Jobs and Lasseter - Most Influential in Hollywood

[MacRumors]

Premiere magazine named (http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/#film4) Steve Jobs and John Lasseter the most influential people in Hollywood.

Jobs/Lasseter displace Steven Spielberg at the top of the list this year. Spielberg has moved down to #2.

The two get this credit for their roles at Pixar. Steve Jobs is CEO of both Pixar and Apple.

[Waluigi]

Jobs is Disney dissidents Roy Disney and Stanley Gold's favorite candidate to replace Michael Eisner as chairman of Disney

Awesome.

--Waluigi

[sonorsven]

The designer of the iPod/iMac according to the BBC is the most influential person in Great Britain, and now the Jobs/Lasseter combo are the most influential people in Hollywood! Who at Apple is next?

I bet Tiger (10.4) will be the most influential operating system! ;)

[Sonofhaig]

And well they should be...

[Knute5]

They're not *in* Hollywood. They're in Emoryville on the site of what used to be an old Dole factory...when Steve's not in Cupertino, that is.

Get ready for "The Incredibles" coming this fall. Brad Bird, the man who brought you "Iron Giant" (not to mention Family Dog and the Simpsons) will finally get the distribution hoopla he deserves. Another powerhouse year for Pixar...

[virividox]

woo hoo most influential...i hope this will move over to the computer world and get the apple ball rolling again!!! lets bump up marketshare to the double digits!!!

[pennymonger]

Does Premiere Mag use a poll to determine the most influential or is it some writer/editors' opinion ?

[The Red Wolf]

As Disney is pulling out of working with Pixar, will it be Jobs as the most influential by himself? How about an alliance with Spielberg? Dreamworks SKGJ (Jobs)? Dreamworks SKGP (Pixar)? How about Dreamworks SKGAP (Apple and Pixar)? No, the first is best as the initials are people. Or would it be better to issue a Pixar badge to Spielberg? When you're on top, I guess it doesn't matter.

[Makosuke]

Does Premiere Mag use a poll to determine the most influential or is it some writer/editors' opinion ?
I believe it's their editorial staff's call, though I don't have one of the old lists around to check.

Semi off-topic, but generally speaking, at least based on my little-to-none knowledge of the movie industry, their lists seem to make sense, putting more weight on what a person can "get done" than how well known they are--relatively big actors often don't rank well at all, being that they don't have their hand in production, and there are often little-known behind the scenes people near the top.

Good to see Steve and Lasseter (who I've ironically come to dislike reflexively for no reason other than his face pops up in an innane interview every time you try to play one of Disney's Miyazaki DVDs) getting the credit they deserve. And hey, any animation studio who can tell Disney to shove it must be pretty powerful!

[Mr. Anderson]

Wow, that's just nuts. You'd figure they'd have a bigger connection to Hollywood and its Actors.....but hey, great for them! :D

Anyone else read that blurb and see the thing about Mel Gibson replacing Eisner at Disney? :confused: :eek:

D

[Kid Red]

They're not *in* Hollywood. They're in Emoryville on the site of what used to be an old Dole factory...when Steve's not in Cupertino, that is.

Get ready for "The Incredibles" coming this fall. Brad Bird, the man who brought you "Iron Giant" (not to mention Family Dog and the Simpsons) will finally get the distribution hoopla he deserves. Another powerhouse year for Pixar...

What? The article is about them being the influential in Hollywood, not that they own the biggest house in Hollywood or that their driveways are the biggest in Hollywood. Influence does not need an address if you want to be *technical*.

[Kid Red]

oh an I guess there's always one idiot that votes negative on a positive story. I will keep the fight alive to kill that rating crap on the front page.

[jgivens12]

If you want to get technical its Emeryville not Emoryville

[bar italia]

oh an I guess there's always one idiot that votes negative on a positive story.

And there's always one idiot who doesn't fail to point that out. :rolleyes:

[sethypoo]

Awesome.

Not awesome.

Jobs over Steven Spielburg?!?! I think not. I just finished watching Saving Private Ryan.....I strongly feel that Jobs has nothing on Spielburg. Come on! :mad:

[JesseJames]

Mel Gibson head of Disney??? Hahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha :p

[sethypoo]

oh an I guess there's always one idiot that votes negative on a positive story. I will keep the fight alive to kill that rating crap on the front page.

And there's always one idiot who doesn't fail to point that out.

Just because your opinion on this story is positive doesn't mean that everyone else has to feel that way. Personally, I think Jobs being over Spielburg is rubbish.

****Votes negative*****

[patmcfar8]

Oh, Sethypoo, what exactly did Spielburg do this last year that was so influential may I ask? ;)

Props to Jobs and Lasseter. It really will be quite interesting to see what Pixar does when they're released from the Disney partnership...

[Savage Henry]

Just because your opinion on this story is positive doesn't mean that everyone else has to feel that way. Personally, I think Jobs being over Spielburg is rubbish.

****Votes negative*****

I don't tend to vote, but I am inclined to agree with you. If Pixars next two movies bomb, Disney will be looking a lot stronger and Jobs wouldn't. Whereas Speilberg has a catalogue behind him that has some of the stongest movies in the last 30 years. He'll still be stronger for longer.

[macMaestro]

Anyone else read that blurb and see the thing about Mel Gibson replacing Eisner at Disney? :confused: :eek:

D

Can we get a link?

[LethalWolfe]

Not awesome.

Jobs over Steven Spielburg?!?! I think not. I just finished watching Saving Private Ryan.....I strongly feel that Jobs has nothing on Spielburg. Come on! :mad:

Typically "rankings" like this happen on a yearly basis (like People Mags "50 most beautiful People" happens once a year). It is not an "end all, be all" list. What did Spielburg do last year? You can't deny Jobs' (read Apple and Pixar's) impact on the Industry last year. And it's not like Apple and Pixar are one-trick ponies either. For years both of them have influenced the Industry in their respective fields. Heck, Apple is practically an ingrained part of the Industry.


Lethal

[Macophile]

Not awesome.

Jobs over Steven Spielburg?!?! I think not. I just finished watching Saving Private Ryan.....I strongly feel that Jobs has nothing on Spielburg. Come on! :mad:

Spielberg, not "Spielburg." For someone so powerful, you'd think that people would know how to spell his name by now...

Premiere runs this list every year. It's a snapshot of who stands where in the industry, who's risen, who's fallen, and who to watch for in the coming months. In the long run, Speilberg is much more powerful because of his track record, but RIGHT NOW, Pixar is in a sweet position. Most of the other studios would love to make a fraction of the amount of money that Disney's made from Pixar movies in the last few years, which puts Pixar in a good negotiating position, and certain members of Disney's board (past and present) would love to replace Eisner with Jobs, who's overseen the rise of Pixar and the resucitation of Apple.

Pixar could very well have overplayed their Disney hand. Their gamble might fail. But right now all of the eyes of the industry are watching them and wondering what they're going to do next. That's why they're more powerful than Steven Spielberg right now, who -- in the estimation of the industry bean counters -- has only got another movie with Tom Hanks coming out in a few months.

[Makosuke]

Like LethalWolfe said, it's an annual ranking. Almost nobody stays on top for more than a year or two, since as with everything in Hollywood, the totally theoretical "most powerful" list is constantly changing at the whims of a whole lot of things.

At this particular juncture in time, Spielberg hasn't done a whole lot to assert or extend the reach of his power (and he's STILL at #2), whereas Steve and co have a running string of the most profitable movies ever made, as well as the confidence to spit in the face of Disney and strike out on their own... and there are people saying it's Disney that's going to be hurting as a result of it. That spells power in Hollywood.

They won't last (nobody does), but right now, they've got the sway.

[Bitstream3D]

I would find it difficult to believe Pixar would go with Dreamworks. While A Bug's Life was being developed at Pixar, Katzenberg left Disney to join Dreamworks. Rushed out to the market was Antz, a hack of a film and an obviously rushed attempt to beat ABL to the screen.

It's been a huge bone of contention for Pixar. The unwritten word is that Antz was stolen from Disney/Pixar, with Katzenberg holding the bag.

Rich

[Windowlicker]

congrats, Stevie (& mr. Lasseter)! Wonder when Billy boy gets this title ;) has he gotten it any year in the past by the way?

[jcshas]

Not to rain on the parade, but does anyone actually read "Premiere"?

[rdowns]

And there's always one idiot who doesn't fail to point that out. :rolleyes:

At least we didn't get the $chmuck saying this means a G5 PB...can't even bear to finish typing it.

[Macophile]

Not to rain on the parade, but does anyone actually read "Premiere"?

Depends on what you mean by "anyone." Of power and consequence? Probably not. At least not like the trades, "Variety" and "The Hollywood Reporter." It's more of a movie-fan magazine, which makes it sound like some kind of rag like "People" or "Us Weekly," but it's not. Nobody's career, though, is going to be made or lost by their inclusion in or exclusion from this list.

But if you mean "anyone" in the broad sense, then yes, I read it.

[sethypoo]

It's Spielberg, not "Spielburg." For someone so powerful, you'd think that people would know how to spell his name by now...
Ladies and gentlemen.....we have our MacRumors spell-checker! (that's you, Macophile). :rolleyes: Sorry, I was typing fast. Speling isnt always perfct.

Oh, Sethypoo, what exactly did Spielburg do this last year that was so influential may I ask?
He lived. He breathed. He basked in the warm glow from all the awards and accolades he's won for all the awesome films he's made in the past 30 years! He started and finished filming The Terminal. He did plenty. What I'm complaining about is the idea that Steve Jobs is God and that he can do no wrong. People on these forums see a headline like "Jobs named #1" or "Steve Jobs Voted Best Entertainment mogul" and immidiatly get all excited, without thinking about it.

Steven Spielberg is in a league of his own. Jobs is a computer geek, like the rest of us. He may be a smart businessman, but he's still a computer geek.

Come on, what's a better film, Schindler's List or Finding Nemo?
Saving Private Ryan or Toy Story?

[sethypoo]

At least we didn't get the $chmuck saying this means a G5 PB...can't even bear to finish typing it.

This is clear proof that Apple is about to release the PowerBook G5! w00t! :p :) ;)

[agreenster]

Come on, what's a better film, Schindler's List or Finding Nemo?
Saving Private Ryan or Toy Story?

Thats not the point. The title is, "Most Influential," not who is the best director/producer/filmmaker. Plus, this is for this year, not of all time, right?

Right now, Pixar is very influential, considering they are almost single-handedly responsible for making the CG animated feature phenom, not to mention they're the makers of one of the most advanced rendering software packages made. Many CG effects seen nowadays wouldnt be possible/believable without Renderman.

Plus, when it comes to storytelling itself, Pixar films are tight, touching, and well crafted. They ARE the most influential right NOW. Of all time? Well, maybe/maybe not. But future studios will be hard put to be better than Pixar.

[sethypoo]

Thats not the point. The title is, "Most Influential," not who is the best director/producer/filmmaker. Plus, this is for this year, not of all time, right?

You're right, you're absolutely right. But I still think Spielberg is more influential right now in Hollywood that Jobs ever will be.

Picture this: Spielberg backs an upcoming movie: people pay attention. Jobs backs an upcoming movie: people say, "Who's Steve Jobs?" That's influence!

Pixar films are wonderful, the best animated movies yet. But still.....Spielberg.....

[Moonlight]

Come on, what's a better film...
Saving Private Ryan or Toy Story?


Toy Story

[dontmatter]

so long as pixar doesn't take too much of steve away from apple! :)

[~Shard~]

Great job Jobs! ;) It’s nice to see good ol’ Steve getting more recognition – recognition that he deserves. The more that Jobs is in the spotlight, the better it is for Apple, and I’m fine with that!

[Rower_CPU]

Stay on topic, folks. Thanks :)

[tex210]

You not only deleted their off topic remarks, you even deleted my link to how they killed the thread! It's like time and orwell have conspired to make me a paradox :eek:
Head explodes.

On topic ...
Pixar needs to deliver - Please not the sheep.

[ryanw]

oh an I guess there's always one idiot that votes negative on a positive story. I will keep the fight alive to kill that rating crap on the front page.

I wish the forums here followed more of the "slashdot system". People should rate posts so the people that only want to read the interesting posts can go through the forums fairly quickly instead of having to read all the redundant posts.

I can only take so many posts that say things like "Wooohooo", "Way to go apple!", "I hope this is true I have my credit card ready!", "Gimme Gimme", etc.. Those that want to can browse the forums at -1, while I breeze through reading just the 5's.

[Windowlicker]

Come on, what's a better film, Schindler's List or Finding Nemo?
Saving Private Ryan or Toy Story?

well, imo schindler & ryan, but if you ask a kid, you might get a bit different answers..

and what was the purpose of this reply? :P

[macridah]

What's next? Time's man of the year. Jobs would definitely get my vote.

[moofdog]

As Disney is pulling out of working with Pixar, will it be Jobs as the most influential by himself? .

Didn't Pixar decide not to sign further deals with Disney (not the other way round).

[agreenster]

You're right, you're absolutely right. But I still think Spielberg is more influential right now in Hollywood that Jobs ever will be.

Picture this: Spielberg backs an upcoming movie: people pay attention. Jobs backs an upcoming movie: people say, "Who's Steve Jobs?" That's influence!

Pixar films are wonderful, the best animated movies yet. But still.....Spielberg.....

Again, not really the point. It isnt a matter of random people knowing who Steve Jobs and John Lasseter are, but who in the industry are making the biggest influence, as far as filmmaking goes. Steven Spielburg hasnt done much lately to innovate or influence filmmaking. Pixar is influencing a TON.

[wdlove]

What's next? Time's man of the year. Jobs would definitely get my vote.

Being most influential in Hollywood is quit an accomplishment. If Steve can meet stated goals this year he might very well be up for "Time's man of the Year." That would be G5 3.0+, G5 iMac, G5 PB, & 10.4!

[jelloshotsrule]

Come on, what's a better film, Schindler's List or Finding Nemo? Saving Private Ryan or Toy Story?

first of all, comparing those films straight up is never going to work. they are completely different (not just because they are animation vs live action), with different purposes... also, jobs and spielberg were not the only people responsible for them.. did spielberg write all his films? did jobs write/direct pixar's films? it's really not comparable

that said, i don't think saving private ryan was all that good.

toy story changed (or really created) the 3D animated features industry..

finding nemo stole from my own 3D film, so i'll reserve comment. hahahahah

[LethalWolfe]

Didn't Pixar decide not to sign further deals with Disney (not the other way round).

Correct. Pixar "dumped" Disney, not the other way around.


Lethal

[choogheem]

Not awesome.

Jobs over Steven Spielburg?!?! I think not. I just finished watching Saving Private Ryan.....I strongly feel that Jobs has nothing on Spielburg. Come on! :mad:

As was already stated, what has spielberg done this year? That is what the poll was based on. Although if Senor Spielbergo were part of this, he would most certainly be #1, just look at his documentary of Mr. Burns. :D

[sethypoo]

Again, not really the point. It isnt a matter of random people knowing who Steve Jobs and John Lasseter are, but who in the industry are making the biggest influence, as far as filmmaking goes. Steven Spielburg hasnt done much lately to innovate or influence filmmaking. Pixar is influencing a TON.
I think that is the point.
Animation? Is Toy Story going to be that important in the years to come? A very small percentage of films will ever use the Renderman technology/software. Granted, it's a great piece of software, but most movies will never, ever have a need for it!

Pixar is a great company, but it's not influencing that much IMHO.

Isn't influence about how well you're known? I'm telling you, some person with the name "agreenster" has no influence on me when compared to guys like Jobs and Spielberg. I know who they are, whereas I know nothing of you. Influence is defined as:

in·flu·ence
A power affecting a person, thing, or course of events, especially one that operates without any direct or apparent effort: relaxed under the influence of the music; the influence of television on modern life.

Power to sway or affect based on prestige, wealth, ability, or position: used her parent's influence to get the job.

[sethypoo]

As was already stated, what has spielberg done this year? That is what the poll was based on. Although if Senor Spielbergo were part of this, he would most certainly be #1, just look at his documentary of Mr. Burns. :D

Yes, I'd have to agree, Mr. Spielbergo is a genius :D. That documentary moved me to tears....sniff sniff! :p ;) :D

[michaelb]

Anyone else read that blurb and see the thing about Mel Gibson replacing Eisner at Disney? :confused: :eek:

Whoa! The Little Mermaid meets The Passion.

You do not want Disney to go there.

[iomar]

He should be! .. Go Steve...!

[LethalWolfe]

I think that is the point.
Animation? Is Toy Story going to be that important in the years to come? A very small percentage of films will ever use the Renderman technology/software. Granted, it's a great piece of software, but most movies will never, ever have a need for it!

Pixar is a great company, but it's not influencing that much IMHO.

Isn't influence about how well you're known? I'm telling you, some person with the name "agreenster" has no influence on me when compared to guys like Jobs and Spielberg. I know who they are, whereas I know nothing of you. Influence is defined as:


In the past few years how many blockbuster animation movies have their been? How many blockbuster 3D animation movies? How many of those movies were made by Pixar? Pixar has dethroned Disney as the king of animated movies. They are most certainly going to have a very recognsible place in Hollywood history. And "Hollywood" isn't just movies, it's TV as well. And Apple, especially in the past year, is really shaking things up in the post production word of TV and film. I mean, seriously. Apple and FCP are doing to Avid what Pixar did to Disney. Apple and FCP are changing the way movies and TV are being made. Everything from no budget shorts to big budget features to prime time TV. At the past couple of NAB's most of the buzz has been about Apple and FCP. That's freaking huge.

And so what if the average Joe recognizes Spielberg's name but not Jobs'. Name recognition outside of the Industry doesn't mean anything. It's recognition inside the Industry that count. I guarentee you 95% of the movers and shakers in Hollywood no one outside of the Industry has ever heard of.

I'm not trying to discount Spielberg in anyway, but I think you are having a limited perspective as to how people can be influential. Yeah, After Saving Private Ryan many movies copied the "look" of that film, but, besides Spielberg, I can't think of any director that doesn't want their movie edited digitally.


Lethal

[thatwendigo]

If Steve can meet stated goals this year he might very well be up for "Time's man of the Year." That would be G5 3.0+, G5 iMac, G5 PB, & 10.4!

I've mostly stayed out of this thread, because there isn't much I would say that wasn't said by others. However...

Would you point me to where Jobs has stated that G5 iMacs, G5 PowerBooks, and the actual release of 10.4 were promised for this year? The only thing you listed that I've ever seen come out of Jobs' mouth is the statement that the G5 would be at 3.0ghz during summer of 2004.

Isn't influence about how well you're known? I'm telling you, some person with the name "agreenster" has no influence on me when compared to guys like Jobs and Spielberg. I know who they are, whereas I know nothing of you. Influence is defined as:

No, influece is based on how much you change things. Ives and Jobs are two of the most influential forces in the industry, regardless of whether the average PC user could tell you who they are. Name recognition and influence are different things.

Don't believe me?

Who runs Ford? How about Chevy? IBM? Sony? SE Johnson? Krupp? Glaxo-Welcomb? Pfizer? BP-Amoco? UNOCAL? Boeing? Can't name them? Funny, because all of them are influencing the world you live in, and yet you can't just spout their names right off the tip of your tongue.

Name a male actor. Name a female actor. Now name a congressman that's not from your state. Get the point? Being famous and being powerful do not always go together, especially not down at the consumer level, where people don't deal with real power on a daily basis.

[wdlove]

I've mostly stayed out of this thread, because there isn't much I would say that wasn't said by others. However...

Would you point me to where Jobs has stated that G5 iMacs, G5 PowerBooks, and the actual release of 10.4 were promised for this year? The only thing you listed that I've ever seen come out of Jobs' mouth is the statement that the G5 would be at 3.0ghz during summer of 2004.

I realize that the mention of a G5 iMac, G5 PowerBook, Or 10.4 didn't directly come from Steve Jobs mouth. I'm just saying that if these were accomplished, he certainly was be raised up in stature. Steve would get enough notice to be recignized by Time.

[thatwendigo]

I realize that the mention of a G5 iMac, G5 PowerBook, Or 10.4 didn't directly come from Steve Jobs mouth. I'm just saying that if these were accomplished, he certainly was be raised up in stature. Steve would get enough notice to be recignized by Time.

Raised up? Jobs is the man who brought Apple back from the verge of death, oversaw the creation of OS X, aided in the creation of the G5, and otherwise improved the company to no end since 1997. I think that few people give the guy enough credit for what he's done to and for the platform.

Who cares if Time notices him? His own users don't even grant him enough recognition.

[jeffbistrong]

They are definately the most influential people in the world. Even with the rise of Apple as a leader in the distribution of online music and the existance of the sexy IPODS, I think Gates, would have to be tied with them at #1. The existance of OSX proves how smart Gates is. He has the rest of the world under his control with the existance of the [crappy] Windows OS. No doubt OS X is better, but he has every one fooled. Most the home computers in the world use Windows. Many people are now moving to Mac, but Gates has the rest of the computing industry in his control with the existance of windows.

[msandersen]

Mel Gibson as head of Disney?? that's scary! Can you imagine the remake of Bambi? Oh, the horror! The blood spatters on the virgin white snow! Put that machine gun down, Bambi! no! No! Noooo...>Splat<
Maybe they'll crucify Bambi this time?

He may have grown up in Australia, but I generally have no respect for right-wingers.

[msandersen]

This whole thread is farcical, arguing over wether or not Jobs/Lassiter is more influential that Spielberg. It's just a stupid magazine article. We all love to see Apple or Jobs get some sort of mention or recognition. Well, most of us. So wether or not the iTunes music store is the biggest invention of the decade, or whatever, it's just copy filler.
Now, if the question was: Who's the most influential in animation, few people would argue. Eisner is still up there, but at the moment Disney has problems. They are the masters of marketing spin, though. They get all the Pixar merchandise out there, which further drives the movie/DVD sales. Kids want the Nemo yogurt, even if they normally don't get yogurt, over any other brand. So far, everything Pixar has touched has turned to gold - marketing gold. Lassiter is the king of CG animation. The only other contender are the people behind Shrek. They are aimed at slightly different audiences, so adults particularly appreciate the slightly more risque or naughty humor in Shrek. But they haven't done much yet. That I know of. Once they get a few hits under their belts, they will be in the same position as Pixar, more or less. Pixar has more hsitory behind them, right back to George Lucas, who sold his animation division to Jobs in the first place. Best damn investment Steve ever made. Some would say the investment in computer parts to build the Apple I, or setting up the production of the Apple II, but it's been a long hard slug from there, and is a bit dicey at the moment. Pixar has had a huge influence over Disney, they were the ones who had devised the automated machinery to scan film, combine with CG imagery, and print film, actually before they became pixar. They brought Disney from the age of the 2-year hugely expensive Sleeping-Beauty productions to fully digitised process, allowing the much quicker turnover of movies at a fraction of the cost it used to be. Fantasia nearly sent Disney broke. It's risky business. Less so now. So, that's certainly a lot of power and influence. Renderman has been previously mentioned.
But the most influential in Hollywood (this year)? Sounds strange, but I'm not privy to the backroom deals. Right now, since Pixar has broken up with Disney, they're shopping for other distributors. they have their pick, and they are all falling over themselves to be chosen. That's power and influence. They can dictate terms with whomever they choose. But there are still 2 more movies left in the Disney contract, so it'll be a little while before the post-Disney era for pixar. I expect their style won't change though, they like the kiddie level it's at. Would be interesting to see their take on a Shrek-like movie, though.

[wdlove]

Raised up? Jobs is the man who brought Apple back from the verge of death, oversaw the creation of OS X, aided in the creation of the G5, and otherwise improved the company to no end since 1997. I think that few people give the guy enough credit for what he's done to and for the platform.

Who cares if Time notices him? His own users don't even grant him enough recognition.

I don't care really, it would just give him more notice in the world. If you notice my signature, I recognize and admire Steve Jobs! ;)

[leftbanke7]

6 degrees of seperation:

John Lasseter is my mother's boss's cousin.

[Mac Dummy]

Premiere magazine named (http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/#film4) Steve Jobs and John Lasseter the most influential people in Hollywood.

Jobs/Lasseter displace Steven Spielberg at the top of the list this year. Spielberg has moved down to #2.

The two get this credit for their roles at Pixar. Steve Jobs is CEO of both Pixar and Apple.

Well its about time! :)