Bob Whitehill
Bob Whitehill
Stereoscopic Supervisor
Pixar Animation Studios
Bob Whitehill began his career at Pixar Animation Studios in April 2004. Brought on as a Layout Artist on the Golden GlobeÒ winning Cars, he continued in this role on Pixar’s animated short film Lifted, and the Academy Award winning feature WALL•E. Whitehill served as Layout Supervisor for Mater and Ghostlight and three Cars Toons, Rescue Squad Mater, El Materdor and Mater the Greater. Currently, Whitehill is working as Stereoscopic Supervisor on the 3D production of Disney•Pixar’s feature film Toy Story 3. He worked as the Stereoscopic Supervisor on Disney•Pixar’s recently released feature film Up and on the 3D conversion of the original Toy Story and Toy Story 2. As Stereoscopic Supervisor, Whitehill determines how much depth, or “3D effect” is put into each shot of the 3D version of the film. His main focus is to create a rich, dimensional viewing experience that enhances the film’s storytelling and results in a comfortable viewing experience. In his work with the film’s directors, Whitehill determines a “depth script” to plan how to use 3D over the course of the film’s story. Once the “depth script” is established, he works to ensure the dimensionality, scale and consistency of that depth vision. Prior to joining Pixar, Whitehill worked as a Layout Artist and Supervisor at PDI/Dreamworks on various projects including Antz, Shrek and Shrek 2. One of Whitehill’s earliest influences in 3D work was Peter Anderson, a 30-year veteran of 3D-filmmaking. Whitehill worked with Anderson on the Universal Studios theme park attraction, Shrek 4D. John Lasseter's passion for and interest in 3D has also been a great influence on Whitehill's creative use of 3D in Pixar's films. Whitehilll grew up in San Mateo, California and attended college at Harvard University. He currently resides in Oakland with his family.
Three Dimensional Storytelling
Since the advent of the visual arts, artists have developed techniques to imbue their images with emotion and story-telling. Renaissance painters used amber hued lighting to evoke intimacy and warmth. Photographers use different lens lengths to expand or
constrict the space around a subject creating a feeling of freedom or confinement. Filmmakers move characters and objects in different directions or at various speeds to reflect a character's state of mind. These tools that affect our connection to and interpretation of a subject are innumerable.
Now, with the growing base of equipped theaters, we've expanded the reach of another powerful tool in the visual storytelling arsenal - 3D. How can we use it, like color, composition, and movement as a visual storytelling device? How do we bring it beyond the 3D genre experience of roller-coaster shots and objects flying off screen into a subtler yet palpable addition to the art form? Will it become an expected and indispensible addition to almost all filmmaking, or continue to play a role on a smaller subset of films.
Using examples from "Up", "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2", Pixar's Stereoscopic Supervisor Bob Whitehill will discuss these questions and the use of 3D as a visual storytelling device in Pixar's films.
