Pixar’s Braintrust Meetings

You might think Pixar’s string of hit films — Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Inside Out — is just the result of talent and imagination. That’s true, but behind each story is a powerful, structured process called the Braintrust: a series of candid, no-ego feedback meetings that have helped transform rough ideas into storytelling gold.

The Braintrust is made up of Pixar’s most experienced directors, writers, and producers. They meet during the development of every movie to review progress and give blunt, unfiltered feedback — not to criticize, but to challenge. There are no hierarchies in the room: a junior writer’s insight is valued just as much as a veteran director’s. And here’s the twist — none of the feedback is mandatory. The creative leads remain in charge of what to use or ignore. This keeps the conversation open, honest, and focused on making the film better — not scoring points.

This system was co-created by Ed Catmull, one of Pixar’s co-founders, who believed that good ideas can come from anywhere, and that the hardest part of storytelling isn’t having a vision — it’s fixing the things that don’t work. According to Catmull, “early versions of a film are ugly babies” — and Braintrust meetings are how they grow up. For example, Toy Story 2 was once considered a disaster until Braintrust input helped reshape its entire structure.

Pixar’s Braintrust proves that radical honesty can be a creative superpower — if it’s paired with trust, humility, and the freedom to fail. In a world where feedback is often sugar-coated or drowned in ego, Pixar’s approach is a reminder that honest storytelling starts with honest storytellers.