How VAST Data Empowers Pixar’s Creative Vision

When it comes to creating extraordinary stories and captivating visuals, Pixar Animation Studios has always been at the forefront of innovation. Their latest film, “Elemental,” once again showcases their commitment to pushing the boundaries of creativity. But behind the scenes, a hidden hero is fueling Pixar’s technical wizardry—VAST Data, the leading data platform company for the AI era.

The captivating collaboration between Pixar and VAST Data began in 2018 when Pixar embarked on a groundbreaking project called “Soul.” This venture explored new animation techniques using volumetric rendering. Recognizing the immense potential of VAST’s cutting-edge technology, Pixar enlisted its expertise to tackle the intricate computational demands of their latest film, “Elemental.” Unlike anything they had done before, “Elemental” required Pixar to scale their volumetric characters and environments, resulting in a staggering six-fold increase in data footprint and computational requirements compared to “Soul.”

To conquer these technical challenges head-on, Pixar embraced the remarkable VAST Data Platform—a game-changing solution that empowers their creative team. By harnessing the strength of a single datastore cluster managed across one high-performance namespace, VAST grants real-time access to an astonishing 7.3 petabytes of data. This ensures Pixar’s render farm is always bustling with activity, delivering unmatched productivity while enabling enhanced observability, analytics, and seamless collaboration across multiple productions.

Now, Pixar’s latest film, “Elemental,” stands as their most technically complex endeavor to date, and the partnership with VAST Data has been instrumental in achieving artistic breakthroughs. This collaboration has emboldened Pixar to push the boundaries of animation, delving into previously uncharted techniques. VAST’s technology has revolutionized its data storage and access capabilities, paving the way for new visual pipelines. With VAST as their trusted partner, Pixar has unlocked a world of possibilities, empowering them to unleash their creativity and craft groundbreaking visual experiences.

VAST’s collaboration with Pixar has brought several key benefits that have revolutionized the animation process. Firstly, the robust platform VAST provides ensures optimized data access, even during peak rendering usage. This unprecedented performance allows hundreds of thousands of processors to work seamlessly together, taking the animation process to new heights. Unlike anything seen in previous Pixar projects, this elevated level of data access enhances productivity and efficiency.

Secondly, VAST’s Data Platform has dramatically improved operational resilience for Pixar. With multiple productions running simultaneously, it is crucial to have a reliable system that can handle the volumetric demands of each film. VAST’s platform guarantees uninterrupted uptime, a vital requirement for meeting tight production schedules and release dates. This operational resilience allows Pixar to maintain its creative momentum and deliver exceptional animations to eager audiences.

One of the most remarkable outcomes of the collaboration is the ability to captivate audiences with visual splendor. Leveraging VAST’s parallel data access and high-performance capabilities, Pixar has brought nearly 150,000 volumetric frames to life in “Elemental.” Each frame boasts stunning characters and breathtaking environments, mesmerizing audiences with its distinct allure. The seamless integration of VAST’s technology with Pixar’s creative vision has resulted in a visual masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of imagination.

Finally, VAST’s Data Platform opens doors to pioneering AI-powered cinematography for Pixar. With high-speed data processing capabilities and the potential of machine learning and deep learning training models, Pixar can explore new horizons in animation production. This means automated and enhanced production processes, empowering Pixar to continuously innovate and create unforgettable cinematic experiences for generations.