Imagine growing up loving baseball, and one day getting to play on your favorite team with the players you idolized as a kid. Nick Bartone, lighting technical director at Pixar Animation Studios, can relate.
A graduate of Kell High School in Cobb County and the Savannah College of Art and Design, he recalls the day he became a Pixar fan. He was 9.
“The original ‘Toy Story’ was what initially captured my imagination as a kid,” he said. His time at the Savannah campus of SCAD, where he graduated in 2008, prepared him for an internship and then a job at Pixar.
“SCAD was the only college I applied to,” he said. “They have some advocates on campus that reach out to companies and they helped me.”
Bartone has worked on a number of projects including “Partly Cloudy” and “Toy Story 3.” His handiwork can be seen in “Inside Out,” in theaters now.
Starring the voices of Amy Poehler, Lewis Black, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan, "Inside Out" was directed by Pete Docter and Ronaldo Del Carmen. It tells the story of young Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) through all the voices in her head.
Raves reviewer Roger Moore: "'Inside Out' isn't designed to sell toys, like much recent Pixar product. It isn't an out-of-ideas sequel. It's a wholly original child's-eye-view of emotions and growing up, a demanding movie for small children and a rewarding and touching one for their parents."
Bartone worked on “Inside Out” for about 13 months.
“This one is pretty special,” he said. “It’s not something we’ve seen before. If we personify the emotions of the mind, what would that look like? Hopefully it’ll help people think about their emotions.”
As lighting technical director, it’s his job to enhance the movement of animated characters with lighting and shadows, to help bring each moment to life. Next up is “Finding Dory,” the sequel to “Finding Nemo.”
Bartone’s job is a challenge he loves.
“I treasure the fact that our values are in line with one another,” he said. “These are all creative people who want to make beautiful images and tell great stories.”
His advice to others who want to pursue a similar path: “Follow your passion. Don’t listen to the critics. If you do something you’re passionate about and enjoy, keep doing that thing and do a lot of it.”
And finally: “A lot of what you get out of your education is what you put into it. Be your own champion.”
