develops through experience rather than appealing principles alone. People begin trusting one another after enduring mistakes and failures together, remaining supportive, and demonstrating through their behavior that they will continue to be there for one another.
• Disney Animation's turnaround involved largely the same people who had been present during its failures. Those employees learned candor, changed how they approached problems and failure, and became a different group collectively while developing a personality distinct from Pixar's Braintrust.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Pixar's Braintrust work?

Pixar's Braintrust brings passionate colleagues together to give filmmakers intense, candid feedback about what works and what does not. The advisers focus on the film rather than making disagreements personal. Most importantly, the group has no authority over the director, so members can offer notes but cannot dictate decisions. The director remains responsible for choosing how to address the identified problems.

Q: Why does the Braintrust have no authority over directors?

The Braintrust lacks authority so directors do not enter meetings fearing that the group can take control or force a decision. Even senior participants cannot tell the responsible filmmaker what to do. This separation between advice and authority reduces defensiveness, changes the emotional dynamics of the room, and allows candid criticism to be considered without removing ownership from the director.

Q: What makes a Braintrust different from a group of smart people?

A Braintrust depends on specific group dynamics, not merely the intelligence of its members. Pixar discovered this after trying to apply the idea to technical and other groups with less success. Effective sessions require candid discussion, a focus on the work, freedom from personal attacks, and advisers who lack decision-making authority over the person ultimately responsible for solving the problem.

Q: Why do people hold back during candid feedback sessions?

People often withhold honest opinions because they fear embarrassing themselves or others, want to appear capable in front of colleagues, or feel tempted to grandstand. These personal and emotional pressures interfere with candor, and participants frequently do not admit that the pressures exist. A successful feedback culture must therefore address the room's interpersonal dynamics, not merely ask people to share ideas.

Q: What should managers monitor during a Braintrust meeting?

Managers should monitor whether participants are saying what they genuinely think and whether the group's dynamics support productive problem solving. Catmull describes sitting back instead of becoming absorbed in judging the idea under discussion. His concern was whether candor was present, because he believed that a group with healthy dynamics could work through the creative problem without management directing every conclusion.

Q: How is trust built in a candid creative team?

Trust takes time and is earned through shared experience. Catmull says teams often need to go through mistakes, failures, and messy situations together, then remain supportive of one another afterward. When colleagues demonstrate that they will still be present for each other during difficulty, genuine trust begins to form, making it possible to practice candor and apply collaborative principles more effectively.

Q: How were Braintrust principles applied at Disney Animation?

Catmull and Lasseter taught the principles at Disney Animation while keeping the studio completely separate from Pixar, including prohibiting production work between them. They worked with Disney's existing people, changed processes, philosophy, and approaches to failure, and allowed trust to develop gradually. The studio then produced six films described as critical successes, followed by major commercial successes including Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, and Frozen.

Q: Can an established team change from failure to success?

Disney Animation's experience shows that largely the same people can change their collective performance by learning different behaviors. Employees who previously struggled with honesty, candor, problems, and failure altered how they worked together. Catmull emphasizes that the turnaround did not depend on Pixar rescuing Disney through shared production. Disney's team developed its own distinct personality and became extraordinary through internal cultural change.

Summary:

In this video, the speaker discusses the concept of the "brain trust" at Pixar and how it has contributed to their success. The brain trust is a group of individuals who give feedback and notes on films, but without any authority to tell the director what to do. This lack of authority creates a non-defensive and collaborative environment where honest and constructive feedback can be exchanged. The speaker also talks about how they have applied the principles of the brain trust to other groups within their organization and the importance of examining the dynamics of a room rather than just focusing on the ideas being discussed. Additionally, the speaker shares their experience of turning around Disney Animation and the impact of trust and applying principles in achieving success.

Questions & Answers:

Q: How did the brain trust at Pixar come about?

The brain trust at Pixar came about accidentally when the director and four focused and passionate individuals had intense discussions about the films they were working on. Their successful collaboration led to the addition of more people to this group, which eventually became known as the brain trust.

Q: What sets the brain trust apart from other groups?

One key factor that sets the brain trust apart is that it has no authority to tell the director what to do. This lack of authority creates a non-defensive environment where the director feels comfortable and open to feedback, knowing that the group cannot undermine them. This dynamic fosters collaboration and effective problem-solving.

Q: Why didn't applying the principles of the brain trust work as well with other groups within Pixar?

Applying the principles of the brain trust to other groups within Pixar didn't work as well because those groups lacked the same level of trust and collaborative dynamics. The brain trust's success is not just about smart people discussing ideas, but rather about the specific dynamics that have been cultivated within the group.

Q: What are some obstacles to candor and open feedback in most organizations?

Many individuals hold back from expressing their true thoughts and opinions due to personal and emotional reasons. They may fear embarrassing themselves or others, feeling the need to look good in front of others, or even wanting to grandstand. These reasons often go unacknowledged, but they hinder honest and open communication.

Q: What approach did the managers take when issues arose within the brain trust?

Instead of focusing solely on examining the ideas being discussed, the managers observed the dynamics of the room to determine if the group members were genuinely expressing their thoughts. The belief was that if the dynamics were working well, the group would find solutions to problems on their own.

Q: How has the brain trust contributed to the remarkable work done at Pixar?

The brain trust, as a group of individuals who freely express their thoughts and collaborate without authority, has contributed to the remarkable body of work produced at Pixar. Though there are occasional failures and collapses, the majority of the time the brain trust has resulted in outstanding achievements.

Q: Can the principles of the brain trust be applied in other organizations outside of Pixar?

The principles and practices of the brain trust can theoretically be applied to other organizations. However, it may require building trust, allowing for constructive conflicts, and going through failures together in order to create an environment conducive to open and honest feedback.

Q: How did the speaker apply the principles of the brain trust to turn around Disney Animation?

When the speaker and John were placed in charge of Disney Animation, they made the decision to keep Pixar and Disney Animation separate entities. They worked with the demoralized and failing Disney Animation team, teaching them the principles and philosophy behind the brain trust. It took time to earn trust, but eventually, the team began to apply the principles, resulting in critical and commercial successes.

Q: What were the outcomes of implementing the principles of the brain trust at Disney Animation?

Since the implementation of the brain trust principles at Disney Animation, they have produced six critically acclaimed films. The team's mindset and behavior have changed, allowing them to be honest and candid with each other, think differently about problems and failures, and ultimately achieve commercial success with films like Tangled, Wreck it Ralph, and Frozen.

Q: How did keeping Pixar and Disney Animation separate help in their respective turnarounds?

By keeping Pixar and Disney Animation separate, no one could claim that either studio rescued the other or that Disney bailed out Pixar. This allowed both studios to evolve with different personalities and mindsets. While they are very different from each other, they are both extraordinary groups that have achieved success in their own right.

Takeaways:

The brain trust concept, as implemented at Pixar, has proven to be instrumental in their success. By fostering an environment of trust, collaboration, and constructive feedback, the brain trust enables the production of remarkable work. The principles of the brain trust can potentially be applied to other organizations, but it requires building trust, allowing for genuine conflict, and learning from failures together. Additionally, the speaker's experience in turning around Disney Animation demonstrates the power of trust, principles, and evolving group dynamics in achieving significant improvements and commercial success.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Braintrust began accidentally when director John Lasseter worked closely with four passionate, funny, and driven colleagues through three films. Their intense discussions focused on improving the work rather than attacking individuals. As more people joined, the group became known as the Braintrust, but its success depended on more than assembling intelligent people.

• A defining feature of the Braintrust is its lack of authority over the director. Members can identify problems and offer candid notes, but they cannot issue commands. This arrangement reduces defensiveness and helps directors listen openly because the advisers cannot use their position to take control or impose a particular solution.

• Catmull and Lasseter applied these principles at Disney Animation while keeping it operationally separate from Pixar. Trust developed slowly through shared failures, continued support, and behavioral change. Largely the same employees who had struggled learned greater candor and healthier approaches to problems, contributing to six critical successes and later major commercial results.