Lee Unkrich Quotes

Powerful Lee Unkrich for Daily Growth

About Lee Unkrich

Lee Unkrich, born on March 13, 1968, in Oakland, California, is an acclaimed American film director, animator, and editor, best known for his work at Pixar Animation Studios. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Unkrich developed a passion for films and animation at a young age. He studied film at San José State University, where he honed his skills in storytelling and visual effects. Unkrich joined Pixar in 1994 as an editor on the short film "Toy Story." His exceptional work earned him a promotion to co-director on "Toy Story 2," where he collaborated with John Lasseter, further solidifying his position at Pixar. In 2003, Unkrich made his directorial debut with the Oscar-winning film, "Finding Nemo." The film's success marked a significant milestone in Pixar's history and became one of the highest-grossing films of all time. In 2010, Unkrich directed the highly successful sequel to "Toy Story," titled "Toy Story 3." The film received widespread critical acclaim and was praised for its emotional depth and visual beauty. His final directorial work at Pixar was the 2017 release of "Coco," a deeply personal story about family, music, and the Day of the Dead. "Coco" went on to win multiple awards, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Throughout his career, Unkrich has been recognized for his unique storytelling abilities, mastery of animation techniques, and his ability to create emotionally resonant films. His works continue to inspire new generations of filmmakers and remain beloved by audiences worldwide.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The stories we tell are the defining characteristics of who we are."

This quote by Lee Unkrich emphasizes the significant role that narratives play in shaping our identities. The "stories" he refers to can encompass personal experiences, cultural myths, historical accounts, or fictional tales. They serve as a means to express our values, beliefs, and emotions, ultimately defining how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. Stories help us understand complex concepts, forge connections, and inspire change, thus making them instrumental in shaping who we are as individuals and as a society.


"Emotional truth is more important than factual accuracy."

This quote by Lee Unkrich emphasizes that the portrayal of genuine emotions, feelings, or experiences is paramount over the precise depiction of facts in creative works like films, stories, or art. It suggests that evoking emotional responses from an audience through authentic and relatable emotions can have a more profound impact than adhering strictly to historical accuracy or facts. This perspective encourages artists to prioritize emotional resonance in their work over strict factual representation.


"I think it's really important for us to remember that every character in a movie, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, has their own life before and after the events of the film we see on screen."

This quote by Lee Unkrich emphasizes the importance of considering each character's backstory and future development in storytelling, regardless of their apparent significance within the narrative presented on screen. It encourages us to recognize that every character has a unique existence beyond the confines of the film, which enriches their portrayal and makes them more relatable to the audience. This approach adds depth and authenticity to the overall story, ensuring that it resonates more profoundly with viewers.


"In storytelling, you have the opportunity to touch people in ways that other forms of media can't."

This quote emphasizes the unique emotional impact of storytelling as a medium. Unlike other forms of media, stories have the power to connect deeply with individuals, resonating within their hearts and minds. Through narratives, we can evoke empathy, inspire change, and foster shared understanding in ways that mere facts or images cannot achieve alone. In essence, Lee Unkrich highlights the special ability of stories to move people on a personal level, transcending simple communication for a more profound and transformative experience.


"If you let go of trying to please everyone, you will be free to do your best work."

This quote emphasizes the importance of individuality and creative freedom over seeking approval from others. When one strives to please everyone, they often compromise their unique vision and potential, which can hinder the quality of their work. By letting go of this constant need for validation, artists can instead focus on honing their craft and producing their best possible work. It's a reminder that true fulfillment and success come from authenticity, rather than attempting to cater to everyone's preferences.


The best way to bring people in and have them empathize with others is through storytelling.

- Lee Unkrich

Storytelling, Through, Best Way

When we were making 'Toy Story,' my grandmother was very ill, and she knew she was not going to make it. I went back to visit her, and there was a moment during that visit that I had to say goodbye, and I knew I'd never be seeing her again. I looked at her and knew that I was looking at her for the last time.

- Lee Unkrich

Goodbye, Back, Very, Last Time

I really personalized the pressure to make a good 'Toy Story' film. It made me physically sick at the beginning. Literally, I wanted to throw up in the morning because I was just so racked with stress.

- Lee Unkrich

Stress, Beginning, Made, Personalized

It wasn't the first film to show a kind of alternate vision of suburbia, but it left an indelible impression, I think, on everybody, and all films like that will forever be measured against 'Blue Velvet.'

- Lee Unkrich

Think, Measured, Films, Velvet

For 'Toy Story 3' to be recognized by the Academy as not only one of the best animated films of the year, but also as one of the 10 best pictures of the year, is both humbling and overwhelming.

- Lee Unkrich

Year, Recognized, Films, Humbling

It's important that nobody gets mad at you for screwing up. We know screwups are an essential part of making something good.

- Lee Unkrich

Making, Part, Essential Part, Essential

It is shocking how much a day-care center is like a prison. They both have security cameras with walled exercise yards. Prisons are permanent day cares for people permanently in time-out - convicts.

- Lee Unkrich

Center, Like, Cares, Convicts

You can be stuck for two weeks on a problem, and then you get the right couple of people in a room, and in five minutes, you get a great answer.

- Lee Unkrich

Minutes, Couple, Weeks, Two Weeks

For anyone who's had a transition in their life - heading off to college, parents sending their kids off to college, people getting out of college and heading off into the workforce. Those are major transitions.

- Lee Unkrich

College, Had, Heading, Workforce

Live action movies are someone else's story. With animation, audiences can't think that. Their guards are down.

- Lee Unkrich

Think, Down, Action Movies, Guards

The only reason we made 'Toy Story 2' is that we happened to come up with a storyline that was really good. It wasn't driven by wanting to make a sequel.

- Lee Unkrich

Reason, Made, Wanting, Storyline

People talk a lot about Pixar going off the rails. A lot of people are saying they aren't happy that we are making sequels. But for every one of those people, there is one that is happy because they fell in love with the worlds we created. We hope we've proved that a sequel can be every bit as enjoyable as the original.

- Lee Unkrich

Love, Sequels, Worlds, Rails

The question I get more than any other is, 'What does it mean to direct an animated film?' And the reality is that it's not a whole lot different from what you do in live action.

- Lee Unkrich

Question, More, Other, Live Action

One of the tricky things with animation is, because we spend four years on the movie and everything is done so methodically day by day by day, it can be a struggle to have the finished film feel spontaneous and loose and naturally occurring.

- Lee Unkrich

Feel, Movie, Finished, Struggle

'Coco' is shaping up to be one of the most beautiful films we've made.

- Lee Unkrich

Beautiful, Most, Films, Shaping

I guess it's the fear of failure and not knowing how the films are going to do that just drives us to work really hard to make them the best they can possibly be.

- Lee Unkrich

Work, Going, Films, Possibly

I saw a lot of movies that I probably shouldn't have seen. I saw 'Dog Day Afternoon' when I was in first grade - that kind of thing.

- Lee Unkrich

Kind, Seen, Saw, First Grade

The walls between live-action and animation are becoming really porous, and it's interesting.

- Lee Unkrich

Interesting, Walls, Becoming, Animation

Typically in animation, the characters exist in a kind of stasis. Look at 'The Simpsons' - they never age, the baby never grows up - or 'Peanuts' - the kids never grow up, they always stay the same age.

- Lee Unkrich

Grow, Always, Grows, Animation

It's a strange business, and unfortunately, what we do in animation is a mystery, especially the directors.

- Lee Unkrich

Business, Mystery, Directors, Animation

I looked long and hard at third films in series to see if there were any good ones that I could learn from. And there weren't any that hadn't just gone off the train tracks by their third film. Until, that is, I got to the third 'Lord of the Rings' film.

- Lee Unkrich

Good, Lord, Got, Train

I grew up loving watching movies, and at a certain point, I started to become fascinated with making movies. Then I went to film school, and I got to dabble with different aspects of moviemaking, and I ended up settling heavily into editing - editing was what I was really adept at, had a passion for.

- Lee Unkrich

Film School, Making Movies, Settling

Going through the Chagrin Falls school system, I always thought I was going off to art school.

- Lee Unkrich

Art, Through, Always, Art School

If you look at the beginning of children's entertainment in literature, the first books that were written for kids were cautionary tales. They were books that were there to teach kids about growing up and how to live life.

- Lee Unkrich

Beginning, Entertainment, Live Life

Do you ever achieve total forgiveness after screwing up?

- Lee Unkrich

Achieve, Ever, Total, Screwing

People loved the first two 'Toy Story' films so much, and the last thing I wanted to do was make a disappointing third film.

- Lee Unkrich

Film, Last, Films, Disappointing

I ended up being exposed to cinema that a lot of other kids wouldn't have been exposed to.

- Lee Unkrich

Other, Been, Lot, Exposed

I know I'm going to send my three kids off to college someday. I know my parents will pass away someday. It's one thing to say, 'I'll be able to deal with that day when it comes,' and it's another thing to find yourself at that day, dealing with it.

- Lee Unkrich

College, Deal, Away, Send

I feel like my job as a storyteller and director is to create an experience where the audience forgets they're in a cinema and can get lost in the story. Things popping out of the screen call attention to the artifice of what you're doing, so I use 3D as more of a window into a world behind the screen.

- Lee Unkrich

Doing, Behind, Popping, Forgets

Every one of us at Pixar is worried that we're going to be the one to make the dud.

- Lee Unkrich

Going, Pixar, Every, Worried

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